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Team Jesus Locker Room Chat with CeCe Winans

By
Editorial Staff
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CeCe Winans Talks Ministry and New Christmas Album, Something’s Happening

Teammates! Listen in as we phone chat with Co-Pastor and Gospel legend, CeCe Winans for the holidays. Hear her heart for ministry, one of her major keys for longevity, and the making of her amazing 2018 solo Christmas album, “Something’s Happening“.

FOLLOW CECE WINANS at:
http://www.cecewinans.com
https://www.facebook.com/Official.CeCe.Winans/
https://twitter.com/cecewinans

GET YOUR COPY OF “SOMETHING’S HAPPENING” on all digital outlets:
Amazon
iTunes

Finding Peace in Thanksgiving

By
Ryan Churchill
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thanksgiving

Are You Hungry for Peaceful Holidays?

thanksgivingHow often do you see the words, “Thanksgiving” and “Peace” used together?

PEACE!?!? Are you kidding me? I have a turkey to prepare and roast, stuffing to make from scratch, eight pies, mashed potatoes, gravy, dinner salad, dinner rolls, and a cranberry salad ain’t nobody gonna eat. Who in the world has time for peace during Thanksgiving? Oh, and don’t forget the in-laws are coming to town with their politics in-tow and ready to antagonize me with the latest election results. Peace? Who has time for peace? And did I mention we’re divided on the Cowboys game? There won’t be anything peaceful in this house during those 4 quarters. Lord, please don’t allow this game to go into overtime. I don’t care who wins, just end it. Peace? Who has any chance at peace this Thanksgiving?

Does this person’s response to peace and thanksgiving resemble anyone you know? Does any of this even look like peace OR thanksgiving?

I know, using the words “peace” and “thanksgiving” in the title of an article the day before Thanksgiving is almost the very definition of clickbait.

But, ask yourself why you clicked this time. Was it to get some quick-fix tips to help you get through this brief holiday? Was it so that you could see if anyone could relate to your struggle this week?

Well, I hate to tell you this, but you’ll get no quick satisfaction here. But maybe, as we enter the gateway of Thanksgiving into the Advent Season, maybe you’ll find some useful tools here for lasting peace.

Psalms of Peace

peaceThis past year, the Bible Study To GO! column has been primarily focused on the Psalms. If you’re an avid reader of the Psalms, I don’t have to tell you how often you encounter the words “thanks,” “thankfulness,” or “thanksgiving.” It’s a lot, especially if you equate those words with “give praise,” “make a joyful noise,” etc.

Two words I hear a lot together are “Psalms” and “Peace.” Time and time again, I hear people talk about being at peace while they read the Psalms. The real question is, “Why do they find peace in the Psalms?” Well, the Psalms take your focus away from you and place the focus on God, the Father of Peace. Jesus has another name – Prince of Peace.

Is that a quick fix? Well, in description it is – but in practice it is not.

It would be easy for me to simply recommend that you spend 15 minutes at the start of each day reading the Psalms. I’m sorry, but it isn’t always that simple, because God is not a “reading-operated vending machine” for dispensing peace. We don’t get to go before God in a rage, grab our Bibles and demand that God provide peace – just because we slowed down to the speed limit and dedicated a few moments to the Psalms. In His sovereignty, God determines the when and where. That said, if in your rage you sense a need to open the Psalms, that is very likely God calling you and it’s a good idea to dig in.

So, What’s the Play Call?

Do I have anything concrete to offer you? Yes. I do.

I’d like to offer you a free study on the will of God entitled, “Finding Peace in the Will of God.” This study visits six aspects associated with the will of God in Scripture. The third day zeros in on “thanksgiving.”

So much of our lack of peace can be attributed to a struggle of wills between our own personal will and God’s will. Do you lack peace? It may be time to spend some time reconciling your willfulness with God’s will for you.

