J.U.M.P (Part 1)

What is JUMP? Is it an acronym? Is it a statement? A revelation? A t-shirt design?

    Well I guess you could say that it is all of the above. JUMP came to me as a revelation while in the midst of conversation with God. I had been working on my job for almost seven years and I got to the point in my life where I felt stuck. Now prior to obtaining this job; I had been homeless several times. From sleeping in cars, to crashing on people's couches, to living in hotels, I had done it all. So the stability that I obtained with this job was a major highlight in my life. I was very thankful for a well paying job that gave me the resources to obtain pretty much whatever I wanted. Be that as it may, I still felt this longing and this desire for greater.

   I would wake up every morning knowing that I was designed for much greater. As I would scroll the social media timelines, I would see others moving forward with their lives. From marriages, to parenthood, traveling, creating businesses, and so much more. I begin to ask "when is it going to be my time, God" I'm working in the church in several positions, I'm paying tithes, I'm praying. Like, I'm really out here for you God. Where's my elevation? Did I miss it? Have I missed you? Am I being ungrateful. I need you to say something Lord. And to my surprise, God said nothing. Complete silence. So I begin to pray and fast and wait on an answer. A few weeks go by and I hear God say "Get Ready".

"Get Ready?" That's its? You really about to give me a word in iKea format, huh? I'm going have to put all these pieces together myself? I had questions and I wanted more clarity but I knew those simple two words were more than enough. I had the desire to achieve more in life and I felt like this job, which once was my biggest blessing, was now my biggest hold up. The same thing I used to pray for, the same thing I fought for, the same thing that I sacrificed for...was now the same thing that I was trying to get away from. I knew that a leap of faith was going to have to occur soon. I just wasn't sure on how to do it. I would be one of the first in my family to make a bold move. What if it doesn't work? What if i miss God while trying to see God? What if? What if? Lord... What if!?

  Weeks pass and I keep seeing in my dreams these wristbands engraved with a message that I had heard from my pastor, "Go Again, This Time It Works". I had heard this message several times over the past 9 years and I could quote it with ease. There was something different about it this time. It was just the direction that I needed at the moment. I had put dreams, scripts, opportunities, and so many other things on a shelf because I was so engulfed in work. There were things in my life that were meant for me to have, but I didn't pursue because of an initial "no". Denial and rejection had become all to familiar to me in life. I would experience denial and rejection and adjust accordingly to it. I let the response dictate my actions; rather than let my faith direct my path. God began to deal with me and was instructing me to go back and claim what was rightfully mine.

  As I was getting my plan of action together for my next stage in life, the idea came to have the wristbands actually printed. I had been seeing them in my dreams and in my head on a daily basis but it never occurred to me to actually have them created. Where would I even go to get them made? Who was I going to sell them too? How many would I need? I had a lot of questions. So I went to the source that answers all of your immediate questions, Google. I put in the work and in a short time, I had a supply of wristbands. I opened the package and as I looked at them, I heard from God. If you cant tell by now, I'm the type of person that asks questions. A lot of questions. I like to know what all is going on and I like to weigh out every option and every outcome. So God begins to speak to me about trusting Him even the more. It wasn't about buying a bunch of wristbands and becoming rich. Although it can happen; that wasn't the purpose of the vision. He showed the vision and it was my responsibility to carry it out and pursue. It was perfectly fine to have questions and want direction at times, but I couldn't have so many that I let doubt set in. The amount of time and effort that I spent asking questions and procrastinating was unnecessary. The same God that has had my back through it all; is the same God that provides for me. Immediately, I begin to think of every other vision and instruction that I had gotten from God. The wristbands were simple tokens of His promise. I saw it, I heard the instructions, and I made it come to life.

  While I was at work one day, I had been playing worship music the whole week. My job wanted more work from me but for less pay. I was frustrated and just ready for my big break. I would physically clock in every day but mentally I had clocked out some time ago. Had it not been for the monthly bills, I would not have been there. As I'm driving on my route, I begin to have one of my Q&A sessions with God. "Hey God, you know I trust you right? And I know you wont forsake me or nothing like that...but ummm whats going on? Why am I still not happy?" To my surprise, I heard in my spirit a quick response. I heard God say "JUMP". I had seen posts on social media about people saying you have to jump to get to the next level. I wanted to know what exactly did jump mean. So since God was responding in a quick manner...I asked, What is jump? What does it mean exactly? How do I..."  And before I could finish I heard the response I never knew I needed:  "Just Understand My Plan". I begin to repeat it out loud over and over again for a few seconds and after I got it; I yelled. Up until this point, I always wanted God to understand my plan and make it work. I felt like as long as we communicate, then we should be good right? Nope. God wanted me to understand His plan. Understand His purpose. Every obstacle, every situation, every thing that I had been through was all according to HIS plan. 

  There was no more room for doubt, procrastination, drawback, regret...none of that. I had to know that God was granting me peace and grace to accomplish His will. I began to see that He had to bring me to big obstacles so that He could bring me out of them. To give His name glory, to lift Him up, to let my testimony speak to others.

My JUMP starts now..

 (TO BE CONTINUED)