BE RENEWED, RISE AND MOVE FORWARD: THIS IS THAT TIME

RISE & MOVE FORWARD: THIS IS THAT TIME!

Spring and the Easter season often cause to take a moment of reflection. We find the time ideal for assessing what needs to be purged, or renewed, or rebirthed in our lives. The death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ paints a marvelous image of life phases through which we will move. Such is the theme of this GLORIOUS LIVING MAGAZINE ISSUE.

We tapped two mighty women of God to help us walk through the questions of life’s challenges, springing back, moving forward, and rising in our lives in due season.

Elder Sylvia Woods has been married to Mark Woods for 34 years. They are the parents and grandparents of three sons, one daughter-in-law and two grandsons. She is an Elder at The Family Worship Church, an accomplished playwright, author, poet, and owner/operator of ChichiMa Productions, a gospel theater company. She retired in 2011 from city government in Palm Beach County, FL, after serving as the Assistant Director of Human Resources. She is saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Ghost which is her greatest accomplishment yet! Pastor Carla Mays is called to deliver the Word of God with power, authority, and transparency! She flows in a prophetic anointing that brings about radical change and spiritual transformation in the lives of believers around the world. Spearheading Women of Wisdom Ministry, Pastor Carla empowers women and girls of all ages to use the God given gift of wisdom to achieve a well prioritized balanced life and to gain insight into life's purpose. With over 25 years of sacrificial and dedicated service to the Lord, Pastor Carla has learned and reached the importance of faithfulness to the vision of pastoral leadership. In 2006, Pastor Carla co-founded (R.H.E.M.I.). A church where lives are changed, love is felt, God is seen, and hearts are restored. She shares diligently in ministry with her beloved and devoted husband Senior Pastor Anthony S. Mays. She is the CEO of two successful companies: The Professionals Accounting Tax Services and ACM Productions. She is the executive producer of RHEMI's TV show "Restoration Now, " which airs weekly on CTN Network.

Pastor Carla is also the manager of her daughters' International Dance Ministry known all over the world as "The Anointed Chenaniah Praise Dancers. " Pastor Carla and her husband are loving parents to their beautiful daughters: Britni, Ashanti, Toni, Tiffany, Briana, and Acacia. She has dedicated her life to the service of the Lord and the advancement of His Kingdom.

GLM: Why does God call or allow some to go through more challenging journeys than others?

ELDER WOODS: Listen, to whom much is given much is required according to Luke 12:48 so some will receive more challenging journeys because we are equipped and empowered to do so. The Bible tells us in 1 Cor 10:13 that God promised to never put more on you than you can bear. There is a measure of faith that is given to each of us, and God will not see any of us devoured through His process, so if He brought you to it, He will bring you through it by faith!

PASTOR MAYS: God calls, God anoints, and God qualifies. Everybody may have a calling, but the calling and anointing varies from person to person. The greater the call the greater assignment, the greater the anointing. The greater the test, trial, and tribulations the more challenging the journey.

For example, Joseph and his brothers, they all had a call to lead, but only one of them had a call to be a deliverer. All were called to lead but only on had a call to the palace. The one that was called to the palace was sent as a forerunner to Egypt to deliver the family from famine. To prepare a way for the family to come out of Egypt as a nation. Again, the greater the assignment the greater the anointing.

GLM: We often hear that God was not caught off guard by anything we encounter - even the most traumatic things. How can we discern God's providential will or hear His voice in those things?

ELDER WOODS: It is important to understand that God promised in Hebrews 13:5 to never leave nor forsake us so when we are walking through these traumatic times God is there! We see the hand of God working when we step out on faith and the load gets lighter, this confirms that we are in His will! We have to get in God’s presence to hear his voice, discern and move by His spirit. His word says in John 10:27 that my sheep know my voice. PASTOR MAYS: Because we are in relationship with God, it's our job to know the voice of God, to stay in fellowship with God. Because of fellowship we therefore have faith in God, and we trust God. Proverbs 3 says trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path.