Again, this won’t be a quick fix. It will do you no good to jump into day three without starting at the beginning. Also, stopping at day three and not going any further will do you no good.

God’s will gets a bum rap because we so often see it as being in opposition to us, but really, you’ll discover that God’s will isn’t against you. Instead, God’s will is for you.

So, team, it’s time to dig in.

God bless, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Creed II Hits Theaters November 21

By
Editorial Staff
-

Creed II: What Made You A Champion in the First Place?

creed IITeam, get your tickets now for Creed II, coming November 21st to a theater near you.

Check out the full trailer here.

Creed II, a champion’s story of pride, legacy, and family, is directed by Steven Caple Jr. Distributed by MGM and Warner Bros. Pictures, the all-star cast includes Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, Russell Hornsby, Florian “Big Nasty” Munteanu, Andre Ward, Phylicia Rashad, and Dolph Lundgren.

About

creed iiLife has become a balancing act for Adonis Creed. Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight, he is up against the challenge of his life. Facing an opponent with ties to his family’s past only intensifies his impending battle in the ring. Rocky Balboa is there by his side through it all and, together, Rocky and Adonis will confront their shared legacy, question what’s worth fighting for, and discover that nothing’s more important than family. Creed II is about going back to basics to rediscover what made you a champion in the first place, and remembering that, no matter where you go, you can’t escape your history.

Be sure to add this film to your 2018 Thanksgiving family movie favorites – a film filled with great takeaways on life, tenacity, and moving forward against the odds.

Genre: Drama
Release Date: Wednesday, November 21, 2018
Director: Steven Caple Jr.
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Wood Harris, Andre Ward, Florian “The Big Nasty” Munteanu, Dolph Lundgren, Russell Hornsby
Writer: Sylvester Stallone
Producers: Irwin Winkler, Charles Winkler, William Chartoff, David Winkler, Kevin King-Templeton, Sylvester Stallone
Executive Producers: Ryan Coogler, Michael B. Jordan, Guy Riedel
Distributor: MGM, Warner Bros. Pictures

4 Guaranteed Ways to Accelerate Your Heart’s Healing Process

By
Alecia M. White
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healing process

Working Wounded

I was slicing an orange, and I sliced my thumb. Yep… you read it correctly, I sliced my thumb. Just deep enough for me to freak out.

So, you’re probably thinking what my brother actually said when I told him what happened: “Wait… what? You’re not supposed to slice oranges. Who does that?”

Well, I did, and I had a good reason.

See, I wanted the slices in my water because I like the flavor, but it didn’t quite work out the way I’d planned. After I’d missed the orange, I ran cold water over the cut, cleaned it, and put a bandage over it. I thought I’d done pretty well – I even went to get my nails done after it happened.

I did the whole clean and bandage thing for a few days because, well, it wouldn’t heal. I actually think that I should have gotten a stitch or two (the cut was that deep), but I wasn’t thinking. I bumped my thumb a few times and it seemed to get worse. Finally, I put Neosporin on it and that aided in the healing process.

After using the ointment, I noticed that the wound never closed, but the skin around the cut begin to dry out and die (sorry for the TMI). Once I was able to get rid of the dead skin, my thumb was able to heal. But it wasn’t until that area was clear of dead skin that the process could begin to take place.

Get Rid of the Dead Things

So often in life, we are wounded… hurt, and in our own opinion, beyond repair. And so often, we try to fix our open wounds on our own, just like I did with the water and bandage. We write things off as part of the process and wonder why stuff does more than sting when it’s too close to that raw area.

We “bump” our open wound when we see a certain person or when someone talks about that old job or significant other, and it hurts. We try to go on as if it never happened, as I did by going to the nail shop.

It is imperative that we allow God to fix and dress our wounds. Let Him be the ointment that helps our process along. And, once the “Ointment” is applied, we have got to stop allowing that hurtful thing back into our lives. Yep… cut that dead skin off.

So, What’s the Play Call?

