Misti Coker

Find Joy No Matter the Circumstance

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BE THE DIFFERENCE

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Today is my birthday, my 60th birthday. I am so excited to step into this new decade. As I think back, there are so many things that I question, things I regret, things I cherish, things that bring me joy, and things that put me into deep darkness. However, I now realize how God was with me every step of the way. At times, he would say, “Please, no, child.” At times, he would say, “Thank you.” At times, he would say, “I am proud of you.” At times, he was embarrassed. At times, he cried, but in every situation and circumstance, he still loved me. It has taken me years of soul searching to find myself and to realize that being who I was and who I am is OK.

Brother Bryan’s sermons always strike a chord with me. Yesterday, he discussed what can sustain us during tough times. He gave us 3 points.

Read to find out the 3 points and how they will move forward.

BE A TURTLE

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Yesterday Brother Bryan was telling us about the turtle principal. When a turtle gets startled it draws its head back into its shell. It is nervous and anxious. I started thinking about turtles. How many of you have seen turtles crossing the highway and you say to yourself that poor turtle is going to get smushed by a big truck? I know you have. How many of you have stopped and picked up a turtle and helped it across the road? Many of us.

Brother Bryan questioned us and said, “Are you going to have courage or are you going to pull back in your shell when sharing about Jesus?”

We live in a society where Jesus is placed on the back burner. There are many things that come before Jesus because that is what society tells us to do. We don’t want to not fit in or not have friends. We want to go with the flow of society. I get it I was once there.

It is time that we stick our necks out for Jesus.

DOESN’T MAKE SENSE

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We are continuing Season 4 Episode 3 of The Chosen in our church. This episode was tough. There were situations and circumstances that we couldn’t understand. David and Bathsheba’s son has passed away, the blind man is healed by Jesus spitting in his hand and mixing it with dirt and placing it on his eyes, and then Rama, who is a fictional character in the Chosen, is engaged to Thomas, is killed by a Roman—lots to take in.

For many of us, we have dealt with or will deal with situations that don’t make sense. These circumstances leave us mad, complexed, puzzled, and questioning God. We question God, and sometimes he won’t answer. Or he will respond in the way that isn’t the way we wanted Him to. We see some healed and others not. We see good people suffer, and those not so good go on with their lives.
But is it for us to question or think God should do what we want Him to do?

IN THE WAY

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Last week I was with of my friends, and we were talking about how she is redoing her new space. There are shelves on the wall; however, they are just in the way. Of course, you know I hear three little words when anyone speaks, and I grabbed onto those.

IN THE WAY reminds me of the commercial over ten years ago for the Gieco tire company. The pothole was in the way, and the driver didn’t see it. When the car hit the pothole, it blew the tire out. The car couldn’t go anywhere.

There are things in our lives that are just IN THE WAY and may keep us from going where we need to go. We may trip over them, fall over them, go around them, or they may be a hindrance. It may be a stumbling block or a detour. It may be a protection, protecting us from what is ahead. It may be a pothole that blows out our tires and makes us stop in our tracks. It may be something we don’t even see. Something that is in the way may be blocking your journey to what is next. We have no control over things that tend to be in the way.

IN THE TRANSITION

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If you are in the middle of a transition, remember that transitions are a part of the norm; however, they usually involve a change. Often, during transition periods, we question and doubt. We ask why? Why are we going through a transition? Where is God in this change? Change can be difficult, but if we hold on to God’s promises, we will be strengthened through the transition. Go back to what he told the disciples: ‘I will not leave you; you will have the Holy Spirit with you, and I will give you peace.

THE STREET PREACHER

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We are in the Old Testament and have been since Jan 1st.  There is so much within the pages.  A lot of deep, scary, and terrifying things that happened back in the day.  We started this week in Ezekiel, and we just finished… Read More