Encourage One Another

Encourage One Another
Written by Felicia McKnight
5/25/2016

“But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception.” (Hebrews 3:13 HCSB)

One of things I am most passionate about is taking the time out to encourage another individual. There are so many people who are going through various trials and hardships in life. So many people find themselves in a place of struggle with sin and trying to do the right thing. Many struggle to live the righteous life God called each of us to live. So many struggle daily with depression, and not knowing how to see the positive in circumstances. People struggle to stand on God’s promises in hopeless situations. People struggle with the hurt and pain from loss of loved ones. People struggle with the devastation of job loss. People struggle in their singleness and in their marriage. God has called us to encourage one another when we see another brother or sister who stands in need. When we are encouraging to others we are an extension of God in that person’s life.

I will say it again and probably a few more times I LOVE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE!!!!!!! It’s a spiritual gift God has given me. I pray for opportunities to present themselves and often God will place individuals on my heart to pray for them and to reach out to them in some capacity. Some of my favorite things to do is to send personal prayers, notes of encouragement, a scripture, or a song. Sometimes God will put it on my heart to send a card or do something unique that caters to that individual’s needs. Sometimes some things seem strange to me, but those strange moments usually turn out to be more of a blessing to that individual than I could have imagined. I recall just last week someone was sharing what they were going through. I had a book that I was halfway through reading. As they shared their story all I could think about was this book. I pulled my book mark out and gave it to them with a word of encouragement. There was a joy for me in seeing that person excited and them saying they were about to spend all weekend reading it.

Proverbs 11: 25 says , “those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed”. There is a reward that comes with encouraging someone. When I pray for a young mother facing eviction and she lets me know a few days later that God sent the resources to pay her rent there is a refreshing in that answered prayer. When I pray for someone who is struggling and a few days later they are back on the right path there is a refreshing in that persons deliverance. When I send a text message, e-mail, or some type of communication and the recipient says that was right on time, they needed it. There is a refreshing in meeting someone at their point of need. When you put a smile on someone’s face who hasn’t been able to smile in weeks there is a refreshing. When you not knowingly spared someone from taking the next steps to suicide there is a refreshing in knowing God used me to spare someone’s life. There is a joy that comes from pouring into others that only God can give. I love being an encourager!

Sometimes there is a tangible blessing that comes from refreshing others. I’ve had so many times someone will surprisingly pay for my meal or bless me with a gift out of the blue. Usually there is a “thank you for that time you….” sentence attached to it. So many times I don’t recall what I did or didn’t realize I was encouraging that person when I did whatever I did. However, it lets me know that I am just naturally operating in my calling and my purpose. And when individuals let me know how God has been at work in their lives by providing feedback or a thank you it is an encouragement to me to know nothing I’ve done has been in vain or strange and that God is working.

Now don’t be mistaken. I never give to receive. My reward is always in knowing someone was blessed by my gesture. Whether their prayer was answered, their breakthrough and deliverance took place, a person was prevented from having and carrying out suicidal thoughts or it just put a smile on their face in their darkest season I am blessed in knowing God used me to refresh and encourage one of His children. The glory always goes to God for his purpose being carried out in planting a seed of hope.

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” (Proverbs 27:17 NLT)

God needs all of us to pour into each other. Someone needs you to be their light. If you are going through your own difficulty I encourage you to find a way to bless someone else. Even if it’s with what you think may be too small or simple. It will take your mind off of your circumstances. And in return you will receive a joy for being a blessing to someone else. Flower and vegetation seeds are tiny when they are planted in dark soil, but they produce a bountiful harvest in season. What you plant in someone’s life today in their darkest time can manifest into something beyond what you could ever pray for or imagine.

I always end by saying “Be Blessed and Be Encouraged.” However, today I end by saying BE A BLESSING AND AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO SOMEONE ELSE!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for the individuals you place in our lives who plant seeds of healing and hope to get us delivered, healed, and guidance to walk into our destiny. Place someone on each of our hearts today that we can pay it forward by planting a seed of encouragement into their life. In Jesus Name. Amen

Encouragement From a Single Mother

Encouragement From a Single Mother
Written by Felicia McKnight
5/11/2016

Genesis 21:14-16
So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba. 15 And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the shrubs. 16 Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, “Let me not see the death of the boy.” So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept.

