What's Up in Sherrice's World?

Hi. My name is Carol. Many moons ago, I sold her soul to the devil. The transaction seemed so appealing on the surface, yet it turned out to be a nightmare in the end. He came to me in the midst of a beautiful day, smelling sweet and looking fine. His disguise was so deceptive that I mistook him for one of God’s very own.

“Carol, I have the proposition of a lifetime for you. Check it out.” As he finished his sentence, he walked off into the sunset and right before my eyes, a beautiful man appeared. His skin was kissed by the sun, his wavy hair glistened with a natural shine. As he moved his chiseled body closer to me, I had the pleasure of seeing poetry in motion. He flashed his pearly whites as he anticipated my response.

“I do, I mean, yes, I accept the proposition.” I whispered in his ear seductively and he kissed me. Our passion united and we become one. What a beautiful moment. He held me for what seemed like eternity then, he said “Let’s go for a swim.” We raced to the ocean and dived in. I could spend my life like this, I thought.

After the swim, we went for a walk. As we walked on the beach together, we both turned into pigs. Slimy, stinky, obese swine. At that point, he was so appealing to me, but I was so disgusting to him.

“When I first met you, you smelled good and you were cute and thin. Now, you’re a pig,” he said in a nasty tone.

“You’re a pig, too! No matter what, I still love you.” Then I realized, he was fat and smelly, too. Disgusted by my sin and his presence, I vomited. To my surprise, he returned to his natural form and jogged away from me. He jogged right into the arms of the beautiful woman on the other side of the beach.

“I gave him all of me and he acts like this!” I yelled. “I’m still a pig and this stinks!”

For the next year, I wallowed in the muddy sand, eating the scraps of food left behind on the beach. Normally, I would be sick to my stomach. But instead, I craved more dirt and more subpar cuisine. I found a pin of other pigs and decided that since misery loves company, I’d join them. We partied every night, drinking and eating our misery away as we wallowed in the sandy mud on the beautiful beach. Then one day, I heard a voice.

“Carol come out of the pig pen and return to your father’s home.” My father reached for me with his massive hand that was larger than life itself. Something in stirred inside and I answered his beckoning call.

“Father, I’m coming home. I’m sorry for living like a filthy pig, when I’m a queen.” I cried tears of joy as I lay prostrate on the beach praising his name.

“My daughter, your sins are forgiven,” My father said in a loving voice that soothed me soul.

Suddenly, I returned to my natural form. No longer a pig, I was clean and I smelled good.

“No more wallowing in the sandy mud,” I cried out. “Goodbye, overpopulated pig pen,” I yelled.

The devil appeared on the beach and cried out, “No, God! You said she was mine. How can you take her from me. She was just getting used to her new life.”

My father cried out, “I promised that I would never leave her, nor forsake her. I kept that promise even when she decided to leave me.”

“But God, she came to me willingly and it didn’t take much to get her to leave you. That should be a mark against her.” Bargaining for my soul, Satan tried to get close to me again.

I cried out, “Satan! Get behind me, NOW!” Just as quickly as he’d come, he disappeared. My father picked me up and rocked me in the cradle of his arms. He restored me back to the queen I was before I fell into the satanic trap.

What traps have you fallen into? How many times have you left the Lord for something that looked better? Know this, God has not forgotten you, so cry out and seek his face. He will lift you out of that filthy pen and make you clean down on the inside. Won’t you come?

Author’s Note: This post was inspired by thawriter.biz’s MoonWrite Madness exercise #7.

You know, as I reminisce on my teen years, I can’t help but remember my fascination with Prince’s music. My friends Monica Tinker and Sam Murphy shared that same fascination. For this reason, we spent many hours and dollars at the record store for this cause. In 1990, we decided to drive to Cincinnati, Ohio to attend a Prince concert. I must admit, it was an absolutely beautiful experience. As many of you know, Prince Roger Nelson is a talented musician and singer. Plus, even today, his showmanship is beyond reproach. This was a lfe-changing event that we still talk about until this day.

