A Response To April's Topic of the Month

This has been another great Month of learning, growing and interacting with each of you. So in the spirit of this blog let's get started.

We have been talking about growing in your relationships, making better choices and things you want to change for your life, but another thing we must remember as we move forward in this process is the COMPANY we keep, or surround ourselves with. This requires taking a closer look at the friends you have aligned yourself with, co-workers and the organization you have aligned yourself with, the business partner you are interested in, the boyfriend you have selected and yes even your spouse you have as your life partner. The company you keep can be either a blessing or a curse. The bible talks about this in the old and new testiment, so isn't it about time we begin to examine this aspect of our lives and make the changes to correct or remove. Now I am not saying end a friendship, a business partnership, dump a boyfriend or divorce a spouse. Only you can know what your next move should be, and this will come with asking yourself some hard questions and having this conversation with GOD for your instruction. My famous line to many of my close friends is this "if you hang out in the bottom, eventually you will enjoy the bottom". Now let me be clear when I say bottom I am not saying if you own a house and your friends do not, you toot your nose up at them and call them bottom; or if you are in a sorority and your friends are not you toot your nose up at them and call them bottoms. When I speak of the bottom I speak of people who enjoy being slick, taking from others, hurting others, stealing, and cheating. Those who hustle up on people to get ahead instead of through hard work, those who enjoy drinking all night and sleeping around instead of taking care of their responsibilities. Okay let me be more specific, you have a friend you have known for years and 10 years ago you were both on the same page or even same level, but you have begun to grow, grow in your walk with Christ, grow in your professional and personal life. You tell this friend you are going to start your own business and your friend response is "why you going to do that, you bet not do that, we are in a recession no one is going to buy what you are selling". They sit and tell you all of the things which could go wrong and not because they love you but because they are no longer on the level you are on and see or even understand the vision GOD has given you because they are in another place. You have that cousin who remains on public assistance because it is easier to get governmental assistance than to work and purchase no-name items. You have a spouse or boyfriend who does not work, or does not keep a job because it is easier for him to live off of you, but instead of being grateful he spends your money and runs the streets and even has the nerve to cheat on you with other women with your money. You work on a job where you know they have no integrity and possibly are practicing in some questionable things, but because you want to move up in the organization you join in to the practice even though you feel it is wrong. Again I could go on and on, but I hope you get the just of when I say the company you keep.

How do we even expect for the lord to pour us out a blessing over our lives where we will not have enough room in our storehouse if we are aligning ourselves with people, places and or things which are not good for us. Its the company we keep which yes could cause static in us receiving our blessing. The company you keep can warp your thought process without you even being aware. The bible mentions over and over about surrounding yourself with saints, do you think God just said this for no reason? No he had a reason for this, some people will not go with us on our journey, some families members will not go with us on our journey, and if not equally yoked and appointed by God, then yes even your spouses will not go with us on our journey. The company you keep should be honest, have integrity, working to live the best life God has for them, not only reads the bible but walks in the light to becoming a better person. If your circle of friends, family and co-workers do not line up with what God has for you, then don't be sad, don't shed a tear. You drop those things, in the most respectful way as you continue on your journey. This is not a bad reflection, this is simply you can not go forward when you surround yourself with a backwards mentality. Where you are today, may not be who you were 15 years ago, if you have friends or families members who are still in the same place they were 15 years ago, you simply pray for them and you move ahead. You can not prosper surrounding yourself with bottom and negative individuals. Helping and volunteering your time in the bottom is not the same thing is surrounding, hanging on or hanging around the bottom. Contrary, we should go into the fields, the hoe houses, the ghetto's, the slums, etc. and volunteer our time to help others, as their are some who are in the bottom or in a bottom mentality and they need our help, guidance and light to shine to know they too can get out. This is not the same as spending your days and nights surrounding yourself with those who are not growing, who does not care to grow or are too engulfed in mess, the past and negativity to walk in line with you on your spiritual growth professionally and personally with God. You have to let them go. I will give you an example. I had a friend, that I loved or should say still love, but I could no longer keep her in my immediate circle of friends; not because she is a bad or horrible person; but because we are moving in two different directions and where I am going and what she was doing was not in line with where the Lord wanted me to be. To give you a short snipped of what I am saying without giving you all the details, This is a friend I have known for only 4 years, but was the best 4 years in my life. We talked, we supported each other, we spoke the word of God in each others lives and things were great. About a year and a half ago, my dear friend began to change but not maybe the best change, but I remained faithful and her friend. She began hanging out with true bottom people, I mean people who stole, cheated and lusted. These were people who would hustle you for a dime, these were people who drank sun-sun, and neglected to pay the rent, lights, gas or phone, these were people who thought of ways to hustle someone out of something than to get it the right way, even if it meant being a little uncomfortable, this turned into my friend having a relationship with a knowingly married man, now this was not the deal breaker the deal breaker for me was simply she knew this was wrong but refused to let it go. Letting it go simply means you step back and out of the situation and allow this man to clean up his house. Even more she indicated she knew this was toxic, felt bad for the wife and their child, but did not want to give it up. I asked what exactly do you not want to give up, the part-time visits and spend the nights to your home, the secrets and lies, the blessing which you are blocking etc. Knowing first hand what an affair can do to a marriage, a family and children knowingly staying involved in this type of relationship as you wonder why you are having difficulty paying your rent, car note, child care etc. I could no longer support my friend, where she was headed and where I am heading is in two different directions. I could not agree or condone this and it was not for me to judge, but I can decide who will be in my circle of friends and where and what I am trying to do and my walk with God. The walk is not easy, but those who are in my circle have to align with a certain piece of my believe system. Its like the old saying you can love someone, but if I am a Christian and my spouse is a Devil worshipper, no matter how much I would love that spouse eventually we will clash because our basic believe systems are different. This is not the same as opposites attract. So very respectfully I had to tell this friend that I love, that I did and do love her but would have to end the friendship as we do not align at this point. I have no idea if God will have us meet again, but as for now it was not healthy for me and my growth to share my circle with conversation about infidelity, cheating, sneaking and lying.

