Resurrection Sunday!

Our guest author today is Apostle Nina Marie Leslie. Apostle Nina Marie wears many hats among them she is the founder and pastor of House of Glory International Ministries and she is the CEO of Kingdom Life Coaching, a client focused ministry that employes a combination of healing streams to provide an integrative approach to upgrading one’s life including biblical counseling, inner healing, focused prayer, personal ministry and self-esteem building. You can contact Apostle Nina Marie at houseofglory@aol.com. Enjoy her words of encouragement!

I was on the elevator at home just thinking quiet thoughts of gratitude, when the door opened on the third floor. One of my neighbors got in. As we spoke kind pleasantries to one another, Holy Spirit promoted me to really “look at her”. Though she was talking and chatting amicably, I noticed a stunned look in her eyes. Her expression made me think of the term “a deer caught in headlights”. Before I could catch myself good, I said “girl, you know God is good.” It was as though her eyes cleared, and she came back into herself. She looked at me incredulously and with keys in hand, shook her fist toward Heaven and said, “Yes, you’re right! Girl, thank you for saying that.”

I’m thinking, okay what is going on here? Before I could properly inquire she said “girl, they just let me go from my job.” As she spoke the words, they became her reality. She said I do not have a job. Can you believe that? Before she could revert back to that place of shock, horror, and disbelief … I said it again … “”girl, you know God is good. And He is going to see you through.” She took a good look at me and said, “yes, that’s right. God is gonna take care of me. Girl, He is gonna pay this rent. I’m His!” We high-fived and as she stepped off the elevator she turned back and looked at me with such a depth, it caught my breath. “Girl, you just saved my life. And you didn’t even know it.”

As the doors closed silently, for the millionth time in my life, I felt silly for fussing, and rushing, and trying to be somewhere in a hurry … forgetting that my steps are so ordered, His plans change my plans. I could hear her again saying, “Girl, you just saved my life. And you didn’t even know it.”. My “inconvenience” was really a divine delay.

As we embrace this season of Easter and Resurrection, I remember her words in relationship to what was going on in the Garden of Gethsemane. Today as I say, “Lord, you saved me”,” I realize more fully the difference is that, “You knew Your death would cost Your life … in the same moment of paying for mine.” I hear the words of the old Andre’ Crouch song … “How can I say thanks?”.

We celebrate this season because Jesus paid the ultimate price … He gave His life in exchange for ours. I know He knew what He was doing, but it still blows my mind. I invite you to think on it and let it blow yours.

So the next time you are racing to stay on point with your little life schedule, remember the lady in the elevator. The life you save won’t be your own, because Jesus already covered yours. But He is depending on you to cover someone else. Yes, He got up. Now it’s time for us to grow up. Enjoy this season, and let Him inconvenience you a little bit more.

Apostle Nina-Marie