 While looking back, I also recalled the Purple Rain album my parents bought me for Christmas in 1983 or 1984. I listened to it over and over again until that fateful day that it, along with my Debarge and Michael Jackson albums, melted in the sun. I’d rearranged my room and made the mistake of setting the record player next to the window on a hot August day. I Would Die For You was one of my favorite songs. When I think back, I didn’t understand what he was saying. I thought the movie Purple Rain was a story about his life. So, when he sang I Would Die For You to Apollonia, I thought it was just another love song. Now that I know Jesus, I understand that it was definitely a love song, but the target audience was not a woman. Little did I know that this song was prophetic and his decision to sing it in first person was intentional. He sang what he heard in the spirit realm.

 Even though Warner Brothers was riding his back, Prince found ways to get the message out in the public. This song was a way to spread the gospel in an undercover fashion. I am amazed that he chose to be a Jehovah’s Witness because if you listen to many of his songs, he was looking forward to the coming of the Messiah. 1999, Let’s Go Crazy, The Cross, Sign of the Times, and Anastasia are just a few of the songs with interesting spiritual references as he saw them. Check out the words to I Would Die For You and ponder on them for a moment. I would love to hear your thoughts.

 http://www.lyricsfreak.com/p/prince/i+would+die+4+u_20111351.html

 Some say that he’s claiming to be the Messiah. Others say that he’s being sacrilegious. I’m saying that he’s a prophetic songwriter who used words from God in a secular realm. Remember, the gifts are given without repentance, so was singing what he heard in the spirit realm. Movie producers decided to put the song at the end of the movie to intentionally take away its true meaning. Know this, even someone who is living what we consider to be a sinful life can hear from God. I was agnostic and a Prince fanatic. Some of his lyrics made me do the very research that led me to the truth of God’s word. You never know what or who can lead others to Christ. Free your mind!

The brink of insanity closes in quickly

Screaming demons try to control my thoughts

Driving me crazy trying to steal my joy

Joy they don’t even own or know how to get

As I try to find peace in the midst of this chaos

They try to infuse my mind with negativity

Minions try to grasp hold of my soul and break me

I fight, I scream, I holler, I cry out

I climb to the top to escape their pinching claws

Backbiting crabs keep try to pull me back down

Misery loves company and they don’t want me to go

I rebuke them, resist them, shun them, smack them

They spit at me, hit at me, yell at me, curse me

Saying, “You don’t have what it takes to make it,

Serving a weak God who let’s us possess you.

You are a meaningless statistic with no power

We bought you, we own you, resistance is futile.”

I kick and scratch at their words and accusations

Making my way out of the slimy barrel of haters

They try to zap my energy and steal my dreams

But I take it all back and own my destiny

The enemy can’t impede my progress at all 

No matter how he tries to run his conspiracy

I’m liberated, I’m free, All I do is win

This is how I know that…

The brink of insanity will never do me in

Why do silent tears seem to hurt the most?

Tiny, bitter droplets encapsulating my pain

Purging the brokeness of my heart, ooozing with hate

Beckoning me to wake up and smell the coffee

Hey you, over there! The face of my pain.

Why do you have such a hold on me?

You won’t let go, yet I don’t want you

This is why I cry on the inside

Where you won’t have the pleasure

Of seeing this treasure looted for a prize

Stop trying to take away my cry! It’s mine!

You will never know that I am broken, wait…

Don’t you get it? I’m only human. I hurt, too!

I’m not your verbal punching bag. Stop throwing blows!

“Suck it up! Stop being a victim! Real women don’t cry!”

“Get over it! Move on! Keep it moving!”

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

Can’t you see my pain! Its written all over my face

If only, you would take the time to look

I’m dying on the inside yet, no one knows

I don’t want to hear your stupid and insensitive advice

That’s why I cry on the inside, in perfect silence

Yet, secretly praying that my tears are heard in the spirit

Even though its seems that are not

Maybe that’s why silent tears seem to hurt the most

Hmmmmm…

How many of you have ever been in a place where you feel broke, busted, and disgusted? No matter how far you try to get ahead, it just seems like you can’t make it. Maybe you can’t stay gainfully employed. Maybe you’re underemployed. Maybe, just maybe, you make great money, yet still cannot make ends meet, no matter how hard you try. If you can relate to this, then today, I have an answer. Its time for spirit-filled believers to break the cycle of the impoverished spirit that has haunted us for generations. Its not just about the dollars in our pocket, its about a breakthrough in our thinking, a mind transformation.

