Until it’s a reality

“Your life is like a stock chart. Stocks take dips so when your life takes a dip, it ain’t (the) time to trip. It ain’t (the) time to sell the stock. You have to remember, you are a blue-chip stock.” ~Steve Harvey

In a few weeks, I’ll be releasing my 4th book, Surviving the wait. How I learned to be still and wait on God. To say that I’m excited would be an understatement, yet at the same time I’m also little nervous. I’m not surprised though, because I get this way whenever I’m about to open myself up to the world’s criticism. Although I have many critics, I’m my own worst one. I relentlessly criticize myself and incessantly obsess over whether or not I took my time to write, if I paid attention to and wrote everything God gave me, or if I consider it to be my best work. “What if this book isn’t a bestseller, or no one wants to read what I have to say?” are the thoughts running rampant throughout my mind. Even though my last book didn’t sell as many copies as I’d like, I keep telling myself, “It’s okay, the next one will.” But what if it doesn’t? Does that mean I give up and stop writing, or keep writing until it becomes a reality? Like always, I choose to go with the latter, because I know that just because it hasn’t happened, doesn’t mean that it won’t, and I’m trusting and believing God that it will. I realize that I will go through ups and downs, have success and some failures, but what I won’t do is give up on a dream that God not only gave me, but told me would come to pass. I know that I am a Bestselling Author, and I don’t need New York Times to tell me!

If you’ve taken one-hundred steps and still are no closer to your dream, don’t stop. Keep going it becomes a reality!

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

A better place

June 13, 2021, was one of the worst days of my life! My mother called and informed me that my father had passed. Although I was extremely sad, I wasn’t the least bit surprised, because 2 years prior, God had informed and prepped me that his time was coming to an end. The day before his passing, I drove two hours to go see him, and it seemed as though everything was trying to stop me from going. Traffic was jammed packed and so backed up, I thought someone had thrown money on the freeway. We were literally driving at a snail’s pace, but I didn’t let the congestion turn me around. I kept going, because I was determined to see my dad. I had no inkling that he was about to speedily transition. All I knew, I just needed to get there. I must’ve called the nursing home at least ten times, to alert them that I was still coming, although I was delayed.

After what seemed like forever, I finally made it, to what I believe was in the nick of time. When I entered into his room, he was almost unrecognizable, because he looked like half the person he used to be. My dad had always been a pretty big fella, but when he became ill and reduced to a feeding tube, he was maybe a fraction of the size he used to be. I whispered in his ear and said, “Pops, it’s me, Deetra, your daughter.” I wasn’t expecting him to reply back or remember, after all, he had Dementia, and a lot of times, he didn’t know who I was. Nevertheless, I placed a Father’s Day card on his food table, and threw myself against him, while embracing him with a hug.

He was motionless and I was sad, because the man I had just seen 15 days prior, was not the man in front of me. I always knew my dad was racing against the clock, but I had no idea, his last hour was almost upon him. I went out into the hallway and found Daniel, his nurse, and I asked, “What’s going on with him? Has he been this way all morning?” He replied, “Had I known you were coming, I would’ve persuaded you not too, because your dad has been unresponsive all week.” I’m glad he didn’t, because I knew it was meant for me to be there. When I went back in, I took another good look at him, and said, “I’ll be back next Sunday to see you for Father’s Day,” not realizing he’d be dead the very next day. Although I felt like he had died alone, I find comfort in knowing, he somehow knew I was there. During the entire time of his demise, I always prayed to God to heal him. When I realized He wouldn’t, I prayed for a smooth transition.

A lot of times, we are forced to deal with some very unfortunate and hurtful situations. We think we know how to handle them, but when they come, it’s so much more than what we bargained for. Rather than continue to be selfish and want my dad around, so that I could be happy, I wanted God to release him from his suffering, so that he could be at peace. Now I have peace in knowing he’s no longer in pain, but also in a better place.

Although this post is quite melancholy, hopefully, it’ll give someone the strength to release and allow who or what they are holding onto, to peacefully move on.

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

You thought wrong

“Lord, I thought you said you’d never leave me nor forsake me,” yet you’ve left me to face this battle on my own.

“Lord, I thought you said that by your stripes we are healed,” yet my dad suffered and died from COVID.

“Lord, I thought you said that no weapon formed against me shall prosper,” but I keep getting attacked.

“Lord, I thought you said that the last shall be first and the first shall be last,” but I’m still in last position.