Jeremiah 29:11 assures us of God's plan for our lives. That includes difficult times . Then the Bible tells us in Psalms 119 that it was good for me to be afflicted so I can learn the ways of God. So, it's not always going to be flowery beds of ease. We wouldn't know we needed a savior until we needed saving and we wouldn't know we needed a healer until we needed healing. Our job is to trust him. To know according to his word that it is his will is to bring us to his expected end... A Good End.

GLM: The Bible records varying stories of people who were raised from their illness, status, situation and even death. Is resurrection from our personal matters purposed by God?

ELDER WOODS: Absolutely! We all have been given a measure of faith and we serve a God who does exceedingly, abundantly, above all we can ask or think according to the power that worketh within us. Therefore, the power is within us to rise above our circumstance because of the one who resides within us! Luke 8:34-48 talks about the woman with the issue of blood suffering 12 years, but it was her faith in Jesus that made her whole! Your faith will see you through if you trust him!

GLM: How does the enemy move to seek us from rising again and ascending from things meant to kill, still and destroy?

ELDER WOODS: The enemy comes in all shapes and sizes therefore we must ask for discernment to see those things that are coming against us and learn how to war in the spirit against these things! 1 Peter 5:8 tells us to be sober, and vigilant; because our adversary is seeking whom he may devour. But we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus!

PASTOR MAYS: As Christians, we know Jesus has already defeated Satan for us (Colossians 2:15) However, it doesn't stop him from trying to steal, kill, and destroy. The Bible says that the enemy walks to and fro seeking whom he may devour. There are many strategies that the enemy uses to keep us defeated: Such as Fear which is Satan's primary weapon., Pride (Which precedes a fall), Sin Lies and Deception. He uses these tactics to knock us down and deceive us. He wants us to believe that we cannot rise up from where we are. Instilling fear, utilizing lies, and making sin look appealing is how the enemy moves to stop us from being restored. That’s why we must continue to use the word God as a weapon of warfare against the enemy. DECLARE THIS DAILY: No weapon formed against us shall prosper. Isaiah 54:17

It is the primary goal of the enemy to make sure that we do not rise past the hurt and pain. The enemy sends purpose killers. He is described as our adversary who is a roaring lion that walks about seeking when he may devour. He’s looking for a crack, the lame. The week and wounded. He’s looking for those that is hurt int he church. And through distraction and injury and improper discernment he keeps us focused on our condition, rather than God and our confession. He will keep us from rising again and coming out of the things that are meant to steal kill and destroy.

GLM: What does it mean for the Kingdom of God when we choose to rise from the ashes and ascend into our God-given purpose?

ELDER WOODS: Fulfilling our purpose means everything to God because fulfilling the great commission to go and make disciples of men is purpose driven. Which means, our purpose is tied to that great commission. We are one body with many members and each one of our purposes is needed to fulfill the commission!

PASTOR MAYS: As believers rising up should be a responsibility not a choice. When we choose to rise, we advance the kingdom and make the devil a liar. Rising up is essential for the believer because the Kingdom of God is not a place that we can see with the natural eye, however, the Kingdom resides on the inside of us.

When we rise from the ashes and step into our God given purpose, it is then that we advance the kingdom. Romans 8:19 says for the earnest expectation of the creature is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. In other words, creation is waiting for us to rise up, know who we are, and step into purpose. When we as believers rise up, we advance the Kingdom and fulfill the great commission.

GLM: What has been one of your most critical personal resurrection to ascension moments and what did you learn through it?

ELDER WOODS: As a young woman I battled with low self-esteem but as God grew me through my God-given purpose my self-confidence grew! When we are in Christ, we are new creations! I exist now as a new, confident, and sure Christian! I learned that if I live for the Lord, He is my assurance and my confidence, and I know that I can be everything He called me to be! My spirit man just jumped when I typed this answer!!

