Making God's Voice the Loudest

I remember when I first began listening for the voice of God. I was hoping for something audible. Something undeniable; the still small voice, I felt, was too easy to be confused with my own thinking. Recognizing the voice of God was often an episode for me because my mind would expand into this adventure map that led nowhere: “What if that’s just my thoughts? What if that really was God? I think that was just my mind…. But my mind wouldn’t think anything like that. It must be God because I wasn’t even thinking about that topic! What if I’m too late? Why do I feel sweat beads?” The conclusion was usually “I don’t think that was God. I’m good.” Or “I’m going to need some confirmation.”

At one time, it was grievous to ask a believer for advice and be advised to pray about it.

JourneysMarisha MathisMay 3, 2018journey, growth, Spiritual growth

The Brace-face and that Pretty Smile

In spring of 2017, I decided to get braces. It was a no-brainer for me because there is a desired look that I have for my teeth. Some have questioned why I waited “so long” to get braces, or until I was well into adulthood. My answer is the same whether they understand slang or not: “I had to get it how I live.” As a child, I wasn’t able to get them. I couldn’t afford them as a college student and was unaware of options available for students. I gained the resources as an adult so I went for it. I had to move based on what works for me. Hence the term, getting it how I live.

I’d heard a lot of dreadful testimonies about having braces but I decided that I would get them anyway because I was fixated on the projected results.

JourneysMarisha MathisJanuary 30, 2018journey, growth, growing pains, self improvement

Kicking Bad Habits-including New Year's Resolutions

It seems like New Year’s Day was a few months ago. Beaucoup of things have happened since the beginning of the year and I have learned lessons that will only better me.

Here are my top 8:

JourneysMarisha MathisNovember 27, 2017Progess, growth, improvement, self improvement

The Day I Saw What I Said

As an adolescent, I had a few friends from the church that used to call me “missionary.” I wanted to be one so badly. It was an inside joke of some sort. Years went by and I graduated from high school. I forgot about the title. The desire to help others has only intensified since then. I called an old friend to help me out with some braids and she chuckled as she asked me this: “Do you remember when we used to call you “missionary?” [Laughter increasing] “Now you’re going to Africa.” The irony. I’m not the “name and claim it” type (another blog for another day) but as a wordsmith, it is beyond impossible not to understand the power of words. I’ve seen it throughout my life but there was something about my friend’s reminder that sent ripples of excitement through my soul. This was a week before I was to leave. Spare me a few minutes to rewind a little.

JourneysMarisha MathisAugust 3, 2017evangelism, mission, Uganda, destiny, journey, travel, purpose

Beauty for Ashes: 1 Year Later

I saw a facebook memory recently. It was a post announcing that I would be releasing my first book. My mind “timehopped” to how I felt when I posted the cover art for the project. I was literally nauseous. Not that I find one type of nausea more enjoyable than another but, this was a terrifying feeling. I posted the cover art as a form of accountability for myself to eliminate cold feet. From there I continued the final writing stages and I spoke to God rather frequently regarding preparing my heart and the hearts of the readers. I wouldn’t dare try to front like there wasn’t any excitement in the mix because there was some of that too.

Even as I write there are so many memories flashing that it’s hard to decide which I should describe next. I’ll begin with the process.