“Lord, I thought you said that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” yet I feel weak and defeated.

These are some of my expressions, which were clearly spoken out of frustration, and I know a lot of times you’re completely frustrated with God. You’re constantly reminded of others success and happiness, and see them as winning, while you’re fighting relentlessly not to lose. You do everything you know how to move up, but when you look down, you quickly see you’re not too far from the bottom. It pains you, because you thought you’d be further along by now. You thought that things would get better for yourself. You thought it wouldn’t take this long to reach success. You thought that God would help you, when you need Him too. You thought that nothing bad would ever happen to you. You thought that God would always be there for you no matter what, but it appears He’s gone afar. However, if there is anything you’ve ever thought God can do, and because it hasn’t happened, you believe that it won’t, I want to tell you that you thought wrong!

Think again, because God can do anything but fail!

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

Destiny Robbers

Am I the only one who is excited and want to share their good news with everyone? I’m talking about the kind of excitement that causes your insides to burn, and the only way to make it stop, is to spill the beans. However, sometimes the things you let out, are meant to be kept in. Whenever I share with anyone “what God has told or showed me about my life,” I’m naturally met with raised eyebrows, rolling of the eyes, jealousy, or questions regarding my sanity, and it’s probably because they don’t believe me, or God. I’m reminded of Joseph, not the earthly father of Jesus, and how he always shared with his brothers the visions God had given him. I’m not sure if he thought they’d be excited for him or not, but spoiler alert, they weren’t. In fact, they hated and envied him. In an attempt to shut him up and rob him of his God-given destiny, they sold him into slavery, and then concocted a story and told their father, Jacob, that he had been killed and devoured by an animal in the wild.

While the brothers thought they had gotten away, but more importantly, killed Joseph’s dream, all they did was lead him straight to it. What happened to Joseph was all a part of God’s plan, and no matter what his brothers did to destroy it, he still managed to live it out in the end. It took him going through hell to get there, but just like his vision, his brothers still had to bow in the end. I’ve always heard people say, “Don’t tell everyone your dreams, because they’ll try to ruin them.” Initially, I didn’t believe that, because I’ve always maintained and believed that whatever God has for me is mine, and nothing anyone says or does can change that, and Joseph’s story is proof. Nonetheless, your enemies will try to do everything within their power to throw you off course and kill you, so your dream dies too. However, no matter how hard they try or the extent that go to rob you of your destiny, they can’t have what God gave to you.

Be cautious when sharing your good news, because not everyone wants to hear it.

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

The Greatest Hind Catcher

I don’t too tough watch baseball, but when I do, it amazes me how fast those pitches are thrown. When the pitcher steps up to the mound, get in position, and throw the ball, my eyes quickly glance to the right, to watch the clocking speed, and boy is it fast. Nine times out of ten, many players take a swing and hit the ball, but a lot of times, the hind catcher, often catch what they miss. It’s a wonder they wear tough gloves, because I couldn’t imagine what their hand would look like, if the balls were caught bare. Presumably, they’d be battered, bruised, and in some cases broken, but as a result of that added protection, they don’t feel any pain, only the impact.

Like that pitched ball, life comes at us fast. We often don’t know the speed in which things will come, but when they do, we have to be prepared to swing. Sometimes we hit and knock things out of the park, and oftentimes, we take a beating or two. Nevertheless, there are a lot of things that miss and pass us by, but it’s only because God caught it.

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

In between the bookends

Have you ever been in a library and noticed an array of books, either enclosed between or leaning up against two bookends? Imagine God holding you up from the front and back, while allowing you to rest and lean on Him for support. In Matthew 11:28, “God advises all that are weary and burdened, to come to Me and I will give you rest” (NLT). If you’re feeling compelled to give up and quit, please don’t. Stop for a moment and take a break, and be sure to lean upon God. Not only will He strengthen you, but He’ll also direct your path. The end to what you are experiencing is very near, but if you faint now, you’ll never get there. I’m very much aware that no one wants to continuously hear, “It’ll be alright,” or “things will get better,” but If I didn’t tell you, not only would I be lying, but I wouldn’t be obedient to God by sharing His truth. There were times I didn’t believe things would change for the better for me, but when He told me “it ends good,” I trust that it will.

My comforting place is in between the bookends, and before I think about giving up again, there I’ll reside. If you need support, lean on God, because He wants to lift you up.