I know it can be difficult to go through the healing process when you’ve been hurt. But I also know that healing is possible. Here are a few things to remember as your “thumb” heals:

  1. God wants to heal you, He’s just waiting for you to ask Him to. “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.” Jeremiah 17:4
  2. Trust God more than you trust those around you. Many times, we add to our hurt by trusting people who never follow through with their end of the bargain. Let God be your most trusted source. “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” Psalms 118:8
  3. Let God dress your wounds. Sometimes we cover up our wounded places with things that we have determined to be our helpers. It could be work, “going out”, drinking, drugs, sex, or any number of other things. Those things only provide temporary relief, and often with consequences. “I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice!” Ezekiel 34:16 NLT
  4. It’s okay not to know. As humans, we have a tendency to not want to admit when we don’t have the answer. In your healing process, be honest with God about what you need and just as you must stop putting trust in others, you have got to stop leaning on your own expertise. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

Your wounds will heal, but it is the process you choose that determines the length of time it will take. The “do it yourself” approach only prolongs it. Let God do it for you.

The 5 Dangers of Second Guessing Yourself

By
Kim Brightness
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second guessing

The decision has been made.

second guessingPerhaps you’ve brewed over the pros and cons, mapped out your course of action for path A, B, and C (B won), or maybe you dived in head first, trusting your gut.

Now, you’re well on your way, almost to the middle. You took the job, you relocated to that city, you’re taking the first class, you had your last {insert vice} – and you’re at the point where it’ll take more work to uproot and reverse your decision than to simply stay the course.

But, if you’re anything like me, that doesn’t stop you from second guessing yourself:

“Did I really make the right decision?”
“What if I fail?”
“Maybe it’s not the right time.”
“What if there was something better out there?”

How many times have we bailed on decisions or choices made with the above fearful and doubtful questions? Barring decisions that put us in real danger, or patterns of thoughtless living that require constant do-overs, we have to learn to make a decision and stick with it.

I remember my Dad (God rest his soul) once told me:

Second guessing voids perfection
in the NOW that was.
~ Bishop R.R. Johnson

Seriously, Dad? Whewww!

Of course, to experience the truth in his deep words, I had to keep on living. I had to keep going and fully honor the decisions I’d made. Many times, there were struggles, tears, regret, and then, wouldn’t you know it… brighter days, moments of clarity, and ultimately gratefulness!

As I followed through to the end and discovered the REASON WHY I needed to stay the course, I came out of the experience with life treasures I could use for the next journey.

Sidebar: As long as we’re living, there will be next journeys. At the end of every decision comes time to make another, Team. End sidebar.

So, the key is to not get hung up on fear, doubt, and over-analyzing your decisions. Yes, we are to acknowledge God in all our ways, but for those times when God is waiting on US to support our decision, we must remember that it is God who will cause us to triumph, no matter the outcome (2 Corinthians 2:14).

Here’s why second-guessing is dangerous and can be a threat to your life treasures.

Second guessing…

1. Denies a lesson that needs to be learned.

Your greatest life treasures are intangible. They are the life lessons learned through experience and seeing a thing to the end. Second guessing threatens to keep you in the dark, in ignorance of what, where, how, why, and when to move. God knows the challenges that are 2, 5, or 10 years ahead on your journey. But, if you stall and act on a second guess, if you abort today’s mission, you will be inadequately prepared for the future, and will most likely spend time repeating the learning experience.

2. Denies God the opportunity to perform a miracle.

Ever make a decision that turns into a total nightmare? Every step forward sends you 5 steps backward? Are things getting worse with no glimmer of ‘better’ in sight? Well, Team, rest assured. Not every horrible situation results from bad decision-making – just look at the life of Joseph.  Sometimes, God sends us a special invitation to witness a miracle – and we’re playing the 1st string quarterback! Don’t second guess your play calls; follow through and trust that the Coach, the Author of your faith will cause you to finish strong for the win!

