Tag: religion

A Woman takes a Moment To Be

How My Faith Defined My Womanhood

Published on by Johnnatta Giles2 Comments

If you ever met me you would know right away that my faith is my life line. I struggled with my identity my entire young life and the only thing that remained the same was my faith. But I wanted to know deeply who I really was and also who I was as a woman. As a young girl I grew up not fully understanding how to really become a woman. Was it sexuality? Was it woman nature within me? What really made me a woman? I became a mother before I even knew the answer to that question.  Prayer took the lead in my discovery and the Word brought me little understanding. It was then in my spirit I knew I would have to walk this out organically. 

What Makes A Woman?

It’s not so much physiology. I couldn’t look at myself and just see what woman I was. No, I discovered it’s spirituality that really made me the woman I am and then wanted to become. In the depths of my soul what would I find there? Well, some terrifying things as I dug through the surface, but as I began to dig deeper, I found the most delicious treasures. Things hidden in me I never knew existed. There was power, strength, love, weakness and beautiful brokenness that turned out to be the most beautiful parts of the woman in me. I will most likely spend the rest of my life putting those pieces together but it is an Odyssey I am greatly enjoying the fruits of. The journey is transforming the heart of me with every breath, every year that leaves me and wisdom is growing like deep roots of a tree.

Bering a woman means being all that God created us to be. Embracing all of feminimty that’s unique and loving the body we are walking in. Allowing the Spirit to bring us to life and cultvating the very essence of our gifts in Christ. Letting our light shine and not allowing the enemy to use our gifts for our destruction. Being our best advocates instead of our own worst enemy. Lifting other women up in sisterhood but also not being afraid to speak the truth which sets them free. Leading with our men with swords in hand and when the battle comes, suit up in our armor of faith and deafeat the enemy and win the war together, This is womanhood spiritually. And every year I’m learning more and more.

Without my faith I would have never discovered all the gifts in me and all the lack. I discovered the path to something fierce. Behind me He was there cheering me on and loving me.

Don’t stop at the outward, not even the surface once you truly begin your discovery. Dig deep and find the core of the trueness of woman inside of you.

Johnnatta Giles

A man thinks and waits

You prayed, But He Didn’t Answer

Published on by Johnnatta Giles5 Comments

This is probably one of the biggest concerns I say many Christians have with their walk with the Lord. I see and hear questions like “What if He doesn’t answer me?” ‘Why do I pray but don’t receive what I pray for?” ,”Will He even hear me?” and even “Why don’t my prayers work?.” First I want to say, God hears everything we say and He sees everything we do, so you don’t ever have to guess if He hears you. The Word is full of stories of people crying out to God and Him answering them. There are also stories of people who say things against God in their heart and He punishes them. Even still, there are stories of how the Lord waits long periods to fulfill promises and answer prayers but yet He still does it. I was watching a video last night talking about this a little. How in the waiting season we think God is doing nothing when all the while He is preparing us and refining us to be able to do the very thing we are asking for. When you think He is silent, He is working. For the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 5:16) therefore we know it will not go unnoticed by Him. The problem is how many of us are praying unrighteously or living a life of disobedience yet we are expecting something from a Holy God.

I could sit here and only give you the happy stuff which is the promises, the goodness of who God is and tell you how faithful He is to those who trust in Him. But today I also want to ask you hard questions maybe you haven’t asked enough of yourself. On your end are you doing what God has told you to do? Are you still committing acts of sin? Have you been giving into temptations that have taken you off the course that God has set you on? Take a moment to take your eyes off the question of why you haven’t received what you asked for. Because let it be known, God will never ignore His children and He will answer in His perfect timing. But sometimes we are keeping ourselves from receiving what we are asking for by trying to make our prayers become a reality (manifesting) or jumping back into things we shouldn’t be in instead of being faithful in the waiting. I often think about Sarah and Abraham and how God gave them a promise and then they intervened by taking it into their own hands. Both Sarah and Abraham committed an act of sin because they lacked the patience and faith in their God. I wonder sometimes, would it have taken as long as it did for Isaac to come? Would Sara have been that old when he was born? Sara was barren, having Isaac in general would have been enough of a miracle within itself! Sometimes our answers are far off and need to be for a reason and sometimes well, it’s our fault it’s taken so long.

So what can we do to make sure it’s not the latter? First step to is to walk away from the sin that is binding you and cast down every temptation. Take back authority in your life, submit your flesh unto the Holy Spirit and then comes the waiting. In the waiting we must be faithful to the Lord in all that He has placed in our hands. What I mean by that is, whatever you are holding right now that is yours focus on that. If you have prayed for a new job, do the best of your abilities in the one you already have for God’s glory. If you don’t have a job and want one take care of your home, children and yourself and focus on your relationship with the Lord until your opportunity arrives. If your praying for healing of a sickness or disease, rest and have faith God heard you and is working on the solution to bring you full healing. Praise God everyday for the prayers already answered, for His provisions and protection, for His undying love and favor over your life.

