Ambulation • May 2020

May 2020

A MOMENT OF HONESTY

DON'T WAIT... ....UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO DO WHAT YOU WERE CALLED TO DO....

STAY ALERT & COMMITTED

WHICH SLAVE ARE YOU?

WE'RE YOUR CHEER SQUAD

Be the best

THE PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS PERSON IS POWERFUL AND EFFECTIVE

Contents May 2020

Affirmations An Activity

What did the lord Tell you to do?

Stay Focused

Forgive

by Dr. Chanda McGhee

07 Stay Alert & Committed 08

17 21

32

Journal Activity Identity

Matthew 25:14-46

Which one Are You?

My Personal Takeaway

Don’t Wait

Identity

Be Honest An Activity

10 11 15

Stay alert

The enemy is lurking

Love is the anwer 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

The Uncounseled Couch Love triangle

35 36 38

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editor's note Hi y'all,

As you start or continue on your journey, just know that we are ambulating alongside you; supporting you, praying for you, and being your biggest cheerleader! My closest friends always tell me that I yell like I have a bullhorn. Well, I'm yelling in the same way as I cheer for you. YOU GOT THIS! GO, GO, GOOOOOO! I'm praying for you.

I’d love to send you notes of encouragement along the way. Text ENCOURAGEMENT to (877) 527-6143. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Be blessed,

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T hank you!

FOUNDER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Amy Cannon

EDITORIAL Autumn Cannon Editor

Nerissa Grigsby Deputy Editor

CONTRI"UTING WRITERS Gwen Cannon - pgs. 18, 25 Shawnee Andrews - pgs. 12, 14 Dr. Chanda McGhee - pgs. 32-33 Kathy Nelson - pg. 39 Bretney Moysset - pg. 39

MAGAZINE REVIEW TEAM Nerissa Grigsby Dr. Nathan R. Benson

Pastoral R 'i w Pastor Charles Wolford, Sr.

SPECIAL THAN S TO OUR GUEST REVIEWERS Tamika Jointer-Parran Gabrielle Arellano Nicole Hamilton Nevaeh Arellano Mary Ann Buckley Cherlyn P. Kilpatrick Cheryl Roseborough Minister Wallace Wyatt III

IMAGE CREDIT Photo by Vladislav Babienko on Unsplash- pg.6 TO SU"SCRI"E Visit www.ambulation.org Writ to: info@ambulation.org P on : 877) 527-6143 W W W . AMBULATION.ORG

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Take a moment to Journal Stare at the picture, to the left of this page, for 3 minutes. The picture is of person standing at what appears to be a divide in the woods. After staring at the picture, close your eyes, and think about your life, particularly your spiritual journey. What came to your mind while staring at the picture? How is your relationship with the Lord? Which path do you most often take in life, the one on the left or the one on the right? You may use the space below to journal your thoughts.

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AMBULATION

STAY ALERT & COMMITTED Matthew 25:14-30 (HCSB) Consider the Parable of the Talents. Let's explore, what I believe, The Lord is telling us concerning the season we are currently living in; COVID-19. We do not know when Christ will return, therefore, we must be vigilant and faithful at all times.

14 “For it is just like a man going on a journey.

He called his own slaves and turned over his possessions to them.

15 To one he gave five talents; to another, two; and to another, one—to each according to his own ability. Then he went on a journey.

Immediately 16 the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more.

17 In the same way the man with two earned two more.

18 But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.

19 “After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. Look, I’ve earned five more talents.’

21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.

Share your master’s joy!’

22 “Then the man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. Look, I’ve earned two more talents.’

23 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.

Share your master’s joy!’

24 “Then the man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know 8

you. You’re a difficult man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed.

25 So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.’

26 “But his master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy slave! If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, 27 then you should have deposited my money with the bankers.

And when I returned I would have received my money back with interest.

28 “‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has 10 talents.

29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

30 And throw this good-for-nothing slave into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

STAY ALERT & COMMITTED

PART 2

Matthew 25:31-46 (HCSB)

The Sheep and the Goats 31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.

32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

33 He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on the left.

34 Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

35 For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink;I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you took care of Me; I was in prison and you visited Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink?

38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or without clothes and clothe You? 39 When did we see You sick, or in prison, and visit You?’ 40 “And the King will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’ 41 Then He will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels!

