Delighted Desire

He exceeded my expectations when I decided to trust Him. His love has been consistent, patient, revelational at its best. It’s gentle, kind, and soul strong. Resourceful and compassionate, often misunderstood. Like a calm soothing wind, love that is open, and free flowing.

A small stream of light in those dark places. His love is protective, passionate, a different type of discipline, I feel so safe. Uniquely driven by the needs of humanity. Forceful, He is not, and generosity for no reason. One I’ve never seen before. I learn from it, it doesn’t deny me, or truth. His love is ethical, fair, and what’s so surprising is it’s not said. It’s whispered quietly across the hearts of many.

It not a knockoff, it’s the real deal. Uncovering the patch, opening up those wounds. Letting Him touch, heal, and securely wrap up the cuts. Nurture them back to health, with each stroke of love. Allowing, accepting, appreciating and adjusting to where He wants me to go. Somehow I feel free to be the best me because of You. The answer to my cry, my friend, my guy. I’m proud to stand next to you, you stand proudly next to me. Proud of where I come from, and You see where I can be. Looking past my imperfections and shortcomings, and blesses me daily with His coverings. I look forward to the challenging days, because of Love, His Love, and Our Love for Him – we become better willingly something for His Glory.

Lundun Bridges

Maybe It’s Just Me But…

Facebook timeline scrolling can lead to an array of emotions. I find it easy to get inspired to write by something I’ve caught on my timeline. Ever since Facebook upgraded their features and allowed users to turn their text status updates into memes to enhance visibility, everyone seems to post memes now. There’s a meme for every situation you could image. Some good, some extremely funny, and some downright scandalous. With all the videos and memes being shared, I try to pay close attention to those that is food for thoughts and souls.

Here’s a nice one that deserves some attention…Which bring about revelation of my own life. Where I begin to internalize and evaluate the costs. Where questions begin to surface, and inventory of what’s left of the old life is counted. Maybe there’s a lifetime movie, or #1 Bestseller storybook to be written, only God knows what the new life would look like. I think hardest part about anticipating a new life is the walking away from the old one.

Bible App is a MUST!!!

Today I got up as I normally would to get ready for work. Feeling a bit pressed for time since I got off to late start. Rushing about my morning, I showered, dressed and hurried to my car. I started it up and headed to the interstate, dreading my 2 hour commute. But like most days, I took this time to turn on my Bible app to begin hearing the daily word. There’s something about being in the presence of the Lord that soothes our fears, and feeds the need for not giving up. There are specified narrative plans dedicated to feed the the hunger of whatever it is you may be facing. With scripture after scripture for devoting time mediating, learning the Word of God, and worship. Whatever season you may be in, there is a plan to see you through it. I love the app, and highly recommend it. You can read alone if you choose, or with a group of people. What I love most about it is, I can Hear the Word of God. Guaranteed faith fuel, and a conversation with the Lord!

Reminded of Romans 10:17: “17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

I’ve added 4 plans to my studies. Yes, I actively study them all. I toggle back and fourth doing one after another. Somehow they seem to be all connected or reference one another. There are days where I find myself pondering text from one plan, and get revelation of what God is showing me in text from another plan. Here’s a list of plans I’ve committed to completing.

1). The Ruth Challenge

2). Seeking Wisdom

3). God’s Promise’s for the Hungry Heart

4). Soul Rest: Seven Days to Renewal.

I started with Seeking Wisdom. What a beautiful moment it was…

Straight from the Book of Matthew 6th chapter. A Cure for Anxiety, about 30 minutes into listening to the reading of the Word. The narrator begin the mediation with talking about the day on the hill on the shore of Sea of Galilee, how they all crowded around to hear Jesus share His thoughts on how to live a life dedicated to pleasing God. A life lived to glorify God, and enjoying Him forever. A life not spent rushing, or concealed in shame or anxiety. It’s easy to get in tune with the Holy Spirit when I open my heart up and relive what’s hurting me, or the things that gives me anxiety. Something I need filling up on. It was like Jesus Himself was guiding me through saying, “Right there where you are with those uncomfortable feelings, and insecurities.” The unknown – that’s where I begin. I start to call out on Jesus’ name. Declaring victory over my anxieties and anxiousness. I cried out all the things that I had needed and feared. Claiming peace over my thoughts. Asking God for wisdom and understanding above anything else. Thanking Him for this moment, thanking Him for giving me the strength to endure another day. A burst of thanksgiving shot through my body as I thought about my kids, my job, and my state of mind. It was Powerful! Breathing in God’s grace, and exhaling worry. Breathing in God’s love, exhaling fear. Breathing in the Holy Spirit, exhaling all my anxieties. Breathing in heavens prosperity, exhaling condemnation. 30 minutes in, just as the narrator began to close out mediation with praying saying,

