HE SAW THE BEST IN ME by ShalenaD.I.V.A
A few months ago, I hit rock bottom spiritually. I was sad and unmotivated. I felt like my life had no purpose. I felt like I was in a constant state of mourning. The only thing that kept me going was my beautiful son. After noticing the state I was in, my fiancé reminded me of all the dreams I used to share with him and encouraged me to start praying and reading again like I used to. He was right. I had stopped praying and talking to God on a daily basis. I had drifted so far away. I was no longer connected to my source. Have you ever tried to play it off like you’re having a lot of fun, but deep down inside you’re absolutely miserable? That’s how I felt separated from God.
I took my fiance’s advice and started getting up early to read my Bible and talk to God. Initially, I felt funny. I felt like I was trying to make amends with someone that I dissed who did nothing wrong to me. I humbled myself and asked God to forgive me and I also asked Him to renew His spirit within me. I also let Him know that I didn’t want any material blessings—just wanted more of Him. I simply wanted to be in His presence and enjoy Him like I used to. I surrendered my will, too. I just got to a place where I didn’t want to run away from His will for my life anymore. Each day, I continued seeking God and each day I found myself getting closer to Him. He began revealing Himself to me in various ways.
I started trusting God more and really taking Him at His word. Before long, I felt myself growing stronger spiritually and others took notice, too. I was led to write down my goals and put them before God so He could bless them. Before long, all of these great things that I’ve been longing for started happening to me. I was one of sixty young women of African descent whose essay was selected for inclusion in “Souls of My Young Sisters” book from Kensington Press that will be released in June of 2010. Please note that this book is expected to hit the New York Times Bestseller list! Because of my involvement with the project, doors of opportunity have opened for me as well. I was asked to work as the liaison between Souls of My Young Sisters and FAWN, Mary J. Blige and Steve Stoute’s foundation in preparation for Oprah’s Live Your Best Life walk on May 9, 2010. I was also asked to be the spokesperson for Natural Organized Women Sorority(NOW), Inc. as well as the regional director for NOW’s scholarship pageant initiative.
I’m so glad that God saw the best in me when I didn’t see the best in myself. I’m so glad He didn’t give up on me. I’m so glad He’s enabling me to live out my dreams and bring them to past. I’m so glad that I surrendered to His will and let Him use me as a vessel to create this blog you are reading right now. Yes, my friends, this blog started out as an idea God planted in my heart that I continued to develop prayerfully. I’m so proud of it because it’s all for His glory.
Have you fallen away from God? Are you longing to reconnect with Him? My advice is simple. Humble yourself, pray, and ask God to forgive you and renew His spirit within you. Draw closer to Him by seeking His face on a daily basis and reading His word. I also encourage you to purchase Marvin Sapp’s latest cd—“Here I am.” This cd helped me alot.
Do you have any advice or testimonies to share about what God has done in your life? If so, please share with the readers so we can all be blessed from your testimony.
Be blessed!
ShalenaD.I.V.A
P.S. Remember, everything has beauty—including YOU. It just takes a true D.I.V.A to see it!
© 2013, Shalena D.I.V.A. – Personal Branding| Content Marketing| Product Creation. All rights reserved.
awesome testimony & encouraging for me. Gotta keep my eyes on the prize…thnx
Alicia, I’m so glad that God sees the best in us and that He never gives up on us. Many times people focus on the negative outter forces and don’t realize that they are staring their biggest enemy in the mirror. Many times we don’t see the best in oursleves;therefore, we treat ourselves any kind of way. I’m so glad you were inspired by this post.
God sees the best in us all. Before He created us, He knew our worth, our gifts and talents, and all that we would face as we travel this journey we call life. In my 30 years on this planet we call earth, I have been used, misused, abused, lied on, lied to, a liar, talked about and ignored, and I have been down and out more times than a little bit. But through it all, my God was there and He still chose me as His daughter, His prophetess, His evangelist and His teacher! You see when God allows us to go thru, He already knows that we will not only make it thru, but how much better we’ll be for having gone thru! So I thank Him for the storms of life, for guiding us thru life, and for giving us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV). He knows our worth and He knows our destiny, and only through Christ, we’ll make it through to the end to hear, “Well done, thy good and faithful servant.” Girl, u done got me to shouting and preaching! To God be the glory! Keep letting the Lord use you, Shalena!
Quiana, start where you are and God will take care of the rest! Trust and believe.
I’m sooo glad that this is the case! Praise God!
What a wonderful testimony. I too have had the feeling of spiritually bankrupt and just ready to throw in the towel and be everything the enemy had planned for me to to be. The Lord blessed me. I kept asking for him to show me a sign, to move in my life and guess what..HE DID!! Your story has inspired me to keep going and know that he will continue to bless me. Thank you so much for sharing this testimony.
Wonderful testimony. I love how God will move in your life, all you have to do is ask him!!!
Good Sunday Morning Shay! Doing our best is all required of the Lord. And he will do the rest. God bless you.
Awesome word…..Thank You Lord!!
