"Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives"

 Reflections4Life™ May 29, 2022

"Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives"

"So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, and develops well-formed maturity in you." Romans 12:1-2 (MSG) 

Scripture Contemplation: Daniel 10; Romans 12; James 4…

©Ruthe McDonald.

God is doing extraordinary things through the lives of ordinary people. It is not extraordinary people doing ordinary things making a difference. Ordinary people—who follow God's lead and determine in our hearts to walk in obedience, are doing fantastic, marvelous, and extraordinary things. Extraordinary to others but the same old thing for us because we are doing what we love for Who we love.

I declare that this week's Reflections is a continued source of encouragement for your hearts, minds, and souls. God desires to give us understanding and insight into the parts of our hearts and souls where we may have felt stagnated. Lay it on the altar, giving it all to God for direction. Trust God to lead you into the places He has ordained for your life.

It is amazing when I see and hear the extraordinary accomplishments that everyday, ordinary people are doing. It encourages and inspires me to continue to go forward in the plans of God, allowing Him to lead me on the paths that He has ordained for my life. What I have learned on my life's journey, is that our ordinary, everyday self can and will do amazing things on this earth when we take a moment to first think about the needs of someone else.

The average person may often look at their life and feel what they do and contribute is not much. That, the extra sandwich they made and shared; the bag of clothes and shoes, the nearly used purses filled with toiletries, that bottle of water, that cover, that blanket, that cupcake or cookie sale--were all just very small things that really do not make much of a difference. They were just doing their part, but not really making much of a huge difference. That "average" person would be wrong. With a selfless heart, that ordinary person just did an extraordinary thing. Sometimes they may never know how great an impact they truly had, but the blessings of God will visit them in return.

That extra sandwich? It fed someone that had not eaten in days and gave them hope that someone does care. That bag of clothes and shoes? It helped someone who needed new clothing for a job interview that would change their lives and their family's lives. Some child was able to feel comfortable going to school with clean and new clothes. Three more outfits than what they had which were none. The purses filled with toiletries went to women and teen girls that are homeless and have no extra money for the basic necessities that we take for granted. The generosity touched their hearts and encouraged them to keep pushing forward. They feel clean and human again. They were so inspired they turn around and give from what they had and now are inspired to give back and work with the people they used to be. That bottle of water? It was not only used for thirst but to wash. It gave life. That blanket? Kept people warm and shielded from the cold and the other elements of the weather. That bake sale? Helped pay for several family meals for three months. Enough time for that mother, father, and guardian to gain employment, and does not worry about putting food on the table and feeding their children until they could provide; especially after being turned away from a food bank because they just ran out of food.

It is the ordinary people that are rising up in light of the tragedies that have befallen many that will make the difference in moving forward. Ordinary people who desire to help others are the ones that end up doing extraordinary things that change the world for the better. Out of tragedies, ordinary people do extraordinary things that change the course of people's lives for good.

I would be remiss not to mention the ordinary men and women that did the extraordinary every day when they made the decision to serve this country. We honor each serviceperson for the sacrifice they have made to ensure the safety and liberty of their country. Blessings to the families of those extraordinary men and women. We are forever indebted to their sacrifice and we remember and celebrate them this Memorial Day and every day that follows.

Ordinary people do what they would normally do but have extraordinary impacts. Ordinary people do extraordinary things because they dare to follow their hearts and take a chance on humanity and find themselves creating organizations, inventing products, saving lives, organizing grass-root organizations, raising funds, giving freely of themselves, and changing lives for the better forever. Giving their lives.

Beloved, God uses ordinary people. You do not have to come from a rich family to be wealthy. You can be wealthy in heart, mind, and spirit, wealthy in character, in love, and a desire to serve and make a difference. God is using ordinary people with a heart that is malleable to His touch; with a teachable spirit, to do extraordinary things every single day. He just looks for a willing heart to follow His lead.

My Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity finds permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. You do not need any special skills to be used by God, to be His instrument, His hands, feet, and voice on the earth. He just needs a willing heart ready and willing to serve and share the love. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

©2022. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"Get Back Up!"

 Reflections4Life™ May 15, 2022

“Get Back Up”

“Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

Scripture Contemplation: 1 Samuel 17:20; Psalm 121:8; 140:4; Isaiah 43; 61; Hebrews 4; 13…

©Ruthe McDonald.