42 For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger and you didn’t take Me in; I was naked and you didn’t clothe Me, sick and in prison and you didn’t take care of Me.’ 44 “Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or without clothes, or sick, or in prison, and not help You? ’45 “Then He will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me either.’

46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

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WHICH ONE ARE YOU? “No one can be a slave of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of money.� - Matthew 6:24 (HCSB)

MY PERSONAL TAKEAWAY I believe the parable in Matthew 25 is talking about is stewardship. In short, stewardship is actively being responsible to do and/or take care of what God told you to do and/or take care of using the resources God provided you to use. Governance.

Management. Implementation. Growth.

Many may say, "God didn't give me the resources to do this or that ..." Let's be clear: everything belongs to God. The author of Psalms 24 wrote, "The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the Lord." Everything that you have belongs to God. You know what else belongs to the Lord and we often don't think about it? The devil.

Satan is a created being. He was created as an angel in the heavenly places. God created him. So yes, EVERYTHING belong to the Lord. Many people treat Satan as if he is God's direct opposite, he is not. By direct opposite, I mean that people treat Satan as if he is on the same level as God, but evil. Satan is NOT on the same level as God. Satan, originally named Lucifer, is a created being. He was an angel who used to reside in the heavenly places. (For additional information, read Revelations 12). God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and everywhere at the same time. God alone is the creator of all things. Okay, now that I've taken a nice detour and given you a brief synopsis of who Satan is not, let's get back to our work centered around the parable.

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In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I woke up one morning feeling a deep, peaceful sense of urgency. I know, it sounds like a contradiction. How can a sense of urgency be peaceful? I don't know, that's just what I felt. After praying, I talked to a couple of friends; picking their brain as to why I may have been feeling that way.

When the President of the United States, Donald Trump, declared a pandemic, I made a personal vow that during the time of self-quarantining and isolation, I would focus on whatever The Lord called me to do.

I told myself, "Amy, you will not come out of isolation without something to show for it. You must complete what The Lord instructed you to do. You must cultivate a deeper relationship with Him." It's amazing how as time goes by, we seem to forget the personal vows we've made. So, in the midst of a pandemic, with the economy shut down and no signs of safely and fully reopening anytime soon, I woke up with a peaceful sense of urgency. COVID-19. No cure. No vaccine. No signs of reopening. I was mentally, physically, and emotionally prepared to be hunkered down for a minimum of 3-4 months. Honestly, I was truly enjoying my alone time.

So again, why did I wake up with a peaceful sense of urgency? Well, a couple of weeks ago, after I declared my personal vow, I began working on a bible study magazine. I was so excited! Things were progressing well.

Then the tide turned, but not for the better. Stagnation.

I lost my mojo and became lazy as I began spending more of my time consumed with CNN, chatting on the telephone about what I watched on CNN, and watching movies. It's no wonder I woke up feeling the peaceful sense of urgency.

DON'T WAIT...

....until the last minute to do what you were called to do....because, it may be too late.

The slaves in the parable had no idea when the owner would return, just as I have no idea when the pandemic will end or when the Lord will return. The Lord led me to read the bible, Matthew chapter 25, the Parable of the Talents. In the parable, three slaves were entrusted with the owner's possessions while the owner went on a journey. I believe The Lord was reminding me that He had given me, along with all His children, gifts, thoughts, resources, ideas, visions, talents, etc. and when He returns, He will want to know what we did with them while He was away. How was your time of isolation spent? Will you have something to present to The Lord? The Lord invested in you. Will you be able to provide a return on His investment? Or will you sit on the visions, ideas, thoughts and dreams that The Lord entrusted you with because you're full of excuses? "I don't have the time; I don't have the resources; I don't have enough money; I don't know how to accomplish it; I have children; I have to work; I'm too busy; I have to cook; You don't know what my life is like and worst of all, I'm just not interested." If you reside in the city of excuses located with the United States of Self, here are a few scriptures to help you get started.

Without revelation people run wild, but one who listens to instructions will be happy. - Proverbs 29:18 A person's pride will humble him, but a humble spirit will gain honor. - Proverbs 29:23 The fear of man is a snare, but the one who trusts in the Lord is protected. Proverbs 29:25 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from serving as My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your sons. - Hosea 4:6 Please do not allow excuses or the shame of your past to keep you from getting started. God is fully aware that you can't fix yourself. He wants you to come to Him and rely on Him and not your own power.

