I thought I had come up with the perfect solution and couldn’t understand why my father
laughed at me so hard.
I was pretty young at the time, with no idea about how money worked when I walked in on a
conversation Dad was having with Mom. They were discussing bills and how everything would
get paid.
After I got permission to interject, I mentioned the checkbook I noticed sitting on the dresser. I
picked it up and asked, “Well, can’t you just write a bunch of checks? You have all these you
haven’t used.”
I was serious, so I didn’t quite get what was so funny.
After my father regained his composure he said, “I wish it did work like that.”
Still not understanding, I responded, “The bank gave you all these checks. Aren’t you
supposed to fill them out? Can’t you pay bills with them?”
He had to take his time and explain to me that a check is worthless if you don’t already have
the money in the bank.
“You have to first deposit cash into your account before you can withdraw anything. You can’t
spend what you haven’t put in there.”
When things finally clicked for me, I felt so silly.
I never forgot that lesson.
You have to put something in to get something out.
This isn’t only true of banking; everything in life requires some type of investment before it will
yield a return.
It makes me think of something that happened over the weekend.
I was such a proud mom when our oldest daughter Kyla had her first dance recital after asking
to enroll in dance school last year. When she first made the request, it surprised both me and
my husband Kenya since she spends most of her time writing and illustrating.
Still, we both thought it would be a fun and exciting experience for her. So we paid the tuition
and got her all set up.
After the first few times of attending, though she liked dancing, Kyla told me how sore she was.
“They make us do strength training, stretches, crunches and all these other painful exercises.
Everything hurts,” she said. “Half the class is spent working out and the other half is spent
dancing. It’s a lot.”
But she stuck with it and all those months of sweat, pain and perseverance paid off big time.
When I saw her nailing those moves with precision, along with the other talented members of
her class, I could see the fruit of her labor.
That brief performance, which resulted in loud cheers, rousing applause and multiple
compliments, took a whole lot of endurance and practice.
There was a preparation phase.
She put in the required effort to get that stellar result Saturday.
It was a process.
You have been going through a process as well.
God has been getting you ready for what’s coming next.
All the tears, hardships, tests and trials have been leading up to a critical moment of destiny.
The Lord allowed you to go through this discomfort to refine you. This way, you will be fully
equipped to possess what He has for you.
Friend, I know this season has been tough. Trudging through the wilderness of life is no fun.
And yet, it is what you have been through that qualifies you for what you are about to step into.
Because you have been faithful to the process, God is going to open up bigger and better
doors, and do even greater things in your life.
All you’ve endured has increased your maturity as well as your capacity to handle significant
challenges that come along with enlarged territory.
James 1:2-4 ESV, which has been on my heart a lot lately, is the perfect scripture to drive
home this lesson. So I’m stirring it into today’s cup of inspiration.
It says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that
the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that
you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
As you drink down the contents of your cup, you will be encouraged to know that all this was
for your making, not your breaking.
Through the worst circumstances, God was bringing out the best in you.
Since you have allowed Him to do His work in your life, you will be able to gain access into
previously blocked off areas.
What you have sown in tears, you will reap in joy.
While you were in the waiting place, you didn’t know what God was up to. You didn’t
understand what His painful and slow process was supposed to accomplish.
It was hard.
You cried.
You questioned.
You felt discouraged.
But God is shedding light on that dark period in your life.
It was not for naught.
The way He is going to bring things full circle in your life will leave you with no doubt that God’s
hand was in it all along.
His plan will be revealed.
Your last trial set you up for your next triumph. The hardest season prepared you for the
harvest season. Now you’re fully equipped, mature, and ready for increase.
Now let’s pray.
laughed at me so hard.
I was pretty young at the time, with no idea about how money worked when I walked in on a
conversation Dad was having with Mom. They were discussing bills and how everything would
get paid.
After I got permission to interject, I mentioned the checkbook I noticed sitting on the dresser. I
picked it up and asked, “Well, can’t you just write a bunch of checks? You have all these you
haven’t used.”
I was serious, so I didn’t quite get what was so funny.
After my father regained his composure he said, “I wish it did work like that.”
Still not understanding, I responded, “The bank gave you all these checks. Aren’t you
supposed to fill them out? Can’t you pay bills with them?”
He had to take his time and explain to me that a check is worthless if you don’t already have
the money in the bank.
“You have to first deposit cash into your account before you can withdraw anything. You can’t
spend what you haven’t put in there.”
When things finally clicked for me, I felt so silly.
I never forgot that lesson.
You have to put something in to get something out.
This isn’t only true of banking; everything in life requires some type of investment before it will
yield a return.
It makes me think of something that happened over the weekend.
I was such a proud mom when our oldest daughter Kyla had her first dance recital after asking
to enroll in dance school last year. When she first made the request, it surprised both me and
my husband Kenya since she spends most of her time writing and illustrating.
Still, we both thought it would be a fun and exciting experience for her. So we paid the tuition
and got her all set up.
