A Rising Remnant

Category: Faith & inspiration, personal testimony, overcoming & growth, spiritual lessons, trusting God

  • Obedience Before Consequences: Why we often wait for a wake-up call to surrender our desires to God and how to choose Him now.

    Obedience Before Consequences: Why we often wait for a wake-up call to surrender our desires to God and how to choose Him now.

    God Allows Us to Chase What We Want

    Romans 1 teaches that when we refuse to obey God, He won’t always stop us. Instead, He lets us run after our own desires, whether that’s lust, greed, or gluttony and face the consequences of those choices.

    This hits hard, because it shows that God doesn’t always immediately intervene to stop our sin. He lets us pursue what we think we want, even if it harms us, because we keep refusing to obey Him. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing.

    I received a call from my doctor telling me I’m pre-diabetic. The truth is, I wasn’t shocked. I knew this day could come. And I knew, all along, that my habits of overeating, ignoring discipline, feeding my flesh instead of my spirit… were risky. This wasn’t random. It was a consequence of my own actions.

    The Struggle of Obedience

    It’s not like I didn’t know better. I knew gluttony was sin. I knew ignoring self-control was disobedience. And yet, I still chose what was easy, what tasted good, what satisfied me in the moment… even though I knew it could hurt me in the long run.

    It’s sad, but obeying God alone wasn’t enough for me to change. It took hearing, “You could develop type 2 diabetes if you keep this up,” for me to finally want to make a change. I didn’t lack knowledge, I lacked the willingness to deny myself. Discipline is hard when you’ve never practiced it. And when things feel too hard, it’s easier to give in.

    1 Samuel 15:22 reminds us, “To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” Knowledge or awareness is not the same as obedience. God values surrender more than sacrifice.

    We Reap What We Sow

    Galatians 6:7–8 hits even closer to home…

    “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

    Every choice we make is a seed. Every bite, every indulgence, every time we ignore discipline is sowing into the flesh. The consequence I’m facing now is the harvest of those seeds. But the good news? If we sow into the Spirit, practicing obedience, self-control, and discipline… we reap life, peace, and growth.

    Galatians 5:16–17 further explains the struggle…

    “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.”

    This battle is real. I’ve been choosing the flesh over the Spirit for too long.

    Discipline is Hard, But Necessary

    Hebrews 12:11 reminds us…

    “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

    It’s painful to deny the flesh. It’s uncomfortable to put in the work to obey God before a consequence hits. But discipline, though hard, leads to life… spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

    A Call to Obedience

    The truth is, we humans tend to wait until something negative happens before we obey. We resist what grows us, we fight the very process that would make us better spouses, parents, neighbors, and followers of God.

    But God is patient. He disciplines those He loves (Hebrews 12:6). Jesus already made the ultimate sacrifice for us, so we don’t have to wait for pain or consequences to make a change. We can choose obedience today, not because we have to, but because He is worthy.

    So today, I’m choosing differently. I’m choosing to sow into the Spirit, to practice discipline, and to obey God even when it’s hard. The least I can do is obey Him who gave everything for me.

    Prayer

    Lord, forgive me for the times I have fed my own desires instead of walking in obedience. Help me to surrender my flesh and my cravings to You.

    Teach me self-control and discipline so that I may sow into the Spirit, not the flesh.

    Give me the strength to obey You, not out of fear, but because You are worthy of my love, my trust, and my obedience.

    Remind me that Your discipline is for my good, and guide me in the choices I make each day.

    In Jesus name, Amen.

  • I used to say Philippians 4:13 for motivation… until God showed me what it truly means

    I used to say Philippians 4:13 for motivation… until God showed me what it truly means

    Misunderstood and Misused

    From the pulpit to the streets, Philippians 4:13, has been one of the many scriptures that have been  misinterpreted, misunderstood, and misused for years.

    “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

    That’s what it says, and most Christians, myself included, have used this scripture at one point or another to help give them motivation…

    “I can get that promotion, buy that house, or reach my goals through Christ who strengthens me.”

    But when Paul wrote it, he was in prison, enduring suffering. He wasn’t talking about doing whatever he wanted. It’s like he was praying:

    “Lord, even though this situation is hard, Your presence strengthens me. Even if I’m going through suffering right now, You have given me the strength to endure, because in my weakness, Your power is made strong.

    It’s a good thing for us to remember with Christ, we have the strength to endure every circumstance, whether abundance or lack, success or hardship.

    My Personal Awakening

    For me, it wasn’t so much a season of hardship that made me dig into this verse. It was when I finally surrendered my life to Christ and prayed, asking Him to give me knowledge of Scripture, understanding of what it truly meant, and the wisdom to apply it. And He did.

    As I began studying, things started to make sense. I started looking over my life and realized how many times I had used Philippians 4:13 for my own personal gain. I said it, or repeated it, because I’d heard people around me say it, out of habit, or as a way to make myself feel better. But nothing actually changed. It was like my eyes were finally open.