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit. - Psalm 34:18 “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.� - Matthew 11:28-30 Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (2) We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. (3) And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, (4) endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope.

(5) This hope will not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (6) For while we were still helpless, at the appointed moment, Christ died for the ungodly. (7) For rarely will someone die for a just person-though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. (8) But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us! - Romans 5:1-8 W W W . AMBULATION.ORG

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“ FATHER, I PRAY THAT YOU WILL COUNT ME WORTHY OF YOUR CALLING, AND THAT BY YOUR POWER I MAY FULFILL EVERY GOOD PURPOSE OF YOURS AND THAT EVERYTHING I DO, WILL BE PROMPTED BY FAITH IN YOU. I PRAY THIS SO THAT THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS MAY BE GLORIFIED. “ 12

DON'T WAIT... PART 2

....until the last minute to do what you were called to do....because, it may be too late.

Perhaps after reading all of this, you've said to yourself, "The Lord hasn't given me any dreams, visions, ideas, thoughts, task, etc. He hasn't given me any assignments. I don't know what His voice sounds like.

If He told me to do anything, I am unaware. What do I do now?" Take heart friends. I assure you, the Lord has not been silent nor has He forgotten you. Until you are able to hear His voice clearly, and until you are aware of the task or vision that He has given to you, move.

What do I mean by move? Matthew 25:31-46. The bible is rich with things that we should be doing, to contribute to the work of the Lord. In Matthew Chapter 25, the Lord encourages us to feed those who are hungry and thirsty, take strangers in, clothe the naked, take care of the sick, and visit those in prison.

The Lord said, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me." In short, we all have the task of being the Lord's hands and feet on earth; using the resources He provided to take care of His people.

When was the last time you were driving down the road and saw someone holding a sign asking for food or money? When was the last time you donated your gently used clothes or furniture to a non-profit? On a hot summer day, when was the last time you drove around and provided the homeless community with cool water? If you are unable to visit the local prison, when was the last time you visited or encouraged someone you knew was in mental bondage or depressed? When was the last time you visited residents at a local nursing home or children in an orphanage? It’s important to remember that there are people without family and not everyone has someone to visit them. When was the last time you took someone into your home, your car, or your life? When was the last time you mentored some youth?

When was the last time you gave someone a ride who did not have a vehicle or their transportation was out of use? When was the last time you became a part of someone's life for the betterment of them? As you can see, there's plenty of work to be done. Invest in your life. Christ invested in You!

Send your bread on the surface of the waters, for after many days you may find it. (2) Give a portion to seven or even to eight, for you don’t know what disaster may happen on earth. (3) If the clouds are full, they will pour out rain on the earth; whether a tree falls to the south or the north, the place where the tree falls, there it will lie. (4) One who watches the wind will not sow, and the one who looks at the clouds will not reap. (5) Just as you don’t know the path of the wind, or how bones develop in the womb of a pregnant woman, so you don’t know the work of God who makes everything. (6) In the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not let your hand rest, because you don’t know which will succeed, whether one or the other, or if both of them will be equally good. - Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 (HCSB) This passage really stands out to me. I believe it's encouraging us to avoid stagnation. It's imperative that we not view life as "waiting for the perfect time to do this or that." Just as we do not know the path of the wind, or how bones develop in the womb of a pregnant woman, we do not know the work of God. It is our responsibility to sow seeds. We do not know when they will produce; so start somewhere.

Start now. Perhaps your schedule is insanely busy. If you can't go, then give. I encourage you to give. Pay tithes and give to your local church. Also, take a moment and think about the non-profit companies in your area and take them into consideration.

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praying

We are Will you join in?

for you.

The prayer of a righteous person is both powerful and effective; It will avail much!

HEAVENLY FATHER, I THANK YOU ... ... that You are my Father and I am your child.

You said I can come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and to find grace to help in my time of need. Lord, I am in need of Your forgiveness. Forgive me for not being the good steward You have called and entrusted me to be. For ALL things are gifted from You, Lord; my time, my resources, my talents, my imaginations. You have given me all these and so much more because You love me. Father, I ask You to speak to me. I repent of every excuse I have made to not obey Your Word. Revive me, Oh Lord, with a renewed mind as I humbly obey your precepts. I resist living in guilt, and shame for I am under the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. You have not given me a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and self-control.