“Now that you remember to stop being worried or anxious, perpetually uneasy, and distracted about your life. God loves and cares for you far more than anything else in His creation. Besides, worrying won’t add one hour to the length of your life. Now to the Father, and to the Son, and Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and forever will be. Amen.

Today you have the opportunity to be cared for. Expect anxiety. Anticipate it approaching and expect it to subside. Leaving you whole and present. It has come before. It has passed before. God has been there before. He is here now. He will be here again. So when you are ready, step into your day and be mindful of moments to be cared for by God.”

At that point I had decided it was best to get off the highway and take the backroads because traffic was too heavy. About an hour and a half away from work, I turned off the highway and onto the street and my car shutdown. It was if the car completely went dead. The dash was dark and the steering wheel seemed to have locked. There I was 60 seconds before mediating on the word of God, and how to face my anxieties, and I hit with a major test just as the narrator said I would. Scared out of my mind of being hit by a semiconductor, or another vehicle. I began to panic. I called my supervisor, cousin, and kids father. 10% left on my battery life, I shut the phone off and looked around at the valley fields and begin to thank God for placing me right in the midst of His beauty. I prayed for a hedge of protection for myself as I waited for someone to come get me off the side of the road. Just as I felt a calmness, I hear a clicking noise. Almost as if there was an electrical surge noise. I thought I would try and start the car and it started right up. I wasted no time lifting up the name of Jesus, because I know it was Him who saw me through. Trying to dodge oncoming trucks, I drove out onto the road and stopped at a nearby gas station as waited for the help. You can’t tell me God isn’t real!!! Everything He said He would do, and so much more!

Get High

Feels so good to be back again…

I’ve been thinking about time, I’ve been thinking about space. I know I might sound crazy but I’m trying to get down in a real good space.

I just wanna be safe…

I just wanna feel good every morning, every single damn morning that I wake.

I’ve been looking for a place, where the sun shines all the time good loving in my soul is what I crave.

… I ain’t worried ’bout the hate…

Last year was a good year for your girl, I’ve been keeping up with the pace. So don’t be coming with the bull, had a good year, now you starting to see my face.

…Ain’t worried about the fake…

Kinda over all the hard times I’ve been through… Love brought me through, and I kinda feel loose…

My heart I choose… My heart been broke down in the dirt and I finally see blue..

Raised hands feel focused…

And I’m done being broken…

And I talking about love, real love, You the only thing that get me up!

I’m high…

Got me so far up that I could fly. Watch me fly…

Keep me high in your blue sky…

It’s about damn time… I just wanna be high.

You’re making me high. Oh baby, let’s fly, I just wanna be high…

I don’t know what you did to me, but I know how you feel for me. I just wanna be high… Ooh, let me just fly in blue skies… I just wanna be…

Deep down and I’m feeling, FINALLY I’m winning!

FINALLY I’m feeling real good!

Cause you’re loving deep down, working in my soul, I ain’t never felt this damn whole. A lot of ticks they kill me YUP. But your love can heal me

UP! Cause your love feel good when I’m down You could pick me up. I ain’t never in the dust. Got me falling deep down in your love… and we ain’t never gotta rush.

Kinda over all he hard times I’ve been through…

Love brought me through, and I kinda feel loose…

My heart I choose… My heart been broke down in the dirt and I finally see blue.

Raised hands feel blessed…

…Ain’t worried about the stress…

I’m talking about love, real love…

You the only thing that get me up…

I’m high… Got me so far up, I could fly… Watch me fly…

Oh, keep me high in your blue sky… Watch me fly…

I just wanna be high…

Inspired By Ledisi – HIgh

It’s None of Your Business!

Let’s not be bound by others expectations for our lives. Life is too short to live with regret. Some spend years in their careers, marriages/relationships, operating in the religion of their environments not feeling spiritually fulfilled .

In some cultures, the parents dictate who their children marry and what career path they should take. Thank God for free will! Be free to skate about life loving whomever! Be free to love freely!

