Free By Design » God

Great Expectation

Kimberly Cooley — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 07:17:35 +0000

Good morning. It’s one thing to have so much faith that you know God’s “got you” in any situation, but it’s another thing when you become so faithlessly arrogant that you expect Him to move on your behalf “just because it’s what He does.” I call that a major #faithfumble

Peace – Kimberly

More Than Just A Number

Kimberly Cooley — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 16:08:17 +0000

Good morning. A few months ago Jeremiah with The Church At Chapel Hill preached on the “American Scheme” and how we shouldn’t conform to the American Dream (house, cars, picket fence, etc) but instead focus on living a life aligned with God’s will with or without those things. This message echoes when I think of our country who has made credit “ruler of all” and is now having its own “credibility” questioned and credit rating damaged.

In true God fashion, He prepared, refocused, and comforted his people for what was to come. Why wouldn’t I want to serve a God who constantly has me on his mind?

I am #morethananumber because #imGods.

Peace – Kimberly

Well, It Must Be God’s…

Kimberly Cooley — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 20:11:02 +0000

Good evening. Just because something happens doesn’t mean it’s God’s will. Many times we simply choose what we want to happen in the first place. Take responsibility, be accountable, and stop blaming God. God speaks to and guides us, but He also gives us free will, and just because we choose the wrong thing, doesn’t re-align the situation to be God ordained. He is merciful and will not leave us, but we have to be open, receptive, and available to do what He wants us to do.

Peace – Kimberly

Win – Win

Kimberly Cooley — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 01:29:36 +0000

Good evening. Don’t ever think that you are where you are because of your own merit. Uh uh. God gave you that thing, and it is God who continues to allow you to maintain it. Don’t get it twisted. You haven’t done anything, and don’t let thinking otherwise make you lose everything.

Be grateful for your calling and operate in excellence, but be even more grateful towards the One who called you and give Him the glory. With that combo, you will always come out winning!

Peace – Kimberly

Greater Good

Kimberly Cooley — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 04:54:53 +0000

Good evening. Never let your emotions drive your desire to help. Our “greater good” is not excluded from divine direction. Nothing is. #seek #Him #first

Peace – Kimberly

Chill. He’s Got This.

Kimberly Cooley — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 13:26:17 +0000

Good morning. Stop trying to “over think” God. In many ways, He’s very practical. It’s just that His wisdom is so much greater than our knowledge that we usually don’t “get it” until after the fact. It’s ok though because that just means He’s already moved on our behalf, and we were too slow to mess it up.

Peace – Kimberly

Christianity

Kimberly Cooley — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 23:22:17 +0000

Christianity is not a matter of comfort or convenience, it’s a matter of commitment (via Pastor Dave – Church At Chapel Hill) Sent from my Cellular South BlackBerry® Smartphone

Better Than A Hallelujah

Kimberly Cooley — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 00:49:13 +0000

“We pour out our miseries, God just hears the melodies; beautiful the mess we are, the honest cries of breaking hearts are better than a Hallelujah.” – Amy Grant

Sent from my Cellular South BlackBerry® Smartphone

Black Folks Church

Kimberly Cooley — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 21:17:43 +0000

Good evening. The following article written by Deborrah Cooper but made widely popular by CNN has sparked deep discussion among personal and social peers.

It basically implies that “black” churches are hindering women from getting married. WRONG.

The idea that the predominant racial makeup of a house of worship (church) affects whether someone gets married or not is lunacy.

Before I go further, I’ll be referring to the term “church” as it is most commonly misunderstood as – a building rather than it’s true definition as “the body of Christ.”

Once again, the world right down to main stream media has tried to understand a certain dynamic and point blame when they fail.

Here’s my perspective. I’m not going to scripture choke you. I’m just going to keep it simple.

Marriage and courtship are so simply laid out in the Bible that its not even funny and you don’t have to be a Bible scholar, theologian, etc to understand it. Bottom line it doesn’t matter if you attend a segregated (it is what it is) church or an integrated, nondenominational church, the Bible and its principles are still the same. The one thing that matters is the foundation of which the pastor/leader of that church bases his/her sermons on. If it’s Bible teaching, it’s simple. Do what the Bible says. If a pastors sermons is based on events of the week, latest gossip in town, their knowledge instead of God’s Word, pulpit retaliation, narcissism, entertainment rather than leadership, or spiritual elitism, then the solution again is easy…seek God for another church. Our spiritual wellbeing is the one thing we can be selfish about. It’s nothing to play with.

If a woman who knows better isn’t positioning herself and preparing herself to become a wife regardless of whether she’s destined to or not, then that’s her fault. If a woman who knows better lives her life solely based on what the preacher says just on Sundays, then it’s her fault. Spiritual growth isn’t limited to 11 Sunday morning. If a woman who knows better doesn’t have a conviction about living righteously with respect for herself and her body, then it’s her fault.

If one is to say a woman’s church is the reason why she isn’t married then it’s not the church (Body of Christ), it’s the teaching of that local body (church/house of worship) which obviously isn’t God’s word.

If a woman is a part of a Bible teaching church and is reading and applying the Word of God to her life as it is written and she still isn’t married, so what. She doesn’t have to go out looking and doesn’t have to settle. She only needs to keep doing what she’s doing. That just means 1 of 2 things: she is destined to be married OR it isn’t time. You do know it’s okay if things don’t happen RIGHT now, right?

Lastly, if a woman is a part of a Bible teaching church and knows the Word but chooses not to live by it and apply it to her life and doesn’t prepare herself to be the woman of God Proverbs speaks of, then she must need NOT complain about being single and lonely. Oh and just for kicks, being alone doesn’t mean you’re lonely.

Regardless of a person’s race or local church body makeup, there is one thing that will never be different – God’s Word and that encompasses life and love.

Last word…as a leader in main stream news media, CNN should really stop trying to be all “deep” and stop trying to work out all the problems of Blacks and other minorities (i.e. Black in America). Who do they think they are? God? Stick to reporting real headlines news and the things that affect us going forward if that’s still a CNN mission. Blacks and minorities live their lives every day and feel the affects first hand and frankly don’t need the very thing we’re trying to overcome to be constantly played on by the media. We know our own pains…trust me, and we don’t need you blowing up some personal blog on a topic that’s larger than your viewing audience. Spirituality is a serious matter. Stop playing with it.
Peace – Kimberly

Let It Go.

Kimberly Cooley — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 03:17:59 +0000

Good evening. In many ways I am thankful for the wisdom of knowing when to fight for someone and when to let them go. You can’t reach someone who doesn’t want to be reached. Relax. You’re not giving up on them. You’re just giving up on your human ability. It’s okay. TrustGod. In the meantime, go spend time making a difference in the lives of those who do want to be reached. Again…Trust God

Peace – Kimberly