All posts by Treva Barnard

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About Treva Barnard

She is the mother of 3 beautiful girls, an author, a mentor, an inspirational writer and a minister in the gospel.

Are You Fully Covered?

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Yesterday I had to put my car in the shop because my window fell down into the door. It was so jammed inside that they couldn’t even get the panel open. I had just gotten the dealership to fix it a couple of months ago because the motor went out on both sides of the car. Those were not cheap at all. They said, “We will probably need to keep it a couple of days, so we can set you up with a rental car.”  Because they didn’t have any rentals on site they had to use an outside source. When I got to the rental place they failed to tell me all the stuff that I would need like my car insurance information, a deposit and the dealership had it as if I was paying for it when I wasn’t. So as if that wasn’t frustrating enough I called my car insurance to get all the information they needed only to find out that after all these years that I have been paying insurance I wasn’t fully covered. They had me under liability only. RIGHT! I said , “Lord I’m going to need your help today” Luckly I was able to get everything fixed and I had never been in a wreck. God had me covered. It made me think about how people walk around in life uncovered. No morales or values. Could care less if they live or die. No hope at all. I remember one day I was that way until I meet Jesus and made Him Lord over my life. He changed my life forever. When I accepted Him as my Savior I became fully covered under the blood. I became a daughter of the King, joint heir to the throne. What He owns now also belongs to me. The  thorns on his head keeps my in perfect peace when my mind is stayed on him. The blood that he shed covers and protects me from danger seen and unseen. He gave His life that freed me from bondage and sin. It allowed me to walk in freedom and to live life more abundately. Because I accepted Him as Lord over my life if I die today my soul will live forever with Him in paradise. Don’t walk around life under covered. Jesus Christ is life guaranteed.

Not Just Yet

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I was taking a walk outside of my house and as I was looking at my Dogwood Tree, the first thing that I noticed was something white hanging from the limb of the tree. As I looked closer it was a cocoon, and as I looked at it more I noticed that there was nothing in it. Of course the first thing that I started to do was look for a butterfly, right? I figured it shouldn’t be that far from it. When I looked to the right of the cocoon, I saw some thing that caught me by suprise. It was the caterpillar,  but it was dead. How odd. I had never seen that before. I have seen where they have died before the cocoon stage, but never in the process. The thought that came to mind is, “Don’t die in the process.” Sometimes life can be very frustrating and overwhelming at times. We can become so impatient to the point that we some how think that we can help God out. Trying to hurry up our process, we miss crucial steps. We think that we are helping, but to find out that it’s  only causing more delays. We think jumping ship would be the easy way out, when in actuality it’s holding us up and prolonging our route. God never promised that it would be easy, but he did promise to be with us every step of the way. We have to be willing to trust Him when He has us in that holding position or the cocoon stage of, “Just Wait”. It is in the waiting that God is building our character, strengthing our muscles, equipping and preparing us for what He has called us to be. Yeah! I know you feel isolated and alone, but it is in this stage that God is molding you and making you into what His image.If we would just take a moment and let Him teach us all the things that we need to learn. If you come out before you are fully developed you could take the chance of not only aborting the whole process, but killing yourself in the long run.

Uncommon Places

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Being a parent you come accustom to SOME of the things your kids like. One of those are animated movies. We are quite the movie junkies. One of our favorite movies is Kung Fu Panda. My kids can watch the same movie over and over again and still look at it as if it were their 1st time. The other night they so happened to be watching it and as I was in the bathroom doing my hair something dawned on me that I never thought about before. As I was listening, the Master named him as the Dragon Warrior. I heard all the remarks of others questioning the decision that was made. They judged him by his outer appearance and assumed he couldn’t handle the task at hand. They had no confidience that he could do it and neither did he. Their custom was when the scroll was opened by the Dragon Warrior he would be given great powers. When Kong Fu Panda opened the scroll nothing magical happened and there were no great powers given to him. All that was there was his image. He then realized that the power lied within himself. Once he realized that he believed in himself to be the Dragon Warrior and once he believed it he conquered everything that came in his path and saved his town. It is obvious to know where someone strengths lies when it can be seen from the outside. It is when we can’t pinpoint what is obvious that throws us off. We have lost and ruined a lot of people because we judged and misjudged what we thought people posed. Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” Thank God He doesn’t think like we do. He uses uncommon places to store His greatest gifts, talents and anointing because no one can take the credit or get the glory out of what isn’t obvious to man. The next time you try to judge some one’s capability by their outward apperance remember David slayed Goliath and Sampson ripped up the city gates with his bear hands.