I feel in my heart that that is the ultimate power that God has given human-beings. Its accessible to everyone, and has the power to overcome the unimaginable. But it’s often abused and culturally misguided. Society may have us measuring our life’s successes by how others see us.

Are we chasing after the wrong things? Money, fame, a life full of luxuries, self-righteousness behaviors, our followers and likes, you know some of us love to live for the haters. But why? When it’s so easy to love. Good, bad, or indifferent; if life’s decisions makes you better, if it brings you peace, if it brings you joy, if it overall increases your entire existence – – do it!

Don’t worry about losing people in the process, let them go. Most people won’t care to understand or want to see God’s plan for your life come into fruition anyhow because of where they’re at in their lives… Like meteorologists predicts the rainy weather for the week, we’re prepared for the traffic conditions ahead of time therefore we know what the roads are like. How Jesus chose His disciples knowing they would later fall off and deny Him. “DON’T EXPECT THE SUPPORT OF THOSE YOU NOW KNOW!”

Not to get caught up on that topic…

Besides, I’ve learned to mind my business when it comes to others opinions of me. Trust that people love to whisper their opinions with two different sets of lips. Lips singing praises to you, and the lips shaming and cursing you to those who’s messy enough to listen.

True happiness comes from what’s on inside of you, and not what others feel about you. I feel alive on the inside. Full of love, energy, hopes and dreams. I’m physically stronger than I’ve ever been before. Though my body feels weary at times, with prayer as my shield; clinching deep down holding onto that visual of true happiness.

…Knowing that it all starts and end with You God, and what’s good for myself.

Lundun Bridges ✨

It’s Go Time!

When we didn’t know Christ, we were dead in our transgressions. Living recklessly according to our own rules, and our ways of doing things. Living a life of no substance or purpose. For we know that God is a God of purpose, and He does all things in his perfect timing well. It is said in His word that we are God’s handiwork created in Christ Jesus to do works, which God has equipped us in advance to do. That purpose in which we were created for long before we were born. There’s that thing that’s already there down on the inside of us that He’s assigned us to do; we have already been qualified by Him to do.

Never mind the opinion of others as they’re shouting from the peripheral that you aren’t capable, qualified, or called. They are non-believers, and are ridiculer’s of God’s will for man. We believers of Christ are believers of God, and are bound by His promises.

Jeremiah 32:42-44 NIV – “This is what the Lord says: As I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised them. Once more fields will be brought in the land of which you say, ‘It is a desolate (forsaken) waste, without people or animals, for it has been given into the hands of the Babylonians.’ Fields will be brought for silver, and deeds will be signed, sealed and witnessed in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah and in the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, because I will restore their fortunes, declares the Lord.”

Having faith that the works of the Lord will visible to those who God has assigned to your life because you have surrendered your life to the teachings according to His commandments. Thank you God for sending your Son Jesus Christ to us to lay down His life so that I after all my wayward living, and because of your Grace and Mercy I can now rise up and be who you have said all along I was. Because You have saved me!