People with an impoverished spirit operate out of want, which can manifest in a variety of ways. Here are a few examples.
- Broke all of the time
- Looking for a handout
- Living above their means
- Well off, yet still wants more to the extent that greediness and manipulation
- Can never seem to get ahead
- Always involved in get rich quick schemes

An impoverished spirit comes to enslave you to cut off the legacy you should be leaving for your generations. Let’s use the OPRAH Principle to stop it in its tracks.

O – Open up your mind to receive the witty and creative ideas that God promised in Proverbs 8:12. These are the ideas that will bring wealth. Sometimes, this requires a time investment to hone your craft. Maybe formal schooling, seminars, peer to peer relationships, etc. Proverbs 13:18 says that the poor and shameful are those who refuse instruction and ignores discipline. So it also requires obedience.

P – Pay off all of your debt – Proverbs 22:7 says the borrower is enslaved to the lender. Get rid of the ball and chain of debt so that you are free to do the things of God without restraint.

R – Reverse the curse of the impoverished spirit. Speak directly to the spirit that is haunted you with power and authority in the name of Jesus. Reverse its effects on you and your family. Bind its hold over your future generations. Then, be sure to loose godly provision over yourself and your family.

A – Act on God’s directives – Ideas are only the beginning. Your actions are required to bring the idea to fruition. Otherwise, you are operating in disobedience. Remember, in the O, we stated that these are the ideas that will bring you wealth. The business ideas, plans, solutions to the world’s problems. Do it. Start today.

H – Hold off on the hook ups – Stop trying to get rich quick or always get something for nothing. I am not referring to Quid Pro, which is an exchange. Instead, I am referring to the mentality of not wanting to wait on God to supply all of our needs according to his riches in glory- Philippians 4:19. Omarosa’s suitors are seeking the ultimate merger because they know she has major cash and a national platform, yet they have nothing to offer in return. People will spend their last dollar hoping to hit the mega lottery. Some women make careers out of being basketball and football groupies. Then there’s the rich relative who everyone expects to bail them out.

I beseech your therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God to follow the OPRAH principle and be set free. Let’s break the cycle of the impoverished spirit, today!

Part III of the Dena and Mr. Chocolate Dream Love Story

As Mr. Chocolate Dream stood in the doorway, Dena immediately wanted to slap him for being an hour late. Instead of giving way to her emotions, she took a deep breath and responded to his greeting.

“Hello. I was just getting ready to go out with some friends since you were not here yet,” said Dena.

“Oh really? Well, I would be so disappointed if my tardiness caused me to lose an opportunity with you, mighty woman of god,” said Mr. Chocolate Dream. As he spoke, he displayed that Colgate smile that would make a cold hearted woman blush.

“So, Dena, are you still up to going out with me,” asked Mr. Chocolate Dream.

Dena was shocked by his forthcoming attitude and shouted, “Excuse me? You must be kidding. You are an hour late.”

“Well, Dena,” said Mr. Chocolate Dream, “would you allow me to share an explanation with you?”

“Since cell phones were created, people have been able to reach out and touch. I’m not sure why you did not call. What is your explanation?”

Mr. Chocolate Dream tilted his shoulder and flashed that winning smile that gets here every time. Then suddenly, he whips out a piece of paper and hands it to Dana. Dena graciously accepts and notices that it was from the police department. Lo and behold, it was a speeding ticket. Suddenly, the words on the paper became the explanation. After all the hesitation and anticipation, now there is finally an explanation.

“I guess I have a date tonight,” thought Dena.

“So, where are we going?” Dena asks Mr. Chocolate Dream

“Let me surprise you,” he responds.

“Sounds like a plan to me,” says Dana.

“Great! I have been looking forward to this all week,” says Mr. Chocolate Dream.

As they walk outside, Mr. Chocolate Dream opens the passenger door to a metallic blue Mercedes Benz. Dena is impressed by his car and decides to get in. The interior of the car is immaculent, with one exception. There are red stains on the seat.

“Wait a minute,” Dena thought, “that looks like blood. I need a serious explanation or I am out of here.”

