Targeted Warriors Dee Young

It may be a new year but that doesn't automatically mean it will be a new season. Unfortunately, we often make this assumption but only God can change the seasons in our lives. It is however a notable thought to have because it keeps our hope alive. I have experienced some horrendous things in my life that I'm trying to convert from the natural to the spiritual perspective. What am I to learn from this? The Lord also known as Rabbi is always teaching us something. I'm always asking how long? How long is this semester Lord? I often see myself taking the same test over. The test we all will take in life is to turn our will over to the Lord. This means even though trials and persecution. Believe me, I know it sounds so religious and cliche but we have to admit that we have been conditioned to be strong-willed. We have been trained for independency and having a determination to be successful in our lives. Wealth does not equal success but we see this potrayed everywhere. We sometimes forget that God is the Potter and we are the clay and we attempt to mold ourselves into an image we see for ourselves and then God (the Potter) says I'm going to break this mold that's forming. He could decide to completely destroy the mold but all of his mercy and grace reforms the mold by reshaping, refining and polishing. I am learning to see through a different lense. I have to be honest and say this is very intentional, a very conscious effort. The flesh simply sees everything in the natural from a carnal mindset which results on murmuring and complaining which is nothing we want to become habitual. Resilience and perseverance comes from trials and persecution just like the traits that are obtained from soldiers after much training and being on an actual battlefield. It's no different. I am reminded that I am on a battlefield and everyday will not be pleasant. The word of God tells us that we are overcomers and each test and trial should be met addressed with a victorious mindset. No matter what we're going through, we have to remember that the battle is in the mind. We can overcome negative thoughts, fear, procrastination, anxiety, depression and every other enemy of our success. These are weapons of destruction in our lives. No weapon "formed" shall prosper if we put our trust in the Lord. Our circumstances do not define who we are right now but they will. Everything we experience shapes us. I don't enjoy persecution, trials or hardships but I am being taught to perservere. I am unbecoming in order to become and it's a grueling process. Humility is standing tall and Pride....let's just say it's resting in peace. I'm intentional about hearing from the Lord to the point of getting upset when I don't. Isn't this where we all should be. This is how we treat earthly relationships. God wants us to yearn for him. I see my relationship differently now because I've been placed in a position where he is all I've had to call upon in my darkest hours. He is the keeper of my soul and he's been who I've cried out to. He has kept me and continues to keep me. I owe it to Him that my mind is still in tact. I don't take the goodness of God for granted. I'm not exactly where I want to be but I'm not where I used to be. God has a picture of me that is far better than the one I have of myself. To be broken in many pieces does not mean destroyed even when it feels like it and even when we feel defeated on every side. God has a purpose and plan for everyone and the fact that we're still breathing means that we still have work to do, and an assignment to fulfill. We have to seek him for revelation and confirmations. A New Year resolution without God is no resolution all. We need to acknowledge that we need a Savior. When we try to take care of everything on our own we run out of reserves. The righteous will fall 7 times but we will get up again with God's help and not by any power of our own. My prayer is for our hope and trust in Christ

It is important to me that I be transparent during my journey. We all will encounter hills and valleys in our lifetime, however it is for certain that we never imagine being persecuted. Debt, Job, Education, and relationship challenges but not persecution. ...at least I never fathomed it. Prior to this, I quoted many scriptures and verses and later realized that I truly did not know the depth of the words. It was not until I experienced the trials and tribulations that I was able to grasp the power behind these words when spoken. As Christians, sometimes we are expected be strong and sometimes that is not the case but when we're down we are given the power to get back up and finish the race

I love reading Our Daily Bread. It is a foundation we can set for ourselves for reading God's word. Have you ever felt lost on where to start in your study of God's word? I have. I have tried the "opening of the Bible and reading from where my eyes landed" technique. I wasn't fulfilled but I " read" the word for the day. Our Daily Bread helps to give an outline and some applicable stories as well. It also provides Bible in a year scriptures which help to put us on a more ridgit plan to success for completing our study of the entire Bible! And not to mention the thought provoking questions and prayers at the end of each lesson. If you have not read Our Daily Bread you can get more information here: ourdailybread.org. Hey, if it blesses you will you pass it forward? There are many that are lost and hurting and can benefit from words that are down to earth, inspirational, and yet Spiritual with scriptures to reference. We have all needed to start somewhere and receiving Our Daily bread could be someone's start....there first time hearing of Jesus and the good news. May you be blessed and comforted.

A few scriptures to refer to when there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. God has already made a way for us even when we can't see it. There is hope in knowing that there is someone that sees and hears everything. Someone that feels the same pain when we are hurting, and someone that knows the beginning and the end of all things. This means excactly what the word of God tells us in Luke 12:2 where it says There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed nor hid that will not be made known. We have to trust the process and continuously pray that our strength be renewed during the wait. Most of the time we trust the word of God to be true but the waiting for the manifestation can cause one to be anxious, lose hope, and waiver in faith. We must not get weary in well doing. It is a strive each day as we continue to fight for our soul's sake. We are spiritual beings living a natural experience. This natural experience will one day vanish and what will be our spiritual condition? This is the priority we should address each day.

A short clip composed by me that puts trials and tribulations in a different perspective. We all have our own thoughts about the trials we face and it includes growing pains and the stretching of our spiritual muscles. What if we renewed our minds in this area? What if we looked at trials as challenges that help us to get to an outcome, a prize, or a finish line? When one goes to gym for the first time to lift weights the 5lb weights seem so heavy. The same with our trials but over time we build our faith and our trust in God to help us endure. Our trials may not get easier neither will the weights in the gym but our faith to lift heavier weights will increase over time as will our faith in God to bring us through.

This episode is a continuation of journal documenting and the reading of the daily bread which has helped me to stay grounded and connected during my darkest hours. There was a point during my journey that I had no access to a bible. The Daily Bread was the only thing close to a bible that I could read daily and be inspired. God's grace and mercy kept me during these times and I was blessed to receive messages of revelation and confirmation through these daily readings. It served as soul care (medicine to my soul) and probably also saved my life. I truly was able to relate to those in other countries that don't have access to bibles. It was like not having access to medicine. I was able to find a church and ask for a bible (the things we take for granted sometimes!). I pray that this blesses you as it did me.