My Daddy Daily Loads Me With Benefits

There is a familiar scripture that has been in my spirit and in my heart for the past couple of weeks!  I could be totally thinking about something else and from out of nowhere I would hear, Blessed be the Lord,
Who daily loads us with benefits!  In my mind I would say, "ok, thank you Lord for daily loading me with benefits."  After which I would go on about my day. I would come to a difficult point where it seemed like I just couldn't make my ends meet, and I would hear, Blessed be the Lord,
Who daily loads us with benefits! At that point I would begin to feel the stress roll off of me, and that reassuring voice of my Daddy that says, "I Got You!"  He reminded me that it gives Him pleasure to bless me, to bless His children and to load us with good things.  So after hearing this word in my spirit over the last couple of weeks I decided to go back and really look at the verse.

Psalm 68:19 says, "Blessed be the Lord,
Who daily loads us with benefits,
The God of our salvation! Selah............(pause, and calmly think of that)
That's exactly what I did. I began to pause and calmly think, and this passage blessed my socks off!  The more I thought about it the more excited I got! "My Daddy Daily Loads Me With Benefits!"

After looking at the verse a little more intently this is what I saw. 
Blisssfully happy and joyfully contented is our sovereign ruler and king, the one of importance, that constantly day after day, lavishly and abundantly supplies His people with good things, gifts, blessings, worth, and favor!  WOW! SELAH...... I'm like God that's what you're saying in that verse?!?!  That's what you desire to do for me? No! Better than that, that's what you do for us your children!
The more I read that, the more excited I got, just to think that it makes God joyful to weigh us down with good gifts and rewards every day!



There are so many blessings that God grants to us everyday, but we don't always see them because of focusing on the things that we don't have.  And if we are truthful, it's not that we don't have, it's more so that we're not happy with what we have, or we want more!  The older I get the more I am learning that the things I once made a big fuss over are things that don't really matter.  Now don't get me wrong, there are some promises that I am waiting on God to fulfill, and there are some desires that I have, but I won't allow any of that to get me off track and lose sight of all the wonderful things that God has done and is doing on a daily basis.  When I find myself slipping into that place of frustration about what I don't have, or doubting that He will come through, that is when I cause myself to remember that My Daddy Got Me, and that He is Daily loading and overflowing me with gifts and favor!  Then I remember that according to Psalm 103:2 I am required to Bless (bestow honor and praise) the Lord, O My Soul, and forget not His Benefits (good things, gits, worth, and favor)! What a great place for a praise break! God I bless you! I honor you! I love and adore You!!!!


God causes me to see that the benefits are life, health, strength, healing, family, friendships, peace, rest, love, grace, sunshine, rain, favor with God and men, provision, the activity of my limbs, food, clothes, shelter, protection for my family, mercy, salvation, true relationship with the Father, the gift of music and song, understanding of His word, the heart of worship, and so much more!!!!!
I don't know what you stand in need of today or even what you are believing God for, but my prayer for you today is that you would see the blessings that Daddy God has placed all around you today and everyday! 
 Please join me in this prayer:  
Father in the Name of Jesus, I want to take this time to Thank you for my life and for waking me today. God I thank you that you Love me so much and that you daily load me with good things. Please forgive me for not seeing the blessings all around me.  From this point I choose to to see my blessings and thank you daily. In Jesus Name Amen!

I pray this song blesses you today..............

  

Growing Into Destiny

I started to writing this blog last week, but I had to take a pause................................ There were other things that kept jumping in front of it, but now I'm back! ;-)

For the last 2 weeks my pastor, Apostle Bennie Fluellen, has been preaching a message, "Growing Into Destiny!"  This message has really been stirring in me and has had me thinking.  I think this word is so appropriate for this time and season because there are a lot of Christians who share some sense of confusion regarding Destiny!

Destiny is defined as a finished state of being.  From the time we are born until the time that we leave this earth we are walking through the process of fulfilling our destiny.  Not one of us came into this world without destiny. We're all children of destiny.

We live in a world that is Pro-God as long as we don't define who God is; however, at the same we are Antichrist, meaning we rebell against the plan of God - The God Idea!

Have you ever found yourself asking the question: Why am I here?  Why was I created? What is my purpose?

As believers we believe that Jehovah our God is God. He is an intelligent God, and we are created in His image and the likeness of Him.  

 Colossians 1:16-18 tells us that, for by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.  And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.  And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.  God's love and original plan for our lives is working, so fighting against it is pointless!

