“So this morning I went outside..and as I did I didn’t stay on the sidewalk I went into the yard instead because it was shorter..Amen..but anyways I come back in the house and I had my house shoes on but as I am walking through I wasn’t paying any attention and then I circle back around and look down at my floors and they are covered in wet grass and dirt..and its all through the kitchen the hallway and the living room..and so I reach down take them off..go over to the sink and began washing them and cleaning them off..Amen..and Anthony comes downstairs getting ready to leave for work..and I say to him I have made a mess..I went and took a short cut through the yard instead of staying on the side walk and I have a complete mess all through the house..Amen..and Anthony says mom don’t ever take a short cut..just stay on the path..Amen!”

“So as he said this I immediately begin thinking of Jonah..Amen..and at how he as well decided in his life that he wasn’t taking and or going the way that God wanted for him too..but much rather he was gonna go his own way and take a short cut to somewhere else other than where he was supposed to be going..and so he ran in the opposite direction..all the while he was supposed to be heading to Nineveh..he went to Joppa and found a ship to enter in..and was heading himself to Tarshish..but all the while in his taking a short cut..he was in a complete mess to say the least..the bible says a violent storm arose threatening to break up the ship..Jonah went and slept through it all..they cast lots and it fell on Jonah..he says to them I am a Hebrew and I worship the God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land..he says to them I am running away from the Lord..again taking a short cut so he thought..(Jonah 1:1-16)..Amen!”

“So he tells the men on the ship to throw him over and the wind and storm would seize..so the men did as he had asked..and Jonah well the bible says that the Lord provided for him a fish that swallowed him up for three days and three nights..can you imagine how bad this short cut was ending up for Jonah..way worse then me and my mess that I had made this morning in the house..so there he was in the belly of the fish..in which case I am thinking a whale..so Jonah vowed to the Lord that he would go for salvation is of the Lord..Amen..so the Lord commanded the fish to spit Jonah out onto dry ground..(Jonah 2:1-10)..Amen..but I think about us all and we know as well what direction we need to be going in..we know truly in our hearts what God is desiring from us..but somehow we as well don’t want the hard..we don’t want to listen..we wanna take a short cut instead..we want the blessing without the sacrifice..we want the reward without the work..Amen!”

“But guys I tell ya if we think we can get anything easy in our lives first off we are mistaking..and second off if we feel were gonna take a short cut other then obeying and listening to God’s voice and direction then we as well are gonna end up in a mess with a mess..Amen..until we like Jonah..deny ourselves..(Luke 9:23)..and simply say yes..and follow the leading and the guiding of the Lord our God for us and our lives..yes it may be hard..but let me say this..there is much more beauty in the ashes..then in the short cut with all the mess..and why?..because Jesus is with us through the hard..and we are on His pathway..and His leading and His guidance..and His way is ALWAYS the best way..(Psalms 18:30-32)..Hallelujah..so if we know then we know..so let us stay the path..follow the course..and throw away the short cuts..Amen..for there simply not at all worth it..for Gods plan and His will for each of us and our lives is the best plan..(Jeremiah 29:11)..that we can ever have or ever imagine for us and our lives..Amen..for Gods way is not at all as ours..(Isaiah 55:8-9)..Praise the Lord..but it is the most magnificent and most beautiful one..Hallelujah..so we say yes to the Lord..we say no to the easy path..and absolutely no to the short cuts..Amen!”

“For it is in His name, Jesus’ name, that I do ask and pray..Amen and Amen..Be blessed today my dear sweet friends and remember wherever you go and whatever you do, Be a light for our Father, Much love to you all, Mandi ❤️