I declare that this week’s Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. Give the Father your time. In Him, you will find your strength, courage, and power to keep pushing forward and walking into the life He has ordained for you. Failures may come but in God, they all become life lessons and the reason you do not stay down but get back up.

We cannot stay down, Beloved. God has too much for our lives and those He has assigned to us. Yes. We are on assignment on this earth. We are not here by accident. We are here on purpose with a purpose. We must remember whose we are and who has us covered no matter what we face on this earth.

Yes, it would appear so easy to stay down and wallow in mistakes, failures, oppression, and depression, and have them easily fall into the category of self-pity. However, God has invested too much in us to allow the enemy to come and continue to steal from us our peace, joy, strength, and sound mind.

Get. Back. Up. It does not matter what you failed at or who left you. That failure is another lesson to be learned and a testimony earned. That person who left? Their loss! God saved you further heartache down the line. Rise up and remember who you belong to and what He has promised you.

The word of God admonishes us not to grow weary in well-doing. It may feel easier said than done but the truth of the matter is that with God, it becomes easier to bear. Our burden becomes light and yoke becomes easier all because Christ has taken upon Himself to bear the infirmities, the weaknesses, the doubts, fears, the uncertainties, the heartaches, the angst, anger, and vitriol, and all else upon Himself.

Now is not the time to give up, Beloveds. It is, however, time to cast it all on the Lord. Leave everything at the feet of Jesus; begin to worship, and praise God for the manifestations of His promises. Now! Now is the season, the moment, the time that you have diligently prayed about. The very season and reason why you so diligently sought after Him. He has already filled your cup; now begins the overflow. The overflow of anointing. The same anointing that destroys the yoke of the enemy. The overflow of answered prayers; knowing that God has not only heard but has answered and is bringing to pass every prophetic word being birthed this hour. You just have to believe and take your position to receive.

A Prayer for This Week

Lord God, thank You for another day, another gift of life. An abundant life filled with the manifestations of blessings and answered prayers. Thank You, Father, for eyes and ears being opened and a heart conditioned and mind regulated to receive the overflow of the blessings ordained for my life. Thank You, for being my God, my Father, my Help in the time of trouble and in need; my Deliverer, my Answer. Thank You, for being my everything and conditioning my heart to know who You are and whose I am.

 Thank You, Lord, for not allowing me to give up or to throw in the towel as I am in the season of NOW. The season of manifestations and miracles. Thank You, Lord, for signs and wonders following me and for Your word being in my heart and on my lips. Thank You, Lord, that as it is and has always been in Heaven, so it is now on the earth concerning me and mine and every soul you have commissioned to come into my sphere of influence. Thank You, Lord, that I can, because of You, walk, in confidence and boldness because I am Yours and You have conditioned my heart.

Father, I am expecting great and mighty things in this new week. Doors are open, roadblocks have been destroyed, fear has been obliterated, and naysayers have been quieted. Thank You, that I do not walk alone but have You and a cloud of witnesses cheering me on and encouraging me in every area to follow Your lead and make things happen. You have withheld no good or great thing from me. Instead, You have ushered me into my wealthy places.

Thank You, for enlarging my territory and sphere of influence. Thank You for the gift of giving and that of discernment and humbleness. I stand on Your word and in Your presence and truth; walking in confidence, boldness, joy, and happiness, with peace all around me, in me, and working for me. I am covered in righteousness and everything I speak in accordance with Your will comes to pass swiftly, with no more delays. Thank You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

My Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity finds permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. Do not give up! Just when you think God has abandoned you. Just when you are about to give up and throw in the towel; that is the moment you are closer than ever to the manifestations of the promises and blessings of God. Get back up, shake the dust off, and go forward with boldness, knowing, believing, and trusting the word of God in your life. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

©2022. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"The Beauty of My Heart"

 Reflections4Life™ May 08, 2022

“The Beauty of My Heart”

“Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God-you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.” Psalm 139:13-14 MSG

Scripture Contemplation: Psalm 139; Proverbs 31; Ruth 1; Job 24; 1-12; Isaiah 49:15-18; John 19…

Happy Mother’s Day! 

