The Imposter

 

Family,

This blog is inspired by a long generation of folks unable to be authentic due to family, life situations, culture, or ethnicity, known as the imposter.  By definition Imposter syndrome is  a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success. 'Imposters' suffer from chronic self-doubt and a sense of intellectual fraudulence that override any feelings of success or external proof of their competence. There is a huge difference between suffering from imposter syndrome and actively being an imposter. 

There is a scripture in the Bible to help identify with what it means to be an imposter. In 

2 Timothy 3:13 (NIV) Paul is speaking to Timothy reminding him that: “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” It’s no wonder true believers struggle with connecting to others in the same faith. They may have heard and learned the same word of God, but they spiritually act and look so different. The answer is short and simple, we all want the glory but don’t want to tell the story of who the glory belongs to. We didn’t save ourselves, let alone come to the knowledge of faith on our own. It was God all along.

It’s time to decide. Is it ok to suffer from chronic self-doubt and intellectual fraud? Are you going to continue feeling inadequate? Of course not, only imposters do those things. Today we accept the truth according to the Word of God through Paul in Romans 8:37 (KJV) “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” If you believe the word ask the Lord to help you receive this truth and be healed today to be unapologetically you!

Love your sister in Christ,

LolaInspired

It’s Harder to Keep Up

 Family,

We live in a world that is fast paced and ever evolving. Our God is universal and allows life to move on with each year that passes. Earth's existence has shown us one common thing from the beginning of time, once man was created and sin entered through one man as we read in Romans 5:12 (NLT) “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.” But, just a few verses down in Romans 5:15 (NLT) there’s hope “But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.” This says God saw fit to keep the world going and allow man to be innovative, creative, makers, and planters but not the Innovator, Creator, Maker, or the Potter. 

Each day, I discover something new, but we are told by Solomon in Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 (NLT)  “History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new.”  The word is truth. Nothing is ever new. It all has been thought of, completed, passed on, or renewed, but not new. So, why do we think that our peers, colleagues, family, friends, and the world entirely are the basis for what we should keep up with? Because we believe in what we see. 

Let me end on this note Romans 12:2 (NLT) says: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”  It’s great to have material things. I love shoes, clothes, art, books, and hairstyles. But my soul care is first. I read Mark 8:36 (NLT) “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” I said to myself …first thing is first, God.

Love your sister in Christ, 

LolaInspired

I am Free

 

Family,

It’s one thing to say “I am free” and another to believe it. In John 8:36 (KJV) Jesus says: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” It’s no wonder we don’t have more freedom than we were literally given access too! Many of us are still in a place of bondage while Christ intends for us to be free. As for me, I have been stuck in a headspace and felt like that place was necessary for me to grow. As I look back on my life today, the effects are breathtaking. 

Being stuck mentally can cause so many set-backs and questions like the one Paul asked the church in Galatians 5:7 (NKJV)You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?  We must keep in mind what Paul said in the beginning Galatians 5:1 (NKJV) “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”

So the real question here is: Are you free? If the answer is yes, what makes you free? Confidence? Success? Man/Woman? Children? Coworkers? Televangelists? LifeCoaches? Friends? Family? Parents? Animals? What makes you free?  All of these were my answer at certain points in my life. Each one  gave me a sense of faith to reach and hope but none of them created a space for me to be completely me, except God. One day I had an encounter with the true and living God and He began to show me a new life in Him. I could hear His voice compelling me: don't shrink, don’t  change, why are you being phony? It was as if He knew I didn’t like conforming to the likes of others. The Lord encouraged me to be honest. 

He told me: I AM here to protect you and free you from being who everyone thinks you should be.  It’s time for you to be who you really are in Me. The joy, faith, boldness, and courage in you are mine. Be unapologetically you! I made you brown, gave you height and your hair. I made your hands and feet the size they are, along with your eyes, ears, nose, mouth…I made you! Be free.” 