3. Slows progress toward the real goal.

When you’re on your mission, you cannot be effective, alert, and observant by wasting time second guessing your current position. Trust God and flourish right where you are, not the 1,000,000 places you maybe-perhaps-probably-could’ve been. Often the real goal is just a few steps from where you are now. You maintain your purposed pace with proper focus and a forward press (Philippians 3:14) – not a backward march.

4. Rejects the gift of contentment.

There’s a life treasure for all of us called contentment. Some of us spend a ton of energy second guessing because we have not learned how to be grateful for what we have and how far we’ve come today. Sure, it’s great to aspire for more, but there is peaceful contentment in not being overly influenced by what others have or are doing – which leads us to second guess where WE are. Sometimes, you don’t need more; you don’t need to move left, right, or back – you’re just fine where YOU are at this moment.

5. Immobilizes you while you attempt to predict the future.

Team, it’s called a second “guess” for a reason. No amount of time or energy pouring over the facts (as you know them today) will guarantee that you will predict an accurate, alternate, better future. If we were that good, we’d never need a SECOND guess – our FIRST guess would be on point! So, as you sit there ruminating, over-analyzing, and peering into your crystal ball, you’re stagnant. You’re stuck. Release yourself from the second-guessing-trap, put away your crystal ball, and keep moving forward to find the life treasures that God has already purposed for you to discover.

So, what’s the play call?

Go ahead – give yourself permission to find your greatness and see God’s glory in every decision and choice you make. God is always there to love and support you.

The Peaceful Blessings of a Quiet Life

By
Jeannette Tyson
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quiet life

Pursue Peaceful Living

christian livingHave you ever considered how amazing the Bible is? We read about the creation of earth, the flood, supernatural victories, demons, angels and even a virgin birth! From start to finish, we find miracles, signs, wonders, and Holy revelations throughout its pages. Reading the Word of God can make some wonder about life and ask why their walk with Him isn’t filled with spectacular encounters. Things can feel mundane and we can start to resent the “ordinary”.

There were times when I was so consumed with the supernatural – it became an idol. I would do things like jump in the prayer line in hopes of getting a word of knowledge. I started to obsess over dreams and read into everything like it was a piece of a puzzle God wanted to reveal to me. I also started binge watching YouTube videos of people who had testimonies of meeting God. My motives were completely wrong, and to be honest, I just wanted to experience something “cool”.

I was so ignorant; I wasn’t trying to get a word for the people or seeking Him for any life-threatening divine intervention. I just wanted Him to come talk to me – He was there, but I was missing it. I didn’t even realize I had His Word, His Spirit, and His people the whole time.

Be Grateful for a Simple, Quiet Life

contentment1 Thessalonians 4:11 says, “and make it your ambition to live a quiet life”. This scripture means a lot to me because it reminds us that it’s okay to live a simple life. It lets you know that you don’t need anything beyond what you already have in Christ.

There is peace in knowing that your life with Jesus, right now today – is complete! No matter where He takes you from this point, you couldn’t be more joyful or more content than you already are in Him. Also, if we notice, most people in the Bible who were visited by God weren’t necessarily looking for visitation. Look at Samuel – although he served in the temple under Eli, the Bible says the Word of the Lord was rare in those days (Samuel 3:1). Samuel was very young and didn’t know God, but was visited while in bed one night.

Teammates, for some of us, we put too much stock in the big events of life: getting married, buying your home, having a child etc. We can hardly stand the meantime and find ourselves rushing to create a life full of grand finales. Then, when things don’t work out, we feel inadequate, bitter, or angry.

One of the trending hashtags now is #LivingMyBestLife. We see this all over social media and it makes me wonder why people feel they’re only living their best lives while on vacation, after they get married, or start a business? Why are people frowned upon when they simply lead quiet lives? Today’s society wants everything overnight because they think it’s the only way they can live their best lives. How sad!

