PraiseCharlotte.com is pleased to welcome our new blogger Monica Wood.
Who is Monica Wood aka Mo Wood? This is a loaded question. Monica Wood is one who faith walks even when she doesn’t want to…or at least that is what I am told. Through trial and error I have made some mistakes – not many are visible – but all have left scars and traumatic war wombs. It is through the scars that I have learned what kind of faith I have and what kind of God I serve as I walk by faith, not by sight. And, for close to 4 years now I have been led to share some of my scars during a season of “transparency” in the form of daily or weekly or even monthly devotionals.
God consistently speaks to me through daily devotionals, mainly Joel Osteen’s, but others as well. And, almost guaranteed, the devotional for the day addresses what I went through the day before. God answers my prayer, sheds light on my experience, and/or provides a peace to endure with each one. In turn, I become inspired to provide a personal pretext to the devotional and share with those He lays on my heart to share through email.
Over the years, I have received unsolicited feedback with surprising testimonials that were sparked by my transparent messages. All remarks and reactions have been a blessing and encouragement. However, I am led to type and send because I like to write out where I am and how God is working in it as I continue to walk in my season of transparency. I will continue to write, when led to, in order to continue my personal conversation with the one who blesses me with life each day. And, if through my “Mo|Moments” I bless someone, praise God!
Each week on Wednesday Monica will provide inspirational messages for PraiseCharlotte.com readers.
Presenting the first Mo Moments:
My mantra for 2010 has been “I am living a PROactive life even though I am living in a reactive society.”
However, as Joel has reminded me in the devotional entitled “Finished with Fear” is in order to live a productive proactive life you cannot allow fear to occupy space in your mind, body or spirit. Fear is truly the enemy. And, before you or I can take another step in confidence towards our respective goals and accept with confidence what God has prepared for us to receive in 2010, we must first and certainly complete one thing and that is defeating, once and for all, the spirit of fear.
From Joel & Victoria’s message:
You have to make a decision to deal aggressively with fear. You can’t be passive and expect to live in victory. The only way to conquer fear is to confront it head on. As long as you’re running from your fears, just ignoring them, or sweeping them under the rug, you’re not going to get any better. Refusing to deal with fear doesn’t make it go away. Instead, decide to be finished with fear. Be strong-willed and determined knowing that the enemy is defeated.
Now don’t play with yourself and more importantly don’t play with God in this area. You may think you have done this, but you haven’t done so in ALL areas of your life. 2009 was a challenging year for many of us, physically, emotionally, financially, spiritually, mentally…..and, although it was hard, it was all necessary. It was necessary because God was doing a new work in us – breaking, sifting, disconnecting, rebuilding, strengthening, weakening and preparing us for all He knew He had awaiting us in 2010. 2010 is about new opportunities, new experiences, being more purpose-driven, focused, successful, deliberate, bold in ministry, confident in life, solid, able, willing……bottom-line THIS IS OUR TIME!
With some of you, God has already given you a glimpse of what you are about to walk into. Do know that the adversary has seen it too. And, he (the adversary) has already begun turning up the heat of fear in your spirit and mind…..”you know you can’t do that”; “you aren’t ready or prepared to tackle THAT!”; “folks are going to talk about you if you make that move”; “this won’t happen if you make that decision”; “you aren’t man or woman enough to…”; and on and on.
But, let me remind you that you can do ALL things through Christ Jesus….He gives you the strength to tackle it all. Let me also share what my pastor shared with us on Watch Night, “You will NOT be embarrassed when you make the decision and finally move the way God intends for you to move.” He also shared, “it’s going to happen”. What is “it”? It is everything God has planned for your life in 2010, it is going to happen. Now, the question to you is, will you be in the position to handle “it”? Will you have made the moves, conquered your fears, tackled your problems, cleared your path, prayed yourself up, and firmed up the appropriate foundation needed in order to be in the right position to receive your “it”? Because again, your “it” is coming this year….READY OR NOT READY.
Ready: You can sit back and enjoy “it” and walk & work in your “it” with relative ease. Not Ready: You will struggle through “it” and be distracted by what you didn’t complete before your “it” arrived. The choice is yours.
Walk in faith; live in love,
Mo Wood
