Who is it by Cindy H. Reed

My doorbell rang. Surprised because I wasn't expecting anyone today, I go to answer. I peeped through the window and saw a man standing on the other side of my door. I asked, "Who is it"?

The voice replied, "Its Satan". Confused as to why he'd come to my door, I said, "I can't help you here". He replied, "I have a gift for you". Keep in mind, I'm speaking to him through the door. I said, "I don't want anything from you, I'm a child of God". He said, "Yes, I know but this gift was specifically designed with you in mind and it has an expiration date on it". He said, "I wanted to deliver it myself".

The curious part of me asked, "What is it"? He said, "It’s a basket full of lemons". I replied with, "I don't want it and I'm allergic to too much citrus". He replied, "Oh, this won't harm you. It’s actually good for you to have a few lemons from time to time. I'm sure you know the old saying, "When life brings you lemons, make lemonade - right"? Well, these lemons are specially grown for you. The lemonade will open your eyes and help you to see things from a different perspective.

I replied with, "Leave me Satan, I don't want anything from you. I am a child of God and there's nothing that you can do for me here or anywhere. I said I don't make lemonade; when I thirst, God quenches me. This house is a Holy home and you are not wanted here. Go back to the pits of hell, where you came from because there will be no lemonade or sour grapes up in this house. And by the way - I see very clear, thank you."

He replied with, "Are you sure"? I said, "Totally" and I walked away from the door.

Imagine Satan trying to tempt me and undo what God has done. After getting over the fact that he had the nerve, the audacity, to ring my doorbell, I sat and asked myself why? What made him reach out to me? I quickly found my answer. I was feeling a little under the weather today, a couple of unexpected setbacks came my way but I never thought I was at any point and time, doubting what God promised He’d do for me. Satan got it wrong but I guess that’s what he does when you’re feeling a little blue; he’ll come from the pits of hell and make an appearance and the next thing you’re doing is justifying why he makes sense. Satan never makes sense if you’re faithfully in the Word and faithfully following the Lord.

Well, never questioning my Heavenly Father, I decided to show Satan that he has no place on my journey. I decided that since I had to run an errand, that I’d show him that God’s got me, that there’s no room for question or doubt. I went into my beauty salon – “La Boutique Beauty” (my bathroom) – lol and cut my hair, put on my makeup, to show that deadbeat that I am a child of God and not to mess with me. God’s got me, will always have me and I will always remain humbly faithful in HIM, the one and ONLY True God!

Peace,

Cindy*

No More Talking, Just Action by Cindy H. Reed

Giving honor to God, I’d like to thank Him for this wonderful opportunity to speak today.

Let us pray. Father God, we gather together on this call tonight because of your grace and mercy. We want to say thank you. Thank you for all the blessings you’ve bestowed upon us and all that are yet to come. Thank you, in Jesus name – Amen.

I was approached to speak tonight because of my company – “Cindy’s Simple Pleasures, LLC”. I’m humbled by that but I see an opportunity to showcase something more Dear to me and that’s my love for my Heavenly Father. I have no speaking qualifications – no degree in theology. I’m just a New York girl who loves the Lord.

Focusing on tonight’s theme: “No More Talking, Just Action”, I’d like to speak to you from my heart, and about who I know best, and that would be me.

2016 is a time for action and change. Procrastination is our friend when we’re faced with something we don’t feel like doing. We’ll put it off for later, tomorrow, next week, next year; we’ll put it off. Remember the saying, “Don't put off until tomorrow what can and should be done today.”

How many of us have a daily agenda or to do list that we continue moving that one thing we really don’t want to do, over to the next day and the next day and so on? Procrastination at its finest.

Every New Year, people make New Year’s Resolutions, promises to one’s self that you’re going to finally do it “this time, this year” but how many listeners know that’s really not a true reality?

If we become more faith based and more Christ like, we don’t need New Year’s Resolutions – that for the most part, never work.

