Breaking Bread For 5.31.21

Scripture

Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands. Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees. But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged; it strikes you, and you are dismayed. Should not your piety be your confidence and your blameless ways your hope?

Job 4:3-6

Reflection

When we give advice, encouragement, and support to others we must remember the words, sentiment, and actions delivered so that during our time of need we use what God equipped us with to lift ourselves up. When we praise God to everyone else but then doubt Him in moments of despair, aren’t we being hypocritical, and engaging in a conditional relationship with Him?

Let God’s Light come in, fully and not filtered, every millisecond of the day. Feel His warmth, love, tenderness, and support. When we live our lives and express love, mercy, and forgiveness the way God intends then we never feel alone, lost, defeated, or forsaken. There’s no greater way to show you love and support Him than to obey Him.

When you read that last line in the Bible passage above, does it not strike a chord within? Let’s rephrase it to see it with a declarative position: if you were pious (devoted to God) you would have confidence, and if you were blameless you would have hope. So is our lack of confidence and hope because we lack piety (devotion to God) and our ways carry blame? Are we not walking the walk, and it’s showing in our corrupted speech? When our words of confidence are replaced with words of doubt, how are we walking each day?

Think about it. Tell me what your heart and mind conclude. Or tell me if they are in disagreement!

Prayer

Father, I pray for the humility, strength, courage, and confidence to always practice what I preach. I want to be there to uplift and support others through my thoughts, words, and deeds—while remembering those same thoughts and words when I need uplifting and encouragement through rough times.

Father, I want Your Word to resonate through me so that my confidence always lies in You. My devotion to You is my faith. There’s no greater way to show my support than to obey You. Forgive me for those days I waver, get discouraged, feel like giving up and letting life pass me by. I know You know my heart and intentions Lord and I thank You and love You for Your love. Thank You for lifting me up another day. I give You all of the glory. Amen.

Love always,

Natasha 

Copyright 2011-2021. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Breaking Bread For 5.28.21

Scripture

You wearied yourself by such going about, but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’ You found renewal of your strength, and so you did not faint.

Isaiah 57:10

Reflection

There are a lot of stories in the Bible about some cruel, selfish, evil people. We’re not going to focus on them today. Let’s instead reflect back over the stories and accounts of the men and women of the Bible that we honor. Think about them. They were not super-human creations, they were regular people who did extraordinary things, as they were touched by God’s Light. It’s not that they didn’t have fears or doubt. There was fear; but it speaks volumes about these great people because of what they did when fear stood in their face and challenged them. With confidence of God standing with them, they didn’t cower over, give in, run away, or lose hope—instead they slapped fear down to the ground, stepped on it and kept marching forward to the beat of God’s drum.

So each day as we walk, march, and make our way down life’s paths we will grow tired, but we should work towards mentally never giving up; to never believe we can’t take one more step or push one more obstacle out of our way. Let God be your strength and battery. Our end, is not for us to decide, that is God’s job. If we sabotage our lives then we cut short the blessings that were coming our way, the opportunities for growth and success, and to make a difference in other people’s lives.

So ask yourself, “Is what I’m going through really that unbearable, that I no longer have hope and faith in God to see me through?”

Prayer

Father, through ups and downs You never waver, You never fail me, You never fall short of blessing me abundantly. Through trials and tribulations, Your son, Jesus, never walked away, never gave up or gave in, instead he faced head on anything, everything, and everyone that came at him and attacked him. His trust was solely in You.

There are many accounts in the Bible of some of Your children who never gave up, never lost hope, and never stopped believing in You, Your Word, and their role in Your Kingdom Father. Each day I must claim victory in Your Name, as I begin with the blessing of being alive. I pray for daily renewal Lord. I humbly pray to You Father, and say in advance “Thank You”. Amen.

This weekend and on Monday we commemorate the lives of men and women who lost their lives due to war. Some of you have family members who entered battle zones and never returned home. Memorial Day and the weekend we begin celebrating, is more than backyard barbecues, it’s about reflecting on the sacrifice of few for many, and realizing that impact on our lives. So don’t be more focused on stuffing your belly. Honor those countless lives lost in each war and conflict the US has been involved with.

Love always,

Natasha

Copyright 2011-2021. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Breaking Bread For 5.27.21

Scripture

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. 

Proverbs 19:21

Reflection

Woody Allen is quoted as saying, “If you want to make God laugh tell Him your plans” and no matter your opinion on the man who spoke these words, this phrase is so accurate that you have to laugh in agreement—because we spend the largest portions of our life planning, strategizing, and outlining our life the way that we think it should go—but never stepping back and acknowledging that through it all, God is the only Seer of the future, of the twists and turns of our journey, and the true Navigator. Yes, we can be lazy and get no where. But we can also be reckless, doing too much, and get no where. If we’re not consulting and being directed by Him, then we’re on a crash course.