So as David said in Psalms 119:45 “I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments.” 

Be free.

Love your sister in Christ,

LolaInspired

Do not perish for lack of knowledge

 Family,

Have you ever heard someone quote a scripture without the context of it? Hosea 4:6 is that scripture for me. It is important to study the scriptures and know God’s word for yourself, with the help of  a preacher and with the Holy Spirit (see John 14:26 and Romans 10:14). I learned that Hosea is the first of the minor prophets and he is the first prophet to have a living parable of life and marriage for the people of God to see and witness. 

We can definitely see and relate to the story of Hosea in modern day especially Hosea 4:6 (KJV) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

This world is full of information from how to live, be married, be single, be a parent, even “resume writing for dummies.” The information is so easy to access and we like things as simplified as possible. The less that is required of me as a person the better. However, after reading Hosea in its entirety and understanding the prophet’s message, I gathered a sound truth that without knowledge: all things available to me are destroyed for the lack thereof. That is very unsettling. If the Bible was sent for us to learn about God, how will we know God if we don't read it? It’s impossible. Just like it is impossible for me to know the laws of the land if I never read the Constitution. It applies to the entire USA even if you don’t read it, it’s law and you are to adhere to it. So does that mean the same for the Bible? Yes, it does and if you don’t read it to gain knowledge just like the Constitution it will be too late when you are being told what you missed.

If there is one truth I can leave you with on this Thursday please read things entirely and don’t just take someone’s word for it, go find the truth yourself especially if you’ve never heard it before. 

Love your sister in Christ, 

LolaInspired

The Good Shepherd

 

Family, 

We still have a Shepherd. Psalm 23 reminds us of this truth and how our Shepherd is always there and we are never without guidance for the day ahead. This compels me to give thanks to God for waking me up with benefits like David said in Psalm 103:2 (KJV) “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” just waiting for me to access. All before I start my day, I have eyes to see, ears to hear, hands to touch, and feet to walk.  Knowing we have a good Shepherd who sent a Comforter (the Holy Spirit) to be with us daily, brings clarity to Psalms 23:3 (NKJV)  He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. It makes me say, Lord, I need you to lead me today. 

In the book of John 10:11-14 (NKJV) Jesus said “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.” With everything happening in the world around us we need this type of encouragement. Our God is intentional, He is not prone to making mistakes with His creation, even when our humanity causes setbacks through it all. He still shepherds us.

It's hard to ignore that caring for others requires sacrifice. Have you ever had to care for yourself and another person? It takes wisdom and understanding. There is a scripture in the book of Proverbs 8:1 (NKJV)  “Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? It does and we must hear and know the voice of the Good Shepherd and obey for it is Jesus who laid down His life for us, the sheep. Since this cannot be retracted by God, take Psalm 23 and pray it and believe it. I do!

Love your sister in Christ, 

LolaInspired

Love Until it hurts, Love until it works!

 Family, 

There is a song by Foreigner called “I Want To Know What Love Is.” I remember asking the Lord the very same question. Then, Christ came into my heart and revealed that in order to know Love (in the form of God), I had to know Sacrifice (in the form of Christ). When I began to discover that it was an act of love that saved  my soul from a place of despair, it was unbelievable.

It takes wisdom to know what love is and what love did and continues to do. 1 Corinthians 13 explains it all. But I want to focus on one verse in that book 1 Corinthians 13:8a Love never fails. 

Do you ever wonder why Love gets a bad rap? I have heard so many references to love, like it’s blind, it’s mean, it’s rude, it doesn’t exist, or  it’s impossible. However, none of those statements tell the truth about what love is but rather expresses an emotion someone felt after someone said “I love you.” Until I read the Bible and gained insight that God is love (see 1 John 4:8), hearing those words would pierce my soul. Once that truth sunk into my mind, I read chapter one of the book of Matthew which details the genealogy of Jesus Christ. That inspired me to see that God had a plan of love in action and His love for us would save the world from sin and destruction. Oh what a love! 

