We all have our own wants and desires, but how often do we consider what God wants and desires for us? After all, He created us! Therefore, in order to know who we are and what we are placed on the earth to do, we have to seek Him and His will! We are not our own and the life we’ve been graced with is too precious to live outside of the will of God.

Over the weekend I shared part of my testimony. It wasn’t until THIS year that I gained a new revelation of just how precious life is!

Here’s how the new revelation came about: Over the summer while I was traveling to Alabama to drop my son off to his father, I was asked a question that really made me reevaluate my life—literally! The question was: “Do you wish you would’ve listened to Pastor?” At the time I didn’t know what my ex-husband was referring to so I asked, “What are you talking about?” That’s when he said, “He (the Pastor) told you that I wasn’t your husband.” 😩 It was in that moment that I realized how God had spared my life from death because I was pursuing something I WANTED!

We hear what we want to hear and turn a deaf ear to the things we don’t.

I must’ve blocked it all out! I remember the events that took place in my life around that time and it all adds up! I remember wanting to live a life pleasing to God. I’d just received Jesus into my life in July 2011 and I didn’t want to continue to live in sin so I started apartment searching. I made commutes from Starkville to Kilmichael regularly and even spent some nights with a relative just to prove that I didn’t want to live a sinful lifestyle! But that didn’t last long. I went back to him and we got married in September, which was only two months later!

“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,”  —Hebrews 3:7-8a

Two months later, on November 30th, I was taken to the ER for stomach pains. I wasn’t really having any serious problems prior. But I was informed during the visit to the ER that my appendix was enlarged and I needed to have surgery. So I followed up with all of my appointments and tests and prepared myself for surgery. Well, as many of you know, my colon was nicked during the process of the surgery. But the surgeon didn’t try to fix the problem. Instead, she closed me up, sent me home as if nothing had happened. A few days later, I just wasn’t myself and it was very evident. As a result, I was taken to the hospital via ambulance and the doctors discovered that my body was over 80% septic! Can you imagine what would’ve happened if I wasn’t rushed to the hospital sooner? I ended up in the hospital for months, having over 30 surgeries on my stomach.

And guess what, my appendix wasn’t even enlarged. Everything seemed to have been fine but the surgeon said something about my Fallopian tube being clogged, and to this day I still don’t believe that. Basically, all of that could’ve been avoided.

God will allow you to skip over some things but obedience is required.

This wasn’t the first time something similar happened! In 2009 my colon was also nicked but it was during the process of another surgery. The doctors gave up on me and told me mom to call in the family because there as nothing left that they could do.

BUT GOD!!!! I am here today to share with each of you the love of Christ and how He continues to pursue us and deliver us out of our mess! I’m a witness of His faithfulness, never-ending mercy, amazing grace, and unconditional love. Your life is too precious to be living outside of the will of God. There is safety being in His will! So I encourage you to take heed to what God says and reveals to you! Be willing and obedient at any cost! Your life depends on it! Not only that, others’ lives depend on it!

Today, harden not your heart! Be receptive to what God says! Move forward in obedience! Don’t pick and choose! Listen and do accordingly!