Cultivate Your Space
Proverbs 4:23 AMPC
“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.”
I don’t think we ponder over this as much as we should but your atmosphere shapes your destiny believe it or not. One of my mentors who has transformed my life and understanding of God in the last five (5) years, Apostle Joshua Selman, on several occasions will release a prayer that “may God change your audience” and we all shout “AMEN!”
That prayer plus the scripture above is a reinforcement that the environment we keep, in order words, what we allow into our hearts and minds, ultimately shapes our character and destiny. Whether it's our physical surroundings, the people we spend time with, or the mental and spiritual atmosphere we create, these elements influence our thoughts, attitudes, and our destiny.
A positive and faith-filled atmosphere can inspire confidence, foster peace, and open doors to opportunities that align with God's plan for our lives. Conversely, negative or draining environments can hinder growth and steer us away from our purpose. That’s why it’s crucial to deliberately cultivate a space that uplifts and empowers us. We have to be intentional to create a space that is filled with faith, hope, and love so that we can be rightly positioned for divine guidance and success. Remember, your space isn’t just your physical environment; it’s also your mindset and spiritual focus.
I pray for you this week that the Lord will empower you to create an atmosphere that brings out His glory in your life daily. “Clean house” - your mind, body and soul and watch the beauty, peace and success that unfolds in your life. Let this be so and so it is in Jesus’ name. AMEN.
XOXO,
Lady Abena.
What Will You Give Me?
This past week my spirit was heavy - bouncing off a lot of emotions and this verse in Genesis 15:2 kept ringing in my mind. In fact, I repeated it out loud several times and yes I was asking God that question - really.
Genesis 15:2 (KJV)
“And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?”
This scripture is a true reflection on when promises meet pain. This single, blunt question from Abram cuts straight to the heart of what it means to live with a promise that hasn’t yet become reality. God had promised Abram descendants, land, and blessing and the bible recounts that Abram had indeed received almost all the promises except the descendants. Abram had no lack whatsoever and for some of us, we would have stopped right there and be thankful for life all day long but not for Abram. God had returned in Genesis 15:2 to re-affirm His promises to Abram and Abram’s immediate response was not a confident “Amen,” but a vulnerable, pointed question: “What will you give me?” He names the painful fact he is childless and the practical consequence: his servant, Eliezer, stands to inherit all that God has blessed him (Abram) with. That honest question he poses to God opens the way for one of the most important exchanges in Scripture about faith, promise, and God’s character.
Rather than rebuking Abram for doubt, God responds (in the verses that follow) by reaffirming the promise: that Abram’s own offspring would be as numerous as the stars. That response leads to a pivotal theological moment: Abram believes in God, and “his faith was counted to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). The story doesn’t erase Abram’s doubt; it frames that doubt within the larger story of God’s faithfulness.
Here are three (3) lessons from Abram’s question:
- Honesty with God is not disqualifying:
Abram speaks plainly about his pain and the practical implications of his situation. The Bible models prayer that names confusion, fear, anger, and grief. God does not require that we hide our doubts. In Abram’s honesty, we find permission to bring our unmet longings and hard questions into God’s presence. - Promise and timing are different things:
God had promised descendants, but the timing and means were not yet present. Waiting between promise and fulfillment is a frequent human experience. This demonstrates that faith is not simply believing a promise in the abstract; it’s trusting God through the uncertainty and discomfort of waiting, even when immediate circumstances point elsewhere. - Faith involves trust, not the absence of questions:
Abram’s next step, believing God’s word about his future offspring, shows that faith can coexist with doubt. Faith here is a posture: receiving God’s assurance and living in relationship with God despite not seeing the evidence yet. It’s less about a flawless inner certainty and more about anchoring yourself in God’s character and promises.
Here's my prayer for you this week, that like Abram, you will name your reality by giving a voice to the hard facts of your life—unanswered prayers, losses, relationships that hurt and dreams delayed. May you be empowered to honestly engage your faith even in the midst of doubt and uncertainty. May the Lord help you to reframe your waiting period as a season of formation and refinement. I pray that that pause between promise and fulfillment will mature us and cause a shift in our priorities. Let this be so and so it is in Jesus’ name. AMEN!
XOXO,
Lady Abena.
Declarations For August 2025
Welcome to the eighth month of the year and it is a great blessing that we are alive and well. Please join me to declare this word of the Lord in Amos 9:13-15 AMPC.
“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine and all the hills shall melt [that is, everything heretofore barren and unfruitful shall overflow with spiritual blessing].
14 And I will bring back the exiles of My people Israel, and they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards and drink the wine from them; they shall also make gardens and eat the fruit of them.
15 And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be torn up out of their land which I gave them, says the Lord your God.”
And this shall come to pass for us this month in the name of Jesus. AMEN!
XOXO,
Lady Abena.