When Asses Speak!

The wise see danger ahead and avoid it,

But fools keep going and get into trouble.

Proverbs 22:3 NCV

Can you imagine conversing with an ass?  Well, that’s exactly what took place in the life of the Biblical character named Balaam.[1]  Purposefully ignoring Love’s Words, Balaam chose to stubbornly forge ahead and do something Love explicitly told him not to do.  Somewhere on the journey of deliberate disobedience, the donkey [ass] he was riding saw Something Balaam didn’t see–danger.  Due to his stubborn pride, Balaam beat his faithful donkey three times for not doing what he desired for the donkey to do which was to keep going straight in the direction of danger.  Finally Love stepped in and allowed Balaam to see exactly what the donkey had always seen–danger!  As we take a pause to reflect on Balaam’s choices and the donkey’s response, who would you say really was the foolish ass that day?

Then the Lord gave the donkey [ass] the ability to speak.

Numbers 22:28 NLT

Now let me ask you this question…Have you ever had a conversation with an ass?  No; I am not speaking of a donkey.  However, I am speaking of an individual who you may perceive to be “stupid or silly,” “obstinate or perverse”.[2]  Recently as I was reflecting on a past season of my life and some of the challenges I endured, Love revealed to me that He had been speaking to me regarding the situations the entire time.  Please know…unlike Balaam, I was not in deliberate disobedience.  However, at the time, I did not position myself to be spiritually conscious of His Voice and hear to heed the divine warnings simply because Love chose to speak through a few of the asses in my life.  Consequently, instead of hearing Him, I was looking at them.  Wrong!

       Because Love is a Master Teacher, He never desires for us to be taken by surprise, caught off guard, or walk into harm’s way.  Therefore, Love continually releases Truth with the hope and expectation that we will awaken to The Truth, then agree with The Truth, and finally come into alignment in our decisions (mental assent) and choices (faith in action) regarding The Truth.  But, during that season of my life, I got caught out there–for real!   Why?  Again, Truth was being spoken through people whose words I had grown to devalue.  Unfortunately, because I perceived certain aspects of their lifestyles to be dishonorable, I therefore found their words to be unfounded.  Again, I was wrong!

      By ignoring The Voice of Love simply because I didn’t fully approve of the person He chose to speak through caused me to endure some unnecessary pain and incur a few avoidable emotional wounds.  I had to accept The Truth that Love was always there and always speaking; I had unintentionally chosen not to honor His Voice.[3]

      Today, I encourage you to learn from my unfortunate and unwise choice to ignore and dismiss The Words that Love was speaking to me simply because of how I viewed the vehicle of communication.  I sure have!  Again, had I recognized Love’s Voice coming through certain asses in my life, the consequential pain experienced could have been avoided.  Choose to embrace the revelation that Love still speaks through asses, and the one(s) speaking to you right now may very well be Love’s chosen mouthpiece of Truth.  Always remember, regardless of the deliverer or even the style of presentation, Love desires your success and He just might use an ass to get you there.

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[1] Numbers 22

[2] Webster’s New World Dictionary (Cleveland:  Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2003), p .38.

   Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary.  (Merriam-Webster, Inc., 1990), p. 108. 

[3] Hebrews 13:5 AMP

© 2012 Julianne Pearson

__________________________________________________________________

Julianne Pearson is an Author, Relationship Strategist, Speaker and Trainer.  She is the Co-Founder of the LĪVE! movement, a speaking, training and coaching organization committed to developing extraordinary people, families, and businesses. Through her books, seminars and training workshop sessions, she empowers her readers and listeners to rise up to their first level of consciousness in order to advance the Kingdom of God on this earth.

Contact: yourlifeislive@gmail.com

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My Mother's Legacy: A Transgenerational Blessing

It was Father’s Day 2011, and Bishop T.D. Jakes called all of the fathers close to the front of the church like a mighty warrior galvanizing his troops.  In honor of their special day, Bishop Jakes spoke Words of Wisdom that possessed the potential to edify, encourage, strengthen, and uplift every father who had an ear to hear and a willing heart to receive.  Although I am not able to recollect everything he stated, there is one Morsel of Wisdom that trip-wired my mental processes.  This sudden arrest sent me on a quest for deeper understanding of a very painful experience that happened nearly thirty years prior.  Sitting there, I inquired of Love–with respectful, earnest passion–to bring the clarification and explanation my aching heart so desperately needed.  And as usual, in Divine Fashion, Love’s Revelation brought a Peace that immediately calmed the vicious storm of my bewildered emotions and anchored me in the Truth of His Grace and Mercy from that point until now.  Please let me explain.

