What's up everybody! Let me start by saying that I am honored that you would allow me to be apart of your journey! I'm a firm believer that life isn't meant to be done alone, neither can purpose be fulfilled alone. We need each other! We live in a diverse society, and we are all unique. We have different gifts, skills, talents, and abilities, and that's what gives the world its flavor. What am I saying?.. We need you to be YOU!

There's one word that explains common purpose, MINISTRY! Ministry simply means service. We were born to serve humanity. God has given us different measures of grace according the measure of the gift, but we will discuss on that in a later post. What I want to focus on today is IDENTITY! Life happens, but what happens or has happened to you doesn't define you. How do you perceive yourself? Who do you perceive yourself to be? Do you consider yourself to be what a family member or a teacher called you when you were younger? Have you labeled yourself as someone no one wants because your dad may have walked out on your family or your mom may have given you up when you were a baby? Maybe you allowed the neighborhood kids when you were younger or your peers dictate who you think you are? Well???... No matter who we are, our life experiences impact the way see ourselves at some level. I've got great news! TODAY is the day that you take a step towards embracing who you are!

**note** "Ministry without an identity is a tragedy!

Life is filled with moments of uncertainty. However, in order to successfully fulfill your purpose, you must be certain of your identity. You have to know who you are, and own it! You have to get the right ideas about yourself.

Matthew 3:16,17 says "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

-That's what happens when you receive Jesus, our heavenly Father speaks over you and affirms your identity as his child. In the next chapter Jesus is tempted by Satan in his identity. Satan tries to get him to prove that he's the son of God by DOING certain things. When you are uncertain of your identity, you will try to prove to people who you think you are by what you do. When you are certain of your identity, there is no pressure to try to prove anything!

Romans 8:16 says "The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God."

-The holy spirit is God in us! He reminds us every day of who we are.

Proverbs 23:7 says "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he:"

-Again, who do you perceive yourself to be? Who you think you are determines what you manifest to the people around you.

Now, LET'S WIN! The word confess by greek definition means "to agree." The reason your words have so much power is because they bring life or death to your purpose. What voices have you been agreeing with? The voices of your past, the voices of your bad experiences, rejection, abuse, shame or the voice of the Holy Spirit, and the word of God? The loudest voices in your life have the greatest influence on the way you think. Remember, what you think, you manifest. You can break agreement with the voices of your past by simply confessing daily what God says about you in his word. You can embrace your true identity, with certainty, by your initiative, and effort to win your in mind! No initiative, no victory...

Are you ready? Let's take another step! Repeat after me: "I am a child of God! My past doesn't define me, nor does circumstances define me. My words have power. Whatever I confess, I agree with. I break any agreement/contract that I've made with anything that has happened to me or what someone has spoken about me that contradicts my purpose and Gods heart for me. I will learn and confess scripture so that I speak life to my purpose and most importantly, get the right ideas about who I am. Lord, I agree with you, and your word!

Remember, your words have power! Let's talk about it! Check out next week's blog as we take another step on "The Journey!"