– Lundun Bridges✨

In closing out 2017

This morning I woke up and reached for my devotional, I haven’t done that in some time. I’ve been so consumed with life and trying to pursue my dreams, work, family and all. I haven’t given it very much of my time. I will admit that I’ve had a very challenging year but that doesn’t excuse the fact that I haven’t given God more of His and my devotional time. I was talking to a childhood friend of mine last night about how as a single mother who is responsible for so many things, we appear to have it all figured out. It looks to outsiders we have it all together when really we’ve just mastered the art of multitasking and have probably had to find out things the hard way early on. So we worship, work, cook, spend time with the kids, shop for the house, keep our hair did, look fly, find time to workout, be awesome on the job and have a positive attitude, pursue our dreams, find time for nurturing our loved ones, giving back to the community, and just living life! God forbids that in the midst of all of this you’re hit with an emergency. You better have the resources to afford the things for yourself and family should that be the case. After all, if YOU are your only support system. It’s not as easy at it appears! So when I find myself at a point to where it’s all weighing on me, I go to God because He is my support system. He’s everything I am, and everything I have is because of Him. I’m in love with the fact that I can be all of those things, and that I’m even able to be a blessing to others in the process. Though it could be draining at times, nonetheless, I’m grateful. But more importantly I got back to my devotional time this morning. I was lead to the Book of John. John 7:38, I always parallel my scriptures with New King James Version with New International Version, just so that I can get a clear understanding to what the Holy Spirit is trying to say to me. “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” I set there for a second and thought about what I had just read.  What does the term “Living” even mean?  Why did the Jesus use water as an example? Then it all hit me. The things that flows from my heart are all the things mentioned in the conversation with my childhood friend, and all the things that I appear to do well. Love! For God is Love. Out of my heart flows like water, love. My thoughts, my actions, my words, the gift that helps make a positive impact on someone else’s life, no matter the size. I was having a conversation with my oldest daughter who’s 17 just the other day. She said, “I see you do so much for other people, and it upsets me to see them mistreat you.” Initially, that shook my soul, and from the heart I replied, “Well, what’s important to me is that you see me doing good to others.” You see, I know who I am, and I can’t control what other people do. All I can do is continue to let rivers of living water flow freely from my heart because He lives in me. People will know you by your actions. As a mother, my job is train up my child in the way she should go, therefore when she is older, she will not depart from those ways. Proverbs 22:6 . When things go wrong, I can’t dwell on how bad they are, I’m too busy trying to make things better. Trials will come to throw us all off course. But like every challenge in my life with God, I’ve overcome them all. The more I glorify Him, the higher I go. In closing, we all have things that makes us happy, things that makes us feel sad. But I’m optimistic and confident in my ability to transform others one by one with my approach in giving. I have faith that with every person I come in contact with will understand that my heart is pure with good intentions for them, and I’m humble enough to know that it’s not about me, but all for His glory. As a result, external factors such as: money, social status/validation, and other material things will never motivate me to be all that I am to those around me. It’s who God made me to be. Even when it’s not received in which, I still  know my Savior is pleased with my contributions. So as I share my thoughts on it all, I ask that you too become focused on others and not on what you can achieve as an individual. Spend more time on focusing on your beliefs – as the scripture says, so that the gift of living water flows effortlessly from your heart as well. 

Be Blessed,

Lundun Bridges

Appreciation

If you googled the word it would say, “the recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something; a full understanding of a situation.” Merriam-Webster dictionary would say, “a feeling or expression of admiration, approval, or gratitude

• I want to express my appreciation for all you’ve done.

 

• a small token of our appreciation

“I smiled in appreciation”….

So what does all this mean? I will share with you what it means to me. Appreciation is something we lack as a society. How many people in your life do you show a lack of appreciation to? Be honest! Your lack of appreciation may not be intentional, but nevertheless is there. How companies across the world lack appreciation for their employees, and in some instances, the consumer? One thing life has taught me is that we all need to feel appreciated. It’s what keeps the cycle of love going. Appreciation for the little things, and most of all, an appreciation for those that we are closest to. There’s a saying that we never appreciate what we’ve had until we no longer have it. I ran across a wonderful article written by Ashley Fern . But there’s a flip side to that saying as well. How do you know what true appreciation is if you’ve never experienced it before in your life? I could date back years upon years of feeling under appreciated by my mother, who I felt never truly saw me for me, therefore our relationship was weakened because of it. My father, who moved away after he and my mother divorced to another state. I didn’t reunite with him until 17 years later. For him to be so proud of me, yet he had nothing to do with raising me. I once wondered how could he ever truly celebrate me and appreciate all that I am if he wasn’t there? Repeated cycles of relationship of dating and giving my heart to men who would later portray my trust and ultimately hurt me. How do you know what unappreciated feels like if you’ve never even felt what being appreciated feels like? Now you see why I googled and then looked up the word appreciation in the dictionary. I want to know what it means to feel appreciated. I want to know what it feels to be truly appreciated for all that I do. I’ve sewed more seeds than I’ve ever received. There is not comparison to the two. Not that it matters, I’m simply saying. I’m ready to reap a harvest full of individuals who are filled with appreciation to those whom I come in contact with. The word for today was FAITH. The pastor spoke about us having faith, and about how faith helps us through our adversities – and helps us overcome them. Right now I am holding on to my faith in knowing that I will know what it truly feels like to be appreciated by all that I do. Because all the things that I do, God sees them all, and He blesses those that do good. Even in all that is written above, I will continue to love hard, I will continue to keep my word – because after all, my reward is in Heaven.