The Simple Truth is that with God, All things are possible so we as a people need to put our trust in Him, and once we commit our souls to believe that all things are possible through Him – they’ll be no need to make New Year’s Resolutions, they’ll be no room for procrastination. All we need is the faith of a mustard seed.

For all those that don’t know my story, I’ll give you that abbreviated version. My Grandfather, who was a Preacher, laid hands on me at age 13. He asked the Lord for a blessing on my life, to which God delivered. I ran from calling all my young adult life. I ran from the Lord calling me out to do something. I didn’t know what that something was and I always felt, I wasn’t ready.

I’d been running and putting off God and His blessings for my life that finally, I got tired and with the encouragement of my husband, I decided to stop running. I decided it was time to stop telling folks that God wanted me to do something and how I wasn’t ready. I decided to stop Talking and take Action!
That step to stop running and take action, changed my life dramatically, as it will with yours.

Putting on the armor of God will afford us the bravery needed to do all thing in Him. With that being said, I’d like to challenge every listener tonight to put on the armor of God and walk into your purpose. Make 2016 your year of change and sustenance and allow God’s blessings to shower down on you. 

Thank you.

Cindy*

Cluttered Closet by Cindy H. Reed

Today’s message is about “your” Cluttered Closet.  Giving praise and honor to our Heavenly Father, let us thank Him today for bringing us into another year.  Let’s thank Him for our Health and prosperity. 

As we enter into a new year, let’s not bring the baggage from the old year along with us.  We cannot change the past so we live in the present and prepare for the future.  

Today is the fourth day of January 2016.  Let’s do a little bit of self-reflection.  What about you needs to be removed because it serves no Godly purpose?  Are you storing resentment, negativity, or discontentment?  Do you have a problem with telling the truth, and starting gossip?  Are you an instigator, procrastinator, or lazy?  Do you lack humility?  Are you vain, disrespectful, and always right?  Do you have bad habits?

Take a deep look inside yourself and see if anything that isn’t of God, you see in you.  If you find one thing that’s not pleasing in His sight – remove it and put it in your cluttered closet.  Pray – Father God, I see these things within me that I no longer want.  I ask your blessings that you remove these things from me to make me a better person.  In Jesus name, Amen.  It’s really just that simple.  Pray to the Father and have Faith that He will answer.

Don’t bring 2015 clutter into 2016.  Make a change to do better, be better; live better, love better.  Make it your mission to live a more Christ-like life.  It’s easy to fall into the negativity of life; listening to the gossip or starting it.  Make a choice today to live differently than you have been.  If you’ve been living a Christ-like life – Amen and Praise God!  But if you haven’t been, then this message is for you.  

Remove those things within you that isn’t Christ-like and throw it in your Cluttered Closet and Close the Door!  Leave those things in your past as you walk into a new year! Make a choice today to be a better person; to focus on the positive things in life.  Make a choice today to remove all that isn’t good within you and replace it with love and kindness.  If you do these things, trust me, you will feel better about yourself.  You will have a new voice.  You will have peace.  Your walk will be different.  Your vision enhanced because you will now see things differently.  

Remember, remove all that isn’t pleasing in God’s sight and throw it into that cluttered closet; close the door and throw away the key.  Make today the day for a change. 

God bless and peace!

Cindy*

Brush Your Tongue with a Purpose in Mind by Cindy H. Reed

I’m sure that at one point and time in your life, you’ve heard the phrase “I’m going to wash your mouth out with soap."  Even if it was never said to you, I’m sure you heard it stated.  That statement comes from someone believing that a child said or might say something that wasn’t appropriate.

Did you know that you should brush your “tongue” every time you brush your teeth?  Do you know the “scientific” reasoning behind it?  If not, Google it.  J  I’m here to talk to you about the “spiritual” meaning behind it.  