  There was a great people who came together on one accord, with one heart, and one language.  They joined together with Nimrod to build the Tower of Babel that would reach the heavens!  They were doing a great work, but it was not the plan of God, and because of that, He confused their language so that their plan was not fulfilled.  How many times have you found yourself doing what you thought was a Good work, but later realized it was not a God work?!?! (I think I have a to pause and Selah right there!!!)
Some of us are in the belly of the whale, because like Jonah we're trying to run from the plan of God; but, please know that God is so committed to His purpose and will being carried out in our lives, that even our disobedience doesn't alter the plan of God!  Now, there are consequences for our disobedience, but it doesn't stop the plan of God! 

I belive the problem that many of us have, is that we don't believe that God is in control, and that He is all powerful!  And when I say we don't believe God is in control, I mean, we don't trust that God's plan is the best plan; however, He is not going to relinquish His plan just because we don't know and don't trust what it is and what he's doing.  Again, Dady God is fully committed to seeing us reach our final destination of Destiny, which is our finished state of being!

Please remember, we don't want to confuse reaching a destination, our goals, another plateau, with reaching our destiny! All of those others things become vain works if we haven't fulfilled and served the purpose and plan of God in our generation, our lifetime!  Which brings me back to the message that Apostle began the New Year with, "Lord Teach Us To Number Our Days!"  We only have a span of time in which to complete our life assignment, so we must be intentional about becoming and doing all that God has placed in our hands to Be and then Do!

Here are a few more points that Apostle Bennie gave us that I want to share with you:
1. Your identify and is not waiting to be found, it's waiting for you to grow into it.
2. The only reason why you're here is to do you; the true you that God has created.
3. You haven't become successful until you have identified yourself in Christ.
4. YOUR DESTINY IS DONE!!!! It's a finished work!!! It's In Him.......... 

I pray this song blesses you~

Healing Conversations Through Artistry

The LIVE Team and I are so very excited about Life After the Diagnosis......Healing Conversations Through Artistry!!!  We are in Great Expectation to see the Manifestation of the God idea!  Each and everyday I am learning even more that "it's not about me, but what God wants to do through me."  What the enemy  meant for evil God has turned for my Good, and with that said we have declared that WE SHALL LIVE and NOT DIE!!! 

Tomorrow is the day and I am looking for all of your beautiful faces to come and join the Healing Conversation!  It is our desire and prayer that everything you're needing and believing for will be provided during the Healing Conversation!

Location:  Refuge Coffee Bar, 5010 Glenway Ave, 45238 (across from Burger King)

Please click on the link below as I share more about the event!

Life After The Diagnosis.....Healing Conversations~

Happy Wednesday!

Have you received a life changing diagnosis?

Have you asked the question, "God Why Me?"

Do you care for someone with an illness?

If so, I want you to know there is Life after the Diagnosis

Since I was diagnosed with Liver Cancer in January 2012, God has been so gracious and kind to take my hand and lead me through what seemed be the most difficult test of my life.  It has been through much prayer, Love and Support, that I have made it through the most challenging time of my life!  After embracing and walking through this challenge, God has placed on my heart to come together and connect with those who have been newly diagnosed with a life changing illness, and to remind you that there is Hope and Life after the Diagnosis.  I know that the most difficult time is when you hear the physician tell you that there is a life threatening illness plaguing your body.  I know that even in an effort to grab hold of your faith that you may still have so many questions.  I know that I would not have made it if I didn't have positive people in my life to share my heart with and to speak Life to me!  

I want to create a healing environment that allows those that are going through this challenging time in their lives, as well as those that are caregivers to receive and share out of our life experiences and join in the Healing Conversation!

JL Heart of Worship Ministries and the LIVE Team are so excited about "Healing Conversations through Artistry!"  Please join my sister friends, Symana She Speaks, Juanita Johnson, and others as we present an atmosphere of healing through artistic expression at the Refuge Coffee Bar. Please feel free to share this event, and invite someone that you feel may be in need of blessing!  

To register we ask that you go to: www.jlhealingconversations.eventbrite.com.  If you're unable to attend but want to sow a Seed of Life, please go to the website at:  www.jlheartofworship.com.

I pray this song blesses you~

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In The Rhythm of Life

Whew...................I have been trying to catch my breath!!! ..............and speaking of catching my breath I almost forgot the significance, the necessity, and the importance in timing each breath when you're giving birth!

"inhale the good and exhale the bad"

Inhaling on beat and exhaling on count. Resting in between the contractions, inhaling the good and exhaling the bad as we embrace each pain.  As the community of women stood around the bed inhaling and exhaling, holding our breath in anticipation of the next contraction, pushing and breathing right with the expectant mother I realized even more that day, no one should give birth alone! WoW! I feel a teaching preaching moment coming on, but I am going to try and remain focused!

