Bamboozled by Jesus: How God Tricked Me Into the Life of My Dreams

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Have you ever been completely read like a book BY a book?  #Bamboozled

Yep! That's exactly what happened to me as I carefully and intentionally read through and digested the pages of Emmy Award nominated actress Yvonne Orji's book, Bamboozled by Jesus. 

At a time when I needed to be reminded of God's promises to me, reminded to dust off my dreams in faith and not allow them to be buried because of fear, reminded of His goodness, grace, love for me and His Sovereignty, the Holy Spirit prompted me to grab a copy of this book and "Add to Cart." 

In true Good, Good Father fashion, the Lord reached down in a low place and met me where I was.  Over the past couple of years, in truth, I have struggled with feeling emotionally drained and at times, spiritually depleted.  I began to think, "Lord, how do I keep pouring out, showing up, and being present for myself and others if I am empty? There is nothing left for me to give."  I found myself stuck in my own mire, but with the mustard-seed faith and little bit of hope I had left, I chose to trust that somehow, some way, God would provide a way of escape for me.  

And while I waited on my answer, I did what I knew how to do: to pray (nothing elaborate, just an earnest plea, "Lord I need You and I need Your help) and to read my Word as I fought an uphill battle.  I was trying to fill my cart as God worked on mending my heart.  One day as I was waiting on the Lord, I heard the Holy Spirit tell me in essence that I was "running on the fumes of my relationship with Him."  In that moment I knew something had to change in me before my circumstances around me changed.  I heard the Lord loud and clear and that kicked me into different gear spiritually. The last thing that I wanted to do was become so comfortable in my mess that I became a spiritual sluggard and be dismissive toward the things that God has placed inside of me to accomplish. 

I desperately needed to be refreshed, and like cold water being splashed on you on a hot summer's day, Joshua 1:9 and (once it arrived in the mail,) Bamboozled by Jesus were the very things that I needed to wake me up from my spiritual slumber. 

Bamboozled by Jesus showed me, me. It served as my mirror in a season where I wasn't particularly checking for my reflection.  Though I'd been #TeamNoNewFriends for a while, I made one in Yvonne. She kept it real, she kept it funny, and transparent. She lovingly challenged me to get up and reminded me to stop swinging aimlessly at life and to strategize with the Holy Spirit; the fight was fixed in my favour to win because of Jesus. All I had to do was listen and move as He moves. 

I'm learning that deferred doesn't mean denied. Sometimes God will allow things to be postponed, until we are properly positioned, healed and whole to receive them.  We need to be prepared for what He has prepared for us and encouraged that what He has for us will not pass us by.