PASTOR MAYS: For me, this was unquestionably when my husband Bishop Mays had a stroke, and everything went from bad to worse. I even watched him code. The enemy wanted to make me a widow. However, my faith and trust in God kicked into overdrive as I prayed for him to live. The Word of God tells us in the book of Jeremiah, "For I know he plans I have for you says the Lord. " I knew God gave me the ability to withstand that. During that time, my husband had to learn to walk again and learn to speak again. God showed me that I was much stronger than I knew. I went from being just the first lady to preaching every Sunday, running both the church and our household as well as our business while going to see him daily for the five months that he was in the rehab facility. Today, my husband is back preaching with power and walking. I like to tell my husband that we went from a stroke to a stride. God allowed us to experience restoration, resuscitation, and full recovery.

GLM: For those in that hard place, where getting up again and seeking purpose - even trying another day - what is your word of encouragement for them?

ELDER WOODS: You may be facing adversity, but God walks with us through the fire. Get in a quiet place and tell God all about it, pray! Don’t be afraid to seek Godly counsel with someone you trust. Read your word. Fast because some things are only going to break through fasting and prayer. I thought I was nothing at one time in my life, but God made something out of nothing for His glory and so that I can encourage you today! With God all things are possible!

PASTOR MAYS: The Word of God tells us that the suffering of this present time cannot be compared to the glory that will be revealed in us. You have to remember that your purpose is always bigger than your pain. From the valley of the showdown of death to the mountain top. Nothing is ever wasted when it comes to your purpose. As believers, we know we enter every fight from a position of victory and that our present situation is not your final destination. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and know that these light afflictions will not last always. Remember, weeping may endure for a night, but joy is coming.

EmergingEmerging AfterAfter thethe StormStorm

B Y : R E N E E J O N E S

When you least expect it, life has its way of stopping you in your tracks. No matter what you do, what you say, or how nice you are - we all will have our turn to experience the highest of highs and the lowest of the lows. How will you get through it?

Here I was at one of the highest points in my life when suddenly tragedy struck. In 2011, I decided to share my personal story with the world – I released my first book titled: Let Go and Let God. After overcoming an abusive relationship, drug addiction, the death of my mother, and a shocking diagnosis of a chronic lung disease, I thought I had experienced it all. After all I had been through, absolutely nothing could have prepared me for the tragedy that awaited me – the death of my son.

Just one day after the official release of my book, I was home, parked in front of my computer working on materials to promote my book, when suddenly! I heard a sound that shook me to the core. While the sound of gunfire is nothing new in my neighborhood, somehow, I had a feeling that this time around would change my life forever. I had no idea how badly. Call it a mother's intuition, but something was different that time around. I had just spoken to my son about an hour prior to hearing that sound.

It had been a while since I had last seen him, so I demanded to see him right away and he assured me he was coming over.

When he failed to come in what I thought was a reasonable time, I called him on the phone, and he assured me that he was going to stop by within an hour or two. After a brief pause, I went into my bedroom to ask my husband if he had heard the gun shots as well. He replied that he had heard them, telling me not to worry.

Still feeling uneasy, I went back to the computer to try to resume my work. Even though I had so much to be grateful for a wonderful family life; overcoming a battle against a chronic lung disease; and the release of my new book – I forced myself to sit in front of the computer in order to distract myself from this growing feeling of unease.

Sensing my apprehension, my husband also tried to distract me from my concern by sharing with me a text message from his friend who had just reviewed my book. Just as I allowed a smile to creep across my face, a man came yelling with a panicked voice outside our bedroom window. “Hey, come quickly! Trevin just got shot!”

Sadly, my son did not survive. After lingering for two weeks on life support, he passed away on October 31, 2011. Although the pain of losing him is a constant reminder of his passing – the shining light through it all is that my husband and I decided to donate his organs and because of that decision – he helped save the lives of many.