It is the rhythm of life, the ebb and flow, the perfect connection of time signature and key signature that is so neccessary in the work it takes to bring forth life, purpose, and destiny into the earth realm. The conception, the nurturing of the promise inside of the womb, and the awesome responsibility of laboring and co-laboring to see the manifestation of a brand new life!  And labor is just what it is, labor; the physical exertion of the body, soul, and mind. Oh, and by the way, those things that God has caused to conceive in your heart can only be produced into the earth realm through the process of labor, but again let me stay on point!  There is an assignment to bring forth this new life into the world, and thus we must work until the job is completed!  Once the water breaks there is no turning back.  It is that release that now gives permission for the mother and child to work together with God in presenting the "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made!"

From the baby in the womb, to the laboring mother, to the mid-wife, doula, nurses, and the cheering section, we were all working in concert to ensure that the task is successfully completed!  It is literally through blood, sweat, and tears that we transition into motherhood, as we bear down and give it our all in that final push!  It is in that push where we see the head crowning, and this little person connected to the cord of life coming forth.  It is in that push where the labor pains, the tears, contractions, and the hard work become so worth it! It is in that final push where all the anxiety evaporates as the life you once carried inside is now skin to skin!

It was in that moment that again I got the awesome privilege to see the hand of God in the most amazing way as my daughter Paris brought forth her precious seed, Josiah King!  Our God, the creator and giver of life starting with a seed that is planted in the womb, that in due season would bring forth such an amazing being with a head, eyes, ears, nose, 10 fingers and 10 toes, arms, legs, feet, and so much more.  What an amazing, magnificent, miraculous God we serve!

I pray this song blesses you~

 

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Live, Laugh, Love, & Laugh Again~

Today I woke up thinking..................................

Today I woke up thinking about what I would wear......................

Today I woke up thinking about what I would wear to a dear friends homegoing service.

Today I woke up thinking WOW he's gone! Just like that, he's gone!

There was no preparation, no time for good-byes, and no time for last laughs, kisses, hugs, and final embraces.

Today I woke up thinking...........................

What I would wear became such a small thing when I considered the loss and the lives that will be affected by the absence of his presence

Today I woke up Thanking God for LIFE and another day to get up and do it all over again.

I began to thank God for the brush of my husbands hand that so effortlessly reached over to touch me as I sat on the side of the bed preparing for work.
I wanted that touch to linger as I thought about the fact that forever can be ended without a moments notice never to return again.
I wanted to feel the compliments of his eyes that follows me as I get ready
I wanted that even more today when I began to think about the fact that tomorrow, No, the next moment is not promised
Today I woke up singing..............
It's another days journey and I'm glad, so glad about it. I'm so glad about it!
Well he woke me up this morning and I'm glad, so glad about it. I'm so glad about it!

Today I woke up thinking....................I'm going to LIVE!
I shall LIVE and not die!
Today I woke up thinking.....................I'm going to LAUGH!
God has filled my heart and mouth with laughter.
Today I woke up thinking.....................I'm going to LOVE!
Love covers a multitude of sin.
Today I woke up thinking.....................I'm going to LAUGH again!
A cheerful and merry heart is just like medicine and health to my bones.

Today I am thinking................you may have experienced a loss, or maybe you just received bad news.  Things may not be going quite the way you planned.  If that is you, you're not alone; however, I want to encourage you to find a place of praise and thanksgiving today! 

You get the chance to LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE, & LAUGH Again!

I pray this song blesses you today!

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In the Fight of My Life~

It has been a couple days, well maybe several days since I've sat down to blog........and let me say that things have been a little crazy and definitely busy!  I am not complaining because I have been blessed to work and do what I love to do!  When I started this blog I thought it would be a great way to share my heart, my passions, and my love for the people in my life, but most of all I wanted the freedom to be transparent and share my real life trials and triumphs with you!

God has chosen and allowed me to go on this amazing journey, a journey of which I have never been on before; and left to my choosing, I don't believe I would have chosen this path. 

I don't believe I was standing on the sideline jumping up and down saying, "pick me, pick me please!"  I just remembered saying, "YES!"  Yes God I trust you, Yes to your will, and Yes to your plan for my life!  I knew that by saying YES that I was coming into agreement with God and His plan for my life, but I didn't know the details!  I knew that based on my experience and relationship with my father that He had never failed me, never left me, and has always been true to His word!  I just never thought that this was in the plan!  "Like God, you thought that I could do this?!?!" That has been my silent thought on so many occasions, and He comes back with His quiet but loud response, "I Got You!"  Right after that is when I take a deep sigh, chuckle, shake my head and say, "Ok God!"