God continues to show me how His love works. I watched this video on YouVersion by Pastor Jon that referenced Psalm 23:2 “He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.” Love doesn’t need you to add to it or take away from it, love needs you to obey it!  

If we are to love until it hurts we must identify with Christ until it works. God is waiting.

Love your sister in Christ,

LolaInspired

While I am waiting...

Family, 

One of the most dismissed topics is patience which simply means to wait. Here’s a task: try talking to someone who is waiting on test results, loan decisions, a job interview, or news from a doctor.  Most people will not even blink and actions will show…waiting is not an option. The world has conditioned us to rush without stopping to consider “why?” or if there is purpose in what we are doing.  A short story about my Uncle who was waiting to finish his home. He dreamed of a completed trailer by Summer of 2007. He had his tools, all the materials, even started working on it. He told me his plans and boy did I get excited right along with him. Until the day he was found dead in his unfinished trailer late Summer of 2006. He died of cancer. When it was time to go through and clear out his belongings, I noticed so many projects he began but did not have time to complete. My Uncle believed there was always something missing. It was at that moment I realized my dear Uncle was not “waiting” the right way. If he had thought about time, he would have put at least one knob on the door. All the materials were there, but death is so untimely and life is unpredictable. The only comfort I had was this  scripture: Isaiah 40:31: But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;  They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. 

I learned a new way to appreciate life and accept death as a natural part of the process. Try not to take anyone for granted. Appreciate one another and learn to truly love without conditions, that it makes life worth living, time worth giving, grace worth sharing and hope worth building. Praise God for His goodness.

If you find yourself wanting to give up, don't.  One day to the Lord is like one thousand years.  2 Peter 3:8-9 (read the entire book on your own): But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward [a]us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 

Even though you think it’s over - think again and know that whatever you may be waiting on, in time it will show.

Love your sister in Christ,

LolaInspired

Whom Will You Serve?

Family,

We have many priorities in life, but devotion to God should be number one on the list. Just as Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve, and gave His life a ransom for many.( see Matthew 20:28) This poses many questions like “who do we serve,” “are we self-serving,” and “do we serve others?” If we have to think about it too long, we are probably self-serving which in most cases happens unconsciously. We tend to believe that we are serving God’s way and end up taking credit for things that come out positive, but when it’s negative begin blaming everything else. The one thing I love about the bible is that it covers everything. 

In Philippians 2:3 it says: Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in low lines of mind let each esteem others better than himself. We live in a world that does not care to give respect and admiration to another person. It’s usually “if i did anything, i did it” no matter who helped. Even if someone else started it, people will come along and take credit for everything. This is a prime example of self-serving and if you didn't know, now you do. There is a Chinese proverb by Lao Tzu “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” The truth in this quote is self-serving people will keep giving fish to have company, but selfless people will teach people to fish and say go teach others.

Let me end with this scripture in my kitchen and bedroom, Joshua 24:14-16 says: Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. So the people answered and said: “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods.

I’m with the children of Israel on this one ”far be it from me.”

Love your sister in Christ,

LolaInspired

Just Wow!

Family, 

Do you have someone in your life who is just awe-inspiring? The type of person that no matter what happens there is nothing but good things to say to describe them. I do; his name is Jesus.   The book of Hebrews 12:2 says: looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Reading this verse warms my heart to know that we have Jesus in heaven. We can have confidence that in His life from start to finish, he endured the cross, for humanity. Now isn’t that good news!

I read a book a few years ago called “Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman” and there was a solid truth that stood out to me in chapter 4 under diagnosing Fandom - Question 3: Is Jesus One of Many or Is He your One and Only. 