I declare that this week’s Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. Honor those who gave you life and those who mothered you but may not have birthed you. Let them know each day how much you love them. Remember the lessons of those who have transitioned. For they are life and will guide you to the manifest blessings that God has ordained for your life.

No matter what kind of relationship you may have with your mother, honor her for the simple fact that you have a life. I understand that there are many who are estranged from their mothers. You have your reasons. Yet, even in that, God admonishes us to honor our parents. To honor our mothers for the simple fact that they gave us birth and that is the vessel that God chose to bring us into this world.

No mother is perfect. Some go far and above as mothers, sharing their love and concern with countless others who may not have had such a great relationship with their own or even know their mother. Then you have mothers who are at the other end of the spectrum. Such is life; it is good and bad in all things. Yet, I am convinced that for those who have found themselves in the latter experience, I believe that God has raised up women to come into their lives and mother those who need mothering. He has raised up a select group of women to carry out the love of God through mothering not only their children but other children and adults who need to know sincerely what a mother’s love is and what it feels like.

I take this opportunity to share with you about my mother. My heart. The beauty of my heart. I am because she was. She transitioned seven years ago, yet it feels like yesterday. I still hear her voice, feel her embrace, and at times smell her scent and feel her presence. She is never far from me. As close as we were before she transitioned, there was a time when we were not close at all. I gather many mothers and daughters go through this speed bump as daughters are growing up and thinking they know everything. Yet that was not the reason for our distance. 

My mother confided in me that she thought she had to be extra strict with me to ensure that I did not follow her example. She wanted me to do more than she did. To accomplish all of my dreams. To go to college and do the things that were in my heart. So, she became very strict and rigid in her discipline—in her fear—to keep me walking that “straight” line. The result, however, was that I did not want to be around my mother. I loved her but hated her behavior towards me, which only made us bump heads. There were things I wanted to share with her. Things I needed to share, that she should have known but was too fearful and angry at her to open up and develop a close relationship that we shared when I was a very little girl.

Fortunately, God stepped in, and when I graduated college, my mother and I became best friends. We were able to communicate as women who had grown and who had things in common that went beyond our love for God. The trials and tests we endured made us stronger, and that is why I can say, my mother will always be the beauty of my heart. She is that beauty that resides in my heart constantly. Through her, I learned how to be a mother, a friend, an aunt, and a humanitarian. I learned how to pray, how to intercede, and how to be that Proverbs 31 woman. I am blessed. Because even though she is now resting in the Lord, she has left me a treasure; an inheritance that makes my brothers and me wealthy beyond natural means. She left us with the truth of what it means to be a true child of God.

Strength

This is my Mom. She taught me just about everything I know about being a strong woman. About, coming back stronger after being down for so long. About overcoming obstacles and triumphantly destroying the plans of the enemy. She taught me about prayer and how to pray. She taught me how to forgive and to love unconditionally.

This is my Mama. My friend. My heart. My teacher. The woman who showed me that nothing is impossible for God. That you can indeed overcome when everyone else has counted you out. She taught me how to stand in my convictions and not back down. To hold onto what I believed and to go after God tenaciously, and that it is okay to remind God of His promises, and to definitely ask the question why. 

This is my Mother. Who loved me better than anyone, Who prayed for me when I couldn't pray for myself. Who listened to me and did not interrupt. Who knew what I was feeling just by the look on my face or the aurora of my spirit. I didn't have to say a word. She just knew. Who listened patiently and didn't ask a question; even though I called her at four in the morning but didn't speak until 4:25. She just listened, while I was silent or cried. Then afterward, she lifted me up in prayer, not commenting n anything I just shared. Because she understood, I just needed my mother's ear.

This is my Mommy. Who left this earth seven years ago. Leaving me to wonder what I was going to do without my partner in crime. Without my intercessor, my prayer warrior, my encourager, my teacher, my mother, my friend. What was I to do? It hurt so damn bad. And it still does.

This is my Teacher. Who taught me strength just by being who she was. Her life was a testament to her strength and irreproachable character. She was far from perfect, and she owned it. Never did she hide the truth about who she was and what she did, to the point it felt that I knew too much! But she was honest and wanted you to know, that whatever you faced, you could get through it also.

I hope there is someone in your life that you can always turn to and have a source of strength to glean from. I hope that you cherish every lesson, admonishment, and correction that they have to give. Because it is all a part of teaching you to stand and be strong; becoming the person God has already said you are.

My Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity finds permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. Honor your mother whether or not she was good, bad, there, or not. She was the instrument that God used to get you here, on this earth, and receiving of all that He has for you. Do not let a day go past that you do not tell the ones you love that you love them. If you see someone who needs some mothering, then mother them. DNA has nothing on motherhood. It is about the heart and the power and beauty that reside within a woman’s heart and the power that lies in motherhood. Happy Mother’s Day! Rejoice in your assignment. It is a gift from God. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

©2022. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved. 

"It's Not Always What It Looks Like!"

 Reflections4Life™ May 1, 2022

“It’s Not Always What it Looks Like!"

“But just as it is written, “Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him.” God has revealed these to us by the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (NET)

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 64; 1 Corinthians 2; Matthew 25; Daniel 2; 1 Corinthians 13; 14

     I declare that this week’s Reflections4life will continue to be a source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. Seek God early every day, with a heart of expectancy for all He desires to pour into you. Allow God to lead in your life. The Lord wants to fill us with not only, what we need and have asked of Him but also things we have not even thought to ask.

     There is so much more to life than we could ever comprehend when living it in Christ. There are many more colors than what is seen in a rainbow. Life is a kaleidoscope of events, circumstances, and situations, culminating in a life’s journey. The Father loves us without pause and desires our journeys to be filled with His love, healing, understanding, life-long lessons, reconciliation, redemption, and self-love. God desires for us to walk in abundant life lacking nothing but to be overflowing with His promises that we share with others. Prayerfully, those who receive will also believe in the love and power of God Almighty.

     Each of our lives is different. We may share similarities and experiences; have been through the same kinds of trauma and heartaches. However, who we are as individuals, makes our experiences unique, and different from anyone else in this world. Yet, we can still empathize with one another. Showing sympathy for losses, hurts, and heartaches. As well as, understanding and kindness when the right words escape us, but we want to show our support and love. We can also show our happiness for their celebratory milestones and achievements. 

     We never really know what a person may be going through unless they share it with us. A person can walk around, interacting with a smile on their face, a lilt in their voice, and never reveal the agonizing pain they may currently be in. They may dress in fine clothing, look put together every time you see them, showing up at church, work, and family or friend functions, but we would never know they have lost their job, their home, and are fighting thoughts of suicide, depression, rejection; all while smiling in our face. They present a picture as though all is well. The truth is, it is God’s grace holding them together.

     It is not always what it looks like. What we are seeing with our natural eyes does not always give us the whole picture and sometimes, not even half of the picture. This is the reason we need to nurture our relationship with God so that we gain knowledge of what is going on around us. God will give us understanding so we may make wise and correct decisions that are right for all involved. We must learn to look through our spiritual lens; through the eyes of God when interacting with one another. To, have our spiritual ears and eyes open, receiving our instructions from God and how to care, love, and hear one another.

     Even when it comes to our personal lives and relationship with God. Many have been believing in the word and the promises of God. Circumstances and situations arise, and we are shaken. Oftentimes, we do not admit to the doubts and fears that arise after we have been waiting a while for the manifestations of God’s promises in our lives. There are times when the wait seems so long that we may feel God has forgotten about us or abandoned us and the promises we have been waiting on to manifest. However, that could not be further from the truth of what God has planned for our lives. Our story is just beginning.

     

    Often, it is never what it looks like with God. What we are seeing in the natural is far from the gifts that lie ahead of us, waiting for us to claim them. Yet, have we to imagine the blessings for our lives. The magnitude of their greatness. We can believe when seeking God, having learned something magnificent about our Lord, there are yet mysteries that God desires to reveal. Too, those with a heart after His goodness and righteousness will see and understand this.

     My Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity find permanent rest in your lives. I decree, that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. Take your time in the presence of God this week, listening to His voice and instructions. Allow Holy Spirit to lead you into all truths. Not everything is as it seems. Do not allow what appears to be to fool you. To fool you into giving up, or making decisions that God has not sanctioned. Trust God. Believe His word and promises, and He will soon reveal all that you need to know and understand, about others and yourself, in due season. Let God lead. You are Blessed. Now go...and be a Blessing!

©2022. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.