Help me to draw so close to You that I will hear the desires of Your heart and give of myself for Your service. Be merciful to me, for I have acted in ignorance and unbelief. I accept the grace of my Lord Jesus Christ that is abundantly being poured on me. Thank you, Father.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen. — S. Andrews

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A MOMENT OF HONESTY Using the blocks below, write scriptures concerning your current thoughts. i.e., If you feel shameful, look up scriptures pertaining to shame. If you feel lost, look up scriptures about being lost.

Example: I have not been doing what the Lord instructed me to do.

They did not keep God’s covenant and refused to live

by His law. Psalm 78:10

This exercise will help us to be honest about our current state.

We must go to God, in full transparency, and ask Him for forgiveness.

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M O T I V be your own A T I O N

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AFFIRMATIONS For every scripture that you wrote down on the A Moment of Honesty page, look up an antonym to each of those scriptures.

Be sure to include a personal call to action; “I will statement...� .

An antonym example to the scripture on the A Moment of Honesty page.

This is how we are sure that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands.

1 John 2:3

I love the Lord. I will walk in obedience to His commands.

His command is that I walk in love.

(Write out some ways of how you plan to carry this out)

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Just a thought

FOOLISH, FOOLISH, FOOLS THEY WERE THE FIVE FOOLISH VIRGINS IN THE PARABLE OF THE 10 VIRGINS FOUND IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 25. FIVE OF THE VIRGINS WERE FOOLISH AND FIVE OF THE VIRGINS WERE WISE. THE WISE PREPARED FOR THE JOURNEY AND WERE WELCOMED IN. THIS WAS NOT SO FOR THE FOOLISH VIRGINS. YOU CAN'T ENTER HEAVEN ON SOMEONE ELSE'S SALVATION. YOU MUST PREPARE FOR YOUR OWN JOURNEY AND IT STARTS WITH ACCEPTING JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR SIN BEARER, YOUR SAVIOR. I HEARD MY GRANDMOTHER SAY "YOU CAN'T GET TO HEAVEN RIDING MY COAT-TAIL.” - G. Cannon 18

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Take a moment to Journal Journal your progress. Have you learned anything new about yourself? How will you plan you days going forward? As crazy as it may sound, we must create a plan to help us stay alert & committed.

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What did the

Lord tell you to do?

Do you remember? Have you taken note of times when He spoke to you? Do you remember the last vision He shared with you? What about dreams? If the answer to any of the questions above are no, then I have some news for you. I have some good news and some “GOODER” news!

The Good news: The Holy Spirit is our Advocate.

He will remind us of everything the Lord said. - John 14:26.

The “GOODER” news God is a forgiving God.

He is patiently waiting for us to return and commit our ways to Him. Are you ready to become alert and committed?

Great! Let's get started...

You will seek Me...

... and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you" – this is the Lord’s declaration.

– Jeremiah 29:13-14a

Compassion and forgiveness...

... belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against Him and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by following His instructions that He set before us through His servants the prophets.

– Daniel 9:9-10

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit...

– the Father will send Him in My name - will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.

– John 14:26.

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What did He tell What did the Lord tell you to do that you are not doing? Have you had dreams, visions, tasks, and/or assignments that the Lord laid on your heart and you “forgot”? If so, take a moment and ask the Lord to forgive any procrastination and/or display of disobedience. Often times, when we do not respond right away, we forget. Forgetting is never an acceptable excuse for disobedience. Confess the sin of loftiness; behaving in a way in which you were more important than the assignment the Lord gave you to do.

Time to Reactivate Obedience!

"But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror. For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was." - James 1:22-24 (HCSB)

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you to do?

Scriptures to help you get started.

Pray for a renewed mind! - Romans 12:2 (HCSB) Command your flesh to line up with your Spiritual walk - Galatians 5:16 (HCSB) Remind yourself, “I will do as the word says and not be just a hearer.” - James 1:22 (HCSB)

Take a PPE moment The healthcare community has personal protective equipment. Believers have personal prayer equipment.

Personal Prayer Equipment (PPE) WRITE A PERSONAL PRAYER

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Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth. Colossians 3:2

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WHAT IS A

DISCIPLE?

BY GWEN CANNON

Take a moment and read Luke 14:26-33. Disciple is a keyword found throughout the few verses you just read. What is a disciple?