Lastly, your faith alone will determine what you receive and don’t receive. The Lord has already told you, He withholds no good thing from those who love him (Psalm 84:11) and Jesus said simply just ask (John 14: 14) so all that is left to do is believe (Mark 5:36). Do you believe that what you are asking for God will give to you? Do you trust Him to deliver those very things you ask for in His timing? And do you believe His timing is perfect and never too late? Only believe and what you ask for you shall receive.

For The King!

Johnnatta

A tree growing in a rock

Let Us Be Determined

Published on by Johnnatta Giles2 Comments
A tree growing among rocks
A tree doing what it was created to do though it is surrounded by hard circumstances.

I grew up in a small town in Cincinnati Ohio. There wasn’t much there but friends, families and community. In elementary I wanted so badly to beat the school record for climbing rope. While everyone dreaded it every year, I was excited to try it again.  One year our teacher (mostly likely wanting to inspire us to have fun) told us that the record had been held years before we were even born. This peeked our interest.  All of a sudden I was determined to break that record! The third try I studied the way every person climbed and especially those who made it. I took note the shoes they wore and the way their hands gripped the rope. But when it came time for me I failed only reaching halfway.  I was frustrated. My secret goal was hidden from my class because now this was something personal. The next year I was determined to beat that record. I showed up with the right shoes and the mental notes in my head.  As soon as I heard the word “GO” every grip was intentional and I made sure to maintain my speed.  At the top I pushed myself harder than I had ever done.  At the least I would reach the top of this thing! My class was cheering as I did. I finally reached the top! But I forgot to to watch how everyone slid down and I ended up burning my hands. Thank goodness I had jeans on! As soon as my feet hit the floor my gym teacher called out that I had beaten the old record that had stood there since before I arrived at that school! I was shocked and so proud! It was the first time in my life that I realized that I had the power to do what I set my mind to do. I may not always win but my greatest victory was seeing that my hard work produced character and belief in myself.

But in Christ I ALWAYS win.

Brothers and sisters when we see people being bold in ungodliness and determined no matter the backlash to continue to attack and disrupt what is good, why don’t we fight back? Why are we not as determined as they are when we have the wings of thousands upon thousands of angels behind us pushing us forward to do amazing things to combat the darkness? We have the gifts to give children something better than what is in front of them. We have the strength to go the distance because our faith doesn’t rest alone in ourselves but a mighty King that has already over come it all! Rise up I say and be determined to do something instead of shaking your head in disgust. Rise up and allow God to change you so He can use you and watch lives get changed. You can believe in yourself because He is there in you!

God is calling His people out. Come forth and share your gifts! Be apart of the life giving saving grace that is in Christ. Share with the world the light of God through who He made you to be. Be determined to shine and do not fail in doing so! No darkness can overcome the light. Because he has overcome the world you too are an overcomer!

Be bold lions and lionesses of God and go forth in His love. It’s not over yet and He’s not done. Not with the world and not with you!

Shalom

Johnnatta

A woman is earnestly praying

Look Up Because There Your God Is

Published on by Johnnatta Giles2 Comments

Vulnerability is probably not my favorite thing in the world. But it seems I am much better at writing out my vulnerabilities than I am speaking them. And some how some way the Lord uses it in ministry. How many of us are going through the Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fire these days? It’s getting really hot and I’m getting tired of it. Everywhere I turn there is yet something happening. I have been working on using my phone less and focusing more and more on prayer in my spare time. Our bills are going up and I am on my knees begging God for a way over these mountain. I’m either going over or through it! I’m too tired to walk around it. After the tears I began to do what many may deem the oddest thing.

I laughed.

I laughed so hard right in the face of the enemy and told him, no matter what you and your cohorts are up to my God is greater in me than he that is in the world! And guess what? That’s you! He’s greater than all of this and He has already made a way for us to escape this. I got up and started doing some work. When I finished that I went outside and replaced an alternator on my car with my husband and rested for the rest of the night. I was tempted to fall on my face and began crying again but I refused and just confessed peace. I cannot even lie to you, this is a hard time we are living in. But you can also see it as this: an opportunity to test your faith in the Lord. Do you know the Lord says he wants to “test” our faith that it may be refined? Many times people look at testing as overcoming trials but when God speaks of testing, His saying “I want to put this gold in the fire and make it even prettier than it is. I want to make it shine so much that it radiates light!” It’s so we can get stronger, for the message to become clearer in us and that we would not easily be broken. When our faith becomes stronger we can begin to see the mountains before us fall and provisions come we never thought possible. I keep imagining the hands of Jesus in Matthew 17:24-27 holding that coin that Peter took out of that fish’s mouth. Lord if you can provide like that for your son and I am his heir you’ll take care of me too! Brothers and siters have faith! It may be your day off because of the Holiday but make sure you don’t take a day off with Him. Give Him more of your time in this hard season. Praise the Lord in the storms and laugh at the devil because he holds no power over God’s people! And when you get up you’ll begin to watch that mountain fall in the most glorious way. I believe it. Do you?

Much love

Johnnatta