Being a mother is one of the toughest jobs in the world, but being a “single” mom brings on a whole new meaning to motherhood. As I read the story of Hagar I thought about my own journey as a single mother and one of my biggest fears has always been provision.

In the story of Hagar, Abraham sent Hagar and their son Ishmael on their way to survive on their own with a child support payment in the form of bread and a skin of water. Eventually those resources ran out and Hagar went off alone and wept, because like many of us single mom’s we hurt when we can’t provide for our kids as we want. When they need something like clothes, shoes, or want to be in an activity that you can’t afford on your own income it hurts not to be able to provide and it’s unfortunate when you can’t rely on the other parent to do their part. There is a sense of helplessness when you want to have the best for your child, but there is only so much your budget will allow. There’s a sense of helplessness when they need something for school or an activity, but you just can’t afford it. There’s a sense of helplessness when the $5 for the field trip and the cost to send a lunch is your last until pay day. There’s a sense of helplessness to a mother when we can’t give our children what they need and that little extra that they want. This is the position Hagar found herself in. She was limited on resources and grieved not knowing how she would provide for her child.

Mothers go through difficult times and we are careful not to allow our children to see the tears we shed in those helpless moments. We are our kids hero’s. In their little hearts and minds we are super hero’s to them. We always save the day. If only they could see behind the supermom cape they would know we have to rely on another power source to give us strength each day. Like Superman (or superwoman) we have to go into that little telephone booth called the prayer closet and cry out to God from time to time. In verse 15 Hagar went off into a distance and wept. She cried out to God.

The beauty of this story is that God heard Hagar’s tears and He hears your tears too single mother. The right thing is that the other parent should have been there to help raise and provide for their son, but that’s not always the case. Unfortunately men and women have their own selfish reasons for not wanting to be a part of their children’s lives. As mother’s we love unconditionally. Even if we lost our job or source of income we will still do what we have to do to ensure our children are taken care of. Even if that means going off to a solitary place to cry out to God and trusting in Him.

“Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink.” (Genesis 21:19)

Just like God heard Hagar he hears the heart of every single mother who has to bare the weight of parenting on her own. Whether it’s through divorce, death, or having a baby out of wedlock God still hears you and He provides. After Hagar opened her eyes there was a well of water to nourish her son. God answered her prayer and sent the provision Hagar needed for her family.

I took my troubles to the LORD; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer. (Psalm 120:1 NLT)

What God desires for us is not to keep our eyes on the problem or the lack, but to keep our eyes focused on Him. He is Jehovah Jireh! The finances may not come from where you think they should come from, but God will provide. He is the ultimate source and who we should always depend on for assistance.

I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth! (Psalm 121:1-2 NLT)

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19 NLT)

I’ve seen this in my own life as I’ve raised my daughter for 16 years now. God has never let us go without. There have been numerous times where I wasn’t able to make a way on my own. I have been in tears and the prayer closet holding disconnection notices with 24 hours to figure it out that no one knew about. I’ve faced car repossession. All I can say is “But God!” God always showed up and my daughter and I have never lacked any thing. When it looked impossible, God showed up! When I couldn’t afford for her to do various activities God always put us on the heart of someone to bless us. Over the years God has sent a village that has played a vital role in my child’s life. I praise God for that village and for sending them.

Once I was young, and now I am old.
Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned
or their children begging for bread. (Psalm 37:25 NLT)

I wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all Mothers. I send encouragement to the single mother and to any mother who finds herself in a season of struggle and lack right now. Be encouraged in knowing that you are not alone and that God is with you to give you the wisdom, guidance, and provision you need to successfully raise up a child or children. Continue to always keep your eyes on the hills from where your help comes from (Psalm 121:1). Know that our Heavenly Father sees you, your child and your family’s needs. He is never a moment late and will always send you a helping hand. May God continually bless you. Be encouraged!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for entrusting us to be parents to the children you have blessed us with. When we find our family in a season of lack and struggle help us to keep our eyes on you for our help and provision. Bless every mother represented here today. Give her the wisdom to train up her children in a way you desire us. Be our strength in our times of weakness. Father send provision when we stand in need. Lord, as mother’s we always want what’s best for our kids and we desire for them to have more growing up than we did. We pray that you will bless our children’s lives. Guide them to be the men and women of God you predestined them to be. We pray they will not allow obstacles to get in their way when they want to pursue their goals. Lord, meet every need for our children whether they are babies on up to adults. Bless them and send forth provision in all of our lives. Help us to always trust in You to walk by faith and not by sight knowing You will provide as you have promised in Your word. In Jesus Name. Amen