The Imaginery Line

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Growing up I always had more male friends than female friends. I was hated because I was light skinned or had good hair. Some thought I was stuck up, conceited, had some idea that I thought I was better than everyone else when that was never my thoughts at all. Most of the times I was struggling with who I was and fighting to somehow stay alive. Some judged my outer smile thinking that my life was perfect, but little did they know I was really broken on inside. Because of that I always felt that I had to protect myself. I had to carry this tough image that I was ok, when really I was crying out for someone to help take this pain away. So I was always up for the challenge and by all means don’t dare me to do something, because you might have gotten something you didn’t want. THANK GOD for Jesus that I have learned how to not only pick my battles, but my approach to fighting is a little different now. There was this one girl I remember in our neighbor hood that had some beef with me.  I’m not sure why we even got into an altercation because we were always around each other.  I would say we considered each other friends. I guess we had that love hate relationship. All I remember was everyone in the neighborhood was around that day adding fuel to the fire of course, which only got me pumped while stroking my ego. The girl drew this imaginery line daring me to cross it or she would beat me up. What did you do that for? Of course I’m going to cross it. I wasn’t scared of anyone and if I was you would never know it. I remember going back and forth with the imaginery line, but nothing ever happened.  At least I don’t remember, other than us remaining friends. I didn’t realize how important those imaginery lines were until a couple of years ago. The imaginery lines I am referring to are boundaries. You can’t see them, but you know they are there. It is very important that we set healthy boundaries in our lives.  We can’t be afraid to let others know or feel guilty for having them. We can’t allow others to cross them, not even ourselves.  Your feelings are real and should be respected. But if you don’t respect them how do expect someone else to. By not setting boundaries it leaves you wide open and vulnerable to become hurt, misused and abused. That all stems from not knowing who you are. When I found me and loved me through God’s word there are boundaries I want let others cross including myself. I spent years of settling for less until I found out I was worth so much more. Although I am still learning, I am no longer afraid because I found my voice. #YOUAREWORTHIT

The Blood Still Works

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It has been almost a month ago that I had to have a colonoscopy. I was having blood in my stool along with some other issues. Last year I was the woman with the issue of blood literally. They couldn’t find out what was wrong with me. I only told a few people who I knew would be praying for and with me. Even though physically at times I didn’t have much strength it never stopped me from doing what God called me to do and if I couldn’t do anything else my praise is always 100 plus. Half way into last year I could feel God getting ready to put me on a consecration. I couldn’t even begin to explain where he had me. It was a place of unusual peace. The more I began to draw closer to him and follow his instructions the more of it I felt. He was doing so many things and fast. The first 3 months of this year God had me shut down social media and focus on other ministry needs. I was in a place of surrender. I will save you the details of the process of my procedure, but put it this way I pray you never have to have one. The morning of I was at peace. I am grateful to my friend Alaysia Black Hackett for being there with me. I think she was more nervous than I was. Anyway, right before they were getting ready to put me to sleep the doctor came in and said so are we checking for cancer today? That wasn’t anything my doctor had discussed, but I wasn’t alarmed, I was still at peace. I explained my issue and before I knew it I  was waking up. The end result is that THE BLOOD STILL WORKS. This is the 4th encounter that I can pinpoint that I know something was wrong with me , BUT God TOTALLY healed me. I shared that to say this….this Christian walk is real. It sad to see people within a year and nothing has changed and even sadder in 10 years. I am not being judgemental, but making an observation. There is NO WAY you can have a TRUE encounter with Jesus Christ and remain the same especially those of us who claim to be the called of Christ. That doesn’t mean you want fall or make a mistake, but there should be a difference in every area of your life. Your life should be the evidence that God is real, not just by the words that you speak. We go from glory to glory and from faith to faith. It is getting late in the evening and time is winding up. Tomorrow isn’t promised to any of us. IT’S TIME TO GET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER. Don’t let it be said to late.

The Value of Life

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They always say that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. What one person see’s value in another person may not see the same; therefore, is easily disregarded.  When I look at the things that are going on in this world it can be a little disharding and painful as there is little regard for God let alone someone’s else life.  Mark 12:31  “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” It is hard to love your neighbor when you don’t love yourself. They say love will make you do some crazy things, but what kinda of love is it that makes you come out of character and loose yourself enough to bring harm to others.  Is it really love?  Love should not make you hurt someone else let alone kill them.  Killing isn’t always physical. God knows we do enough damage with our tongue. If you have no love for others then you don’t love yourself. 2 Timothy 4:3 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;”  I believe that we are in the end times and the saying “it may get worse before it gets better” is going to hold true, yet I still believe. You may ask how can I believe with what I see? Faith allows me to look with another set of eyes that looks past the things I can see in the natural and that gives me hope. There are so many levels and reasons why people do what they do, but it is very clear that it’s root is the value of one’s life. When you don’t love and value who you are then neither will you love and value the life of someone else. You spend you’re life trying to find it through other people who’s concept of love is already distorted. That in itself is enough to make you crazy. How can one love and value who they are if they don’t even know? The good news is your worth isn’t wrapped up in other people. Through the word of God you can find out exactly who and whose you are and the true meaning of love. 1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;” When we mirror ourselves after the image of God then and only then will we truly know who we are. You only decrease in value when you don’t know your worth. Knowing who you are is EVERYTHING!

