Tag: relationships

  • It’s in the Book 📖

    Not hidden.
    Not coded.
    Not reserved for the “deep” or the “qualified.”

    It’s right there for anybody who will slow down long enough to actually read it.

    And the beautiful part is this:
    When Jesus says, “Come to Me,” He’s not inviting us into religion, performance, or pressure.
    He’s inviting us into relationship — and the proof is in the pages.


    Let’s Talk About It

    Some people flip through the Bible like it’s a checklist.
    A verse here. A chapter there.

    But if you ever pause — really pause — and read it for yourself, you’ll see something:

    It’s all there.

    The comfort.
    The clarity.
    The correction.
    The rest your soul has been begging for.

    Jesus didn’t hide His invitation.
    He said it plainly:

    “Come to Me… and I will give you rest.”

    Not stress.
    Not confusion.
    Not hoops to jump through.

    Rest.

    And the more you read, the more you realize:
    He meant every word.

    So today, take a moment.
    Open the Book.
    Let the words breathe again.
    Let them meet you where you are.
    Let them lift what you’ve been carrying.

    Because everything you’ve been searching for —
    it’s in the Book.


    Let’s pray 🙏🏽

    Lord, thank You for giving us a place to run when life gets heavy.
    Thank You for speaking rest to our souls through Your Word.
    Open our eyes to see what’s written, open our hearts to receive it,
    and remind us that Your invitation is always open, always gentle, always real.
    Meet us in the pages, and let Your truth settle us from the inside out. Amen.


    Invitation

    If you’ve been tired, searching, overwhelmed, or carrying more than you admit…
    start with one moment today.
    One verse.
    One pause.
    One breath.

    You don’t have to perform.
    You don’t have to qualify.
    You don’t have to figure everything out.

    Just come.
    Just open the Book.
    Just let Him meet you.

    Because relationship starts with a response —
    and He’s already extended the invitation…

  • ✨ Let’s Talk About Forgiveness…

    Let’s talk about forgiveness — not the easy kind people mention casually, but the real kind that costs you something. The kind where you release resentment even when you had every right to hold on to it. The kind where you choose mercy over retaliation, love over bitterness.

    Forgiveness is hard — I know because I had to walk through it myself. I had to forgive my mom and dad. Forgiving my mom came easy, but forgiving my dad took time. As he got older, I realized I couldn’t shape him into who I wanted him to be — but I could choose peace, love him where he is, and embrace the moments we still get to share.

    Forgiveness isn’t about pretending it didn’t hurt. It’s not about forgetting what happened or excusing the behavior. It’s about refusing to let the wound control you. It’s about letting go of the debt so it no longer has a hold on your heart.

    And you know me — everything I write, I back it up with scripture or facts.

    When you read the Bible, it speaks clearly about forgiveness.
    Luke 17:3 teaches us to forgive when someone repents.
    Ephesians 4:32 reminds us to be kind, tenderhearted, and to forgive others just as God forgave us.

    Forgiveness doesn’t change what happened, but it does change what’s possible. Don’t be stubborn — let your heart forgive so you don’t live with regrets later. Forgiveness won’t fix the past, but it will free your future. Don’t wait until you’re saying:

    “I wish I would have.”

    Happy Forgiveness.

  • ✨ LET’S TALK ABOUT COMMUNICATION — THE HARD STUFF WE DON’T SAY OUT LOUD

    There are conversations we avoid.
    Conversations we postpone.
    Conversations we bury under silence, assumptions, and pride.

    Not the dramatic moments.
    Not the loud arguments.
    Not the obvious betrayals.

    I’m talking about the quiet things:

    Miscommunication.
    No communication.
    Unspoken feelings.
    Unresolved truths.
    Silence that grows into distance.
    Assumptions that break what honesty could have saved.

    This is the part of communication nobody teaches us — the part that destroys families, friendships, marriages, and even faith circles without a single word being spoken.

    And today, we’re going there.

    Because I’ve lived this.
    I’ve seen what silence can do.
    I’ve watched misunderstandings turn into separation.
    I’ve carried the weight of stories that weren’t even true.

    And I know I’m not the only one.


    💬 Conversation One: Miscommunication, Unresolved Truths & Silence

    Miscommunication is one of the biggest relationship killers — not because people don’t care, but because people don’t talk.

    We assume.
    We guess.
    We fill in the blanks with our own fears, wounds, and past experiences.

    And silence?
    Silence is loud.
    Silence is dangerous.
    Silence creates stories that never happened.

    People walk around with regrets like:

    “I wish I would’ve listened.”
    “I wish we could’ve talked.”
    “I wish I would’ve said what I really felt.”

    Those regrets sit in the heart like unfinished sentences.

    If something can be fixed, make your peace while you still can.
    Not for them — for you.


    💬 Conversation Two: When One Incident Changes Everything

    Sometimes it’s not what happened — it’s what people think happened.

