2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
Over the past year I have been on a weight loss journey to getting healthier, 50 pounds was the first goal I set for myself and was not sure if it was obtainable. Prior to beginning the journey to get healthy I would eat anything; I am not just talking about small amounts I am talking about divulging until it would make me sick. Breads, Pastas, Cokes, Sweet Teas, Cakes, Cookies, etc. One of my worst temptations other than pizza was a whopper from Burger King. I craved 100% flame grilled beef, tomatoes, lettuce, mayo, pickle, ketchup, onions on a sesame bun with a good ole slice of American Cheese on top taste.. Mouthwatering yet??? Yeap I thought so. Well save yourself from going until you at least finish reading this as I am going somewhere, I promise and to your stomach is right but not your physical stomach I am going for the spiritual one. Recently I was running to the post office for my husband Brian. Since he owns a business it is a daily trip for Carston and I and one that we enjoy. This particular morning, I had waited just a little later to go because Brian was expecting a package, so I gave it till around lunch time. So, I go get the mail and head back home. While approaching the red light I start to get a huge whiff of a scent that I recognized…It was a strong scent and boy was my tummy starting to growl. I get to red light and come to a stop. I look up and at the corner of the red light was you guessed it. Burger King. Immediately I had to tell the enemy to back up and take a seat because I was not about to give into that temptation no matter how much I wanted it at that moment, the effects afterward are never good. My body just does not do good anymore with those types of food. I learned this even at Wild Ones conference. Thankfully, the line was long, and I kept going but it was tempting the drawing was super strong, but I pushed and resisted. Do not judge me for struggling lol maybe it is not Burger King that tempts you but how about that boy/girl that you continue to see that you know you are not supposed to be with, but you miss them oh so much, they look so good, or that bottle, that cigarette, that drug. Moving along I just felt a little sass coming on. When I got home, I began to think about that little road trip, scent, and relate it to the spirit. The definition of a scent is: a distinctive smell, especially one that is pleasant. Let us talk about some scents other than food. You ever been to an old church and walked in only to be greeted with a scent of something almost dead or musty? How about a locker room? It smells sweaty, damp, etc. Not a smell I want to smell every day. How about a flower shop? Where the mixture of all the flowers combined can overtake you but they smell so good, so fresh! How about a church where the holy spirit has just saturated the atmosphere?? The scent is intoxicating. It is a sweet aroma. One that I cannot explain except by saying it draws you in the where you want to do nothing but sit in HIS presence. There is a peace, a calmness, a fulfilling, a scent that draws, I believe is the scent of Heaven when was the last time you caught of wiff of that scent?? Referencing back to 2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are a fragrance of Christ among those who are saved and among those who are perishing. Today I want to encourage you to find yourself caught up in the scent of Heaven no matter where you are so that you can effectively be a fragrance of Christ to those around you. Yes, those that are saved but also those who are perishing. The end of time is drawing near folks, division, hate, etc is all around and people are looking for answers. They are looking for Hope. Be the one who points them to HIM. Be heaven scent.. I sure hope this helps someone today….
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"In the last days it shall be,' says God, 'that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams" (Acts 2:17). Get up, get up, get up Get up outta that grave Get up, get up, get up Get up outta that grave Get up, get up, get up Get up outta that grave Get up, get up, get up Get up outta that grave Get up, get up, get up Get up outta that grave Get up, get up, get up Get up outta that grave Get up, get up, get up Get up outta that grave Get up, get up, get up Get up outta that grave Get up, get up, get up Get up outta that grave Get up, get up, get up Get up outta that grave (Maverick City Music- I Thank God) The lyrics above have been on repeat not only on my Alexa but in my spirit! I love worship music and I am surprised that I have NEVER heard this song until this weekend but I know in my heart that it doesn’t take God by surprise because I believe it was relevant to me in many ways and the timing for me to hear it was PERFECT! How many of us can admit that there are dead things in our lives??? Dead Things? I hear you “Laura, there are a lot of dead things in my life that I hope stay dead” and yes, I agree with you but I am not talking about those things, I am talking about those things that should not be dead…You know those dreams and visions that you once had of maybe of possibly starting your own business. That gift/calling that you have but for some reason you sat down on it. Oh yeah, got you thinking didn’t I and yes that which just came to your mind is exactly what I am talking about.. Maybe you are having a difficulty finding just what that “thing” is so let me once again use my life for example as God tends to use my shortcomings and sometimes rebellious ways to help others find victory. This past weekend I found myself back at my old home church of 9 years. It