After the first few times of attending, though she liked dancing, Kyla told me how sore she was.
“They make us do strength training, stretches, crunches and all these other painful exercises.
Everything hurts,” she said. “Half the class is spent working out and the other half is spent
dancing. It’s a lot.”
But she stuck with it and all those months of sweat, pain and perseverance paid off big time.
When I saw her nailing those moves with precision, along with the other talented members of
her class, I could see the fruit of her labor.
That brief performance, which resulted in loud cheers, rousing applause and multiple
compliments, took a whole lot of endurance and practice.
There was a preparation phase.
She put in the required effort to get that stellar result Saturday.
It was a process.
You have been going through a process as well.
God has been getting you ready for what’s coming next.
All the tears, hardships, tests and trials have been leading up to a critical moment of destiny.
The Lord allowed you to go through this discomfort to refine you. This way, you will be fully
equipped to possess what He has for you.
Friend, I know this season has been tough. Trudging through the wilderness of life is no fun.
And yet, it is what you have been through that qualifies you for what you are about to step into.
Because you have been faithful to the process, God is going to open up bigger and better
doors, and do even greater things in your life.
All you’ve endured has increased your maturity as well as your capacity to handle significant
challenges that come along with enlarged territory.
James 1:2-4 ESV, which has been on my heart a lot lately, is the perfect scripture to drive
home this lesson. So I’m stirring it into today’s cup of inspiration.
It says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that
the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that
you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
As you drink down the contents of your cup, you will be encouraged to know that all this was
for your making, not your breaking.
Through the worst circumstances, God was bringing out the best in you.
Since you have allowed Him to do His work in your life, you will be able to gain access into
previously blocked off areas.
What you have sown in tears, you will reap in joy.
While you were in the waiting place, you didn’t know what God was up to. You didn’t
understand what His painful and slow process was supposed to accomplish.
It was hard.
You cried.
You questioned.
You felt discouraged.
But God is shedding light on that dark period in your life.
It was not for naught.
The way He is going to bring things full circle in your life will leave you with no doubt that God’s
hand was in it all along.
His plan will be revealed.
Your last trial set you up for your next triumph. The hardest season prepared you for the
harvest season. Now you’re fully equipped, mature, and ready for increase.
Now let’s pray.
Life can leave us parched, but Jesus can quench
our thirst.
Your Daily Cup of Inspiration is a blog designed
to shift your focus from the things that leave you
thirsty and unfulfilled, and redirect you to the
thirst-quencher, Jesus Christ, who can satisfy
every need you have.
Written by Empowering Everyday Women
Ministries Founder, Dianna Hobbs, thousands
of women from across the nation “drink down”
her inspirational posts daily, leaving them
strengthened in their faith, and more confident in
the God of their salvation.
The wife, mom of four, and multi-faceted ministry
leader prayerfully writes simple anecdotal posts,
from which you can always draw useful wisdom,
strongly rooted in biblical principles.
Whenever you’re dealing with discouragement,
hurt, brokenness, difficult struggles, and
numerous life challenges, you're invited to have
a drink from the well that never runs dry.
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"The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great
5:16b NLT
If you are struggling, suffering, hurting, and are in
need of a community of Believers in Christ to pray
for you, you're in the right place. Let the
Empowering Everyday Women Intercessory Prayer
Team stand in faith with you.
5:16b NLT
If you are struggling, suffering, hurting, and are in
need of a community of Believers in Christ to pray
for you, you're in the right place. Let the
Empowering Everyday Women Intercessory Prayer
Team stand in faith with you.
God, my season of development and testing has been intense. Sometimes, I don’t
quite know what you’re doing and I feel somewhat discouraged by all the
uncertainty. Please help me to be patient with the process and trust Your timing. I
believe that greater is coming after this. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
quite know what you’re doing and I feel somewhat discouraged by all the
uncertainty. Please help me to be patient with the process and trust Your timing. I
believe that greater is coming after this. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift,
encourage, and empower you!
If you need prayer, don't hesitate to request it. I would be honored to stand in faith with You. I
know that prayer works. CLICK HERE to learn how to submit your prayer request.
encourage, and empower you!
If you need prayer, don't hesitate to request it. I would be honored to stand in faith with You. I
know that prayer works. CLICK HERE to learn how to submit your prayer request.
The Process Qualifies You
JUNE 23, 2014
HIGHLIGHTED POST
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Put It In God's Hands
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Let the Lord Have It
Will You Yet Trust Him?
Keep Expecting. God Will Do It For You!
Slow Down, Get Clarity
Faith Through Inconvenient Times
Things Will Improve
God Is Strong Enough
This Is A Lesson In Trust
Give It ALL To God
Put It In God's Hands
Refuse To Move!
God Does All Things Well
God is able to do extraordinary things in your life.
It's true, but YOU must believe that first before
any fruit will manifest in your life.
It's true, but YOU must believe that first before
any fruit will manifest in your life.
Confidence To Believe