A disciple is a person who has dedicated oneself as a follower of a teacher, leader, or particular doctrine. Disciples are committed to spreading the teachings of the doctrine in which they follow. A disciple, according the Christian belief, is one who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ. The term disciple is only found in the New Testament and not the Old Testament. Discipleship is a deliberate apprenticeship which makes a fully formed disciple a living copy of the master. It's all about Jesus Christ. So, anyone who is a follower of another, as in a teacher-student relationship, is considered a disciple, a living copy of their master. A disciple lives with and/or abides with their teacher. When abiding, whatever the teacher does, the disciple does. When the teacher sleeps, the disciple sleeps. When the teacher eats, the disciple eats. A disciple is willing to give up whatever he/she has for the cost of being discipled. Luke 14:26 (HCSB) says, "“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be My disciple." This scripture is not saying to literally hate. It is referring to, not choosing others over Christ. We are unable to fully and obediently follow Christ when we put others ahead of Him. When we follow humans, we end up doing what they want us to do rather than what God calls us to do. A disciple bears fruit. A person who bears fruit doesn't care about what others may think or say about them. They are only concerned with the cares of the Lord. How does the Lord view them? Are they performing in ways that please the Lord? Have you ever considered what God has done for you? Who are you loyal to? Don't allow fear of what others may say about you cause you to become a disciple of humans and not of Christ. Complete the task(s) The Lord called you to do. Bear in mind, when you are a disciple of Christ, He will provide the resources for you to complete the task that He called you to do.

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W H E N F E E L

Y O U L I K E

Q U I T T I N G , T H I N K A B O U T W H Y

Y O U

S T A R T E D .

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FATHER, MAY YOUR KINGDOM COME, MAY YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. MAY I RESPOND WHEN YOU CALL: “WHOM SHALL I SEND?” I AM WILLING TO GO. I WILL SAY LIKE ISAIAH: “HERE I AM, SEND ME!”

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READ EACH SCRIPTURE BELOW WRITE THE WORD OR WORDS THAT STAND OUT TO YOU THE MOST AND WHY?

ROMANS 12:2 __________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ _

“

GALATIANS 5:16 __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________

JAMES 1:22 __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________

Once written, you have to stand by it. Verbally recite it, out loud, until you believe it enough to walk in it.

”

WRITE THE VISION The Lord answered me: Write down this vision; clearly inscribe it on tablets so one may easily read it. - Habakkuk 2:2 TAKE NOTE Looking at the scripture above, the Lord did not say, “write any vision.”

He said, “write THIS vision,”- the vision He gave you.

Use the space provided to write the vision, dream, or idea the Lord gave to you.

What did He tell you to do?

9 | BOOKISH MAGAZINE

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BECOMING ALERT You wrote the vision, now what?

It's imperative that you stay focused. Ask the Lord for clear direction on the vision, it's interpretation, and the implementation plan to carrying out what He called you to do. Don't give up! The Lord speaks in His timing, not ours. It's easy to get frustrated when we don't hear from Him. Be comforted. Take a moment and write down the scriptures below. _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

1 Peter 3:12 _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ 1 John 5:14 _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ John 9:31 _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ Jeremiah 29:12-13

________________________________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________ 1 John 5:15 Often times when the Lord speaks, He does not give us the entire picture. As we remain committed, we must exercise faith by taking steps, as He gives them. This process will teach us how to stay alert. I believe it would be a little overwhelming if the Lord gave us the full assignment, all at once.

Often times, there are road blocks, pitfalls, and ambushes along the way.

Think about your life and all you have achieved. Had the Lord told you everything that you were going to endure; all the pain, shame, loss, etc. would you still have kept going? Would you have chosen that particular path?

God has a plan for you and He does not want you to become overwhelmed and give up. Stay alert and committed to the assignment.

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Friends

Forgive 32

These times we are living in, are of no surprise to God. He has plans for us during this season.

His plans always include opportunities for us to use our gifts, step out on faith to show others who God is, and to show love to others, the way God has loved us. In the Bible, Genesis chapter 47, we are told of a famine in the land.

It was everywhere ... all over the world. (Sound familiar?) However, Joseph, in submission to God, had used his wisdom to help prepare Egypt for the famine and had been promoted to Pharaoh’s chief during that time. Of course, his father and brothers had not seen him since his brothers sold him into slavery. He was sold into slavery approximately twenty years prior to his earthly promotion.