Stop Waiting to Live

liveTeam, no matter what it is you’re working toward, saving for, or praying for God to do in your life – peace and joy are available to you now. You are just as blessed studying for midterms as you are when you get that A+.

Right now, I’m taking Earth Science and although science is not my strong suit, it reminds me that our entire existence is incredible. Earth and nature, every human, every breath, every thought – all that we experience is a miracle. As time moves us farther away from the beginning of creation and society advances, it seems people become desensitized to the things of God and Spirituality. There are so many distractions, so much going on that it becomes white noise and we forsake the small wonders.

Ecclesiastes 8:15 says, “so I commended enjoyment because a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun”.  Solomon is telling us here that we need to be mindful and present and to enjoy every minute of our brief time here.

I don’t know about you, Team, but I don’t want to “live my best life” one week or twice a year on vacation. Let’s make a conscious decision to be present and to embrace the meantime between time. We can find joy in every (seemingly) mundane task. We have to be intentional about changing our perspectives on this. Yes, work hard to accomplish those goals, but know that the journey you take to get there is what makes life beautiful.

It’s on the journey that you evolve and become the man or woman God has created you to be. Let’s make every day special and live life to the fullest. Thanking and praising God just because we know Him, because He’s good, and because we CAN.

So, What’s the Play Call?

  1. The best thing to do to beat stress is to get close enough to God to discern His voice because He is the author your story (Jeremiah 1:5).
  2. Enjoy yourself (Ecclesiastes 8:15).
  3. Be present and live life moment-to-moment so that you don’t miss a thing.

God Bless!

Train Up a Child: Team Jesus Locker Room Chat with Momager, Dannella Lane

By
Editorial Staff
-

Welcome to Our New Column, Train Up a Child

Teammates! Christian parents are asking more often, “How in the world do you raise God-fearing kids in today’s society?”

Well, today begins the official launch of our newest column, “Train Up a Child“, where we hope to answer this question and equip Christian parents with biblical, practical, relevant, and action-based guidance to help you on your parenting journey.

Make Jesus Famous: A Family Affair with Dannella Lane

We’re excited to kick things off with Momager extraordinaire, Dannella Lane, Mom x 4 and Brand Manager of Dani and Dannah, her two viral child stars who rep Team Jesus in everything they do! Listen in as she shares her parenting experience and nuggets of wisdom!

And, don’t forget to follow Dani and Dannah EVERYWHERE for Scripture Timeeeee and check out their Call Jesus video!

 


FOLLOW DANI AND DANNAH at:
https://www.danianddannah.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/danmidayjay
https://www.instagram.com/danianddannah/
https://www.facebook.com/danianddannah/

 

Pursuing Purpose: Lakeisha Dixon, The Breakthrough Strategist

By
Monique C. Baisden
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Lakeisha Dixon

Pursuing Purpose Interview Series

Special Guest: Lakeisha Q. Dixon, Certified Life Coach and Founder of Breakthrough Coaching & Leadership Academy (BCLA)

“Pursuing Purpose” is a new podcast interview series with people who are walking in purpose and destined for greatness. These persons come from all backgrounds of life; many are well-known and well-respected professionals in their respective industries. Some are household names, and others are not. But, what they all have in common is their faith in God. They are all Team Jesus! As Christ Followers, they have endured and overcome challenges and have made the commitment to dedicate their lives to walking in and living out their God-given purpose, no matter what.

Meet Lakeisha Dixon, Minister and Certified Professional Life Coach who goes by the name, The Breakthrough Strategist. Lakeisha specializes in coaching individuals, businesses, and organizations on how to strategically breakthrough life’s barriers professionally, personally, spiritually, and financially. She has a yoke destroying anointing that has been birthed through intense adversity in her own life. Lakeisha is a witness that God is able to help you overcome life’s challenges and press toward your purpose.