Emotional Rollercoaster

Dealing with such a tragedy has definitely dealt me a paralyzing blow. I cannot begin to tell you the emotional sting this tragedy has caused me. When experiencing tragedy, we often go through stages of emotional expressions of sobbing and madness, and often times it happens when you least expect it. Even those who are normally quite unemotional may experience a great deal of unstable emotions during these times. But as they say, it is not what you go through, but it is how you go through it. Let me tell you now, I got through this only by the Grace of God! That is the only way that I can explain it.

Depression was a major part of this emotional rollercoaster. One minute I was smiling and laughing and the next minute I was crying uncontrollably. It didn’t take much for me to get there. Just the mention of his name would shut me down, sometimes for days. I was so wrapped up in my depression, it started displaying physical symptoms. That chronic lung disease that I had finally gotten under control started to flare up again – back to an inhaler I went. It was undeniably a dark time in my life. But I did not give up! I fought and continued to fight every day that I am reminded, he is no longer here. Because I had written a book titled, “Let Go and Let God, ” people would try and tell me how I should and should not feel. Knowing what you know does not exempt you from feeling the effects of life! It takes more faith to go through something triumphantly than to be delivered from it. There are some who experience complete deliverance from grief after a huge loss, but that doesn't happen to everybody. But, if you walk in faith, you will come out better than when you went in. Do not give up! God has healing for your sorrow! If you are hurting right now due to a loss in your life, a new beginning awaits you. You may not understand it all at this moment, but you must trust God to work it out for your good. What the enemy intends for your harm, God will turn around for your good!

If you find that your grief has become unbearable, don't be ashamed to seek a professional counselor, social worker, or pastor. God has equipped them to help you along the way. It is okay, you are not alone! We all need help from time to time.

You must take back your power and that takes some of the sting out of the problem when you decide to accept what is happening. Once we acknowledge what is happening, we are able to focus on solutions. If your mind is at an emotional state of uncertainty, you won't be able to weigh out the possible solutions. With problems comes stress and stress usually puts the mind and body into confusion. Seek help if you need it!

Trust the Overcomer in You!

When dealing with life and all that it has to offer, keep in mind that everything will not always go as planned. We will experience difficult times, it’s inevitable. The difficult times in life help us to appreciate when things are going well.

Take a deep breath and take a moment to look for the learning opportunities and make a conscious decision that you will not allow your experience to break you. You are an overcomer! Cultivate your faith, courage, and resilience. The more of these types of qualities you use to arm yourself with, the lesser the impact of the adversity.

There is an old saying that says, “Tough times don’t last

always, but tough people do.

” Stand strong, be encouraged, and fight the good fight of faith. Whatever it is that you may be dealing with is no hard job for God. You have what it takes to win! He has equipped you with everything you need to overcome the matter. You are strong, and you are capable. Pray, have faith, and always do your best. Until your breakthrough shows up, keep focused and transcend your pain and find peace.

It is so important for us to look deep down into our hearts and see ourselves as overcomers through Christ Jesus because if we do not, then we will give in to giving up. Because the enemy recognizes greatness in you - he wants to weaken you – make you feel small-minded and small in spirit so you will live a small, frustrated life. You are better than that! Whatever your situation is today, God knows about it. And if you will give Him your problems and follow His leading, you will access His grace and power and be more than a conqueror. “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. ”

Whenever you find yourself in the middle of a storm - here are seven keys that will help you to emerge with the victory:

1. Allow yourself to grieve.

2. Surround yourself with family and friends.

3. Seek professional help.

4. Pray and mediate.

5. Give yourself permission to smile.

6. Find a support group.

7. Do not give up.

In spite of whatever it is you may be facing – your life is not over! Therefore, live your life to the fullest, love from the depths of your soul, and laugh aloud - as often as you can. Remember, the sun always shines after the storm, and you will emerge with the victory.

Jones is an Amazon bestselling author; Certified Life Coach; Donate Life Ambassador; Board Member of the University of Miami Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency Medical Advisory Board on behalf of donor families; and a member of the Donor Family subcommittee. Jones is a proud wife, mother and nana.