Feevotional Nuggets

 

Feevotional Nuggets

Written by Felicia McKnight

8/6/15

This week I decided to do something different by keeping it short and sweet. Below are a few scriptures and a word of encouragement to compliment God’s word. My prayer is that there is something here that will minister to you and give you something to meditate on for a little bit.

Exodus 15:26

“If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”

Sin brings destruction in our lives, but when we obey God and follow His commands He can restore and heal those areas sin destroyed.

Genesis 19:26

But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

Don’t let looking back at the past jeopardize the future God is bringing you into. Remain focused on your destiny and the direction God is leading you.

Isaiah 45:2

‘I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron.

Stand on God’s promises. Today things may not be as you desire them to be. You can rest assure God is faithful to His children. Continue to trust and stand on God’s word and watch Him make every crooked place in your life line up with His perfect will.

Isaiah 45:3

I will give you hidden treasures,     riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord,     the God of Israel, who summons you by name.

God is working on things behind the scenes. When He releases those hidden treasures in your life you will not be disappointed. We go through things and we wait, but God is working on amazing things to blow your mind. You will know that nobody but God did it.

Colossians 3:1-2

So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.

If you are truly serious about living a life pleasing to Christ then keep your eyes focused and gazed on Him. Keeping your eyes on things above means knowing God’s word. Know what God’s word says about your circumstances and your lifestyle. See things from God’s perspective. From God’s perspective you are chosen. You are a royal priesthood. You belong to a Holy nation. You are forgiven. You are loved. You no longer think like the world things nor do you conform to the ways of the world. You are victorious. You are more than a conqueror. Greater is He (God) that is in you then he that is in the world. You are an overcomer. No weapon formed against you shall prosper. No good thing will God withhold from those whose walk is blameless. He will supply all your needs. His word will not return to Him void and will accomplish what it has been sent out to do. God loves you so much that He gave His only son for you. You are the apple of His eye. Seeing things from God’s perspective changes the way you see things in your life and your circumstances.

Be Blessed and Encouraged!

Book Review: Lost & Found: Finding Hope in the Detours of Life by Sarah Jakes

Book Review: Lost & Found: Finding Hope in the Detours of Life by Sarah Jakes
Written by Felicia McKnight
10/31/2014

Sarah Jakes, daughter of Bishop T.D. Jakes, has written the memoirs of her young life. She tells her journey of how she wanted a life of love and happiness. She struggled to connect with the church and with God by allowing Him to lead her to her destiny. Sarah Jakes set out on a self-directed journey. Instead of finding her way to a fairy tale lifestyle she found her way to several dark places.

As a teenager Sarah wanted love and a sense of belonging. She wanted someone to talk to but couldn’t find anyone she could relate to at the age thirteen with the issues she was dealing with. As she set off on her journey of finding hope she ended up in the wrong places. She found herself pregnant at thirteen, a mother at fourteen, didn’t complete college, rejected, settling for less than God’s best, and a marriage full of infidelity which ended in divorce.

As I read this book I was engaged in every page and encouraged, because it is a very transparent story that we don’t often see enough of in the church. As I read her story and her mishaps I was able to see some of my own mistakes that I’ve made along life’s journey. It’s amazing how things look when you are on the outside looking in yet you can totally relate. I found myself thinking at some of her story lines “I did the same thing or I’ve been in the same situation”, but thank God for a God of grace who can steer us to the right path.

