I truly enjoy cooking! I live cooking my requested favorites like fried chicken and macaroni and cheese I also enjoy trying my hands at new things that don’t always end up on social media (LOL). It’s something about being in my kitchen, blasting my music, whipping up some good ol’ soul food! It puts me in a vibe. I cook BIG but my family is small, which means, I end up throwing a lot of food away. One evening, as I was throwing out leftovers, I realized I could be using these leftovers to assist me in living out one of my passions; feeding the homeless. A few months ago, I started fixing what I call my “homeless plates”. I take our leftovers and I fix small plates. Now when I say I fix plates from our leftovers, I mean I fix them just as if I was about to serve you! Not our scraps. Just wanted to make that clear! I fix the plates, include silverware and a bottle of water, and package it in a bag. On my commute to and from work, I have the packages in my front seat and I hand them out to the homeless.
It dawned on me that I hadn’t done it in a few weeks so as I was offering my morning prayer yesterday, I asked God to allow me to feed one homeless person. I got ready for work, packed one of the plates, and made my way to work. Within minutes, a homeless man approached my car. Fear, for some reason, took over, and I failed to give him the plate. I said to myself “well he looked scary so I did the right thing.” A mile or so later, another homeless person approached my car. And again, I kept the plate to myself. I justified it by thinking that it was quite aggressive of him to just walk up in front of my car! Before I could even get to the next light, I heard God say, “I presented you with the homeless you asked me for and you didn’t feed them.”
Y’all! I was crushed! I was angry and disappointed in myself. I had prayed to feed ONE person, was presented with TWO, and I didn’t hand out the plate. What angered me the most is why I didn’t do it. I tried to justify it by saying they looked scary or was too aggressive. But the truth is, my ego and fear stepped in the way. Ego in the form of “How DARE they ask me instead of letting me offer!” Fear in the form of “What if I ever have to beg strangers for food?” Whew! A self check can be brutal but needed!
After doing a self check, what has fear kept you from? What are you praying for that fear won’t allow you to receive? Why haven’t you applied for that job that you know you want, need, and are qualified for? Fear of not getting it? Or fear of getting it and being great? Or fear of getting it and having more people depend on you? Your heart longs to move to a different city. The rent is cheaper and there’s money to be made. Everything lines up in your favor. So why haven’t you packed your things and moved? Fear of being alone? Fear of disappointing those that want you to stay put? Fear is usually the thought of what if I fail. It’s a negative thought. But what if you changed your thought process. Instead of thinking “what if I fail” try thinking “what if I fly!!!” So many times, we make goals and plans and work towards them but the moment we experience one stumbling block, instead of taking a suggested detour, we make a u-turn and head back to where we started from. Sometimes, God is answering our prayers. But we fail to realize it’s not going to always been given in the route we mapped out for ourselves. It’s cool to know the direction you want to take but sometimes our prayers have to be answered using GPS (God’s Protective Services). We have to release fear and follow the path GPS takes us. Once you pray, prepare for that very thing! Act as if it is already so! Turn on your GPS and KEEP GOING! Never let fear be the cause of a u-turn! I don’t know who this for but I pray someone reading this and it dwells in your heart. I pray that your plans meet God’s will for your life. I ask God that fear is removed from your mind, heart, and soul and you become free to be who you were created to be! From this day forward, be brave, be courageous, be bold, be purposeful, be spiritual, and most importantly, beYOUtiful!

댓글