IronWifey- Jan 2017- Manifestation - Issue 8

ironwifey

AS IRON SHARPENS IRON, SO ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER

NO PRAYER, NO POWER MANIFEST YOUR SEED

SETTING GOALS FOR 2018

MAGAZINE

Advised By Amber 13

NOITATSEFINAM - 8 EUSSI- 8102 YRAUNAJ

5

ways to manifest through christ

MANIFEST (man-uh-fest) readily perceived by the eye or the understanding; evident; obvious; apparent; plain

manifest. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved January 14, 2018 from Dictionary.com website http://www.dictionary.com/browse/manifest

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CONTENT(S)

As iron sharpens iron, so one woman sharpens another.

January 2018, Issue 8 The Manifestation Issue Founder, Editor. & Designer: Micayla Robertson Contributing Writers: Joanne Christian Denise Dandridge Ncediwe Mdlulwa Alisha Moore Adebosoye Olagbegi Elsonia Swarts Contributing Photographer: Austin G. Morgan

WRITE THE VISION AND MAKE IT PLAIN 05

Cover Feature: Amber R. Morson

IT''S GOAL SETTING TIME AUTHOR: ADEBOSOYE OLAGBEGI

06

MANIFEST YOUR SEED

08

MANIFESTATION (PREREQUISITES)

AUTHOR: JOANNE CHRISTIAN

AUTHOR: NCEDIWE MDLULWA

10 11 Cover Photographer: Austin G. Morgan (Owner, Founder) AGM Productions- Providing Professional Photography & Videography Services 1454 Robert Bradby Drive, Apt D, Detroit, MI 48207 (313) 740-3174 Austin.G.Morgan93@gmail.com Facebook: AGM Productions | Instagram: @AGM.Productions

ACCESS GRANTED

AUTHOR: ALISHA MOORE

THE MANIFESTATION OF LIFE AND DEATH RESIDES IN THE TONGUE AUTHOR: ELSONIA SWARTS

13

A SHARPENING SESSION WITH: AMBER MORSON

INTERVIEW BY: MICAYLA ROBERTSON 19

MANIFESTATION THROUGH CHRIST AUTHOR: ELSONIA SWARTS

20

GOD'S WILL MANIFESTED IN MY LIFE AUTHOR: DENISE DANDRIDGE

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Thank you for reading the "Manifestation" issue of IronWifey Magazine.

Every year in January, I find myself filled extra energy and faith beyond measure. It's almost as if the countdown into the new year refuels my spirit and gives me a fresh perspective on life. I have visions that I hope to fulfill and goals that seem attainable. However, what typically follows is an array of unmet resolutions, procrastination, and dwindling faith due to a lack of motivation, drive, and fear. I've learned that unless you change your mindset, you will never experience renewal.

Manifestation requires renewal. It's a form of action the pushes you to speak life over your situations, goals, and aspirations; yet arise each day with a desire to make your dreams visible to the world. When God gives you a vision, He expects you to put in the action to make it real. The start of IronWifey was the first time I felt fulfillment from manifesting God's will in my life. This year, I hope to expand the brand and add video and audio elements to the print magazine (starting with this issue). I hope to grow and see IronWifey in homes around the world; but, most importantly, I hope to remain focused on spreading God's word and sharpening other women in the process.

The New Year may already be underway, but each day we receive an opportunity to renew our minds and manifest things into our lives through Faith, Vision, and Action. Therefore, we have no choice but to embrace the plans God has for our lives and give Him glory through the work of our hands.

As you read, I pray that the Lord manifests Himself to you and that you receive all that He has for you.

May the Lord be with you and bless you!

With Love,

-Micayla Editor in Christ, IronWifey Magazine

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By: Adebosoye Olagbegi

IT'S GOAL

SETTING

TIME

It’s that time of year again. The time when we look forward to the coming year and resolve to make it better than the last.

IT IS GOAL SETTING TIME!

All too often, January comes around and we get excited about making lasting change in our lives. But for some reason, many of us never quite see our goals through to the end of the year.

That needs to change and it starts with how we think about our goals.

Habukkak 2:2 (ESV) says, "And the LORD answered me: 'Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.'”

We need to write out and clearly define our goals. We should look at and recite our goals daily and refine them weekly or monthly to adjust to changing circumstances. Refining your goals on the first of every month is a good way to get started.

We also need to make sure we are frequently praying over our goals. We need to speak the word over our lives and all that God has for us to accomplish in this world.