      The particular Morsel of Wisdom that caused me to take pause was when Bishop Jakes admonished the fathers to run their race of life with diligence, loving and obeying God with the assurance that they (the fathers who hearkened) would reap a bountiful harvest for those seeds of faith.  It’s not that I didn’t believe These Words, I certainly do; however, my finite mind desired to know what actually happened in my biological mother’s life and what happened to her harvest.

      You see…my mother suddenly transitioned from this life at the young age of 38.  At the time, she had only been married to my father for 13 years and was the mother of four beautiful children, ranging from the ages of 5 to 13 years old.  According to my late grandmother Leila (her mother who transitioned in 2008), Mary (my mother) was the most obedient child out of her eight children.  Therefore, since the Word Bishop spoke is Truth, what happened to my mother’s harvest for her obedient life of faith?

      It was as if Love had been waiting for this moment, the moment I would seek Him for The Answer, the very moment I would be in a posture to receive His Words of Comfort that were designed to illuminate every single dark corner of uncertainty.  Before I could finish the mental calisthenics of jumping from one question to the next, Love whispered…

    Juli, I am One with My Word; 

and My Word will NOT return void. 

Your Mother did reap a harvest for her life of obedience. 

It covered you UNTIL you woke the Heaven up!

      There I sat with tears rolling down my face as I allowed the healing balm of LOVE’s Words to penetrate every broken place within my heart.  My mother’s life of love, faith, and obedience carried a “transgenerational blessing”–covering me for sixteen years, two months, and three days! 

     

Remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother [Leila] and 

your mother, [Mary].

And I know that same faith continues strong in you.

1 Timothy 1:5 NLT, [my emphasis]

      From the time I was thirteen years old until the age of 29; I was held captive by satan, living a life of total rebellion due to unaddressed hurts and wounds.[1]  Now as I frequently reflect for inner peace, I am bound by gratitude for I know it is nothing but the Grace of God that I’m even still alive (breathing) and living (sane and Purpose-driven)!  Trust me, it isn’t because I’m perfect; however, it is all because I’m Purposed by God and my mother’s life of love, faith, and obedience that has kept me “beyond until”.[2]

      From that 1998 November night until I take my last breath, I’ve Purposed to honor my children and grandchildren to the thousandths of generations with a “transgenerational blessing” as well.[3]  Too often we, as parents, can be tricked into a spirit of selfishness, self-centeredness, and self-absorption, which causes us to be ignorant of the Truth that nothing we do is insignificant.  The Truth is; every single choice we make carries far reaching spiritual ramifications.  Simply put, our choices have consequences or results–good or bad, victory or defeat, and life or death–for those who follow behind us.

How did my mother, Mary get this great a faith?

      Did you guess her mother, Leila? If so, you are correct!  From my own personal experience, my Grandma Bostick loved the Lord with all of her heart, soul, mind, and strength.[4]  My Aunts tell me, My Grandma Bostick prayed every single night, for every single person God gave her which often took hours to fulfill such an assignment.  And yet, for my Grandmother the sacrifice of time meant absolutely nothing compared to the eternal blessing that was attached to every single prayer–the “transgenerational blessing.”

      Therefore, in honor of Mother’s Day 2012, parents–fathers and mothers, spiritual or natural–I implore you to run your race of life with all diligence.  There are generations coming through you who are counting on you to run well.  Therefore, stand up and mark out a path for your feet.  So when your descendants arrive on earth’s scene, though they may be weak at times, they will not fall, but will be made strong.[5]  Why?  All because you sowed a life of love, faith, and obedience which has a guaranteed harvest–a “transgenerational blessing.” 

      Be confident of This Truth:  one day you will hear your descendants rise up and call you blessed.[6]  However, until then…fight the good fight of faith and rest in the Applause of Heaven![7]  It’s worth the life saved.  For I am the living proof!   

      Love, thank you for hearing my heart and Being The Answer before I even called.[8]

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[1] 2 Timothy 2:25, 26

[2] Al Pearson.  Al-ism 2012. 