Can You Be Trusted

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Declaration:
I AM faithful

Ephesians 1:1

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:”

Whenever I am in a relationship with someone I am always faithful to that person. I don’t hang out with other men, even those who are my best friends. I try to be there for them. I watch my conversations and the company that I keep. I don’t seclude myself totally from others, but out of respect for them. Call me old school, but I don’t want to give any room for anything. Not that I think anything would happen or go wrong, but I feel when your with someone you wouldn’t have the need or desire to hang around someone of the opposite sex than you.  I know that everyone’s views are a little different, but that’s mine. I believe that you do need friends and  for me female friends have always been the lesser of the two, but yet and still I feel like there is a fine line when it comes to that. There should still be some type of boundaries. If you aren’t careful your friendships can sometimes come in between your relationships. Look at the relationship between a dog and man. He is faithful unto death. Wherever the master is there you will find the dog. When you are faithful to someone or anything for that matter not only is it building a form of trust, but respect, loyalty, strength, honesty, dignity and self control. Where there is no trust you pretty much don’t have anything. Matthew 25:21 “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Many of us want to be rulers, but yet we can’t be faithful to one thing whether it’s a relationship, our job, our church, etc. Our fleshly nature can sometimes  be selfish and want everyone to be committed to us and yet we aren’t committed to anyone but ourselves. Faithfulness not only will get us into places with man, but into the heart of God. Even though people may not always be as faithful and committed to me as I am to them because my heart has the desire to do right that I remain faithful even when they are not. That doesn’t mean that I become a fool and let people take me for granted. I don’t do it to seek the reward from man, but my Father which is in heaven. For greater is my reward when I please the Lord. 

More Than A Holiday

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I AM Thankful

Declaration:

Thessalonians 5:18 “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you”

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy one
Give thanks for He has given Jesus Christ his Son
And now let the weak say I am strong
Let the poor say I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us give thanks

Today it was my hearts desire to be able to serve the homeless, but they had a fluctuation of volunteers so I wasn’t able to. Instead I drove around the city praying for those who were without, for those who have lost loved ones and those who have lost hope.  I also wanted to try and hand out some of the homeless care packages that the Lord placed on my heart to make. I like many others struggle during these holiday seasons, but as I began to intercede for others what I was feeling seemed less important. As tears filled my eyes I became grateful with in my heart. There were moments I couldn’t even express what I felt, but I knew the Lord could hear the sentiments of my heart.  No matter where I might find myself in life I am still able to be thankful to God, for my life could have so gone another way. He has done so much for me. Thanksgiving is more than just a holiday for everyday is the day of Thanksgiving. I thought about the story of the 10 lepers that were healed by Jesus, but only one of them came back to tell him thank you. There are some people that no matter what you do for them they are so ungrateful as if they deserve it. My prayer is that I would always stay humble before God and that I would always be one of the ones who comes back to tell him Thank You.

I’m Bought With A Price

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Declaration:
I AM redeemed from the curse of the law
Galatians 3:13 “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree”

I am redeemed bought with a price
Jesus has saved my whole life
If anybody ask you just who I am
Tell them that I am redeemed
In times of old people were bound by a law (rules and regulations) in order for their sins to be forgiven, but when Jesus died on the cross for you and I he put himself in place of the ransom and redeemed us. He freed us from the law of old and now we can go bodly before his throne of grace for ourselves. When we accept him as Lord over our lives and believe that he is we become joint heirs with him. We become his sons. It is God’s desire that none would be lost, you would think who wouldn’t serve a God like that. It is sad to say that not everyone will accept him, not everyone will believe in him and even those that call on his name don’t truly love him for their hearts are far from him. God is a gentleman and would never force himself on anyone. To the one who is thinking about it, who haven’t quite made up your mind or maybe you are in a back sliden state it’s still not to late for you to accept him, it’s still not to late for you to come back home. Why wait when you can do it now. Repeat after me:
“Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe you died on the cross for my sins and that you rose again from the dead just for me. I trust and follow you as my Lord and Savior. Come into my heart and be Lord over my life. Guide my life and help me to do your will. In your name, Amen.”
If you said this prayer and your heart was sincere you are now saved and or have come back home. Welcome to the kindgom.

Alive in Him

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Declaration:
I AM dead to sin and alive to God in Christ
Romans 6:1-11 “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord”

When I accepted Jesus Christ into my life as my personal Savior not only was I forgiven of sin, but I made him Lord over my life. I gave him full control and reign. As a daughter of the King that means I now have to walk in the image of my father and though his grace is sufficient for me, but it doesn’t give me the right to take advantage of it nor give me the right to do what I want to do. Every day I have to continue to die to myself (my flesh), I have to turn over my will to his. There is a war going on within me between my flesh and my spirit and the one I continue to strengthen will overcome and win. Even in times when I become weak the strength of the Lord sustains me to do his will. We think it’s sooo hard to serve him, but it’s much harder to recover when we continue in sin. As a reflection of the King as he is than so am I. I am alive and I am free. Though I am not all the way there yet and eventhough I struggle and I make mistakes I don’t stay where I am. Every day I continue to strive to be the image of my father because I AM the daughter of the King.