Anyway, God blessed Joseph with family and wealth, despite the famine in the land. As God frequently does, He brought Joseph’s brothers to him and created an opportunity for reconciliation.

Joseph did not take this lightly. Joseph was fully aware of the wrong that his brothers had done to him. He could have taken the opportunity to let them have it (choice words), let them know how much they had hurt him, and know all he had been through as a result of their actions (e.g., wrongfully imprisoned, isolation, poverty, etc.).

But he didn’t.

Joseph chose to look at all that happened in his life as God’s will and recognized that had he never been sold into slavery, he never would have been where he was at that time (chief to Pharaoh). Joseph took the opportunity God gave him, which only happened because of the famine, to forgive his brothers, reconcile with them, and bless them. He brought them and all their families to live in Egypt, provided jobs for them, and a place for them to live with continued provision.

Joseph did not have to do this, but because he did, his brothers were able to see how God loves. Friends, though the world may see this pandemic as a time of sickness, a time of isolation, and a time of lack, we do not have to see it that way. Everything God does includes His love, provision, and opportunities for us. Use this time as a time of healing: healing broken relationships, broken patterns within your family, broken dreams, broken marriages, broken finances, whatever the case may be. Use this time to take advantage of the opportunities that God is providing to reconcile with people that you know God would want you to have a relationship with; even if they have done you wrong, recognize how God has used everything in your life for your good and

forgive them. Let them see how God loves and blesses others through your love.

Bless them in whatever way you can and then see how God will draw you nearer to Him, show you how He loves you, and show you how He can use you to draw others to Him. Regardless, friends, seek God’s plan during this time and let Him bless you through your blessing of others!

"Everything God does includes His love, provision, and opportunities for us."

Be blessed on your journey,

Dr. Chanda McGhee

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Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.

C.S. LEWIS

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TH E E N E M Y I S LU R K I N G . . .

Now that you've worked through a couple of assignments, and have started the journey to fulfilling what God called you to do, your guard should be up and here's why: The enemy doesn't want you to follow the Will of the Lord.

The enemy doesn't want you to prosper. The enemy wants you to be in partnership with him. The enemy's primary focus is to kill, steal and destroy. — John 10:10.

The enemy wants to kill your dreams, and visions in order to control your mind, and thoughts leading you to selfdestruct. Be on guard. Do not allow the enemy and the daily distractions keep you from focusing on what the Lord called you to do. I can tell you, it's difficult. It's difficult to stay alert and committed, but not impossible. You will have to plan your day, time with the Lord, and plan/practice obedience.

As crazy as it may sound, you may also have to plan what you think about. Take inventory of your thoughts. Think about what you think about.

1. SCHEDULE TIME WITH THE LORD. Set a daily reminder to spend uninterrupted time reading the bible and having quiet time with the Lord. When it gets difficult, stay focused, push through it, and commit to that time regardless of what happens in your life. I encourage you to pick a time you're less likely to be interrupted, i.e. between 5 a.m.- 6 a.m.

2. PLAN FOR DISTRACTIONS Distractions are inevitable. You have 100% control over how you choose to respond to distractions. Take a moment to plan how you will stay alert and committed once the distractions begin.

3. PPE Plan/write short prayers to help keep you focused. Only you know the random thoughts you have on a reoccurring basis. Create a plan to address them; jot down some scriptures on note cards, and every time the toxic thoughts surface, combat them with the word of God.

“Invest in yourself enough to plan your focus, plan how you will counter negative thoughts, and plan how you will tackle distractions.” — Amy W W W . AMBULATION.ORG

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It's an action word!

Love IS THE ANSWER

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C O R I N T H I A N S

1 3 : 4 - 5 Â

The Uncounseled Couch gives individuals

a public platform to tell their story through sequential articles found in each issue of Ambulation.

Do you realize the power of your verbal and written confession? Countless religious leaders, therapist, counselors, psychologist, psychiatrist, mental health professionals, and life coaches all attest to the same theme; any type of open and truthful disclosure reduces stress and helps individuals come to terms with their behavior. One word: Transparency.

Transparent living is simply living a life free of pretense or deceit. Often times, it’s difficult to speak our transparent truths. In order to equip each guest with the tools needed to address "uncounseled" issues, our guest are encouraged to attend counseling and engage in activities that promote healing, reconciliation, rest, and restoration.