As I reflect on Sarah’s story I think of so many of God’s children who look for love and acceptance everywhere except to God himself. We tend to look to people, relationships, drugs, alcohol, lifestyles, and poor choices all for love, acceptance, and validation when these are all things God has promised us through salvation. When we stray from God He gives us plenty of warnings and open doors to get on to the right path. We often can get so caught up that we miss God in his multiple attempts of deliverance. We continue to make mistake after mistake and wrong choice after wrong choice. I’ve learned in my own life and in the observation of others that we cannot receive complete deliverance until we want it for ourselves. People can fast, pray, encourage, and lecture us until they are blue in the face, but nothing will happen until your own mind is made up that you want change. The first step to God’s grace is realizing when you’ve had enough of things going wrong and enough rock bottoms. It’s when you realize that you can’t live a life of self-sufficiency, but you need the guidance and power of an all sufficient God. Sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom or stripping us to nothing for God to get our complete and total attention so that He can lead us back on the path He has in store.

This is where grace comes in. Before we can receive God’s grace we first have to admit that we’ve messed up and that we are in such a low place that God is the only one who can bring us out. We have to acknowledge our faults to God. The wonderful thing about God is He was there all along patiently waiting for us to return to Him. God is a God of restoration and He can restore the souls and the lives of His children. Sarah Jakes who found herself in several places of darkness is now sharing her redemptive story not only in this book, but in various speaking engagements and platforms across this nation.

• If you have ever been so lost that you tried to find your way instead of relying on God….
• If you ever allowed yourself to be mistreated by someone and mistook it for love….
• If you have ever reflected on the mistakes you have made and wondered if life could ever be better…
• If you ever wondered who you would have been if you would have made better lifestyle choices or career choices…
• If you have ever wondered if your destiny was blocked by your poor choices….

Then this book is for you. Sarah Jakes experienced all of these but now she is a living testimony that if you will yield yourself and surrender to God and allow Him to perform His perfect will in your life, then you can receive all the wonderful things He has in store. Your mistakes are not in vain. God can turn your mess into a miracle. He can turn your mishaps into a testimony that can help others overcome and lead them to a place of hope, restoration, and destiny. We have all had places in life where we have been lost, but there is a redemptive place to be found. God is just waiting for us to turn and surrender ALL to Him.

Thank you Sarah Jakes for being transparent and sharing your story! Be Blessed and Encouraged on today.

I’m Praying for You!

Ephesians 1:16-17 NIV
“I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.”

I’m Praying For You
Today’s devotional is to simply say “I’m praying for you.” When I started this devotional I did so because I love God’s word. I love to read it and see what God has to say. I love taking those interpretations and sharing it with others in hopes that they receive an encouraging word for their life. I was encouraged by two women to start a blog. I prayed and stepped out on faith and thus the birth of Feevotionals. My stats tell me how many followers I have, however, each week when I hit submit I have no clue how many people will actually open their e-mails. I have no clue how many of the messages are forwarded to others who are not weekly followers. I have no clue who actually reads the message unless you tell me, but all that doesn’t matter to me. What matters to me is that the few or many who read each week are enlightened by God’s word. I know what it’s like to go through things. I know what it’s like to feel hopeless. I know what’s it like to need a jump start to be driven to read God’s word and to pray. I know what it’s like to just need a word from God to get me through the day or the week. I know what it is like to need God to speak and to receive an e-mail that said exactly what I needed to hear or it gave me the confirmation I needed.

It is my hope that those who read this receive a word from God to meet their present needs and it is my hope that those who read this receive a word from God that draws you into a closer relationship with him. Each week before I hit submit I pray for you, I pray that if you need to hear a word that you are prompted to open the e-mail and share it with someone else who needs a word. If you accidently stumbled on this message it’s not by accident that you did. It’s because I was praying for you. No, I don’t have to know your situation, but God does! I let you know today that I am praying for you because sometimes it is a blessing to know that somebody is praying for you! When you go through your day in need of encouragement just remember I am praying for you!

I would like to pause and thank those of you who have been praying for me and your words of encouragement. Thank you for those who stop me when they see me to say how blessed they were by a message. Thank you for those who call me, text, me or send me an e-mail. I love hearing from you so keep the feedback coming. You can contact me at the links below or e-mail me directly at feevotionals@outlook.com. I appreciate all of your words of encouragement as they remind me that these devotionals are not in vain and that my prayers are being answered.