[3] Deuteronomy 5:9, 10

[4] Mark 12:30, 31

[5] Hebrews 12:12, 13

[6] Proverbs 31:28

[7] 2 Timothy 4:6-8

[8] Isaiah 65:24

© 2012 Julianne Pearson

__________________________________________________________________

Julianne Pearson is an Author, Relationship Strategist, Speaker and Trainer.  She is the Co-Founder of the LĪVE! movement, a speaking, training and coaching organization committed to developing extraordinary people, families, and businesses. Through her books, seminars and training workshop sessions, she empowers her readers and listeners to rise up to their first level of consciousness in order to advance the Kingdom of God on this earth.

Contact: yourlifeislive@gmail.com

Enjoy more of the MOVEMENT! 

Join our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/theLIVEmovement 

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Hear, Heed, and Heal

Before I was afflicted I went astray,

but now Your Word do I keep

[hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying It].   

Psalms 119:67 AMP

      On Good Friday of 2012, my daughter and I had the privilege of participating in a solemn assembly called “The Esther Call” spearheaded by the ministry of Lou Engle.  The purpose of this time of corporate prayer, praise, and worship was to petition Love to forgive us and heal our land from the insidious damage of Roe vs. Wade–the legalization of abortion.  By being post-abortive, my purpose for attending the event was to receive a deeper level of healing for the pro-choice decision I made approximately 22 years ago.  However, as usual Love had a Purpose and Plan of His Own that was “exceeding abundantly above all I could ask or think”.[1]  Allow me to share with you one of the life-changing moments I experienced during the very first few hours of the days events.  Looking back, I’m uncertain of exactly what was taking place; however, I do remember hearing Love softly speak these Words to me…

If My Word was honored, It [My Word]

would heal all societal-ills.

      In that moment, I began to allow That Word to be a mirror and reflect The Truth of how several choices I have made has caused unnecessary pain, hurt, and injury that would have otherwise been avoided if I had honored His Word.  Truth be told, currently I am still dealing with the adverse affects of disrespecting and devaluing The Word of Love as the Final Authority in my life–void of opinions and absent of circumstances. 

            Everything's falling apart on me, God;

put me together again with Your Word.

Psalms 119:107 MSG

      For instance, if I had valued Love’s Word some 25 years ago, I would have believed The Truth that I was already “accepted in the Beloved,” and therefore, refrained from attempting to get a legitimate need of Love met illegitimately through pre-marital sex.[2]  Therefore, as a single woman, if I had chosen a life of purity, I would have never experienced the heart-wrenching affects of rejection, abuse, unscheduled pregnancies, the abortion predicament as well as the emotional turmoil and the mental torment that lingers long after such a pernicious action.  Additionally, from a financial perspective, in the previous decades if I had honored Love as My Provider as well as valued Love’s Word to “owe no man nothing but Love,” at the loss of full-time employment in 2001 and when our business was re-structured in 2008, both times causing a significant reduction in our monthly income, my family and I would never have been vulnerable to the threats of repossession, foreclosure, defaulting of student loans, or even the harassing, incessant calls of creditors. [3]

      Therefore, it’s been through the experiences of these personal-ills that I’ve learned what may initially seem to offer a level of freedom, eventually leads to a deeper degree of bondage.  However, on the contrary, as I live for the Audience of One–honoring The Word–the very things that appear to be restrictive initially promises to lead me to the greatest degree of freedom I have ever experienced–void of collateral damage.

     

The LĪVE Movement:

Enhancing the Individual for the Advance of the Whole.

      I wholeheartedly believe Love spoke These Words and led me to share my story with you as a Preventative Measure to encourage all of us to re-evaluate our decision making processes.  When we choose to look at the “man or woman in the mirror” and align our decisions and choices with Love’s Word of Truth and thus changing our ways, we will begin to see the transformation society needs–eventually making the world a better place.  Let's rise up and be healing agents of transformation first for ourselves and our families, then for our communities, and finally the world at large.  

     By the way, thank you Love for the Divine Reminder released through the Gift called Michael Jackson! 

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[1] Ephesians 3:20

[2] Ephesians 1:6; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20

[3] Genesis 22:14; Romans 13:8

© 2012 Julianne Pearson

__________________________________________________________________

Julianne Pearson is an Author, Relationship Strategist, Speaker and Trainer.  She is the Co-Founder of the LĪVE! movement, a speaking, training and coaching organization committed to developing extraordinary people, families, and businesses. Through her books, seminars and training workshop sessions, she empowers her readers and listeners to rise up to their first level of consciousness in order to advance the Kingdom of God on this earth.

Contact: yourlifeislive@gmail.com

Enjoy more of the MOVEMENT! 

Join our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/theLIVEmovement 

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/theLIVEmoments 

Connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/juliannepearson