We need to use the power of our mouths in prayer and proclamation to bring a manifestation of our goals this year.

God desires for us to live out a life that brings glory to his name. We should work towards becoming better versions of ourselves, and helping others become better. We should use the gifts God has given us to be all that we can be, and help meet the needs of those around us.

We need to live a life on purpose and be intentional about the decisions we make.

When your goals are clearly defined, and they are in alignment with the word of God, there is nothing that can hold you back! Be intentional!

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CHOOSE

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GERMINATION

MANIFEST YOUR SEED BY: JOANNE CHRISTIAN

ASSIMILATION

RECEIVE & ACKNOWLEDGE

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PAGE 75 PAGE

When I think of the word “Manifestation”, what comes to my mind is something unseen becoming seen. When something is manifest it is evident, obvious, apparent, and plain for everyone to see. Even Jesus manifested His glory at the wedding in Cana where He turned water into wine. This was one of his first recorded miracles.

The Apostle John writes, “This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him”. (John 2:11 ESV) Jesus took an idea/concept and made it plain for everyone to see. Just as He manifested His glory through action, I am taking action toward publishing my very first book. In my own experience, I know it’s important for me to have faith and believe that the goal I have to publish my book in 2018 will be manifested. This goal will require taking the steps needed to grow, so I like to look at these steps like the analogy of a seed: 1. Choose - Know the goal you want; it should be something that will have an outcome and evidence behind it. The reason you need the evidence is because this will program your manifestation seed so it knows what it is supposed to grow into. Without a clear idea of what you want, you never quite know if you have arrived. Here are some examples: Wrong: “I want to publish my book.” / Right: “I choose to publish my book.”

2. Germination (Plant it) - Don’t’ get frustrated if it hasn’t sprouted in your timing because that may cause you to dig it back up to make sure it’s still there. This will cause you to have to start the whole process over again.

This part won’t show you much evidence, so FAITH is key! Bring the manifestation to your mind daily. Here are some examples: Conscious mind: “I choose to have my book published” / Subconscious mind: “Yeah right. Good luck with that.” (Try not to listen to your subconscious mind.)

3. Assimilation – This is when the seed bursts above the soil; nothing big, but it’s visible. Now, your subconscious mind begins to realize that you’re serious about this goal. As you acknowledge the evidence that does come, though it may be small, it will increase. Be grateful for it.

4. Receive and acknowledge - God gives us a promise, we receive the promise and the manifestation of the promise at the same time, at the point of faith. This means that there is no time in the spirit between the promise and the manifestation. We already have what God has said.

If God promised you something was going to happen the question isn’t whether or not He will keep His Word; the only question is how we obey His Word while awaiting the manifestation. How we live our lives can speed up or delay the manifestation; and sometimes we just have to wait for the timing of God. If we plant our goals in Christ, we will eventually sprout results, but like every seed, we must undergo the process of growing into a plant. Manifest your seed, because God will perform His Word.

For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. (Luke 8:17 ESV)

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E

S

IW MAGAZINE

L ISH B A E D T

T N E

THREE KEY PREREQUISITES AND GUIDING TOOLS TO MANIFESTATION IN 2018

D

R

T E

BY: NCEDIWE MDLULWA

CO N N E C

MANIFESTATION

D I F F E

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How will I personally make manifest the vision that God has

Invest time in Prayer

Fasting

Seek daily devotions in the word of God

Praise and worship

Soak in God’s presence

Spiritual Dancing

Fellowship with other believers

Evangelism

place within me in 2018

By writing for IronWifey Magazine and speaking about it to other women/

and beyond?

CT E D

people it connects me deeper to God and is a form of evangelism in my life.

In everything I do, I strive wholeheartedly to

path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by

NE

put God first (i.e. in the

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the

workplace, at social

wither; And whatever he does shall prosper”. -Psalm 1:1-3 (NIV)

N

gatherings, at church

the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not

O C

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and

and at home). I

night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be

generally perceive

prosperous and successful”.- Joshua 1:8 (NIV)

myself as a world changer within the disability field; and it

Rooted and Grounded in God- Rooted and built up in him,

makes sense to me when

strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with

I put God in the

thankfulness. -Colossians 2:7 (NIV)

forefront.