    And sometimes people stop communicating with you not because of the truth, but because of gossip, hurt feelings, or assumptions that were never checked.

    I lived through this.

    Years ago, my ex‑husband told people I hit him with a car — or they assumed I did because I stayed silent.
    What they didn’t know is this: he came over looking for trouble.

    I never spoke on it.
    I let people think whatever they wanted to think.

    But here’s the truth:
    I was almost charged for something I didn’t do — until I finally communicated with the police and explained what really happened.
    He jumped on the car.
    I was driving off.
    He fell.

    One moment.
    One misunderstanding.
    One false story.

    And that’s the danger of silence.
    That’s the danger of assumptions.
    That’s the danger of letting gossip speak louder than truth.

    People will always assume the worst.
    People will always create their own version of events.
    And it is not your responsibility to chase down every rumor or correct every perspective.

    You can’t control what people hear. You can only control what you communicate.


    💬 Conversation Three: Gossip, Assumptions & Texting

    People will stop communicating with you because of:

    • something they heard
    • something they assumed
    • something someone else told them
    • something they misunderstood

    And today, communication is even more complicated.

    We communicate through text messages, and while texting is convenient, it’s also dangerous.

    A text can be:

    • misread
    • misinterpreted
    • taken out of context
    • filtered through someone’s emotions instead of your intention

    Some conversations cannot be handled through a screen.
    Some truths need a voice, not a message bubble.
    Some misunderstandings need tone, presence, and clarity.


    💬 Conversation Four: The Things We Leave Unspoken

    As time passes, we leave things unsaid.
    We avoid the hard conversations.
    We let pride, fear, or assumptions do the talking for us.

    But unspoken truth is still truth.
    Unspoken hurt is still hurt.
    Unspoken love is still love.

    Some relationships didn’t end because of betrayal —
    they ended because nobody talked.

    Some families didn’t break because of disrespect —
    they broke because nobody cleared the air.

    Some friendships didn’t fade because of conflict —
    they faded because both sides waited for the other to speak first.

    Unspoken things have power.
    And they don’t disappear just because we avoid them.


    💬 Conversation Five: The 7 Cs of Communication

    Let’s pause here. We’ve talked about silence, misunderstanding, and emotional distance. But now it’s time to ask: How do we actually communicate well? The 7 Cs give us a simple, powerful framework to guide us.

    If we’re going to talk about communication, we have to talk about how we communicate — not just what we say.

    The 7 Cs of Communication align beautifully with scripture:

    1. Clarity — Say what you mean.
    2. Completeness — Give the full truth.
    3. Conciseness — Speak with purpose.
    4. Correctness — Be accurate and honest.
    5. Courtesy — Tone matters.
    6. Consideration — Think about how your words land.
    7. Concreteness — Be specific and clear.

    Healthy communication is intentional communication.


    💬 Conversation Six: What God Says About Communication

    God has always cared about how we speak.

    Colossians 4:6
    “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt…”

    Proverbs 18:21
    “The tongue has the power of life and death.”

    Ephesians 4:29
    Use your words to build, not tear down.

    Matthew 28:19
    Even the Great Commission is rooted in communication.

    Communication isn’t just a skill — it’s a spiritual responsibility.


    💬 Conversation Seven: Effective Communication Requires a Softened Heart

    You can’t communicate effectively with a hardened heart.

    A hardened heart:

    • blocks understanding
    • blocks compassion
    • blocks clarity
    • blocks healing

    Scripture says:

    Ezekiel 36:26
    “I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

    Proverbs 15:1
    “A gentle answer turns away wrath…”

    Before we can speak clearly, we must feel clearly.
    Before we can resolve conflict, we must release pride.
    Before we can heal relationships, we must let God soften the places we’ve hardened.

    A soft heart communicates better than a sharp tongue ever will.


    💬 Conversation Eight: Don’t Just Read This — Do the Work

    Don’t just read this and walk away unchanged.
    Find a way to unlock the things you’ve kept buried for years.
    Get out of your own way.
    Do it for your children, so they can see love, see healing, and learn how to communicate effectively.

    This is why I wrote this:

    • People who haven’t spoken in years will rethink their silence.
    • People who misunderstood each other will finally see the other side.
    • People who carried guilt or confusion will feel seen.
    • People who were hurt by gossip will feel validated.
    • People who avoided conversations will feel convicted — in a good way.

    This message isn’t just information — it’s an invitation.


    Prayer

    Father, soften our hearts.
    Teach us to speak with clarity, grace, and truth.
    Heal the wounds caused by silence, assumptions, and miscommunication.
    Give us the courage to have the conversations we’ve avoided.
    Restore what can be restored.
    And give us peace where release is necessary.
    Amen.

    🌟 Support This Ministry

    If this message spoke to you, encouraged you, or gave you clarity, you’re welcome to sow into this ministry as I continue creating Signs of Strength and pouring into this community.

    CashApp: $jhomes3
    Zelle: msjohnniewalker@gmail.com