The reality is we all have that someone in our life: parent, child, teacher, friend, boss, colleague, cousin, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, stranger, or grandparent who is unchanging and consistent in our life. They remain even when our actions are not the best. They don’t hold you to that moment because they know who we truly are. I can boldly say that Jesus is that for me. Now, this doesn’t mean I don’t have someone to be accountable to here on earth, but Jesus is my One and Only. He (Jesus) allowed me to be absolutely transparent until God developed authenticity in me.  Word to the wise being transparent is important but it has limits based on how much you choose to share; but when you become authentic there is truth behind your words and actions.

Proverbs 13:20 says: He who walks with wise men will be wise: But the companion of fools shall be destroyed. I choose Jesus. Who will you choose?

Love your sister in Christ,

LolaInspired

You can have good...

Family, 

Psalms 84:11 (NIV) says: “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” 

Can you say that to be true of you? 

Regardless of your answer, this scripture helps you better understand that it is the Lord who bestows favor and honor. Whether you messed up or got something right, let this sink in: when God bestows favor and honor upon you; that is all you need. In Romans 8:31 it says: What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

I thank God for loving us so much and not withholding good things from us. There is a song by William McDowell titled: Withholding Nothing. When you hear the song, there is a cry out from within that causes you to hold nothing back from God. When I read Psalms 84:11, it provided even more context. God does not withhold good from us. So why do we withhold the good parts from Him? Oh let me clarify what “good” is. It’s the parts you hide in the dark that only you, Jesus,and the devil know about. What you may call ugly, God calls good.

 
My question above is not just a question. It is an instruction. Find an accountability faith sister/brother to confide in and pray before doing so. I dare you to go to God on your own and tell him exactly what it is you are ashamed of and be freed in your walk to be blameless. Watch as the Lord bestows favor and honor upon your life.

Tell the truth to God and yourself and be free. Withholding nothing, surrender, give it over and be favored by God because He does not withhold good from us. 

Love your sister in Christ,
LolaInspired

There is only "ONE"

Family, 

Do you know that when God has a purpose for your life he will move heaven and earth to communicate that you are loved? In church we will experience many people, with different personalities, functions, backgrounds, and purposes. However, Ephesians 4:5-6 says (please read the entire chapter) one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

If there is only “One,” then why do we live as if a person can control our final destination? It’s simple. We believe the hype that comes with impersonators because we have yet to meet the true One. The world has conditioned us to accept artificial intelligence and our truth is based on the internet. We are convinced that our phones, computers, and household electronics are keeping watch on our every move, down to our favorite food! I will say it’s kind of nice to yell a command in my home and all of sudden it’s happening. For example “Hey Google, what’s the weather” and all of sudden the weather at my exact location is blaring through the speaker. Pretty clever! Let me ask you something: when was the last time you really experienced God’s power in your life? I am not talking about financial or physical things; those are little needs for a great God. I am talking about peace, joy, favor, mercy, all things that pertain to life and health. That is what having the power of God in your life is like. If you have not experienced the power of the “ONE” true God, not the imposter, not the copycat, or the pretender then you have accepted the spiritual artificial intelligence, let’s read Ecclesiastes 12 (KJV) together below. We need to remember who created us and get back to the Holy Spirit of things, not the Internet of Things! 

Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the [a]difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them”: While the sun and the light, The moon and the stars, Are not darkened, And the clouds do not return after the rain; In the day when the keepers of the house tremble, And the strong men bow down; When the grinders cease because they are few, And those that look through the windows grow dim; When the doors are shut in the streets, And the sound of grinding is low; When one rises up at the sound of a bird, And all the daughters of music are brought low. Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way; When the almond tree blossoms, The grasshopper is a burden, And desire fails.  For man goes to his eternal home, And the mourners go about the streets. Remember your Creator before the silver cord is [b]loosed, Or the golden bowl is broken, Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, Or the wheel broken at the well. Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it. “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “All is vanity.” And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set] in order many proverbs. The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth. 11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd. And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil. 

Be encouraged this day to live in Christ Jesus!

Love your sister in Christ,

LolaInspired