So ask yourself about the company you keep, is your company walking and growing? Is your company in line with your believe system, is your company supportive and loyal? Is your company the company God wants you to have? If you said no, talk to your company to determine their is no mis-communication and make critical life changing decision to either let them go, or keep them at bay. This may mean family members may have to be kept at bay, a spouse which was not appointed to you by God has to go, this may mean a friendship will end etc. Do not think of what you are losing, as you have wonderful memories, think about what you will gain. Don't be afraid to step out on Faith, for faith is the substance hoped for, ask again what do you want out of life, what does God have for you and ask God to provide you the wisdom to make the best choices for your family. Don't be afraid to figure out how you will pay a bill, who you will call when you are sad, who you will hang out with on the weekend or vacations. If God wants you to dump the company you keep, feel good in knowing he will fill the void with something or someone who he feels will support his cause for you. Continue to pray for those who you walked away from, but keep your eye straight ahead on the Lord. He truly will take you places your wildest dreams could only think of. Don't allow the company you keep to prevent you from what and where the Lord has and wants you to be.

Continue to ask the lord for wisdom to teach you to think like him. Remember God has told our great, great, great, ... grandparents this statement and it still hold true today " My plans for you are good and not evil, to give you a future and a hope! Continue to speak positive words of faith. If you pray and are instructed to remove some of the company you keep, no matter who they are, you must be obedient and listen. Kinda like what we said a few months ago about taking out the trash, but this is more specific to people, versus habits and thoughts. Look around, and look at the company you keep. If they do not line up, you must politely step back and tell them no thank you, and forge ahead, remember the lord can pour SOME blessing, but don't you want ALL blessings?

Ladies, look around and make some hard decisions~

A few Scriptures to Help-

I Corinthians 2:9
Jeremiah 29:11
Proverbs 16:3
Proverbs 4:25

March was not as interactive as we would have liked, I hope we can make April truly a month to dialog, you can always sign in and comment anonymous. I don't want this to be something we are excited about for a few months then it falls off. We women are so strong an we take on everything, lets take a few minutes out of our lives to read, and dialog, reach out for help or help others through this blog site. We at Our Hearts 2 Yours are looking forward to what we can accomplish together.

Have a fantastic April, as this is the time our Lord sacrificed the unblemished lamb of Christ for our sins. This month unlike any other month means so much, with out this time we would all live in madness. I pray you have a fantastic Resurrection month, Feast of Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of First Fruits and more. Where ever the Lord calls you to be, I pray you listen and obey as this is a time for blessings and not curses, and this begins with you and me!