BUTTAFLY INK
Maisha Durham

Letting

Anyone/Anything

Manipulate

Everything around you

So many allow what others think about them determine their actions. It is this mentality that lands you in the valley of dry bones.

Valley of Dry Bones
Ezekiel 37

The symbolism of this story and my circumstances spoke volumes to me. I felt like there was no meaning or purpose for me when I received my sentence. My emotions and mentality were dry and brittle as the bones in this valley. I saw no hope in my situation and just knew that in time I would be forgotten and left alone. So I know all too well how many in my same situation may be feeling as if their situation is hopeless, and as if there's nothing they can do except adapt to the environment around them. Well let me tell you that's the worst thing you can do, is adapt and conform. Allowing pain, anger, and sadness to dry them out even more. Giving up hope and letting their circumstances draw even more away from them, as the desert did to the bones in that valley. As the sand rubbed away at the bones as the wind blew; the bitterness, un-forgiveness and denial eat away at them. However just as there was hope in such a desolate place for those bones, there is that same hope for them. If they take the time to hear the Word of God and trust and believe that God can and will give them a plan and a purpose even in their situation. He will cover them with His Grace, Mercy, Love and Forgiveness giving them LIFE. Just as the bones in that valley heard the Words of God spoke by Ezekiel began to rattle and make noise coming together, their heart and mind will come together and be in accord with one another, causing them to long for more. The more they seek God and trust and believe, the spirit will join in and bring life into them. They will no longer be dried up and their hope gone. They will not be cut off. God's spirit will live in them and guide them to their purpose and His plan.

Belly of the Whale
Jonah

How often did you refuse to listen to sound advice from your mother or someone else because you thought they didn't know what they were talking about? I am guilty of it and often times sit and think "I should have listened."

Many of us refuse to listen to sound advice and even run from, avoid or try to hid from the ones who give it.

"Oh, they don't know what they are talking about."

"I'm not ready for that yet."

"I don't think that's for me."

These are all excuses we use to get away from doing the very things we know deep down we should do. That same mentality got Jonah stuck inside the belly of a whale for three days. Jonah tried to run and hide from God to avoid what He told him to do, and it landed him in a situation that could have been avoided had he just listened and did what God told him to do.

Some of us are now in the belly of the whale and have been way beyond 3 days, all because we refused to listen and follow advice we knew was best. We are stuck in denial, anger, bitterness and resentment because of something we did or didn't do. Now is the time to come face to face with the reality of the situation and admit our part and seek God's forgiveness so that so that we can be expelled from this "BELLY" and move forward. We may not like some of the advice we receive and being honest with self is a hard pill to swallow, yet it is necessary in order to gain freedom for those things which hold us in our situation. We must begin accepting advice given in love so as to avoid remaining in the belly of the whale.