God bless every reader, doer, and sharer of this word. Be blessed and Be Encouraged! Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,
Felicia McKnight

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” (Philippians 1:9-10)

Prayer
Father, today I thank you for Feevotionals! Thank you for blessing me with a gift that I can unselfishly share with others. Each week you give me a message and I have no clue who the message will reach or whose life it will touch. I am thankful that you are all knowing and you know exactly who needs to hear a word from you. Each week when I hit the “submit” button I pray for every reader who reads the devotional whether it is today or next week or next year that they will receive the spirit of wisdom and revelation from you. I pray for those who are not followers that they will receive an unexpected word from you. It’s not by accident that they received a word, but it is all by your doing. Enlighten every reader to be drawn to you in a deeper way and meet all of their needs as only you know how. Strengthen them to not only be a reader of the word but to be a doer of the word. In Jesus name. Amen

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LIVE!

Happy Birthday Felicia!

Ezekiel 16:6
“Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay here in your blood I said to you, “LIVE”! I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew up and developed and became the most beautiful of jewels.”

LIVE!
On this day last year I recall doing what I do every year on October 23rd. After thanking God for another year I typically will reflect on what transpired the last 365 days and pray on what I hope for on the next 365 days. A year ago I had no clue of the whirl wind my life was about to take or that it would be the last time Aunt Glenda would call to wish me a Happy Birthday.

Yep, you guessed it….today is my birthday! As I reflect on the past 365 days I see myself as the baby the writer refers to. I was that person having to deal with the unpleasant blows that life brings. In all of the darkness and the pain God reminded me to “LIVE!” By definition live means to have life or to continue to have life. During my season God sent earthly angels to keep me encouraged. They prayed and pointed me back to scriptures that dealt with my current circumstances. God used them as messengers to give me godly counsel. Their actions were telling me to “LIVE!” and that all was not over or lost.

“I made you grow like a plant….”
I learned a valuable life lesson over the past 365 days. Trials have a purpose. As the class I am taking refers to it, my nest was being stirred. For me the nest stirring caused me to grow spiritually. I read more scripture, watched more sermons, and prayed like I’ve never prayed before. I did what I had to do to LIVE! My seasons stirred up spiritual growth. My trials brought about things God wanted to accomplish in my life. They lead me to having to jump on God’s agenda and not my own

“You grew up and developed and became the most beautiful of jewels.”
In a recent sermon that I heard the Pastor informed us that “God was about to do something supernatural in someone’s life that we know that it might increase our faith.” Today I declare I am that testimony to you. One of the jewels birthed from the stirring is Feevotionals. My weekly devotions are a testimony that what looked like a mess in the beginning of the year has developed into the most beautiful of jewels. God is not a God of one blessing, but many blessings as doors (yes, plural) have swung open in my life. Today is truly a happy birthday as I reflect on God’s powerful glory being revealed in my personal life. I love the words to Whitney Houston’s song, “I didn’t know my own strength”:

“I didn’t know my own strength
And I crashed down and I tumbled, but I did not crumble
I got through all the pain
I didn’t know my own strength
Survived my darkest hour, my faith kept me alive
I picked myself back up, hold my head up high
I was not built to break
I didn’t know my own strength
Found hope in my heart
I found the light to life my way out of the dark
Found all that I need here inside of me” ~Whitney Houston

For those of you that find yourself in that whirlwind of life right now and your nest has been stirred….if you are in a place of darkness….if you don’t know why all of this is happening to you…I want to remind you there is a purpose in your season. Continue to pray, stand on God’s promises, and know that it is all working for your good! When you come out you are going to look back and realize how strong of a person you really are as you breathe a sigh of relief in your survival. This is only a season and all of us who have been called by God will have one. As I gladly say good-bye to one chapter in my life and gracefully strut my way into a new chapter I say to you “LIVE!” You were not built to break. Be blessed and encouraged!

Prayer:
Lord, today I’m rejoicing and thanking you for another year of life. Thank you for every trial and every storm that occurred over the past 365 days. Thank you that all of the hurt, all of the pain, all of the darkness had a greater purpose so that I can pour into my amazing followers to keep them encouraged and to remind them to LIVE! Bless every soul reading this message and grant them all that they stand in need of. Amen.

~Written by Felicia McKnight~

Song: Whitney Houston – “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength” (Click Here)

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