The tongue has a very important role.  Without it, you cannot speak.  With it, you have a choice on what you speak.  The tongue can cut, manipulate, deceive, and destroy, amongst many other negative things.  It can praise, sing, testify, preach, and teach, amongst other positive things.

Within our mouth, each one of us has the power to control the negative and the positive.  With the tongue, God has given us free will to make choices that either do harm or good.  The choice is ours. 

My message today comes from the reminder I get when brushing my teeth and I wanted to share that with you.  As I brush my teeth, I am reminded from time to time to brush my tongue.  I’m not always reminded and when I’m not, I do it anyway.  God knows me and He knows me well and He knows what I’m going to do and say before I do.  I get subtle reminders from time to time to brush my tongue.  Those reminders say one and one thing only to me.  Brush your tongue as a reminder that you watch what you say today.  Let this act that starts off your day, remind you that you should clean your tongue so that you are mindful of what you allow to roll off of it.

Folks, if each of us takes that message/reminder to heart, we’ll do a lot less hurting to one another and more uplifting of one another.  Instead of cutting each other down, we’ll build each other up.  We’ll start our day off with a certain kind of holiness to do the right thing because we’ve cleansed our tongue of anything foul that shouldn’t be.  Germs removed that can cause havoc, not only inside our mouths but cause havoc with what we allow to leave our mouths.  A lot can be transferred by way of the tongue. 

So each morning when brushing your teeth; if you don’t already do this, think of the Lord our God and brush your tongue with Him in mind.  Brush it and make it your daily reminder that you’re cleansing your tongue today to honor Him.  Allow yourself to start your day off trying to do the right thing.  Remember that the foul language that you let leave your mouth will have a negative impact on you later; in one way, shape or form. 

Present positivity.  Psalm 19:14

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Have a very blessed day today family.  One love in Christ.  Let’s stand together.  

Love, Cindy*

Somebody Prayed for Me by Cindy H. Reed

Good morning family.  It’s with great honor that I’m here today amongst the living.  Today is my birthday and I’m happy to say that I’m 51.  This time last year, I was crying my eyes out for turning 50.  I felt that that number represented “old” and even though I didn’t feel old or feel I looked old, I just couldn’t wrap my mind around that number.  This year, 2015, I’m proud to say I’m 51 and I no longer have a problem with the number 5 anything.  ;)

I’m writing this morning because I want to give credit where credit is due.  What better time to do that than today on my special day!  Giving thanks to my parents who raised me, who helped mold me into the lady I am today.  I also want to thank the village who stepped in, Aunts, Uncles, Neighbors, and friends that put their deposit in my bank of Cindy to help guide me and mold me.  It takes a village.

I want to address this writing – “Somebody Prayed for Me”. 

Feeling extremely blessed to be here today, I know somebody prayed for me.  Coming out of depression from having to walk away from a job I’ve known for 19 years due to the company moving; somebody prayed for me.

Making adjustments daily after stepping out on FAITH and deciding not to return to the corporate world; somebody prayed for me.  My leap of faith to relaunch my company – Cindy’s Simple Pleasures, LLC and to listen to God’s voice and direction; somebody prayed for me.

You see, working for ExxonMobil was my world.  I’d been with them for 19 years, started as a Mobil employee but God had a different plan in store for my life.  Somebody prayed for me.  Everything that happened from my last day in the office to today has been written; it was in God’s plan for my life.  Somebody prayed for me. 

I pray all the time and I prayed over my decision to either relocate with the company to Texas or remain in VA.  That wasn’t an easy decision to come to but I prayed and God delivered my answer.  I know the voice of the Lord.  I know when He answers my prayers.  I’m where I’m supposed to be.  This was in God’s plan for my life. 