Oh Thank God. For His Grace.
thanks for sharing this and GOD BLESS im glad i was able to read this and yes so true GOD has the final say , Amen !
When everyone else aroudnd could only see the worst in me..I was listening to this in the A.M.
Reading this for the 2nd or 3rd time & it never gets tired. Always believing in the Spirit & Power of God has brought me through many trials & storms. I am now separated, wondering what next, having a barrage of emotions but I am still waiting on God’s answer… tuning in to hear His voice…for Him to have His final say…
This is going to be a keeper for me, Shalena…I am vacationing and was sitting on the beach thinking everything was going great for me ~ I’m on a great vacation, my finances decent, I’m healthy, opportunities are arising. I am blessed. Yet as I sat there watching the families laugh and play together tears fell from my eyes. I am blessed yet sadness of things I long for (love, I guess…) is never far away. And as I sat there I began to pray…I realized I had been struggling with decisions I thought I needed to make, but in all actuality what I need to do is step back, stop reacting and making assumptions, and trust God. Your words are a good reminder that the only relationship I need right now is the one I have with God. Thank you. ~ Melinda
Wow I needed that I couldn’t sleep,last night @shalena I really miss my father.
@Melinda–I have found that when I am in that happy place, the place where all is well with my soul, something alwasy creeps up and slowly drains me of my happiness. Sometimes unworthiness sets in or feelings of lack when signs of abundance are all around me. Normally folks would sya, that is the devil trying to steal your joy, but I’ve come to view this “self sabotage” way of thinking as the old me trying to protect the new me from the uncertainty of a bright future. It’s like, the old me is shielding me from disappointment that may come. This is actually a good sign because it means you are in a good place and on a great path. Acknowledge those moments when fear or lack arises and hold tighter to God because it means you are on yoru way girlfriend. God has placed you in a broad place with abounding possibilities because you have and continue to put Him first. I’m loving your transformation and I love the butterfly you are becoming. Thank you for helping me along the way. You’ll be just fine.
@All–I’m so glad you appreciated my testimony. I’m so glad God didn’t give up on me or allow me to believe the lies. To God be the glory. If we make Him a priority in our lives, He’ll make the things concerning us a priority, too. @Sharon– He’ll heal your broken heart. I’ll be praying for you.
@ shalena thank you so much I can’t seem to stop crying water fall central going on over here!
@Sharon–Tears are good for your soul. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning light.
Om this is really hard.@ shalena Does this type of pain really
get any easier. This is too much!
@Sharon–When did you lose your parent? I lost my father and it took me some time to get over it. I once heard someone say that you lose part of yourself when you lose someone that close to you. I think that’s true. But I also heard someone say that your loved one wouldn’t want to be in this much pain. They wouldn’t want you to be sad for too long…
@Sharon–Would you like to write about your father for our upcoming Father’s Day edition on http://www.shalenadiva.com? Just email me at [email protected] and we can go from there, ok?
@Shalena will do june 28 will be one year!
Thank you for this Shalena!
Singing….”Don’t give up on GOD, cause he won’t give up on you!” “He’s Able!”
Hood Mornin’ to you to Ms. DIVA. I’m at that point in my life right now and trying my best to make the best of it. Keeping my kids and self afloat in a sea full of sharks is sometimes hard to do but I’m hanging in there. Thanks for the encouragement my beautiful, black sister. Have a safe and blessed day!!!
Hood Morning, Shalenadiva!!! Thank you MERCIFUL GOD for every trial and tribulation!! For that are your tools to shape me into the woman that you want me to be!! For thru them all, I know it is your will being done, for they only make me lean on you harder!!! THANK YOU GOD,EVERYTHING YOU BRING TO ME, I KNOW YOU GONNA BRING ME THRU,AS LONG AS I LEAN ON YOU AND NOT MY OWN UNDERSTANDING!! THANK YOU ABBA!!!
I’m so glad this post resonated with you guys! Hold on and be crazy enough to believe what God placed in your heart and believe in His word! It doesn’t fail! Love y’all!
Im feeling this way now…god plz bless new n my kids we needs u more than ever..in the name of jesus
Hood mornin Ms. DIVA ~ I’ve had sum dark years…..not days but years!! And I am so thankful that I did not give up! Back then it was soooo dark!! *tearing up* But God………..has taught me to lean not on my own understanding……..but to trust in him no matter what!! Thank God I made it!!! All smiles my wayyyy……I won’t complaign!! 🙂
@Thelma– don’t give up! Hang in there! This, too, shall pass.
@Felicia– thank you for hanign in there! You are a beautiful soul!
As my Pastor says, GOD WANTS MORE, He turns the hear up more, cause He wants more. SO WHATEVER YOUR DOING FOR GOD, IN JESUS NAME, INCREASE IT
Sorry for that. I meant heat
@Darcentas–Amen!
That’s whuts up!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep em comming 🙂
@Thelma…God will bless you and your family ! This may be a storm or a rough patch but know and understand joy will come ! God is soo good and he will show up and show out on your behalf. God bless you my sister !