Isaiah 61
1. The Spirit of the Lord God [is] upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound; 2. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3. To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

If you are going through the fire right now, rest assured that even if you end up standing in a pile of ashes, God has a plan for those ashes! Isn’t that just too good to be true?? But it IS true! God has said that He sent Jesus to give us beauty for ashes. He’s going to trade out the not so attractive leftovers from the fire, for His beauty. You can make it! Give God your ashes of disappointment, grief, and brokenness, and let Him turn them into something beautiful. Hope in His plan, even when you’re walking through the fire.

I’ve found myself getting skeptical about a lot of things lately. Have you watched the news?! Whose word can you trust? I probably watch the news TOO much, and I have been wondering about the integrity of people in the public eye….can we believe what they say? Not always. Can we believe everything that we read about folks? Certainly not!  But we can ALWAYS believe what the Bible says! And what God says he will do, He WILL do!

 I was reading this verse recently, and two words JUMPED off the page! (Ruth 3:11- And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou [art] a virtuous woman.) For the next several days I couldn’t read or quote a Promise of God without those two little Words hitting me in the face! “I will”.  ( Jer 29:11-14……For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find [me], when ye shall search for me with all your heart.  And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.) 

We can hold on to His promises, because He has said, “I will.” We can rest in His Word, because He has said, “I will.” ( Isaiah 43:18-19…Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert.)

New Beginnings Gospel Church

 I’m very excited about my first radio single from my debut solo album, “Purpose and Passion”!

  The title of the single is subsequently, ‘Purpose and Passion’. It is a song that sums up my calling and it is also my mission statement.  As always, I want to share with you the inspiration and story behind this special song. I believe that this is a song like no other that I have ever written or recorded. 

  The road and struggles, choices and heartaches, soul searching and life purging of the last three years, caught up with me nine months ago. I always remember “moments” and I recall this one with complete clarity and head-shaking wonder. I was riding down the road with one of my sisters on the outskirts of Nashville, when the chorus of what would later be, P&P, began to play in my head. Earlier, in my isolated, despairing, quiet time, God had posed this question to me: “What are you living for?” I didn’t know. I had lost the focus and zeal that I used to have for ministry. Reeling from a great, personal loss, I didn’t know who I was or what God wanted from me anymore. I was dry. Dry from crying tears and numb from the pain. But driving down that road, I started pondering the big question I knew was from the Holy Spirit. He was wooing me. Drawing me. He was getting me prepared for the next step; the day I would get back up and begin again. “What are you living for?” Those few words took me back to a time when my number one, sole priority, was serving Christ and glorifying Him with my whole life and heart. I knew  if I was going to make it, I had to return to that place! I went home and wrote this single. It has become my anthem of dedication. When I sing this song, I am not only thinking of the refreshing new day God has given me, but of the emptiness and sad future that would have been, if not for that “moment” of grace, and the God who would not leave me like he found me! 

   I pray that you will be blessed and challenged by “Purpose and Passion”, just as the Lord challenged me! 

     But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 1Cor. 1:30,31

My sister, Kelly, and my bro-in-law,Ricky, came down to spend a week with us last Monday. We had a blast! Ricky spent most of his time in the woods, hunting with dad and my cousin, Noel, ( he got his first deer, btw!) and us girls spent lots of time shopping! We hit all the great food joints around town, MS Fried Chicken, Cooley Burgers, Bimbo’s, but nothing compared to the awesome meals mom created at home! Man! I am on a strict water- no carb diet this week! We finished off the week at our cousin,Leah’s home in Jackson…. Wow. Get 10 girls together in one house and there’s bound to be some tales to tell! We had a lovely time….On Saturday we went to the Dixie National Rodeo. I hadn’t been in years and it was just as exciting as it was when I was a little girl! It made me wanna barrel race and rope something:) I MUST be a cowgirl at heart! And as it turns out, I am headed to the big state of Texas this weekend to minister at for two days at a real cowboy church! Shepherds Valley Cowboy Church in Cleburne is hosting us for a Valentine’s Day concert. I can’t wait! Please, y’all  come out and see us if you’re in the area.  Yee-haw!

Cleburne, TX

Salem Full Gospel Church

Acts 9:3-5
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

When Saul (Paul) was struck down by a Light on Damascus road, Jesus spoke to Him. He made a statement. Then Saul asked a question. Lord, what do you want me do? Jesus said…Arise, and go…
First things first. After we finally realize that is was the voice of the Lord speaking all this time to us, we must ask…Lord, what do you want??? Then We have to get up, out of despondency, discouragement, depression, despair…we have to ARISE and GO. God will have a blessing prepared at the end of obedience. So even if you’re blinded by grief, or stunned by betrayal, sickened by loss, overwhelmed by conviction, arise and go….Healing is waiting for those who obey.

Meridian,MS