My writing is not for the faint of heart. My writing is not for the people who just got by easy in life, life never offered them anything to overcome. My books, writings, blogs and articles are for the real. My writings are about pain but they are to the core about triumph. My writings are for the real men and women who know pain. The real men and women who know pain and aren’t ashamed to show their true selves. The real men and women who life knocked down but they got right back up. I once had a friend tell me that an acquaintance of hers said, “I want to buy Deborah’s book but it seems so depressing”. My books are for those who have overcame sadness, depression, heartache, death and misfortune. My books were written to encourage the hearts of fighters and they were written for the birthing of a fighter’s heart, for those who aren’t use to fighting.
I know many may not understand what it means to be an overcomer. I know you are reading this because you are an overcomer. You joined my network of overcomers because you desire to be the best version of yourself during your time here on earth. That’s my ultimate goal, to help the women and men that I cross paths with become the best versions of themselves. Even when I’m not writing or online, my life reflects that, every day of my life. Just ask someone who I have the pleasure of calling friend. I know sometimes you may wonder, “Well Deborah, why do we have to go through these things, why can’t we just have good lives without putting in the hard work.” My response is simple, nothing worth having comes easy.
This past Sunday my Pastor offered a more profound answer. Today I want to share that with you:
“And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, Yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, But your eyes shall see your teachers.”
Isaiah 30:20 NKJV
Often times we automatically attribute our hardships to the enemy, “The devil is trying me today.” But God will give you adversity and affliction. Adversity are the opponents you fight against. Affliction are the troubles you experience, where you feel completely lost and don’t know where to turn in times of trouble.
Bread and water are necessities for life. You can’t live without bread and water. This is why God said “bread of adversity” and “water of affliction”. You need affliction and adversity to live. They keep you connected to God. They keep you in need of God. They keep you humble. Some of us wouldn’t be in church today if it wasn’t for both adversity and affliction. I am one of those people.
So why? Because when God tried to talk to us, we would not listen. I waited on you but you still didn’t listen. I told you to live right but you still didn’t, you did what you wanted to do. You didn’t have time for God, all hell broke loose in your life and now you have time for God.
Adversity and affliction helps us to see the Teacher, God is the Teacher. After you experience hardship, you now listen to God.
Simple?
I try to read a new book as often as possible and I often find myself reading at least, one book a month. My September 2016 book was written by Mark Batterson. He is the author of the well-known book, The Circle Maker. In this new book he says,
“It only took one night to get Israel out of Egypt, but it took forty years to get Egypt out of Israel”
I had to reread this line at least three times to fully understand it. My interpretation, God can remove you from a toxic environment/situation but what are you doing after to remove the residue? I’ve been asking myself that very question ever since. What else do I need to rid of?
We are now heading into the last quarter of 2016, the final inning. So now I want to challenge you! What are you actively doing to rid of access residue from past hurts or trying life experiences? What have you done to heal from your adversities and afflictions? The environments we grew up in can even have lasting negative effects on us. I want to challenge you to do something, anything. Whether it is taking a class, reading a book or contacting a professional counselor. Do it and do it this month! I’ll be taking an anger management class soon. Will you join me in becoming the best version of yourself?
Now get up! And overcome!
Until next time
I wish you LOve and HAppiness