Let’s listen in to her personal testimony of breakthrough to find her God-given purpose.


 

Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to Pursuing Purpose: The Podcast

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iTunes

David and Tamela Mann Drop First Joint Album “Us Against the World: The Love Project”

By
Editorial Staff
-
David and Tamela Mann

david and tamela mannGood Love Lasts

Two-time NAACP Image Award-Winning Actor and Comedian David Mann and his wife, Grammy® Award-Winning, NAACP Image-Award Winning Actress Tamela Mann, are celebrating their 30-year love story with the release of their first joint album, Us Against The World: The Love Project (Tillymann Music/Orchard/Sony) today, November 9, 2018.

Inspired by David and Tamela’s new memoir, Us Against the World: Our Secrets to Love, Marriage, and Family (November 13), this soulful 10-song musical collaboration about resilient and enduring love is brimming with the couple’s vocal chemistry. The project is produced by David, Tamela and their son David Mann Jr. The Us Against the World album is a candidly honest chronicle of defining moments in David and Tamela’s relationship. The two recreate an epic revelation from early on in their marriage that could have undone them on the heart-wrenching yet resolutely hopeful track by David, “I Love You.” On “Mason Jar” Tamela’s tender vocals pay tribute to her grandmother, mother and love of her life, David. The first single, now impacting Urban AC radio, is “Good Love,” a timeless romantic duet in the vein of a Motown classic featuring David and Tamela’s soulfully smooth harmonies. The album reconstructs other ‘big reveals’ in the couple’s relationship, ultimately leading to “Signs,” a love letter to each other.

“We made Us Against the World because we want people to be uplifted, spiritually encouraged, and feel hopeful about love, life, relationships, and family,” said David Mann. “This is our first joint project and it’s been a dream come true to record together. We hope these songs will inspire a renewed commitment to marriage and family,” said Tamela Mann.

Track List
Us Against the World | David & Tamela
Mason Jar | Tamela
I Love You | David
Still Do | David
Good Love | David & Tamela
You | David & Tamela
Feels Like | Tamela
Ups and Downs | David & Tamela
Making Up | David & Tamela
Signs | David & Tamela

The couple’s new memoir, Us Against the World: Our Secrets to Love, Marriage, and Family (W Publishing/Harper Collins Christian), will be available this Tuesday, November 13. With a relationship spanning more than 30 years, David and Tamela are just as, if not more than, happily in love as they were in the early days of life together. In their new book the superstar couple who has delighted and inspired audiences through music, plays, movies, and the television series’ Meet the Browns, The Manns, and Mann & Wife, candidly share a wonderfully inspiring, funny, and up-close look at their lives while offering hope and practical advice for building a strong relationship, marriage and family.

Highlights of the Us Against the World book include:
• Tips to help couples grow in love and commitment to each other.
• No holds-barred honesty about how to experience true unity, intimacy, and fulfillment in marriage.
• Insight into how two successful people built careers and a family together.
• Encouragement that though blending a family has challenges, it is definitely possible.

For the latest updates on David and Tamela visit:
WEBSITE: www.tillymannmusic.com
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/davidtamelamann
INSTAGRAM: @DavidandTamela
TWITTER: @DavidandTamela
MUSIC STREAM: http://www.tillymannmusic.com/love-project-snippets.html

ABOUT DAVID MANN
Ingeniously funny and extraordinarily talented are understatements when it comes to David Mann, the multi-faceted, two-time NAACP Award-winning actor and comedian. A native of Texas, David masterfully showcases his God-given talents in a most dynamic and distinguished way. His musical and theatrical talents brilliantly epitomize ingenuity at its best. Along with his wife, Gospel singing sensation Tamela Mann, David co-stars in the hilarious TV comedy, Mann & Wife, and their family docu-series, The Manns. When David is not on set shooting, producing or directing, he brings his live comedy show to venues around the country playing to capacity crowds. David, together with Tamela, head up their independent entertainment company Tillymann Music Group.

ABOUT TAMELA MANN
Tamela Mann is a Grammy® Award winner, three-time NAACP Image Award® winner, BET Award winner, Billboard Music Award winner, Stellar Gospel Music Award winner, and GMA Dove Award-winning singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and businesswoman. Tamela’s award-winning album Best Days debuted at No. 1 on multiple Billboard music sales charts and includes the No. 1 RIAA-Platinum certified single “Take Me to The King.” Tamela set a historic personal and industry record as the first Gospel lead artist in Billboard Gospel radio chart history to score three consecutive No. 1’s from an album. The string of hits includes “Take Me to The King,” “I Can Only Imagine,” and “This Place.” Tamela’s Billboard chart-topping fourth solo studio album One Way features the Billboard No.1 singles “God Provides” and “Change Me.” In 2017 Tamela broke the record for the most No. 1’s in the history of Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart when “Change Me” became her sixth leader. Tamela co-stars with husband actor/comedian David in the hilarious TV comedy, Mann & Wife, and their family docu-series, The Manns. Together, the couple heads up their independent entertainment company Tillymann Music Group.

5 Keys to Finding Your Authentic Self in Jesus Christ

By
Alecia M. White
-
authentic self

An “In” Crowd of One

Have you ever been watching a TV show or movie and it triggered something about yourself? For me, it was the movie Mean Girls. Maybe you haven’t seen it. It’s about this group of girls that everyone in the school envies, with the exception of a few. Girls who treat everyone, including each other, kinda terribly; it’s a little extreme. They all live for keeping secrets and trying to live up to the expectations of others.

And no, I didn’t hang with the mean girls back in high school. Neither do I have to think back that far to when I tried to “be myself” and failed under pressure.

By failed, I mean that others in my so-called “circle” didn’t approve of me, and I decided that I would rather conform to what they wanted. I longed to be part of the “it” group, and I’m not talking about when I was a youngster. As an adult, I can now admit that I wanted to be somebody other than who God created me to be.

When God Reveals Who You Are, Embrace It

authentic selfNothing to be proud of, but I’m done being ashamed of it. I’ve even learned that there are times when we, as adults, think that we’re beyond certain things because we are grown. Nope, not so.

Learning to love who you are called to be is a process, even as you get older. We spend so much time teaching our children to be different, and that they don’t need to worry about what others think of them. But way too often, we forget or neglect to take our own advice.

How often do we try to be “original” in this world of fakes, followers, and false friends? How often do we retreat back into our shells when it doesn’t seem to work out for us?

Way too often.

There are times when I can look back and recall doing more of what was preferred by others, than what I know was required of my character. As a “grown-up”, I was still trying to figure out who I was, because for so long I ignored the voice of God calling me out. Christ came so that we could follow Him, not those we are surrounded by.

So often, we lose who we are because we want to be one of the “birds”… you know how the saying goes, “birds of a feather flock together.” God created us as individuals. His plan was so intricate that there is no one else with your exact DNA – not even if you have a twin. No matter how identical, your fingerprints are different, your dental records are your own, and your desires and dreams may be worlds apart.

So, What’s the Play Call?

We each have our own identity and it is only found in Christ Jesus. Many times, we talk ourselves out of being who we know we should be, for fear of what others think and how they may react. Here are a few things that I hope will help you embrace your individuality:

  1. God knew who you’d be before you became. So, there is no reason to try to hide from yourself or Him. “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5
  2. You were created to look like Him, not them. Our Playbook says in Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
  3. If God meant for you to be like everybody else, He would have made you that way. He didn’t – so be you. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2
  4. There are some crowds you must step away from. “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” 2 Corinthians 6:17
  5. God loves you. “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 21:3

God has so much for you, but it is for the authentic you – not who you have learned to be. Seek Him for your true identity. I’m rooting for you and pray you will begin to live out your God-given identity and potential.

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