you read my previous blog post it will share some of the difficulties that I found as I ventured to a youth conference there and how God showed me so much. What I did not share is what I am about to indulge in today. A dead thing that I had sat down on myself. Since I was 18 years old, I have been a part of a Church of God/Non-Denominational church. I was raised Baptist up until that age and after experiencing more of God during Joe Sneed Camp meeting days I was not satisfied spiritually. Nothing wrong with their teaching but I knew I needed to find what worked for me and would help me grow me more in God and this is where I found my fit. When I first began, I was absolutely full of the spirit and the freedom that came with it. You would find me unfiltered in my praise. Whether it be letting out a shout, running an aisle, my shoes off flying off (there is a story behind this one), or dancing in the altars I was unashamed because God was so good to me. However, over the years as I have gotten older, I could feel myself allowing this heaviness to come on where I was afraid to praise as I once did. It was as if I worried about what others were going to say about me or judge my praise. I would sit and watch others and feel something tugging in my heart telling me it was time to let my praise/dance out, or sit there and watch others and think “man what it would feel like to be free like that once again” but again the heaviness would come and the enemies voice say you know you don’t need to do all that and I would just sit there. I just sat there and let something special I was feeling, Die. BUT GOD! Back to this weekend and dead things living again. My dead thing was my praise/worship as I just shared. During the song Get up, get up, get up Get up outta that grave Get up, get up, get up Get up outta that grave Get up, get up, get up Get up outta that grave Get up, get up, get up Get up outta that grave, I started feeling something that I had not felt in a very long time! Some may say it was the environment, but I know better. Yes, the environment was supercharged with freedom and others worshipping uninhibited, but that wasn’t it. It was so much more. I began to move just a little, I began to jump a little higher, and then there it was…MY DANCE had returned!!!!! I had a praise and I began to let it out!!!! I got up out of that grave of fear, reservation, and intimidation and I LET IT OUT!! Sunday when our youth group returned to our home church, I knew that God had given me a responsibility to carry after we left the conference that responsibility was to make sure that I did not let the young people lose what they had experienced this weekend. That fire, that praise, that dance, that joy. I could not let them fall into the same grave that I did. When the praise and worship set began, I was on camera and boy was that difficult. Not because I did not want to serve but because my feet would not stop moving… I watched as the young people pushed and worshipped God and he said “you know what I need you to do” I told the switcher I got to go and I’ll be back. I went and joined them briefly, I began to dance once again and at one point we were all taken a run! Did I care what others thought? Nope. Did I wait for the environment to be just right, Nope, I knew that I no longer based my praise on flesh feeling but my spiritual feeling and God deserved it all! God knew what He was doing this weekend and HE knew just the environment to utilize and I am so grateful. I say all and share all that I did to conclude with this. My question once again, what is that DEAD thing in your life that needs to LIVE again? Is it your praise? Is it your call to preach? Is it your call to serve your churches youth staff and help the next generation become kingdom warriors and keep the devil off their front porch? Is it your call to be a worship leader? Is it your gift to sing and be part of a worship team/choir? Is it your gift to serve as an intercessor on the prayer team? Is it that business that you should start that will fund kingdom business? Is it to be a missionary? I challenge you today to dig deep and find out! Don’t let that thing stay dead. The kingdom is relying on that dead thing to come alive! GET UP GET UP GET UP GET UP OUTTA THAT GRAVE! We have kingdom work to do. Psalm 119:105 says “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (KJV)
Have you ever stopped and paid attention to someone’s shoes??? Looked at them and either admired the brand, the heel height, the color, or better yet let’s say maybe judging the condition? I know I have! Most of the time it is admiring the ones that are 6-inch red bottom stilettos that are sparkling with premium patent Italian leather. They are beautiful but ohhhhh the pain that my feet feel just by looking at them. Maybe you are not admiring the stiletto, maybe you are checking out those perfectly white freshly boxed Nike or Adidas running shoes that just got released and you know you just have to have a pair! These scenarios paint a pretty picture but I want to go deeper. Although admiring shoes is fun, have you ever really paid attention to the shoes closer and wondered what type of journey the person that is wearing them may be on? This weekend I had an opportunity to serve our Fivestones youth group with the best youth pastors on the planet at Wild Ones 2021 youth conference in Chattanooga, TN. For many this was going to simply be an amazing conference to attend and hear some awesome preachers/worship leaders but for me it was not only that but a journey back to a place where I had experienced several different emotions/times over the years. Some of those were happy, some were very