Since May 2015, when I walked out of corporate headquarters, God has been doing what He does best.  He’s been working on me, preparing me to do His will.  He’s been delivering and I’ve been receiving.  Again, somebody prayed for me.  I had to go through what I went through to be where I am.  And guess what?  I’m still traveling!  I see a long road ahead but one that I’m not traveling down alone.  God is with me so I’m “all good”.  I don’t have to worry about my future, I just live in the moment and take one day at a time.  My faith is strong so I have to be quiet and wait on the Lord to deliver, in His time.  Working from home affords me the time to be quiet and listen.  Time to receive.  It affords me times like this – to write when the Spirit touches me too. 

Stepping out on faith and leaving corporate to become a full-time entrepreneur had family members concerned.  Somebody prayed for me.  I knew what God was telling me, remember, I know how to listen.  I knew this is where He wanted me so I listened and remained headstrong in making it my mission to do His will.  All while somebody prayed for me.

Life isn’t easy and nothing will be handed to us on a silver platter.  We’ve got to go out there and make things happen!  We’ve got to do twice as much, work twice as hard but that’s okay as long as the end result is in a positive category and not a negative one.  As long as we remain faithful in God Almighty and do His will if He is for us, who can be against us?  No weapon formed against me…. right?  Indeed.  ;)  Somebody prayed for me.

My morning prayers thanked God for another birthday.  I thanked him for the blessings He’s already shown me and I’ve walked in to and the ones unseen but are yet to come. 

If you get anything out of this message, I hope you get this……  Believe.  Have Faith!  “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”.  Step out on Faith today as I did and allow God to do what He does best.  Receive Him today, allow your soul to be cleansed and start living a new life in Him.  You will see that your day to day activities will change.  You will see that you not only have a new walk but a new voice.  If you want your circumstances to change, have somebody pray for you but you must allow God to step in by receiving Him today as your Lord and Savior!  Somebody prayed for me, let me pray for you!

God bless you family!  

One love,

Cindy*

The White Room by Cindy H. Reed

I had a dream that I’d like to share with you.  I need you to use your imagination to visualize what I’m about the share.  

Envision something like a child’s jungle gym.  Visualize a leaning ladder to climb up on.  In the center of this apparatus is a hanging cage that swings back and forth.  On the side of that is a ledge/platform that you must jump to, from the cage, to walk through the door at the end of the ledge/platform.

Here’s my dream…..

The room is completely white.  I couldn’t see anything but the apparatus and the door I was to get to on the other side of the room.  The dream starts out with me on the ladder.  Always afraid of heights, I was scared to climb up.  Suddenly, two young men speed up the ladder past me with ease.  They both made it seem really easy to do all the challenges to get to the other side and exit.  As I’m watching them, I’m thinking to myself, I can do this!  I “will” do this!

I climbed the ladder, jumped onto the swinging cage but fear overtook me once again when I realized I had to jump from there to the ledge.  I couldn’t see anything below me, everything was completely “white”.  I was afraid I’d fall off and I didn’t know what the outcome would be.  While sitting on this cage, I dozed off.  I awoke as my body jerked, as I was losing my grip on the cage. 

Still afraid to jump to the ledge, I hear the voice of the Lord speak to me.  The Lord told me to put my feet down and stand.  Afraid, I did what the Lord told me to do.  I didn’t know what my feet would touch, if anything, but I knew I trusted the Lord so I did as I was told.  Once I put my feet down, I stood on solid ground.  I couldn’t see it but it was there all along. 

The Lord showed me that things aren’t always what they seem to be and that if I trust Him, He won’t allow me to get hurt.  Have Faith and Stand was my message!  Stand and wait on Him!  He will see me through.  He’ll come right on time, He will deliver me.  All I have to do is STAND and have faith because, with Faith, I can do all things through Him.

In my dream, it was reinforced to me that I must “Wait on the Lord”.  “Stand”.  I must always trust that God has me covered at all times and that He won’t allow the enemy to deceive me by making me believe one thing when it’s actually another.  I must always see the supernatural through God’s eyes and remain faithful and He will continue to bless me to see things and people for what they really are.

Peace,

Cindy*