Part II of the Dena and Mr. Chocolate Dream Love Story

God is smiling on Dena today. As she prepares for her date with Mr. Chocolate Dream, she savors the idea of him for a brief moment.

“Aaahhhh. Anticipation!” Dena said aloud. She was so nervous, excited, and giddy, all at the same time. What will he wear? What will he say? What will he do? Will he be wearing cologne?

“Maybe, just maybe, he will be so impressed with my love for the Lord that he will ask me out again,” Dena thought.

Dena sat on her pink exercise ball in her walk-in closet as she anticipated what to wear for this hot date. He seemed like the conservative, corporate America type, so she wanted to be sure not to over or under dress for the occasion. She anticipated the possibility of running into some of his clients. For the past few weeks, Dena had several conversations via telephone with him. He was a financial analyst at a well-known fund house. Mutual funds were his specialty, specifically hedge funds. The way he talked about hedge funds was so intriguing and exciting to Dena so she contacted her financial adviser to make a few investments. It couldn’t hurt. Mr. Chocolate Dream surely had to know what he was talking about. Right?

No matter how many times Dena looked through the closet, she was not able to find the perfect outfit. The anticipation was so thick in the atmosphere and her vision was clouded. Never experiencing this before, Dena was not sure what to do. Then she remembered her mother’s favorite saying, “When all else fails, baby, pray.” Dena’s mother taught her to pray about things that other people may have found strange. Her mother was a saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Ghost Christian. If her thoughts were not influenced by the Word of God, she immediately checked herself and made an adjustment. Taking her mother’s advice, Dena began to pray.

“Lord, I want to thank you for leading Mr. Chocolate Dream to me. You know how excited I am about this date and I want to make the right impression. The impression that represents you. So, Lord, please help me to find something in this closet that is simple, yet classy. Practical, yet sophisticated. Easy to wear, yet complex enough to make Mr. Chocolate Dream want to get to know me better. In your name Jesus, I pray, Amen.”
After the quick prayer, Dena closed her eyes to wait on the Lord for a response. After about fifteen minutes, the Lord led Dena to open her eyes. Lo and behold, there was the perfect sundress and short jacket hanging on the rack to her right.

“Wow! The answer was right in front of my face the whole time. How did I miss it,” thought Dena. She grabbed the clothing and began to prepare for her date. Once she was finished, Dena took a long look at herself in the mirror. This dress was handpicked by the Lord and it was so perfect. With matching accessories, a classy hairstyle, and impeccable make-up, Dena was ready to go. She ventured downstairs to wait for Mr. Chocolate Dream. He promised to arrive at 7:30 pm. It was not 7:15 and Dena was waiting, hoping, and wishing he was there now. She is definitely anticipating his arrival.

An hour has passed and Mr. Chocolate Dream has not shown up. “I wonder if he’s okay. Was he in a car accident? Did he get mugged? I know it has to be something drastic, because he does not seem like the type who would invite me on a date and stand me up.” Dena sat by the window, looking out in anticipation. Then suddenly, she realized that he was not coming. So, she went upstairs, with the idea of undressing while sulking in her misery. Her mother’s words came back to her so she began to pray for Mr. Chocolate Dream. He was the Lord’s child, too, so he needed prayer just like anyone else.

“Lord, Mr. Chocolate Dream is not here yet and I am ready to tell him a few things about himself. I do, however, want to represent you in this conversation. Lord, please give me the right words to say. If he has been held up by a serious issue, Lord, resolve it so that he can be safe AND redeem his standing with me. Help me to forgive and show unconditional love, even if I have to kick him to the curb. In your name, Jesus, I pray, Amen.” Just as Dena finished her prayer, the doorbell rang. Dena sauntered down the stairs with anticipation. When she looked through the peep hole, she saw none other than Mr. Chocolate Dream.

She opened the door to be greeted by her handsome suitor. “Hello, beautiful woman of God,” he said, and she melted right there in the doorway. As Dena recovered, she thought, “Should I tell him where to go, or ask him where we are going? Hmmmmmm. How should I handle this?”