Allow myself to be Groomed by God in order to excel in the training of

existence (Evidence of God’s Existence) throughout my life. For years, His desires have become my own, and

unto him To always be established in God’s sanctuary Embrace that 2018 is a God year; everything I do INVOLVES AND REVOLVES around God. (Elsonia Swarts wished me well for the New Year and she mentioned that “2018 is a God Year and felt that God knows the plans he has for me and they are plans of prosperity…”)

S

demonstration of God’s

Allow God to order my life in a manner that is pleasing and glorying

Jesus is the centre of my life and that’s how I should portray myself as

E

manifestation is the

L I SH ED

understanding,

B TA

To my personal

carrying out the vision set forth

an individual established in Christ

His plans have become my goal. God created me and set me apart, so in 2018, I dedicate my

Being the difference is about embracing change and doing things

focus to connection,

differently for the benefit of my God given assignment. I believe God has given me something significant to fulfil on this earth. I am

establishment, and

Unique and have a distinct purpose to accomplish. The biblical

change in Christ.

character I admire is that of Noah in Genesis 6 & 7. Noah was a

born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

-Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV)

a time when everyone else was reluctant to listen to God. Noah’s faith in God was remarkable. He was committed towards a task that had never been performed by anyone before. That’s precisely what made him different. Noah’s character is what I personally desire to make manifest the vision and mission that God has entrusted me with in 2018. I desire change, and change requires difference. Sometimes you have to dare to be different, if you are striving to

D

you, before you were

is a perfect example of an individual who is a follower of Christ, particularly at

IF

the womb I knew[a]

ENT FE R

different person and had a unique purpose assigned by God for him. He

“Before I formed you in

make a difference!

G

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race is God's unmerited favor. (Romans 5:2) Everything that I need and want is available to me by grace through faith. If I had to earn it or do anything to deserve it, it would not be grace. Grace means that I get the opposite of what I deserve, and it is only through the blood shed by Jesus Christ on Calvary that I receive it and every sinner has access to it. No one is exempt from receiving God’s grace, but the only way to see physical manifestations (blessings) in life is through faith, with obedience, which produces healing, deliverance, and ultimately freedom.

Ephesians 1:3 reminds me that our Father has already blessed me with spiritual blessings from heavenly places.

All of these blessings from God live inside of me and all of the provisions in all of my affairs reside within me. God has already done His part in giving me the access by Grace, so all I need to do is please Him through FAITH to gain it (Hebrews 11:6). It is the grace of God that I place higher than any situation in my life and the belief (Faith) that His blessings are already manifested will not allow me to yield to fear, worry and lack.

Once I know who I am and what I have access to, my next decision is to move. Faith without works is dead and the decision to get up and move gives me more wisdom, knowledge and insight into the manifestation of Purpose and Power. Through that profound understanding, I discover that I can never move into all God has for me without surrendering my will and dreams unto Him. I don't want to spend my life chasing hopes and dreams that God is not going to bless or therefore manifest. Even if the dreams I have are from God, I am willing to surrender them back to Him because He is the Master of Manifestation where all of the access is granted.

I pray that God will "give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: the eyes of your understanding to be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of His calling." (Ephesians 1:17-18 KJV)

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THE MANIFESTATION OF LIFE AND DEATH RESIDES IN THE TONGUE fe Li manifestation of heaven and earth and all things in and around it. It is interesting to note that manifestation

k

manifestation. We are given an account of the

ea

gives us our very first encounter with

fe

The first book in the Bible, Genesis,

Li

Sp

Sp

ea

k

By: Elsonia Swarts

Proverbs 18:20-21 reads as follow: WISE WORDS SATISFY like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction. The tongue can bring death or life; THOSE WHO LOVE TO TALK WILL REAP THE CONSEQUENCES.

came about through something as simple as SPOKEN WORDS! God spoke things into existence. He wanted light so he simply spoke it into being:

God our Father, in whose image we are manifested, encourages us to use our words to manifest things into life. He led Ezekiel to dried-

Genesis 1:3 NLT- Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

out bones and encouraged him to speak/ prophesy life to bones. This simply indicates that we can also prophesy life into any dried out situation in

Not only did God speak things into existence. but what

our lives:

manifested from God’s spoken words were good!

Genesis 1:4 NLT- And God saw that the light was good.

Ezekiel 37:1-6-4 NLT says, The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away

God the creator of all things is the Word!

by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones. He led me all around among the bones

In John 1:1 NLT it is written: In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. Then he said to me, “SPEAK A PROPHETIC MESSAGE to these

In verse 4, it goes on to say: The WORD GAVE LIFE TO EVERYTHING THAT

bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord!