    That’s when I realized the verse wasn’t meant to be a motivational slogan, it was meant to remind us that God’s strength equips us to walk faithfully in His will, whether life feels easy or impossible.

    Walking in God’s Strength

    God will give us strength, but only if it aligns with His will for our lives. Anything that requires faith, He gives strength for, whether that’s:

    • Enduring trials and suffering

    • Resisting temptation

    • Obeying His Word

    • Forgiving others

    • Serving and loving others

    • Sharing the Gospel boldly

    • Standing firm in faith

    • Doing good works

    The Danger of Misusing Scripture

    But here’s the thing, misusing scripture is dangerous. It sets up false expectations. If someone, believes this verse means, “God will give me strength to succeed at whatever I want,” they may expect guaranteed wins, wealth, or breakthroughs in life. And When life doesn’t turn out that way, it can lead to disappointment with God and even loss of faith.

    I know because I’ve been there. And it wasn’t just this one scripture… it was a lifetime of misinterpretations of scriptures I’d heard over the years. The danger isn’t just quoting them wrong; it’s developing a view of God that isn’t biblical. That false view can leave people discouraged, disappointed, or even walking away from the faith when life gets hard.

    A Hopeful Perspective

    The good thing is, even when we’ve misunderstood, God doesn’t throw us away. He corrects us gently and opens our eyes to the truth.

    Philippians 4:13 may not promise we’ll get everything we want, but it promises something even better…  It means no matter what I face, whether I’m in a season of plenty or a season of lack… Christ is right there giving me the strength to keep going.

    My Takeaway

    Instead of using this verse like a motivational quote, I can hold onto it as a promise… God’s presence will carry me through whatever comes. And when my faith is built on that, it’s not so easily shaken when life doesn’t go my way.

  • When Scripture Begins to Take Root in Your Heart and No Longer Are Just Words on a Page

    When Scripture Begins to Take Root in Your Heart and No Longer Are Just Words on a Page

    Someone once told me, “It’s impossible to read God’s Word and it not change your heart.” That stuck with me, because it’s so true.

    Curiosity That Led To Change

    When I finally began taking my relationship with the Lord seriously, something inside me shifted. It stirred up a hunger, a curiosity, a deep desire to know Him. I wanted to understand who Jesus really was.

    Why should I listen to what He had to say? What was so important about the words written on these pages? Could they actually help me?

    And what I found… changed everything.

    It changed who I thought I was.

    It changed the way I spoke and responded to people.

    It changed how I handled situations.

    It changed the way I treated others and even the way I treated myself.

    It changed the way I gave and received love.

    It completely changed the way I saw the world.

    Nothing Hidden

    And to be clear, I didn’t stumble on some secret code hidden in Scripture. I was just open. Whatever the Lord wanted me to have, I opened my heart to receive it. And He met me there… giving me wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.

    For the first time, those words on the page made sense. The more I read, the more I wanted to spend time with Him. It felt like I was reading His personal journal… and he wanted me to find it and read it. One He had written with me in mind. Nothing was new, but it felt brand new to me.

    His Word Changes You

    And as I read, I felt everything: sadness, joy, anger, confusion, gratitude, awe, even speechlessness at times. I began to see the Lord differently, not in a bad way, but in a way that filled me with reverence, love, and honor. It was a feeling that I didn’t know I could experience. A feeling I didn’t know I needed.

    His Word began healing wounds I didn’t even know were still open. It brought clarity to old pain and new struggles. It was like being lifted onto a cloud, and I never wanted to come down.

    That’s what the Word of Jesus Christ does when you let it take root in your heart.

    I never knew how deeply He loved me. I never grasped how sacrificial His love really was. He wants me walking in freedom and healing. He values me. He sees beyond my flaws and brokenness. He doesn’t desire my suffering, but longs for good things for me.

    His Word Builds Us Up

    And when I allowed His Word to speak directly to my heart, it began to take root. My desires changed. Conviction became real. I stopped being selfish, and living only to satisfy my flesh. I started to see my sin for what it was and, for the first time, care about how it made the Lord feel.

    Colossians 2:6–7 says:

    “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

    That’s exactly what happened. When I prayed for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, He gave it to me. And as He did, my reverence for Him deepened, and my faith began to grow. Even though my foundation was shaky, He built on it… because nothing is too hard for God.

    We Are Forgiven

    And another part of that chapter in Colossians that really stands out for me is verse 14:

    “Jesus canceled the record of debt that stood against us… nailing it to the cross.”

    That means I am forgiven. Every mistake. Every failure. Every sin. All of it… written down as a debt I could never repay… was nailed to the cross. And now it’s gone. Forever. Because Jesus defeated death.