As Dena sat in the cafe, she saw Mr. Chocolate Dream. He was tall, dark, handsome, muscular…a beautiful specimen of man. She needed to be close to him and get to know him, yet time and space alluded her attempts. He smiled, she smiled. He spoke, she tried to speak and Hesitation stood in her way. She felt too weak to fight him so she took a swig of coffee. Why does this always happen? Hesitation loomed over Dena’s opportunities like a heavy cloud on a stormy day. Hesitation had stopped her from getting what she wanted every since she could remember. It was almost as if Hesitation was a spirit that was sent to intentionally block Dena’s progress. Today, Hesitation was stopping her from meeting the man of her dreams and she was letting him be victorious.

Last week, Hesitation had stopped her from applying for a new position. Last year,she allowed him to separate her from the exceeds category on her annual performance review. Hesitation took residence in Dena’s life and prevents her from excelling. Where did he come from? Has he always been here? Or is he a figment of my imagination? Strangely, Hesitation is so familiar to Dena lets him stay. He is the friend she loves to hate. Slowly, surely, he had taken over her desire to pursue her dreams.

“Oh no, my chocolate dream is walking out of the cafe, ” thought Dena.

She quickly ran to the door and just as she was about to open her mouth to say, “Hello,” Hesitation stopped her.

“Wait a minute,” thought Dena, “Mr. Chocolate Dream has a Bible in his hand.”

“Hesitation! I bind you in the name of Jesus. I bind the spirit of fear that is the strongman. I loose holy boldness in your place,” shouted Dena in her spirit.

Suddenly, Mr. Chocolate Dream stopped in his tracks, turned, and made eye contact with her. She opened her mouth to say, “Hello,” and for the first time ever, Hesitation was not there to stop her. Now, happily ever after can begin.

The first People Pleasers Anonymous e-meeting is called to order. Thanks for stopping by. My name is Sherrice Thomas and I have been delivered from People Pleasing. Here’s the deal.

I discovered my addiction on a quest for better health and an overall better quality of life. Now, I want to share a tip with you, based on my learning. Do not live your life to please others. It can result in undue stress that leads to imbalance and bad habits. In order to overcome this issue, you must build a personal relationship with the Lord and seek him for decisions. Stop chasing prophecy and advice without seeking the true source.

I have found myself in the wrong career, with the wrong friends, and making wrong decisions in life trying to please everyone else. Now, my life is changing since I decided to please Jesus only.

I would like to thank you for joining us for the first PPA e-meeting. Hopefully, you read something that helpful to you.

Have you found yourself in a similar situation? Has this blog post struck a chord with you? If so, please comment. Your testimony can set someone free.

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Today, I had the privilege of having lunch with a great friend. While enjoying some of my favorite Greek dishes, she ministered to me about Jesus only taking three disciples with him to the mountain top when he transfigured. As she shared this well known text, she emphasized the fact that they hiked to the mountain top and by the time they reached the top, it was dark. Jesus and the disciples had to be physically fit to make this trek. It brought to mind the Mission Discovery trip to the Dominican Republic. Those who went on this trip had to hike up a mountain to the work site each day. Being in shape is one of the keys to productive ministry. Not the topic of the blog, yet so worth mentioning.

As we walked back to the workplace, she shared that Jesus prayed and the three disciples went to sleep. When they awoke, they saw the most amazing thing, Jesus in his transfigured state. Immediately, a thought came to mind. He was glowing in all of his glory because the shekinah glory was shining through him at that very moment. Wow! Not everyone can handle seeing the glory of the Lord on that level. On top of the shining light, he was talking with two men, who had been translated in the spirit, Moses and Elijah. How amazing? What a sight to see!

Thinking about this one moment in ancient time, all I can say is, “You are amazing, Lord.” I get goose bumps being in his presence and can’t see him or touch his body. I could only imagine seeing him face to face.  Then, he told the disciples not to share this secret until the son of man had risen.  If I attend an amazing service or have an encounter with the Lord, I run and tell everyone. I can’t keep it to myself. Would I have been able to keep the Lord’s confidence if I were one of the three disciples at the transfiguration?  Hmmmm! Deep thoughts.

The disciples may have been asked to wait, but the Lord knew that there were people like me who couldn’t keep it to themselves. So, we have been given a commission to share the gospel through the way we live our lives. Let’s not just keep this good thing to ourselves. With this in mind, what are your witnessing plans today? I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on this topic.