"Tell your Emotions to SHUT UP"

It's time to attack this area. We have struggled in this area and our emotions and little feelings have been running our life for WAY too long! Today. We're putting the smackdown on our emotions. We can no longer afford to sit & entertain our feelings as they just go with the wind. YOUR LIFE can not be determined by HOW you feel!! How does that work??! At SOME point we have to TELL our emotions WHAT to do.

Let me be honest, as most of you know from my story-- that I was a train wreck. I was an emotional little mess. I loved to manipulate my little ex boyfriends when I was single with my emotions. I would cry if I didn't get my way, I would whine, or seduce them to get what I wanted and then roll my eyes & think "you idiot." Yeah, I was wrong-- crazy & without Christ. Even WITH Christ-- I still hadn't renewed my thinking in that area. That crap even tried to creep up into my courting relationship with Cornelius when we started courting. When we first started courting, I wanted my way. I wanted what I wanted when I wanted it and if you didn't give it to me-- I was going to have an attitude. You better believe Cornelius was gonna feel it. I got what I wanted.
 One weekend, I was having a rough week at work and I just wanted to get away. Back in the day, if I had a rough day-- I would book a flight and go somewhere to GET away. Yes, I ran from my problems. So, I already had a flight booked to visit Cornelius in about 3 weeks but I didn't care, I was going to Atlanta that weekend. So- I called him & said, I'm coming this weekend. I need to get away. He said, "No you're not"-- I'm like WHY!??! He was like, "We agreed that you were coming in 3 weeks and  why would that change if you're having a bad day?" And I'm like "LOOK Negro, I'm coming because I want to see my boyfriend and I want to GET away-- like NORMAL couples-- what the heck is wrong with you??" And he stood his ground. He said, "We don't make emotional decisions because we have a rough day, we don't run from our problems.."  ooohhhhhhhhhh ,I was HEATED! How was HE gonna tell me what to do?! Is he crazy? I'm fly. He must have not got the memo. After we hung up the phone.. I continued to search for flights.. I was gonna go SOMEWHERE. Then..

I sat, frustrated and started to cry as the Lord spoke to me. He said "Heather, you always run from your problems as if quickly changing your geographical location is going to fill your voids.. it may fill them temporarily but I desire to fill all of your heart, I know that you're having a rough week but I was there all along, I want your entire heart Heather. Stop trying to use humans and things to make you feel good about yourself. It's time to grow up."  I stopped in my tracks... "But Lord, I hate these feelings in my heart, I hate that work stressed me out, I hate that Cornelius won't let me get my way, I'm frustrated Lord!! You have to help me!!" He whispered, "What else makes you mad?".. well, I'm frustrated about.. this.. & that. He said.. "I desire for you to be content in every way & in every area. This is a good start. Pour your heart out to me daily and stop carrying all of that care. When you spend time with me, don't make it a law or a "check" on your wall of your good deeds, spend time and enjoy me freely. I desire a relationship with you. My child, I love you. I dance over you with singing-- I knew you long before you were in your mothers womb and I called you for a purpose. We are going to get through these areas together. My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is perfected in your weakness."  I responded.. "Daddy, I'm so sorry. I repent. This issue is greater than me wanting to get away.. it was a chance for me to fill YOU with yet another person, thank GOD Cornelius stuck to his word & pushed me towards you Lord-- Daddy, I am going to work on this but I just need your help. I cannot deal with these emotions by myself, I need YOUR help. I'm lost and nothing without you Daddy."

3 weeks after with my hubby for our "planned" trip! Was worth the wait!

That DAY was a turning point for me. I realized that I was an emotionally led woman. No longer was I going to try to manipulate Cornelius with my emotions or others. I was determined to grab ahold of them. This is when I begin to tell my emotions to shut up. This is when I went hard against Satan's attacks & foreboding thoughts. This is a DECISION. When your co-worker is poppin' off at the mouth-- you don't have to respond with the same drama! Respond in LOVE. Smile, tell your emotions to hush & "win people over with your quiet & gentle spirit"- (1 Peter 3:4). If your husband or boyfriend is off the chain-- respond differently. Don't be that overly emotional woman or man. Nobody will want to be AROUND you. You want to be LOVED & not TOLERATED. If you ALWAYS have some drama going on around you, it makes it HARD for people to be themselves with you, worrying that they will "say " the wrong thing as they walk on eggshells around you. And if others around you are overly emotional-- LOVE never fails. So don't entertain it. Don't give into the attention and remember that whatever you FED will only GROW. If you continue to FEED an emotional person, they will continue to manipulate others with their emotions. Shut it down. You cannot change others, but you can change YOU. God wants your HEART.

I always like to include just a few practical tips.-- HOW to tell your emotions to SHUT UP!

1. Tell your emotions to shut up often. If you feel them rising up, check yourself.
2. Do a quick "emotion" check-- meaning that if you're upset-- slow down, analyze the situation. Ask yourself if you have a REAL reason to be UPSET or are you just being emotional. Judge yourself quickly before you run & make a decision to "confront" somebody with MORE emotions.
3. Mind your business. Half the time you're ready to pop off on someone is because of the way they "Treated someone else"-- God fights our battles. Words are powerful & they hurt LONG after the fight is over.
4. Spend crazy time with God. THIS will NEVER change. You will be less likely to pop off on someone if you're spending regular time with God. The whole goal is to SPEND time in His word & APPLY it. You should be meditating on scriptures & using those as ammo throughout your day. Join the journal challenge! This will help greatly!
5. Stop hanging with messy, overly emotional people. IF you have a ton of super emotional friends or you watch a ton of emotional Basketball wives TV shows.. what else do you think is going to come OUT of your heart??! You planted drama, you'll harvest more drama.

It's easy for you to argue & fight with everyone. It take a STRONG women to control her emotions. God wants to be able to TRUST you. Can HE?!

Before I close, just a reminder that I'm introducing Pinky Promise's first ring. If you purchase any two items off of www.heatherlove.bigcartel.com then you can type in "CROSSRING"  as a discount and we'll ship you one for free. 100% of the proceeds this week goes to our missions trip to Ethiopia August 13th. We'll be out there feeding the homeless, preaching, laying hands on the sick and helping at the orphanage. Here's a picture of the ring.





God LOVES you like crazy,