Lundun Bridges

 

Love Assesment

Happy 36th Birthday, Lisa!

You know you’re getting old when everybody expects you to be going out on your birthday. But really you would much rather stay late catching up on some things at the office, maybe rush home to change into your workout clothes because you’re trying go for a nice birthday run in before it gets too dark. Yep that concludes my night. 
(My, girl, you sure have CHANGED!) 
That’s what I said to myself…

Then I thought about how I kind of celebrated this past Sunday (Pictured), so I’m good. Too much of anything is never good anyhow. Because when you give too much of something somewhere, then that means you’re giving less somewhere else – and 9 times out of 10 there’s something more important – like a bill you know you much rather pay spend what you already need to pay back just to go out. (Did you catch that?) Or maybe that’s just me…With my 641 credit score having self. What’s in your wallet? I’m STILL a work in progress. I’m getting these balances low, and my car paid for. 

Praise God!!! 

So there should be a healthy balance in everything you do. 

Back to CHANGE:

It’s so very necessary. Here’s why nothing thrives that stays in place. I’ve been employed with the same company for the past 6 years. The company is less than 30 years old and doing extremely well at that. I know it is because numbers don’t lie. To add, my profit sharing check has (thank God) been deposited consistently each quarter over the last 2 years. Notice I said 2 years; because there was a time when we didn’t receive it –because of some poor decision making on their behalf and in my opinion, stepping out of their scope of expertise and we suffered through the proper budgeting, keeping expenses low – discipline. Some tough decision were made. We went an entire fiscal year profit share unpaid. It was really disappointing too, I saw people leave the company because of their feelings about the changes and not getting paid profit sharing. But the changes made in order to keep up with competition, and them from stealing our existing customers and growing new business has seem to pan out in good favor. I know I’m getting busier – and we’re coming out with new products all the time, delivering exceptional Customer Service to their customers. But let me be very clear, the company was never hurting that bad, more like not meeting Sales targets as projected in lieu of the stepping out of their scope of expertise. They’re actually very close to being $300m dollar business, talk about thriving. Plus, they’re still considered small business. God is GOOD! So yes, I’d like to take my piece of Humble Pie when it comes to their success over the past 6 years, and because I was blessed to be there at a time where my desk was right outside the cofounders office who happened to be one of the most coolest guy on planet earth. A true angel sent here to heal and care for humans and animals. I feel privileged to work with some of the most sweetest people you could ever meet – whom I may never would have known had I not come here, all different races. I love them all, and without them even saying it, I know they love me too. Talk about thriving! Moral is, changing your position, can and will change outcome.
No one said storms won’t come because I can guarantee you, they will. You want to be able to withstand through it all too. You have to be willing to endure some uncomfortable times to get comfortable. And trust me, I’m streamlining through it all. Embracing each day with empowerment from above. If you’re doing the same things you were doing 5 years ago, chances are you’re stuck in the same place. You have to move with the currents or you’ll get swept away, lost at sea. Same habits, same results, same you! 

Sometimes you have to go in order to grow. Ask yourself what do you need to go in order to grow. Then ask God to show you the way, and He will. In this moment I’m reminded of Romans 12:1, “Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true and proper worship.” Right there challenging my love for God. Did you catch that in your spirit? Are we really loving God or are we loving ourselves? Reading on – Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good: pleasing and perfect will.”

 Changing your mindset by way of God and His ways enables you reach levels of you could never imagine. It doesn’t matter what your dreams are, God gave them to because they’re achievable. Not to say that you cannot achieve your dreams on your own, because you can. But why would you want to do them alone when He walks along aside us, steering the way. The closer I draw to Him, he draws to me. My prayers do not go unanswered, my will to continue on and fight intensifies and with each punch, there’s an block. My steps are widening, and the climb up is good for those Glutes. When you go from having a little circle to a big heart. Did you catch that? I feel like I’m preaching… You just don’t know how glad I am down on the inside. I finally see Him and only Him. He gives that unspecified peace of mind and Joy. Joy that none of my circumstances took from me, that no social status, bank account, physical attributes, or talent gave me. James 4:10,“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” I don’t know about you but I will take my chances living according to His ways and have Him lift me up over the world. The world will lift you up and drop you hard, right from the 165th floor. But because He lives all through me; and I feel and therefore, I AM GOOD!
Good night and thank you for reading. 
💋Lundun 💋Bridges 💋