WAS CREATED, and his life brought light to everyone.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

In 2018, let us use our words to build up and sharpen others through the Word of God. Let us

It is extremely important for us as God’s creations to be conscious of the words we utter because there is power in the tongue; we will reap the consequences of our words.

speak life into the lives of others as well as our own. Let us trust and believe in God and realize that everything happens for His glory.

That I may make it

manifest, as I ought to

speak.

(Colossians 4:4 KJV)

COVER FEATURE

A SHARPENING SESSION WITH

AMBER MORSON AUTHOR | LIFE COACH | ENTREPRENEUR INTERVIEW BY:Â MICAYLA ROBERTSON

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Follow Amber Morson @AdvisedByAmber @_advisedbyamber @AdvisedByAmber www.advisedbyamber.com

This month IronWifey received an opportunity to sit down with Author, Life Coach, and Entrepreneur, Amber Morson. Enjoy the interview below where we discuss her first book, No Prayer, No Power, launching her business, AdvisedbyAmber, LLC, and learning about ways she manifest success in her life and others. Listen to the entire podcast interview at www.ironwifey.com.

Q: What lead you to start your own company?

A: So, I’ve always been that friend who people would ask, "can you help me do this?" "Can you come look at my resume?" "Can you read my essay, I’m trying to get into Grad school?" Or, I would reach goals on my own personal and professional life and people would ask me, “Well how did you do that?”, and so my answer was always GOD! But you know you need to give people more than the “Pray about it" response, so I would literally help them throughout the process; such as finding a new job, or a career change for older people that I know, and it just birthed from me just wanting to help. It just became so much, it was like, “I could get paid for this, helping people.” So I just rode with it and AdvisedbyAmber, LLC was birthed.

Q: What are some of the challenges you’ve met in starting a business?

A: So first I would say, the biggest challenge was trying to make sure everything was perfect. I always wanted to have this business, but it literally went through three different name changes. It took me three years to finally pick, “AdvisedbyAmber”.

The most simplest thing I could think of, but yet it took me so long to just be okay with something so simple. So I think really trying to make sure that when I’m doing my session planning and my coaching series, I'm making sure that it’s not losing the realness that I wanted to have by trying to make it so perfect.

Q: Where do you find most of your clients?

A: I don’t know. That’s why I know that this is God. I was thinking that most of them would be Michigan based people, because that’s where I’m from, but they’re from Alabama, Atlanta, and random places and I don’t know them. So, they find me. It sounds cliche, but that’s the truth.

Q: What does a typical day in your life look like?

A: I wake up, and I try to say a prayer. It’s very hard sometimes, and people think that since I’m a life coach, my life is perfect. It’s not bad, I am blessed to say the least and I thank God for that. But I wake up, pray, and think about what I have to do.

Most of the time my computer is in my bed with me, shamefully, and I’ll turn over and get started on whether it’s something that I have to do for work or the business. Then, i’ll just hit the ground running from there. When I get home, if I forgot to eat, which is usually most times, I’ll eat late at night. Which is not good, but I’m working on it.

Q: What does success look like to you?

A: Being pleasing in the sight of God. To me, there is no amount of money or no material thing that I can possess that would make me say that I’m successful. When I feel like the things that I’m doing, God is pleased with, to me, that’s success.

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Q: Can you explain the concept: It’s On You? A: Yes! So I personally believe God won’t work if you don’t. So there’s a scripture that says “faith without works is dead”, and we all hear it. It’s one of those “beat you over the head” type of verses, but when you really stop to think about what that means, you can’t just pray for something to happen and you don’t do anything. So FAITH is that foundation, knowing that God will do it first. VISION, is you being able to see it. No, you won’t be able to see everything, because he can do far above what we can imagine, but you have to have some type of expectation for where you want to go. Then the ACTION piece is the plan; and sometimes the plan is no plan, it’s just doing something.

Q: How do you manifest things into your life?

A: Faith, Vision, & Action. I know that sounds so cliche, but that’s literally how I live my life. It’s not "on me" in the sense that I have to do it, like I become the God. It’s more like we’re a team. So if I work, He’ll work. If He moves, I move, and we’ll eventually meet up to the same place. Manifestation is real. Speaking things into existence, writing it and making it plain, it’s an easy principle, but it’s easy to discredit it.

Q: How do you advise others to manifest things in their lives?