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

Obey the call

There’s more to me than writing books. There’s more to me than creating encouraging “notes”. There’s so much more in me waiting to develop, and as of late, things have started to. I’ve always known that there is more to me than what there is. I’ve never really been satisfied and content with anything I’ve done, because I knew it wasn’t meant for me to stop there. I’ve known for quite some time that God has been preparing me for greater, and because I was afraid and doubtful of what He said I could do, sometimes I refused to move, although I’d been called to. Truthfully, it didn’t matter if I thought myself to be capable or not, because it made no difference. After all, God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies those He’s called.

You can do everything through Christ who strengthens you, so get up and get going. The teacher has all the materials you need, all you’ve got to do is the work. If God is calling you to do more, it’s because you have so much more in you to do. If you’re scared and still sitting where you were a year, two, or ten years ago, and you know God’s been speaking to you, stop what you’re doing and listen. For God says, “My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27, NLT). What are you waiting for? Don’t just sit around waiting and watching other people make moves, while wishing you could do the same. They’ve obeyed the call, will you?

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

Break the net

For majority of your life, you’ve been fishing. Whether it be for opportunity, wealth, or promotion, amongst other things, you’ve continuously cast your line, but nothing appears to take the bait. Take a moment and reflect on the things you’ve repeatedly done over the course of your life. Did any of it work? What about all the wonderful ideas that you’ve pitched to numerous of corporations, but no one thought them to be so “wonderful.” Perhaps, you’ve looked for investors for your business, but no one was willing to take any risks, because not only did they not believe in you, they didn’t believe you could bring about any returns. Whichever the case, no matter how many times you’ve done it, or the ways in which you’ve done it, you’ve still yet to yield any results.

God reminded me of Peter and the disciples in John 21:1-6, when they were attempting to catch fish, but couldn’t manage to get any. Rather than switch to a new direction, they remained in the same spot, doing the same exact thing, while getting the exact same results, nothing. I don’t know if they didn’t make any changes to their approach, because they didn’t think to, or they believed it’d make no difference at all. However, with God, all things are possible. Whatever you’re doing right now, at this very moment in your life, ask God to show you the way in which you should go. I guarantee you, not only will He provide for you the overflow, but it’ll be so bountiful, that it’ll cause your net to break.

When you allow God to change your direction in life, He’ll ensure you have a successful outcome.

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

It ends good

Last week I was in the kitchen preparing my lunch, when I heard God say to me, “It ends good.” For the first time in a very long time, I didn’t question Him or have any skepticism. He continued, “When people ask you how you can smile in the midst of your struggles, tell them, although your journey started out bad, it ends good. Not a tear, your pain, nor suffering will be wasted. Had He told me that 8 months ago, I would’ve never believed Him, but this time I do. I’m not sure why that message made me believe more than I did all the others, but I certainly feel better knowing that all things are working out for my good, because I’ve been called according to God’s purpose, and because of His purpose for my life, it all ends good for me.

No matter what you are going through, how long you’ve been in it, or how things started out in the beginning, it ends good for you. You have to believe that it does, expect that it will, and trust that God will see you through.

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

The ugly side

The promise is always better than the process. It may take you awhile to get to it, but eventually you will. I used to side eye people who professed the patience and joy they had, as they awaited the birth of a new season. For them, waiting was “easy” and they did it without complaints, because they knew the end would be better than the beginning. “I count it all joy, because I know God is going to victoriously bring me out, so I’m happy to endure, as I go through many trials and tribulations.” While I didn’t think they were necessarily being entirely truthful, I always wondered if I’d ever get to that point. Without any hesitation or reservation, I will admit that I’ve been very bitter, angry, doubtful, and anything but joyful, during my seasons of waiting. Considering the severity of my situation, there was no way you could convince me to wait patiently with excitement, when I didn’t have anything to be enthused about.

Despite not having enthusiasm, one thing I do have is faith. I’m sure like many of you, there are many things you have prayed and hoped for, and because you don’t see it, you think it’s not coming. In some cases, that may be true, especially if it’s not what God has for you. Nonetheless, you’ve got to keep praying. It doesn’t matter what your situation looks like, or what it looks like God isn’t doing, keep praying. It can be hard to do, especially during trying times. In the midst of your doubt, worrying, and questioning God, you’ve got to smile and pretend nothing is going on, even though you and everything around you is slowly coming undone. That’s the ugly side of waiting on answered prayers that people don’t often tell you about.

No matter how ugly things get, something “pretty” amazing is on the horizon!

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue