Just watch....Guess who brings you the story lol

hahaha! Yep, the next Katie Couric lol tee hee

Are You Willing to Go Thru to GET TO?!

This isn't gonna be a long post because it's like almost 4 in the morning lol but as I was gettin ready to try to go to sleep, thinking about my life and all the things that are going on..I thought back to that piece of mail that I got today that said "don't settle for less, when God wants to give you the best."

It didn't quite register with me at first but as I was layin down God started to speak and HE said I want to give you the very best but are you willing to go thru to get TO?! Doesn't mean God's gonna just slaughter your life for the next few years, no not at all. What it means is that are you ready to be properly trained for where you wanna go. There is a process that you must undergo to get where you wanna be and are you ready??

The process is meant to make you, shape you, and mold you. You're gonna encounter a lot of uncomfortable things and you will be snagged out of your comfort zone. Are you ready? In order for God to give you what you never had and take you to new heights you have to be willing to cooperate and in the midst of the uncomfortable people, situations, environments, understand that it's all for your own good.

So as I ask myself these things, I challenge you to ask yourself, Am I willing to go thru to get to??

Okay, Im gone to bed. Night!! :)

It's a SET UP: Let it Flow :)

Lord Jesus. I am waiting on that call. lol. Tonight I had another interesting conversation about talents and gifts. I started my blog and now I've been getting little nudges to start a website and get business cards for a business that I don't even have yet..lol. Okay let me stop laughing cuz this is serious man.

It's so funny how when God speaks to us and tells us to do something we say "But God..Im not ready.." and we make all of these excuses.."Recently, I've been wanting to say Lord are you insane!?" #withallduerespect lol..I mean I know it sounds comical but this is serious lol (and I laugh again smh) .

I can write and I know the field of public relations..But come onnn to start doing things on my own with the little experience that I have?? For real God? lol But..if that's what I have to do God, you're gonna have to make it DIVINELY clear. Yes you may have told me several times but just tell me once more lol. Place me in all the right places and the right time and LEAD and GUIDE me.

Every single person that I have ran across in the past few months has been involved in media..oh man..from television, to books, to talk shows, public speaking, music, photography! like wowzers..and I went to school for Public Relations and just look at the people crossing my paths. And we aren't talking hi and bye..we're talking solid relationships..all of which I have done some sort of work for.

Sometimes, well. All the time I feel like the Lord has forgotten about me..but as my sister Karen says, if I could just get past my "trust issues" and start just praising Him for what I know HE is doing and has already done. I would be alright. None of this is by coincidence. It's a set up isn't it? lol

Well we shall see how my story unfolds. I encourage each and everyone of you to recognize your "set up"..I know it's hard to just let it flow right? lol like how do you lose control of your life and submit it to a God you've never even seen. BUT, what else are you gonna do? Did you create yourself? heck no. So let's just try to let it go and let it flow. What's life when u plan it and know what's gonna happen anyway. <3

Thanks sooo much for reading!

I love ya'll! :)

Man vs Ice Cream: Battles of the Flesh

If you're a chocolate fan, doesn't that M&M ice cream look delicious? I actually had one of these tonight and I can attest to that. It's ice cream, chocolate, m&m's and a waffle cone. Delicious, right? I could eat one of those every single day. Maybe two. Even three. Ah heck, Im an adult I could eat the whole box if I want to. Who is gonna stop me?  I guess I would have to develop some kind of will power to make me not eat an entire box of M&M ice cream cones everyday since I am in control of my own actions as an adult and the person responsible for that extra 20 pounds that will appear.

While I was eating that ice cream tonight and focusing on how delicious it was lol yes, I was "focusing"..lol God spoke to me and said "Gabriel, you have a choice on some things and I make the call on others..When are you going to start making better choices on your end?" What do you mean Lord? You can eat as much of that ice cream as you want. It is your choice. The consequences will be your choice as well. I thought about this in great detail. God was right. As usual. I KNEW I didn't need that ice cream with all the other junk I had eaten today. Yet, I still couldn't resist eating it. I just couldn't. An ice cream cone took complete control of my life for 5 minutes. So why couldn't I make the right choice for my flesh, instead of my flesh making the wrong choice for me? 

DO we just indulge in things that we know we don't need just because it's good to our flesh? It was my own personal choice to eat my ice cream. It was delicious and life couldn't have been sweeter while I was eating it, but I knew I didn't need it. Simple as that. I have eaten enough junk today to last a week. Where was my self control? I suppose I didn't have any. Flesh kicked in. I wanted it. It was there. So I ate it. We can't be like this. We have to learn to feed our spirits so that we are prepared to overcome our flesh. Now why am I making such a big deal out of an ice cream cone? It was one too many. I knew I didn't need it. And if I knew for a fact that I didn't need it and really shouldn't have had it..why was the flesh so hard to drown out. Every tastebud I had told me it's gonna be delicious and you're gonna feel awesome WHILE you eat it..if you notice the flesh never gets into what happens beyond...It never talks about what happens after you give it what it wants..all that matters to the flesh is 'right now'...God layed this on my heart as I was typing..We must learn to control this flesh. I know it's hard. I am the first one to say it. I struggle every single day of my life wrestling with my flesh. Lord knows I do. But, we have to get it under control. God makes it clear in HIS word that it is impossible to please God in the flesh because the "spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." (thank you Jesus, I couldn't remember that scripture at first) The flesh is weak! I said it in my last post but let me say it once more, It is impossible to fight a spiritual battle in the flesh. I am in a losing battle right now because I can't get my flesh under control. I can't pray like I should, I don't even know how to fast. All because I don't know how to control this flesh.

The consequences of my actions are great. Right now, I need a spiritual touch from the Lord like never before. I need HIM to loose me from soo many spirits and give me peace from things going on in my life and I can't even tap into that power because of my flesh. I need him to touch my mind, my heart, my finances and although I know God will do all of these things in due time, I can't tap into HIS most amazing and radical power because my flesh is in the way. That means I am weak. POINT BLANK. PERIOD. NO SUGAR COATING IT.

So I say those things to say to you, get your flesh in check! Like, right now. It's hard. I understand. As I said I am struggling as well. But, do whatever it is that you have to do to let your flesh know who is boss. Don't even the score. Why? Because the kingdom is at hand. It really is. Don't let your "ice cream" be the hinderance to your spiritual growth with HIM. I love you dearly! God Bless You!! Thank you soo much for reading!

Love,

Gabriel

Don't forget the Loaves: Personal Reflection and Correction

This topic is very personal for me. The title of my blog is "All Things Public" for a reason. It's more than just a blog. It's a sacrifice. It means that all the personal trials and tribulations that I go through that I always keep to myself will no longer be my secrets. It means that I am stepping out of my comfort zone to share some of my personal issues so that they will be a reminder to you that you are not alone in the things that you have gone through or will go through. They are a reminder to you about the importance of being humble because neither of us are excluded from God's wrath.

Every since I graduated college last year, I have dreamed about working in my field as a Communications Coordinator. Yes. Dreamed about it. I love to write and even though sometimes I get nervous about what those in authority in this field will think about my talents and will they see the same gift I see, I have managed to keep going because I am not a quitter. This is a field that I dared to go into. Coming from Greenville, MS, people told me more than once don't do it. Go to school to be a nurse. Go be a doctor. Go be a teacher. Do something in the medical field. But, see I couldn't do that. I couldn't do that because I remembered that when I was in the 5th grade, my teacher told me I was writing on a high school level. I couldn't do that because all through high school when everybody dreaded writing assignments and reports, I was smiling on the inside because I know how much I love to play with words. It is my passion and it's something I absolutely love to do. Yes, I tried to attempt to go to school for nursing, BUT God would not let that be, because HE KNEW, he knew that he had given me a gift that He intended for me to use. That's why when I was at the Mississippi University for Women getting ready to do orientation in the nursing program, I heard the counselor say "Everybody in the nursing field, please line up at the back!" I had to get up quick and ask him "Where do I go to get out of this" cause while I was sitting in my seat next to my friends, I knew all along that I wanted to be something and somebody different. Now where am I going with all this you might ask.

That was about 5 years ago. I graduated with a degree in Communications and I sought out a job that would allow me to do what I loved and get a reasonable salary for it. After all, throughout school besides earning experience, I worked for free at the American Red Cross in their Marketing and Communications department just so I could have something to show that I had good writing skills. And anytime you have a talent, God nurtures it, and he develops it. I wasn't a perfect writer when I started there, but I learned. I learned to write in different formats for different purposes. It didn't come easy, but God knew exactly how to polish a diamond in the rough.

Every since I graduated, I felt that God owed me a job. I felt that HE owed me a good paying job in my field and that I should have it at that very moment. I didn't want His learning process..I didn't want all the extra stuff..I just wanted a job in my field so that I could say all my hard work had paid off and look at me now. BUT because He loves me and He doesn't spoil any of his children, it hasn't come easy to me. Well if you believed and you prayed and sacrificed why didn't it come easy to you Gabriel? Truth is, I broke all kinds of rules. Exodus 20:3 God's word specifically states "THOU SHALL PUT NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME". He also told me specifically, Let not your heart be troubled! But instead of me trusting HIM and THANKING HIM for bringing me through school and rejoicing, I had made finding a job so important, that I forgot to trust him. I had made that "good paying, field related job.." my GOD. I had made my degree my God.

You see that is why he tells us Trust in Me with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding. GABRIEL'S understanding said that I have graduated, I got a little bit of experience now where is MY high paying job. I was arrogant and I thought that my DEGREE was going to get me what I wanted. My EXPERIENCE was going to open the door lol. smh. BUT, God humbled me and Im so glad He did. You see in the midst of my foolishness, I had forgotten to be thankful for my life. my family. my health. my strength. I had forgotten the people who loved me the most and who helped get me to the point I was at. When God humbled me I knew which ones I had ignored. Because it was these same people that I looked to in my time of trouble. It was these same people that blessed me financially, spiritually and spoke encouraging words to me when I felt like giving up on my dreams. Another consequence of leaning on my own understanding? I lost all peace, joy. I was depressed and sad. I fel t like I had someway failed myself. My self esteem went down, I felt like I wasn't good enough. My talent probably wasn't talent at all. You see when u lean to your own understanding you make your mind and spirit subject to the enemy's wicked devices. He told me all these things. BUT because God loved me so much, He knew that it was a process to make me not break me. He blessed me with a job that showed me just how fresh in the work world I really was. There was a lot I didn't know. The blessing was that HE allowed me to continue moving forward even though it wasn't the high profile job that I thought I was ready for. He showed me, u see? U didn't want to trust me and I was trying to show you all the while that YOU AIN'T EVEN READY YET FOR THAT high profile job you thought you deserved so badly.

Even after all I had been through in the past year, that same haughty spirit wanted to rise up in me today. I even had the nerves to get frustrated!? For those of you who saw it today Bishop Jakes preached about "saving the scraps". The text referenced Mark 6: 41-52. See Jesus told his disciples when they were done with the miracle of  feeding the 5000, to "save the scraps"..He wanted them to keep it as a reminder for their next test that they had no idea was coming. The disciples found themselves out there on the water in a raging storm and when Jesus came walking on the water, they barely even recognized them. They were too worried about the storm  they were in and when Jesus came onto the boat and the storm ceased, they were yet amazed for the bible tells us that they had forgotten the "loaves and their hearts were heartened."

You see that job was only a one year committment and when I finished that meant unemployment. And yet my heart was THIS CLOSE to becoming hardened again until this message today when Jesus told me not to worry about the storm and the winds and rains around me. Don't worry about not having a job, I AM YOUR PROVIDER. Have you forgotten the loaves? See I was just about to forget that it was JESUS who gave me a job in the first place. I was just about to forget that it was HIS miracle that gave a girl with just a little experience a chance to work in her field and learn more than she had ever dreamed about work and herself in just one year.

SO I say all this to say that sometimes we have to Let Go and Let God. That doesn't mean say "Lord work this out for me" every single day. That means LIVE. YOUR. LIFE. Enjoy your family, your friends, your health, your strength, being a child of God. He already knows what you need before you do. Continue to rest on His promises, be faithful, and don't forget the miracles that He has already performed for you. Have faith. Believe. Rest. Don't forget the loaves. God bless you. I love you and thank you sooo much for your support!

Love,
Gabriel <3

Transformers: Relevant?

Transformers. For those of you who don't know the concept behind this show/movie, Transformers is about  a teenager involved in a war between the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons, two factions of alien robots who can disguise themselves by transforming into everyday machinery. The Decepticons desire control of the AllSpark, the object that created their robotic race, with the intention of using it to build an army by giving life to the machines of Earth. (not my words, Wikipedia explained this best :)

LOL. I laugh because the fact that God has layed it on my heart to use this is hilarious. For the past year, I lived with two younger brothers. Both of them have this crazy, weird, unnatural obsession with transformers. I pass by the tv in the morning, Transformers is on. I pass by it around 2:00..Transformers is on. They DVR it so that they can have Transformers Prime accessible to them at anytime they feel the need to cultivate an environment that makes their imaginary strength seem as real as they possibly can. This includes pulling out all the stops from Transformers toys to swords, masks, shields, whatever. You name it they use it.

As I sat in church surrounded by the Saints of God and in an atmosphere of total worship and praise, I thought about the alternative. I thought about the mere presence of being in this place surrounded by God's protection and then I thought about what awaits when I walk out. The same devil and hell that fights me all the week long in my mind and my spirit and attacks my faith and tricks me as I sit in God's house right now will be the same one that awaits me when I walk out. But, this didn't discourage me so that I couldn't hear the word of God and renew my strength. Bishop TD Jakes gave such an empowering message and he broke the word down to the T! When church was over and I was riding home feeling renewed. The word says that those that love the Lord will mount upon wings as an eagle, we will run and not grow weary. This is true as everything else in the Bible. I felt like greatness was waiting for me and I felt just on an all time high. My mind had reached a level of faith and peace in God's promises that I had been trying to tap into all week long. My mind had been transformed thru God's word and with my new found strength I was ready to tackle any and everything AT. THAT. MOMENT.  Now, it seems that for me the trick is HOLDING ON to God's peace and His word. How do I hold on to my transformation?

Now God is a God of order. He shows us first in the natural and explains in the spirit. We have seen Him do this many times throughout the bible telling parables to explain and make spiritual connections from natural scenarios. Let's go back and talk a little more about my brothers. As I mentioned, these guys are young and full of imagination. When it comes to violence and action, they are your men. They get an absolute kick out of feeling strong. dominant. bold. Whenever they want to feel like this, they pull out all the stops. The movie. The toys. The weapons. See, they understand that in order to fight these imaginary battles that they want to fight that their is no way for them to do it as DJ and Jacoby. They must undergo some sort of transformation. Why can't I be more like that? As a new born Christian and a spiritual young desperate for the need to be strong, dominant, and bold in my walk with Christ what is stopping me from pulling out all the stops! The Bible. The Praise. The Weapons of spiritual warfare.

I challenge myself and you to TRANSFORM your mind and spirit. Put forth the effort! It's worth it. 2 Corinthians 10:4 tells us that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty thru God, to the pulling down of strongholds. Carnal means that they are not of the flesh. Therefore, we cannot expect to win a spiritual warfare in the flesh, we must pull out all the stops! God bless you! I love you! and Thank you sooo much for reading! <3

Obedience Test: C+

Heeeyyyy Everybody! My blog is officially 1 day old today lol. Awesome. I know I already said it but Im so excited that I decided to pursuit this! Like a little online diary. Anyway, as thrilled as I am that I started this, it became a bitter sweet victory for me today when I was trying to think about what to post on here! BUT as we all know when you do things according to the spirit, God doesn't take you anywhere that HE won't lead you. So all today the thought lingered in the back of my mind "what on earth am I gonna put on my new blog, I told everybody to follow it and I can't think of what to say!" I am certainly not gonna get on there and just chit chat about meaningless things, I want people to be blessed and moved by it.  Anywho, let me just tell you about my night and hopefully broaden your understanding of how important it is to obey the spirit and just how GREAT GOD is to the point where you are obeying and you don't even know you're obeying and how easy it is to disobey HIM as well.

My mom went to the store tonight to buy groceries. After running a few errands today, I decided I would just wait on her to come home and make dinner. I came in the house, got settled and being the very impatient individual that I am when I noticed she was taking a while to come back, I took matters into my own hands and went next door to Wal Mart to pick up something quick. I tried calling my mom to see where she was and she told me specifically not to go to Wal Mart..it's packed and she has everything we need. But, I still wanted to go for some reason (the spirit).  When I got there I had this "wandering" feeling as if I was on a "dummy mission". So I grabbed a couple of dumb things lol that I really didn't need (ice cream and peaches). The whole while I was walking around the store all I could think about was how blessed I was. My mom had already made groceries and I was able to go in the store and pick out whatever food items I wanted as well. I couldn't help but to think about those who didn't have the same privileges. I felt so blessed. God spoke to me and said, I give you an abundance so that you can share and bless someone else. I thought to myself, Lord this is Wal Mart, who am I gonna bless in here. Surely, you don't expect me to go up to some random person and say "can I bless you?" lol. So, as I thought I had reached the end of my "dummy mission" in Wal Mart, I proceeded to the check out line. Of course, the lines were long and people were everywhere, but somehow this random lady merged into my line and started to make small talk about how packed the place was. She mentioned what a great sale she had found on her groceries which looked like about $10.00 worth of food. $.50 worth of this. $1.00 worth of that. Yet, she was still looking for things to put back even with the great sale she had discovered. The spirit told me that she needed a blessing. She began to talk to me about how much she wanted to cook for her family but they don't really visit since they can't appreciate her living conditions right now. The spirit said now here is your opportunity to bless someone else! You didn't have to go looking for them, I sent them right to you. So I told her to give me the things that were in her basket that she wanted and put them in my basket. No charge. I just wanted to be a blessing to her. The first thing that came out of her mouth was "ohh, God bless you."  She insisted on giving me a gift out of her purse and I took it just to make her feel better.

BUT let me be honest. Even after God told me all these things. I wasn't completely trusting in HIM. I was still afraid to bless this lady because the devil started to speak even while I was trying my best to bless this lady with all I had. His words? "How do you know she doesn't come in the store and do this kind of thing all the time? Try to get people to pay for her groceries" *sigh* Even after I paid for what she wanted, I should have paid for ALL of it. I should have paid for the items she put back also, but the devil reared his head to make me feel like she was being dishonest with me in some way even tho I knew it wasn't my business to be concerned with rather she was being honest or not. It was my business to be concerned with lining my actions up with the word of God.

I say all of this to say to you, don't let the enemy trick you as he did me. He took the perfect opportunity that God had given me to bless someone wholeheartedly and tried to ruin it with his wicked devices. We must be aware of these things. Our flesh can say one thing but I challenge myself and you to listen to the spirit! I took this test and I share with you the answers so that on your test you will pass with flying colors. God Bless You. I Love You and Thank You for reading :)