Q: Tell us about your first book, "No Prayer, No Power".

A: No Prayer, No Power is a 365-day book of prayers. There’s one prayer for everyday of the year and I like to say that they’re "perfect prayers for the imperfect person". I grew up in the church, I know about prayer; but still it was something for me where I felt like I wasn’t qualified enough to pray or my prayers weren’t deep enough because they weren't the biggest words or use all of the scriptures. What I found was that prayer is really simple. I’m that, “Can you pray for me friend?” People always ask me to pray for them and I don’t mind doing it, but in the back of my mind it’s like: “The same power I have, you have too, so you can pray for yourself." But, what I’ve learned is that people don’t really know how to or they don’t feel comfortable doing it.

FAITH, VISION, and ACTION – it’s on you, to take a step in securing a better life because you deserve it, you can do it and I’m willing to help.

-Amber

A: I would say it first starts with a goal; that’s that VISION piece. What is it that you want to do? You won’t know that something manifest if you didn’t even have a goal in the first place. Just helping them to clarify their goal, clarifies their focus, and then they can see how they can manifest things in their own life. I can’t manifest something in you or for you; I can only clarify the road, if that, and help you get there.

Q: What lead you to write the book?

A: What birthed No Prayer, No Power, is that I experienced a heartbreak for the first time. It was really hard and I was in a bad place. I knew that I needed to pray, because to me that was the thing that I knew would make me feel better; but I didn’t know what to say. No words would come out, so I just began to write prayers. Before I knew it, I was good.

I’m healed, I’m not heartbroken anymore and to continue the book (remember I’m that "can you pray for me friend") whenever people would ask me something I would write a prayer on that, or just things that I would see in the world, or the news, or that irritate me about people, I would write it. Then I had a book.

Q: How has writing this book changed your prayer life?

A: I’m less "trying to be really deep" and I’m much more simple in my prayers. I don’t spend 5 hours a day trying to pray. It’s really simple and it’s truthful. To me, it’s made it (prayer) become more genuine.

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Q: What is some of the best advice you’ve ever received?

A: Finish what you started. I feel like my parents are the first people to have always told me that, specifically my dad. He's a finish what you started type of person. So for me, I would set out to do a lot of stuff and then stop, but now I have to finish what I start. That does not mean finish and be successful; it’s... finish. If I don’t finish, then I don’t know what the result is anyway. So when I say I’m going to do something, I literally do it. Back to making it manifest, that’s why I’m careful in what I say; because when I say it, it’s going to happen.

Q: What advice to you have for someone starting out or looking to follow their dream?

A: Kind of a spin off on the best advice I heard, so not necessarily finish what you started, but remember why you started. I think that if you can always go back to why you had this big idea in the beginning (or small idea) and why you wanted to step out and do something, it’s because there was some purpose underneath it. If you can remember that, no matter what happens, you’ll be able to finish if you don’t forget why you started.

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Q: What do you think of when you hear the motto: "As iron sharpens iron, so one woman sharpens another"?

A: I love that. The first thing I think about is being vulnerable, which is something that I was not good at.

But, with writing a book and people asking what made me write the book, you’ve got to open up and tell the truth.

For me, being vulnerable and honest as a woman I feel empowers and encourages other women to do the same, because we go through so much. It’s about being real with yourself and having a desire to want to do better.

Q: In what ways do you sharpen other women in Christ?

A: Being inviting and welcoming. Being me. I’m silly, I like to have fun, I’m sarcastic. (I’m working on that because I know sometimes it’s not always a good thing.) I just feel like just being myself will help people want to be themselves too. I know my friends or my sorority sisters can call me if I haven’t talked to them in however long and I will be the same today as I was yesterday. Being that consistent, diligent type of person, I think is how I exude my iron sharpening for the people around me.

Listen to the entire podcast interview at ironwifey.com/podcast

All photos of Amber R. Morson were photgraphed and provided by AGM Productions Photographer: Austin G. Morgan (Owner & Founder) | Facebook: AGM Productions | Instagram: @agm.productions

"He who has My

commandments and keeps

them, it is he who loves Me.

And he who loves Me will be

loved by My Father, and I

will love him and manifest

Myself to him.�

(John 14:21 NKJV)

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MANIFESTATION THROUGH CHRIST

4

By: Elsonia Swarts

PAGE 19

Trust that what you want will come to pass. In the book of Mark 11:24 NLT, it reads

We are able to manifest great things into our lives through God at work

as follow: “I tell you, you can

within us. In order to manifest these things we need to do the following:

1

pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will

5

Know God and prioritize Him in your life. In the book of

be yours.”

