In life, there are instructions that we must follow. That is just something we cannot avoid doing. As a child, I can remember being told to pay attention and follow the guidelines. My mother used to tell me this, but I did not know why because I was too young to understand. As we grow up and become adults, the guidelines may change because we’re older, but there are still some choices in life that we will have to make. When I was growing up, I was taught never to touch the stove because it’s hot and will burn me. Anytime we disregard or disobey our parents, something always happens. I had a friend by the name of Giselle. I would go over to Giselle’s house when I was younger. She would always be in the kitchen after school making grilled cheese sandwiches or something.
On this particular day, her mother told her not to use the stove. She disobeyed and used the stove anyway because she was hungry. As she was making a grilled cheese sandwich, the burners started getting smoky and caught on fire. She panicked and did not know what to do. Her older sister “K” came from out the backroom to see what was going on. When she walked into the kitchen, she smelled the smoke from the fire. Her sister “K” knew just what to do because it had happened before. She showed her younger sister what she needed to do. She told her never to add water to a fire and always listen to her parents to stay safe. Following instructions is so important. When we choose not to listen and do things ourselves, the situation could turn a lot worse. I thank God her older sister was in the house to prevent it from burning down.
“Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.” (Proverbs 4:13 KJV).
“Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” (Hebrews 13:17 KJV)
In life, no matter how old you are, there are still lessons to be learned —some things you may have missed along the way. Hebrews 13 lets us know how important it is to obey and submit yourself to the authority of God, parents, teachers, etc. It’s not something easy to do, especially if you are a person that was not raised by your parents or had problems in school with following instructions when the teacher gave you an assignment to do for homework. We must listen to someone throughout life’s journey regardless of whether we like what they say or not. There’s always a penalty, a price you will have to pay if you don’t follow instructions. There was a lady by the name of “Sherry.” She loved the Lord, but she had trust issues and suffered from the spirit of rejection, among other things. She was always laughed at, talked about, and picked on. She was told you would never be anything, just like your father. Her biological father was never really there, and her stepfather was a drunk and abuser. She suffered from fatherlessness and had issues of feeling unloved and not good enough. “Sherry” also dealt with the spirit of abandonment and low self-esteem. These spirits only came to steal, kill, and destroy. It takes the power of God through deliverance to overcome these familiar spirits.
Just when you think you have been delivered, the enemy will come to test you again. He will send someone to try and break your spirit. It could be your own family, a close friend, or someone you might be thinking about dating to tear you down. “Sherry” was dating this guy. He was very nice and well-mannered. He would open doors and close them for her. He would hold her hand when walking down the street. He would walk on the side of the traffic to make sure she stayed on the inside so that if anything was to happen, he would get hurt and not her. They grew to love each other and went to church together. She was also prophesied that God would send her a husband. The majority of the time, when we hear this, we think it’s going to happen overnight, but there is a process in waiting on the Lord. As time went on, “Sherry” fell into temptation, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life during her courtship and dating. She did not want to have to deal with people talking about her because she was having sex unmarried. It made her feel bad. Most of the time, this is the reason why people rush into marriage. They’re so worried about what other people are going to say about them. Nobody is perfect. We must not forget that no one has a hell or heaven to put you in, only God.
The moral of the story is about getting your strength from God and learning from your mistakes. You will make many, but it’s about the lessons you learn from them.
“And hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his commandments.” (I John 2:3-4 KJV)
“My son, hear the instruction of thy father and forsake not the law of thy mother” (Proverbs 1:8 KJV)
As stated earlier, if we do not follow the guidance of God, our parents, teachers, etc., we are bound to repeat the same mistakes. We must learn to endure the process and know that our strength comes from God.
This article was written for those who may have felt because you did not always do what God said, he will not love you. Let me be the first to tell you that I have fallen short of His Glory nine times out of ten. I made more mistakes than I can imagine. I suffered from the fear of people; I was a “people pleaser.” I felt like I was the only one always putting the cart before the horse. It wasn’t until I met a good friend of mine, Pastor Renee Williams, whom I worked alongside at Mobile County hospital in the adult psych ward. I was on my break, and she sat me down and talked about me not being afraid to make mistakes. That’s how you grow. No one is perfect. She told me to learn the ways of God for myself, and He will show me how to live holy. I thank God for this leading lady. Pastor Renee Williams is an angel. She is a woman after God’s own heart and a woman who doesn’t mind telling you like it is.
As a word of encouragement, a just man falls seven times and then gets back up again. It doesn’t matter how many times you may fall down. Just do not stay there. Keep your faith and trust in God. He is your help in times of trouble. Many days I had to learn to pray it through and ask God to send the right people in my circle who’s not going to judge me for the mistakes that I make but who’s going to tell me the truth even when the truth hurts and encourage me to keep on going. I will look towards the hills from where my help comes from. All of my help comes from the Lord. I pray that the grace of God and the sweet commune of the Holy Spirit continues to rest, rule, and abide now and forevermore. May God add a blessing to the reading of His Word for you. Never doubt who God says you are. You can do what God says you can do. You have what God says you can have. You are chosen to bring fame to His name and pleasure to His heart. May God bless you always.
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Call On Him And He Will Answer
Stephanie Ham is the founder and CEO of Misfits To The Nation, But Chosen By God’s Creation. Before marriage, she was known as Stephanie Whack. She is a woman after God’s own heart and an intercessor. Stephanie is married to Leo A. Ham. She is a mother of three sons, and four grandchildren: two boys and two girls. She happens to be the #1 Best Seller Book Writing Scribe for The Kingdom. When God called her, He said, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world {John 9:4-5}.”
Stephanie’s favorite Scripture is: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11).
Stephanie’s ministry is all about encouraging, uplifting the brokenhearted, hurting, and abused men and women of God. When you’re broken from the inside, it’s hard to believe in a God who you cannot see. You don’t know how He can possibly love someone you… Right? I had to learn that God’s Word concerning our lives means so much to Him that He died to save us. Amen. It does not matter to Our Savior if we are a misfit. But what does concerns Him is that we are the core of Jesus’s very being. Know that we’re Misfits with A Purpose that can change the Nation. God has given Stephanie a keen discernment, intelligence, and a passion for prayer. She loves seeing souls saved. It doesn’t matter if you’re called an outcast. God loves you. God died for you to live and have life more abundantly.
She has attended the following churches along her Journey:
St. Michael’s Hope Ministry: Apostle Michael, Prophetess Sharon Woodham CLIO, SC.
Word Of Life Pastor Hodges Bennettsville SC, Solid Rock Holiness: Apostle Ervin Dease and First Lady Mary Dease “aka Spiritual Parents’ Bennettsville, SC.
New Creation Christian Church: Bishop Wesley V. Knight & Prophetess Adrian Knight “aka Spiritual Parents” Brooklyn, NY.
The Doors Of Hope: Bishop Michael Blue& First Lady Melinda Blue from Marin SC.
Her educational background consists of the following:
Word Of Life Bible College Studied: The book of Revelation, The Tabernacle, Homiletics. 2002, In Bennettsville SC.
Undergraduate Nyack College study General, Counseling, Abnormal and Child Psychology. Old, New Testament, etc. 2010- 2013
In Manhattan, NY, God started dealing with Stephanie’s life and how she felt about herself. She received the vision for her ministry between 2011- 2012 and birthed it out in 2020.
God placed her around people who believed in her and what she couldn’t see in herself. God was in the midst the whole time. Nevertheless, everything happens in God’s timing.
