"If You Believe You Can Achieve"

Motivations from the Heart of Paula Williams-Gaillard

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" Phillipians 4:13

At the beginning of the school year (6th grade) my son Jaquan made goals; verbally and in Prayer to 1. make A/B Honor Roll and 2. have perfect attendance. Well, today, Jaquan came home and said his main goal had been accomplished, he made A/B Honor Roll ending this school year with an average of 85! He didn't make perfect attendance shy of one day because the poor boy wasn't feeling well and just couldn't make it that one day, however, in my book he gets an "E" for effort!

I've always admired Jaquan's Faith! One day I asked him, "when you Pray do you believe that what you Pray for is going to happen? Straight up he said...YES!!!!

Since I first wrote about it at the age of 6, Jaquan has always maintained his "child-like Faith"! His Faith, unlike some of us adults/seasoned Saints, his Faith is not tainted with doubt, fear and unbelief! All he knows is when he Prays in Faith, God answers! I remember one time when I asked him to Pray, the boy blew my mind! After that, I wanted him to lead the Prayers all the time!

Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV) says, "Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." All we have to do is exercise our child-like Faith, Faith the size of a mustard seed, and watch God do what His Word says HE will do!

I just wanted to take out this time to say BIG-UP to Jaquan and encourage others: if you believe....you can achieve!

You are already Blessed so be Encouraged,
Love ya,
Paula
©Copyright 5/12/09
All Rights Reserved

"Let It Work For You"

Motivations from the Heart of Paula Williams-Gaillard


"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." James 1:2-4

This morning I heard a song for the first time on the radio that ushered me into Praise & Worship (please don't ask me who sings the song or the title). In the song, the songwriter wrote about the adversities he faced in life. He wrote if he had never gone hungry, or if he had never ran out of money, he would not know God as Jehovah Jireh. If he had not gotten sick, he would not know God is a Healer. If he had never gotten his heart broken, he would not know God as a mender of broken hearts, in other words, the songwriter was thankful....inspite of it all....through it all...because of it all....he was THANKFUL because ALL things worked together for his good!

Last week after game 3 of the Cleveland/Atlanta play-off series, I watched an interview with LeBron James and a sports announcer. During the interview, the announcer asked LeBron how he felt about the adversities his team faced in game 3. LeBron, who's answer inspired me stated (and I'm paraphrasing of course) but he stated he didn't mind the adversities, adversity was a part of the game, but what was important for him and his team was how they reacted to the adversities which made the difference! WOW!

SAINTS.....adversities, afflictions, problems, trials, tests, temptations, and tribulations.....you can rest assure, all these things will come, but what makes the difference is how we react to them!

See....we can either go through adversities with JOY and on God's strength knowing after we cast ALL our cares upon Him, in the end ALL things will work for our good, or we can go through them resentful and ungrateful, thinking the proverbial "S" on our chest makes us invincible like "Superman" then we get mad at God and the world because we find out later the "S" is an acronym for-STUPID!

Our attitude, latitude and gratitude makes the difference! Attitude-do we Praise God in the midst of adversity knowing the battle is not ours, it's The Lord's or do we have a "fuzzy-wuzzy-was-a-bear" pity party hoping everyone will feel sorry for us? Latitude-do we look to God Who is our VERY PRESENT HELP IN THE TIME OF TROUBLE or do we look to Dr. Feel Good to give us answers that can ONLY come from God and finally Gratitude-do we Thank God even in the midst of adversity knowing the trying of our faith worketh patience..... that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing"?

James doesn't say in the text Scripture to mope....grumble....or give up...he said.....COUNT IT ALL JOY!!! Let that thing (that adversity) work on your behalf! Let it build character and endurance....patience in you! Let it work for your good so that in the end, you'll say without a doubt...THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD AND I SHALL NOT WANT.....GLORY...HE IS MY JEHOVAH JIREH!!!! Let it complete you, let it stretch you....let it permeate and resonate in your heart, mind and soul so come what may...no matter what, you can say like Paul "IN HIM I LIVE....MOVE AND HAVE MY BEING"!

I Pray that even in the midst of what you may be facing today, you always remember God is there! The Psalmist says in Psalm 139:7-8 "Whither shall I go from Thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into Heaven, Thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there." God is here.....there and everywhere! OH HIS ARMS ARE STETCHED OUT WIDE....HE IS WILLING....ABLE AND READY TO CARRY YOU THROUGH!!!!!!

You are already Blessed so be Encouraged,
Love ya,
Paula
©Copyright 5/12/09
All Rights Reserved

"It Ain't Over Just Because You Say It's Over...Quitting Is Not An Option"

Motivations from the Heart of Paula Williams-Gaillard


As a child I couldn't stand to be tickled. It didn't take much, but sometimes I'd try to play hardball and pretend like I could hang, but after a few minutes and a full bladder, I threw in the towel and yelled, "I give, I give"! I gave up!

This weekend my husband and I watched "The Great Debaters", a true story about debaters from a small black college, Wiley College in Texas, who, after winning against Harvard, went on to become National Champions for 10 years. I was so inspired by the young debater's tenacity and will power not to give up or give in! Even in the midst of adversities and racial injustice, giving up was not an option for them!

Pastor Jerome (Victory Outreach) said in his message Sunday, and I believe his exact words were, "don't be blown away when the devil shows up, that's his job"! Pastor made reference to II Corinthians 2:11 which says, "Lest satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices." Pastor Jerome also pointed out 3 oppositions satan brings: 1. opposition to The Word of God. 2. opposition to the Work of God and 3. opposition to God's Divine Design.

According to John 10:10 satan's job description is to "kill, steal and destroy" nevertheless, I Peter 5:8 gives us a heads up and forewarns us to "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour". So why do we start trippin' when satan shows up to his job everyday?

There's a song that says "It ain't over until God says it's over"! People of God, the battle is not ours, it's The Lord's! Giving up is not an option!!!!!

Paul reminds us in I Corinthians 15:58 "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." Paul didn't say back down, give in or give up, he said be STEDFAST, UNMOVEABLE, ALWAYS ABOUNDING!

It is my Prayer today you be stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in Christ! Come hell or high water, DON'T GIVE UP! When sorrows like sea billows rolls, DON'T GIVE UP! Though satan should buffet you and your enemies and foes come to eat up your flesh, DON'T GIVE UP! Temptations on every side, DON'T GIVE UP! Though husband or wife can't get right (remember that name from the movie "Life") and your money is funny and super tight, DON'T GIVE UP! Remember "Greater is He who is in you than he that is in the world" (I John 4:4)! It ain't over just because you say it's over....quitting is not an option!

You are already Blessed so be Encouraged,

Love ya,
Paula
© Copyright 5/3/09
All Rights Reserved