Tag Archives: Seeking God

Four Important Steps to a Spiritual Detox

Posted on by yolandaberry
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When we engage in a food detox or cleansing, we rid ourselves of all unhealthy foods in our diet. We purge the bad bacteria and toxins that have built up in our system. Once you begin this process, it gets easier to keep a regular routine that transforms your diet into a healthy lifestyle. Your body gradually adjusts and you will find yourself not often craving junk foods as you once did.

One.  Get Rid of the Heavy Baggage

Much like our bodies, our spirit needs to be detoxed on a regular basis. We should take time out to purge all negative thoughts and influences in our lives. Pay attention to your environment and the people in your life that you call friends, not everyone, including family members are in your corner.  It’s very challenging to get rid of the negative voices in our heads and the bad influences that surround us on a daily basis, but you can slowly eliminate people, places, and things that are not working for you in your life.  If you can’t get rid of certain people, keep them at arm’s length, but always walk in love.

Clearing our minds from worry and stress, problems and even our to-do list have an impact on our daily experiences. Taking the time to fine-tune your life is a priority to creating a healthy, spirit-filled life.

Two.  We Are What We Eat

Feeding your mind with God’s word, affirmations and powerful words of motivation will provide you with the strength to overcome challenges, obstacles in your daily grind. What we pour into our spirit determines how we act and react to situations and circumstances. It affects how we speak and treat one another. Be mindful of what you watch and listen to in the media. Your eyes, ears, and mouth are powerful instruments that will influence how you think. What you tend to mediate on will eventually manifest into your reality. If you watch and listen to trash, you will eventually produce or live out the drama in one way or another.

We live in a negative world. It is much easier to focus on negative thoughts or acts. When we abstain from negative influences, we gain enthusiasm and energy. Negative influences will always drain your energy.

Although temptation will constantly linger and be a challenge to ignore and overcome, you will be much stronger to defeat any temptation that comes your way. You will be able to distinguish between right and wrong.  It takes a strong-willed person to stand alone in their convictions and beliefs. It is much easier to follow the crowd but it takes a person of integrity and a clear conscience to be comfortable in their own skin to make the right choices.

“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.”

James 1:13-14 (NIV)

38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Mark 14:38 (NIV)

Three.  Be Obedient to God’s Voice

Spending time alone is also part of a healthy spiritual detox. Solitude is the best time to reflect on your past, present, and future. You can celebrate your victories, revisit your past mistakes, analyze your present, and also uncover the lessons learned and reevaluate your future plans and goals. It’s a place where you can grow closer to the Lord and commit to intimacy in relationship with Him, not only in prayer but in listening to His voice for guidance.

It’s that distinctive nudge or intuition in your spirit. It’s the silent whisper when scripture jumps out at you on the page. It could be a song that you hear on the radio, a long-distance phone call when you were thinking of calling that person the same day. It can be a classmate or neighbor that speaks a special something that you need to hear exactly at that moment.

In whatever way He speaks, listen. In this time, we need discernment and the direction of the Holy Spirit to guide and protect us from the everyday changes’ life brings our way.

Mark 6:31 (KJV)

Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest for a while.

I Corinthians 7:5 (NIV)

5 Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

 Four.  Cleanse Your Body

Eating healthy does play an important role in your spiritual detox. It is highly beneficial to focus on a nutrient-filled diet while on a spiritual detox. Eating green, leafy veggies, and a variety of fruits and pure juices and smoothies will heal the mind, eliminate stress, and boost energy levels. You can eliminate meat for a period of time, however, you should consult a physician before changing your diet or fasting.

As you learn to surrender your desire for fleshy appetites, you will heal, restore, and rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul. You will be open to receive answers to difficult problems. There are no quick overnight solutions to life’s dilemma’s but if you’re consistent and don’t give up or give in to the difficulties and temptations in life, you will eventually see positive results. Most of all, you will connect and strengthen your relationship with the Most High, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Love & Blessings,

Yolanda

Your Sister in Christ

Prayer

Lord, I (we) thank you for your love and protection. Help me(us) to be an expression of your love in my (our) daily walk with you. Give me (us) the strength and ability to resist evil and negative influences in my (our) lives. Forgive me (us) for anything that is not pleasing to you. We honor, praise, and glorify you with our whole hearts. I (we) ask for your wisdom to make the right decisions in my (our) lives. Guide and protect me (us). In Jesus Name, Amen.

Purpose Through Pain

Posted on by yolandaberry
4

I need to vent. Hopefully, my writing will not come across negative, but I don’t care. I need to release my emotions. I need to be free….unexhibited without judgement or opinion. I realize my pen has a powerful voice and over the years my self-expression has been full of anger, frustration and anger, but through life experiences my pen fetish has developed into hope and inspiration.

I realize God is working in and through me for His purpose. I am human. I have struggles and face many challenges just like the best of us. I’m real and raw without fear or intimidation. There is power in exposure. There is also value in identifying and being true to yourself and your experiences.

Life has a way of forcing you in a direction that you never planned. Some call it fate while others may call it destiny but in between the past and future lies the present chaos of life. It’s the choices and decisions that sums up your journey in a nutshell. Each day is like a puzzle that sometimes fits perfectly or may not come together the way you thought it would. But, if you continue walking down the path, you will begin to see a glimpse of the full picture unfold.

At this point in my life, I never would of imagined my life to flip upside down so quickly. It has forced me in a totally different direction than I originally planned. I’m forced to re-invent and re-design a whole new life for myself. I have to admit it’s more than I could of ever imagined. Somehow, I feel I am still going in the right direction even though it may feel uncomfortable. I never realized how much strength, patience, endurance and faith I possessed.

I truly believe that’s why we are here. There is purpose through pain. When we deal with our struggles, we can heal and be a light to help others through the darkness.

We also become more sensitive to other’s circumstances and conditions. I believe that’s why God allows us to go through problems. We gain compassion, understanding, wisdom, strength, endurance and faith. We become more like God’s character. His essence is based on love. He requires us to love one another, but first you must understand how to love yourself.

Through it all, the foundation is based on love. I would of never made it through my storms without knowing the love of God. Regardless of how things may seem, the things we seek in this lifetime is vanity and chasing of the wind. It will all vanish. We ourselves are vapors passing through the sands of time.

Have you ever thought of yourself as a miracle? You are. There is something special about you. Everyone fails, stumbles and makes mistakes. Life happens regardless of race, class or gender. If you feel defeated, overwhelmed, discouraged….just flat out exhausted from life, you need to take time out to reflect and see your core — your value.

Be still and take a deep look inside. If you really don’t like what you see, you can make a change for the better. Nothing is impossible with God, but it helps to know and understand His character. You are a designer’s original. He created, molded and shaped you. Stop looking to be a clone. Just be who you are. Just be.

It’s not about gaining money and status. You have richness within. Develop your character based on integrity, respect, value and purpose. When you understand who you really are in Christ, you will find peace. The world will not shake you and you will not be defined by the world. You will realize that you can’t control things. The promises of God will stand when the world fades.