    A Moment Of Reflection And Call To Action

    Looking back, I’m so grateful that I opened my heart and let God’s Word take root in me. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has been life-changing in the best ways. If He could meet me in my mess, heal my wounds, and reshape my heart, then I know He can do the same for you.

    My prayer is that you won’t just read the Bible as words on a page, but that you’ll encounter Jesus in a way that changes everything. Because once His love takes root in your heart, transform begins and nothing stays the same.

    My Prayer You 🙏🏾

    Lord,

    I struggle to understand Your word,

    and sometimes it feels impossible to ever get it right.

    But I come humbly before You,

    asking for Your wisdom and

    understanding.

    Remind me that I am complete in You.

    Let the truth of Your Word take root

    deep in my heart, so that I can walk in victory and not defeat.

    Because of Your sacrifice, I can walk free from guilt because it was nailed to the Cross.

    In Jesus name, Amen! 💛

  • When God Breathes Life Into Your Dry Bones

    When God Breathes Life Into Your Dry Bones

    When God Speaks to the Dry Bones

    Today, I want to share something that really touched me deeply. A powerful WOG and my church member, who has her own ministry, sends out weekly devotionals. This morning, her devotional was on Ezekiel 37, the story of the valley of dry bones.

    I had never actually read the full passage before, so I opened my Bible and read it for myself. As I did, I couldn’t help but imagine God speaking those very words directly to me. And honestly? It wrecked me in the best way.

    The Valley of Dry Bones in My Life

    Ezekiel 37 paints such a powerful picture. God takes Ezekiel into a valley full of bones… lifeless, scattered, and hopeless. Then He asks, “Son of man, can these bones live?” Ezekiel responds, “Lord, only You know.”

    God then commands Ezekiel to prophesy over those bones… to speak life into what looks dead. And as he obeys, the bones come together, flesh forms, breath enters, and an army rises.

    Reading this, I felt like God was saying to me: “Latoya, speak life into the areas you thought were over. Don’t you see that I can restore and breathe new purpose into what you thought was finished?”

    Living Proof That God Restores

    Many of you know that for years, I carried around the belief that I was disqualified from a lot of things, including my dreams. I thought my mistakes, my struggles, and my past choices meant that certain parts of my future were gone.

    But when I truly surrendered my life to God at the end of last year, He began a pruning and preparation process. Little by little, He showed me that some of the dreams I once buried weren’t dead after all… they were just waiting for His breath to revive them.

    One of those dreams was writing. I’ve always wanted to start a blog. I even tried twice years ago, but never followed through. But back in April, I finally launched this space.

    I began to share my testimony. It wasn’t by my own strength, because left up to me, I would never do it. I was only able to share with boldness because of the Holy Spirit.

    One scripture that became real to me was Revelation 12:11, which says, “They overcome him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” That verse simply means that we overcome the enemy not by our own strength, but because of what Jesus did for us on the cross (“the blood of the Lamb”) and by boldly sharing what God has done in our lives (“the word of our testimony”).

    That verse gave me the courage to step out of hiding and share my story. My testimony… the real, raw, sometimes messy parts of my life…became the very thing God was using to set me free and to encourage others.

    A New Chapter (Literally)

    What I didn’t expect is that God would use this blog to open a brand-new door for me. Someone saw the gift God has placed in me and invited me into an opportunity I never thought I’d have: to become a first-time author. It’s true. God will make room for your gifts and your name will go before you.

    This is something I’ve dreamed of for years, but thought wasn’t possible anymore. But here I am, living in the middle of what once felt like a “valley of dry bones.”

    I share this today not to boast, but to testify: when you give God your yes, He will breathe new life into your dreams.

    Your Dry Bones Aren’t Dead

    Maybe you feel like there are “dry bones” in your life… areas you’ve given up on, promises you think are too far gone, dreams you’ve buried.

    Can I encourage you? The same God who brought bones to life in Ezekiel’s vision can restore what feels dead in your world too. All He asks is that you trust Him and speak His Word over your situation.

    If He did it for me, He can do it for you.

    Final Thought:

    God is waiting on you. Your story is not over yet, because He is still writing it. What looks impossible to you is possible with Him. Don’t bury what God is still able to breathe on.

    A Prayer for Life in Dry Bones

    Heavenly Father,

    I come to You today with areas of my life that feel dead, hopeless, or forgotten. Lord, breathe Your Spirit into every dry place. Revive my dreams, restore my hope, and give me strength where I feel weak.

    Help me to trust that You have placed me here for a purpose. Teach me to speak life over myself, my circumstances, and my dreams, knowing that with You, nothing is impossible.

    Holy Spirit, fill me with boldness, courage, and faith to step into the calling You have for me. Remind me that even in the valley, You are with me, and what feels lifeless can rise again because of You.

    Thank You, Lord, for breathing life into me, for choosing me, and for giving me hope when all seems lost. I receive Your life today, and I declare that nothing can stop Your plans for me.

    In Jesus’ name, Amen. 💛