After being diagnosed with cancer in January 2012 and connecting with my Trainer (Oncologist), I realized that I was in the fight of my life!  The very first thing he said to me was, "those who have the greatest success and are able to beat this thing called "can"cer are those who are willing to fight!"  "He said you must have a fighter's mentality, and you must put on your boxing gloves!" Now I'm thinking to myself, "I've just been diagnosed with liver cancer and you're prescribing me boxing gloves and giving me a speech about a fighter's mentality."  It was kind of like the whole wax on wax off Mr. Miyagi thing!

 Little did I know that his words were the greatest dosage of medication that I could've been given, and that it would go beyond any radiation or chemotherapy treatment!  He was giving my tools to LIVE and WIN by!
Well after leaving his office I decided that I would put on my boxing gloves, lace up my shoes, and get in the ring to face my opponent and fight the good fight of faith!  On this journey I had to learn to pick up and hold on to my weapons of prayer, praise, worship, and the word.  These weapons have kept me rooted, grounded, and steady on my course, especially in the times and on the days that I've felt like I couldn't catch my breath!

As a matter of fact I had one of those days after my doctors appointment this past Monday!  On Thursday, June 20th I had a CT Scan to see how I was doing and my appointment on Monday was to go over my results.  My husband Keith, My sister Mitzi, My brother-in-law Ron, and My Pastor Delores sat down in the office and waited for my doctor to come in to discuss the results.  He began to read the details and after about 5 minutes in I could not control the tears that began to roll down my face, as he proceeded to tell me that the tumors were not shrinking but increasing! I felt this lump inside of my throat and before I could gain my composure it felt like all the strength left my body! No words, no ability to retain, not able to breathe! I couldn't believe this was happening to me! I'm usually always in good spirit, great strength, and ready to keep on fighting, but not this time!  Every thought began to take on its own course of direction and I could hear them all at the same time, "Lord how, why, what did I, when did it, where do I?!?!!" All of sudden I could feel! I could feel my very real situation, and I allowed myself to feel! I didn't run and hide behind my strong exterior, but I allowed myself to become present in the process!  It was at that point that I was reminded that my faith doesn't deny the situation, but it defies the situation!

At that point I could feel the room fill up with love.  I was surrounded by the support of my family, and my spirit-filled trainer (Oncologist) telling me, "this is man's report, but we choose to believe the report of the Lord."  I heard him, but I was still shaken!  It took everything in me to get up from the knock out punch! I knew if I could get to my corner and be refreshed that I could get back in the fight and come out swinging! Every voice around me was silenced and it was just me and God! The next morning I woke up thinking ok I can do this, but the tears were still there. I tried praying, I listened to the word, I began playing songs that would encourage me, but it wasn't until I was riding in the car with my spiritual father, Apostle Bennie Fluellen, that he said, "it really is going to be ok, and you're going to get through this," with tears yet again running down my face with no warning.  In my solitude and silent response Whitney Houston began to sing my heart's cry and prayer, "I Look To You!"

Thank you for allowing me to share my heart.............

 

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Las Vegas Vacation

Good Morning All!  I think this blog will be a short one!

Well...............my vacation is just about over and I am relishing every moment!  I am feeling blessed, refreshed, and renewed.  I am so grateful that I was able to get some much needed time away with my hubby, Mr. Keith Litmon!  Las Vegas was great!!! It was our first time going back since our honeymoon 5 years ago, well it will be 5 years next month!  Wow! I can't believe we will be married 5 years next month! God is so good and even more faithful.  He has kept us through it all, and there has been some good days and some bad! I am so grateful that God has honored our covenant and kept us!  By the Grace of God we are still standing.  It has been an amazing journey learning and experiencing Love in a way that I've never known it before, and I would not change a thing.
  
During our time away I kept saying, "God what are you doing?" We just kept having these God moments, divine connections, rearranging of our plans. It didn't take us long to see, and yield to God's plan and purpose for our being in Las Vegas. 
We were blessed to spend time with our other spiritual parents, The King & Queen Simpson!!! They were so gracious to greet us at the airport and taking the time to love on us.  I mean such beautiful people, and absolutely hilarious; they had us laughing so hard!  Sunday morning we were led to be a part of the service at Destined For Glory and OMG the presence of the Lord was in the house!  The Word of God flowed richly from the mouth of Pastor Tony Howard, we witnessed the healing power of Jesus breaking the chains off of the lives of His people.  We left refueled as the word of the Lord was spoken over our lives.  The hospitality of Pastor Tony and Lady Kathy was amazing and the words of Life even more amazing. 

Now you know we didn't leave Vegas without hitting the strip!!! We walked and walked and walked some more! My feet, legs, thighs, and everything else was wore out, but we had a blast! And yes, that Mr. Keith "Diddy" Litmon can sho nuff shop!!! We had to stop in every single sneaker store on the strip! Whew.....the life of a Basketball Wife!  LOL! 

We came back home refreshed and renewed, again seeking God for divine instructions and directions; trusting in God with all of our hearts, leaning not to our own understanding, in all of our ways acknowledging Him knowing that He will direct our paths.  We are ready!  Living the LIVE Experience~


Here is a small clip from my time of ministry at Destined for Glory.  I pray this blesses you!

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THE "LIVE" GIVEAWAY!!!

Today I'm so excited to have my first giveaway!!!!  
To all my beautiful faithful followers I want to say "thank you so very much."  You now have a chance to win a prize!

For the “LIVE” CD Recording Concert a dear friend over at Monarch Diva created a special sale and line of earrings for me called, "LIVE Hoops."

They sold out fast, so if you missed out on getting them, you now have an opportunity to win them for free!  

All you have to do is follow the instructions below and a random winner will be chosen.

 

HOW TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY: 

For this giveaway, I am allowing 2 entries per reader. Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry. Facebook and e-mail entries will not count, so please be sure to leave entry comments on this post!!!
Entry : 

Just simply become a subscriber to the "Heart of Worship Blog" and leave a comment on this post!

This Giveaway will begin on Thursday, June 13th and end on Saturday, June 15th at 11:59 pm EST.  The winner will be randomly selected when it ends.  
I will email the winner from jodilitmonlive@gmail.com, so please be sure to check your spam folders.  
I hope you enjoy these Giveaways as much as I do.  Please check back to see what I'm doing to get another chance to win! Good Luck everyone!

Living The LIVE Experience~

Counting Gifts.....Again

I never thought that a diagnosis of the "C" word.....cancer, would bring me to a place of gratitude.  I never thought that receiving a diagnosis that the cancer had moved from my liver to my lungs would make me more determined to "LIVE!" I never thought that I would be fully living to the point that I don't waste time living in fear of dying.  I never thought that this life altering thing could drive me to the point of being more intentional about counting gifts!  I never thought that I could take pleasure in a broken life; a life that He would bless and give thanks for.  A life full of grace that has been blessed, to be broken, and given. Shared!

I never thought that I would come to a place that I could find joy.  The true joy that comes from the word Eucharisteo, which means thanksgiving.  I never thought that I could find joy and fulfillment in giving thanks in everything and every situation.  I love where Ann Voskamp says in her book "One Thousand Gifts," "The holy grail of joy is not some exotic location or some emotional mountain peak experience.  The joy wonder could be here!  Here, in the messy, piercing ache of now, joy might be --unbelievably--possible!"

WoW!  The concept and idea that joy could really be found not in some far off exotic place, but right in the middle of my mess!  Yes! Right in the middle of it all, I begin to offer thanksgiving, fully embracing my right now life! My life with all of its complications, mishaps, whatever's. Not realizing that right on the heels of my thanking and giving in thanks, I am literally preparing the way for my miracle!  "Eucharisteo--thanksgiving--always precedes the miracle."  The miracle that comes from a shared life, meaning the more life that I share, the more life I receive!
"Thanksgiving is necessary to our living the well, whole, fullest life."  It is the heart of ingratitude that keeps us in a place of lack: not the lack of money, but the lack of joy, wholeness, peace, and the overflowing full life.  I believe that I have found the key to my salvation, the key to my joy in exchange for sorrow, the key that has unlocked my inner beauty instead of ashes, the key of Thanksgiving and Gratitude!

When something is not habit or way of life I believe you have to be intentional in making changes.  So you may be thinking...... 

***How do I make the great exchange of Gratitude for inGratitude?

***How do I begin preparing for the miracle through giving thanks?

***Where do I begin?

I want to encourage you to begin right where you are!  To begin giving thanks and counting the gifts that you already have.  I hope that you will join me as I begin again........Counting Gifts! 

I am thankful for..........

1. Creativity in the kitchen to make a little seem like a lot

2. The stillness of my home after everyone has gone to bed

3. The eyes of my husband admiring me while I'm working

4. Sensitivity to His presence

 

I pray that this song blesses you~

 

 

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