Proverbs 9:10 NLT, we learn that

Thank God in advance.

the “Fear of the Lord is the foundation

“Enter his gates with

of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy

thanksgiving; go into his

One results in good judgement” We

courts with praise. Give

are encouraged and assured in

thanks to him and praise

Matthews 6:33 NLT, to “Seek the

his name.” (Psalm 100:4

Kingdom of God above all else, and

NLT)

live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

2

3

Ask from God. God would like us to take time and think about our desires and mention it to him. He already knows what we need, Matthews 6:8, but He would still like us to have a conversation with Him

Know your motives for wanting.

and ask from Him! “Don’t worry

God wants us to think about our motives

about anything; instead, pray about

for wanting: “You want what you don’t have,

everything. Tell God what you need,

so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous

and thank him for all he has done.”

of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you

(Philippians 4:6 NLT)

fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.” (James 4:2-3 NLT) Thus our motives need to be good and pure. Psalm 37:4 NLT, tells us to “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.”

Dear siblings in Christ, my wish for you this year are the words from Psalm 20:4: “May he give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed.”

GOD'S WILL MANIFESTED PAGE 20

"Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, if I should die before I wake, I pray The Lord my soul to take.

I'm certain that everyone can recount saying this familiar childhood prayer before bed each night. It didn't matter that it was generic, and as kids we would rush through it to see who could get into bed first. It was my parents’ way of helping me establish an early connection with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

A connection that overtime would grow and mature into the wonderful relationship that I have now with my Heavenly Father, and my amazing

AS IRON SHARPENS IRON

testimony of how precisely He manifested his perfect will for my life over the meager dreams, plans and ideas that I had proposed for myself.

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I'm glad you asked. No, God never appeared before me as a cloud or pillar of fire as he did in various Divine Manifestations during Biblical times. For me, it was that small inner voice that spoke to the Train up a child in the way he should deepest parts of my soul. That go, even when he is old he will not stirring in my spirit that led me to depart from it. -Proverbs 22:6 NKJV the realization that I had been on the "Road to Perdition" way too So what were the most visible, long and that it was time to come perceptible expressions of God’s presence in my life? What were the home. My way of doing things was not working!!! And the pernicious defining moments that led to my journey that I found myself on, spiritual transformation? What life changes led to the fruits of the spirit though it started out on track with my nightly prayers as a child, it had being manifested within my life? taken a detour at some point in my

IN MY LIFE IRONWIFEY.COM

Iife and had led me down some interchanges that proved to be harmful, damaging and injurious to my spiritual life, to say the least. I was on a chaotic mega highway destined for loss and ruin with no exit in site.

My transformation began when my eyes were finally open, and I could see where I had fallen short of God's glory.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. - Romans 3:23 NIV I had grown weary of constantly taking two steps forward only to take three steps back.

ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER

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BY: DENISE DANDRIDGE

Tired of feeding an emotional monster that had an insatiable appetite.

Fatigued from trying to fill relationship voids that lacked love, understanding and happiness.

Wounded from fighting spiritual battles I was ill equipped to fight And, bitterly saddened by the prejudicial society that we live in that was, is, and continues to be completely inundated with disparity, mistrust, disrespect, hate and void of empathy and compassion.

I GOT DOWN ON MY KNEES and I fervently prayed for God's forgiveness, his healing touch and his presence. I renounced the things that displeased God, and I immersed myself in His holy word. I meditated daily on scriptures like: Romans 12:2 NKJV And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

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AS IRON SHARPENS IRON

Matthew 6:33 KJV But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

John 15:4-5 NIV Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Philippians 4:13 NKJV I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

John 1:3 NLT God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.

And finally. . .

Deuteronomy 31:8 NKJV It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you.

Do not fear or be dismayed.

I had to recognize that it is OUR free will that drives that need for autonomy, our egos, our desires for personal gratification and our pride that prevents God from elevating us to the highest level of transformation in Him. Only through the renewing of our minds, can we change our mindsets from negative to positive thinking. Only through our belief and obedience can we completely embrace the fruits of the spirit. Only through our love and commitment can we find the true happiness that only a personal relationship with God can offer. And only with God's approval will he allow the manifestations of his gifts for each of us to be realized through the Holy Spirit. (Hebrew 2:4)

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