There's strong evidence that suggest that when individuals write about events that have upset them, tragic events or situations that have really let them down, writing offers an outlet for release. Releasing can enhance a person’s quality of life through mental and physical wellbeing. The Uncounseled Couch is geared towards aiding individuals by ambulating alongside them through the healing process.

To the brave individuals who have invited us into their lives through the sharing of their testimony, Thank you!

As believers, the bible says that we are overcomers! We overcame the enemy by the blood of the lamb; Jesus Christ's work on the cross, and the word of our testimony; our verbal confession of faith in Jesus Christ as our savior.

– Revelation 12:11.

1 # e d o s i Ep "Consider all choices, love triangles can be dangerous! Taunted with obsessive thoughts and feelings, she was jealous of her rival, her mother....

Let's watch the untold story unfold .....

Prepare for an emotional roller coaster. Strap in.

Let’s ride!"

You are an overcomer!

hsalpsnU no zepoL

otohP

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ramO yb

mother& daughter

EPISODE 1 Mother's side “Doesn't he look familiar?” Shaking her head, Gayle replied, “I don’t think so.”

Out of curiosity, I asked her, “Why is that?”

“Because he just got out of prison," exclaimed Gayle. Oh. We were at the nightly prayer meeting at church that had been going on for 40 days. Gayle and I decided to walk around when we heard the worship band practicing and decided to peek in.

There he was, sitting in front of the band, mesmerized by their talent. His name was Dillon.

He looked like one of those guys I always wanted to date back in high school. He was a sharp dressed, muscular, clean shaved, with a goatee kind of guy. I just stared at him. He was beautiful and I was smitten. Gayle snapped me out of my daze and we left to go to the prayer room. I definitely needed prayer after seeing Dillon.

A couple of friends were planning to go to a concert that night and I asked “So, Rachel, who all is going to the concert tonight?” Rachel shrugged her shoulders and responded, "our usual prayer group, plus I believe Yolanda and her son." “You mean that guy Dillon?” I asked.

She said yes and asked me why but before I could open my mouth to answer, right then and there, in walked Yolanda and Dillon. I could hardly breathe. Clearly, he took my breath away! I ran to the back room and told myself, “Calm down. No need to panic.”

Daughter's side

As I walked through the main hall at church, heading towards the side doors leading to the youth group building. I immediately noticed this clean cut, muscular, tattooed, GQ handsome, bad boy looking kinda guy.

Once I made it to the main church hall, I headed to meet up with my mom. I saw, from a short distance, my mom standing with her friend, along with another woman and the tattooed GQ guy. Thoughts flooded my mind. What's his name? Who is this other woman with my mom? How old is Mister GQ? After church that night, my mom and I went to hang out at her friend's apartment. I was chilling with Sherry in her room when I look up towards the door and saw Mr. GQ, a.k.a. Dillon; I learned his name from a friend.

Oh yeah, and the random other lady was with him.

I didn't care. His smile was so wonderful to me. His voice was the sexiest voice I had ever heard. I was so taken by his looks that I paid no attention to anything else around me.

He went with me and my mom to Target that night.

While walking down the aisles, Dillon began to ask me about boyfriends. At the time, I did not have one. We continued to flirt with each other while talking. His age was still unknown. Disciple and Thousand Foot Krutch were a couple of Christian Rock bands that Dillon liked and introduced me to, along with Creed. Every time he sang along with Creed, I was on Cloud 9. Mmmm, mmmm, mmm, he's hot, he can sing and he thinks I'm hot. Man, this is a dream come true. The first hot guy that likes me.

Twenty-eight years old? He sure doesn't look his age.

After all, he said, "age is only a number." Yeah, these are the types of thoughts that I had going through my mind.

I was always jealous of the pretty girls who got the hot guys and this time, I didn't want to lose my chance. "I won't say anything, I promise." Those words came flying right out of my mouth. "I could get in big trouble if anything is said. Don't even tell Sherry," Dillon advised.

One evening, I was standing outside and I suddenly became angry and confused at the sight of my mother holding Dillon's hand. Like, what the ...?

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STAY TUNED: EPISODE 2 Episode 2 will premiere in the June issue of . Follow as the story unfolds.

You don't want to miss it!

RELEASE DATE: JUNE 2020

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2Â

Y O U

H A V E

C H O I C E S

E I T H E R

L E T

M O M E N T S D E F I N E

Y O U

O R

Y O U T H E

D E F I N E M O M E N T S

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