difficult. I wasn’t really sure what to expect walking back in the doors 7 years later but before I went, I prayed and ask God to be with me and give me peace because truthfully there was some parts of me that was a little nervous and anxiety was rearing its ugly head even on the car ride there. Why? Because not many know that in 2014 when Brian and I first got together this was where our journey started. We met in the midst of a 90-day revival called Times of Refreshing. Brian was walking through some very difficult and challenging times and there was those who did not know if I was doing the right thing by walking beside him and chose not to be very supportive of me. I had gone through a very public breakup 2 years prior where we both attended this church and there were some who were torn between who to support and eventually turned their back on me. In 2016, God moved me from the church and all I knew and loved to Marietta GA without even truly being able to give the proper goodbye to those I was closest to it all happened within a 3-day time span. As I entered the doors I was absolutely overwhelmed at the outpouring of love and reception not only I but Brian and Carston received. Those who ran up and jumped on me as we embraced, those who gave me the biggest hugs I haven’t felt in years, those who giggled with me like we never missed a beat, you made my journey back home so worth it all but God didn’t stop there, He began to do so much more. During the course of the next 2 days, I watched as 1000’s of young people journeyed from all around gather to worship and grow in the ways of God. Some had tennis shoes on, some had cowboy boots on, some had on high-top knee-high socks, some had no socks on at all, but they all were there for one purpose, Worship God! Although young, I looked around I wondered what journey they have been on that brings them here. How many of them came from a broken home? How many of them were struggling to find their identity in the midst of a culture that tries to dictate to them who they are? How many of them struggle with addictions of all types and nowhere to turn? How many of them thought of ending their precious life before they walked through the door of the conference because the peer pressure was just too much? How many of them were possibly on their way to a juvenile detention center if God doesn’t intervene? If I looked at their shoes and judged by their condition, I would have been able to figure it out, OR would I???? Possibly not. I know people right now who have 15+ pairs of shoes/boots that if you looked at them you would never know that their journey was filled with drug addiction and time spent in prison. I know people right now who own 10 pairs of shoes that if you looked at them and the one pair they wear daily which is dingy, dirty, soles worn out and shoe strings a mess you would possibly judge them as broke and not able to afford to replace them but what you don’t know is that those very shoes are ones that have made multiple trips to a Children’s hospital nearby and multiple therapies to make sure that their special needs child gets the best care possible and has been their go to for comfort. The mom wearing them what you also may not know had to leave a career/income of 5 years to be able to provide that required continued care. She chose love and sacrifice over material things. Last but not least, how about that young lady that you see coming out of the local Walmart/grocery store who is wearing some worn-out flats/flip flops/even out of style comfort shoes while toting a toddler on her hip and you immediately judge her as not caring about herself at all! Mistake, what you might have just missed is a single parent mommy who is doing everything she can to survive and take care of her little one because someone decided to walk out on her and left her to do it all by herself. Last, let’s go back to that 6-inch red bottom premium patent leather stiletto that I talked about in the beginning. Maybe you look at that scenario and say they must be super rich fancy to be able to afford those shoes their journey must not be bad at all. But what you don’t know is that same person you are judging by their shoes is someone who at some point in their life was so broke that they were living in a one-bedroom apartment, with a Charlie Brown style Christmas tree, feeding their first born on wic and food stamps because they didn’t even know where the money was going to come from. This happening to the point where others would bring cases of formula and sit it on their doorstep at random times. They had a journey all right but now they are reaping the blessings of God in their lives because they sacrificed a lot for the Kingdom. So, no you can’t always tell someone’s story by the shoes that they wear but I can promise you one thing, the shoes will speak louder than words, they will always say Yes, I am on a journey but God is walking it with me and I am still here. You may not understand it, you may not trust it, but He is as the scripture says a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path and where He chooses to lead me, I will go. As he showed me this weekend, sometimes He will take you on a journey, take you back where it started, to remind you of just how far you have come and how much more is to come. Have a blessed day friends and make the journey count today! |
AuthorMy Name is Laura Perdue. I am 44 years old and married to my best friend, Brian Perdue and mommy to Carston Perdue. Brian and I reside in Woodstock Ga and serve on the action team of Fivestones Church in Holly Springs. Archives
July 2022
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