If we let Him steer our chartered course, while we follow His lead, then we can fully experience and enjoy the trip—we can wisely invest our time and energy into serving Him and living life to its fullest. God will always open doors, windows, and crawl spaces of opportunity for us. He will always make a way out of no way—but if He’s trying to guide the ship right while you’re grabbing the wheel trying to turn it left, guess where you will go? No where. Guess what you will experience? Nausea and frustration.

Every day we must make the effort to get out of our own way, to let go and surrender to God, and allow Him to lead us to where we need to be. Lord knows I battle with myself on this regularly, and I recognize that my life is so much smoother, calmer, and stress-free when I simply let God do His job and I focus on doing mine. I’m working each day to stop thinking I can control everything and instead find the peace and joy that comes from surrendering my thoughts of control to Him. My control issues stem from not trusting Him. No matter how I want to slice this reality differently, the truth is in my actions. If I truly trusted Him I wouldn’t feel the need to try to control everything and everyone.

The only thing I can control are my thoughts, words, and actions—and I blunder that almost daily. My best and brightest plan is to consult with Him, realign with Him, trust Him to be in complete control, and work on how my energy impacts my internal and external environments. When He shines His Light on opportunities then I can be more clear-minded and aware, to discern these blessings, and embrace them. That is how I can best work in synergy with Him.

What about you? What do you need to work on, realign, surrender, let go of?

Prayer

Father, thank You for Your patience, Your remarkable sense of humor, Your wisdom and understanding, and for your guidance throughout my days. There are moments in time when I think I have things figured out, and I think that what I’m doing is Your intent for my life—just to find myself puzzled when things don’t go as planned.

Father, I apologize for getting out of line, for assuming to know Your plans and thought process. If I consulted with You more and not just when I need You to fix something, I would be better aligned to You and Your vision for me. I apologize for trying to run my life instead of simply following Your lead. Thank You for knowing me better than I can ever know myself, and in knowing me You patiently wait on me to catch on and catch up to the pace You have set. You are amazing. You are awesome. I love You Father. Thank you for loving me. Amen.

I love you all. Have an amazing day. God bless you.

Natasha 

Copyright 2011-2021. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Breaking Bread For 5.26.21

Scripture

Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless go hungry.

Proverbs 19:15

Reflection

God does not condone laziness. He can’t make sense of a person that is slow to change, slow to work, slow to move, slow to act, slow to do much of anything but lay around looking at the sky, the ground, the TV, their phone or computer, their twiddling thumbs, or other folks doing what their supposed to be doing—and what the lazy person should be doing.

If your home that God has loaned you is a pigsty and messy, then do something about it—clean it and thank God for the shelter, and safe place to rest your head and raise your family.

If your car is cluttered with a bunch of junk—instead of adding more junk and asking passengers to “excuse the mess”, clean it inside and out and show God that you are grateful for the gift.

If your business is going no where fast, get from behind the computer and in front of the TV, stop leaving the house everyday driving around doing and meeting no one, and start meeting people who can mentor, guide, and help build your company where it needs to be. Remember that your company’s success starts with you and the efforts you put into promoting it.

If your relationship with your significant other is getting dull, predictable, and boring—remember that it took both of you to get it to that point. If you want spice, spontaneity, an injection of life and passion—then you need to take the first step and stop waiting for the other person to do it.

If you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, then get up and change something, anything—but stop sitting around, laying around, shuffling around with your head hanging down and doing absolutely nothing.

Lazy people are taking up prime real estate. Either you build upon it and make the best out of every situation or be prepared to be moved out of here sooner than you initially expected.

I love you all and remember that we’re all works in progress; we all have to work at our faults, weaknesses, and the temptation to be lazy. We’re God’s clay that He is molding every millisecond of the day!

Prayer

Father, I pray to remain active, focused, determined, and constantly moving in the direction that you are guiding me. Let me sleep long enough to be reenergized but not too long that I become lethargic. The hours I waste sleeping or being unproductive are the hours that are taken from me when I need to earn a living to eat, clothe myself, and keep a roof over my head.

Father, I don’t ever want to fail you or my loved ones. Please keep Your hand on me Lord, so that even if I stray from Your path, I never go too far that I can’t be redirected to the right way. Father, I want to be present and proactive in my life every single day. I don’t want distractions from people, media, and other outside forces to keep me from living my life to its fullest, as Your ambassador. If I am not living right Father, please lovingly correct my steps. In Your Name I pray. Amen.

Love,

Natasha

Copyright 2011-2021. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Breaking Bread For 5.24.21

Scripture

Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks.

Ecclesiastes 10:18

Reflection

Here’s some motivation for all of us. Ooh wee I need this kick in the butt today. Are you ready? Okay let’s do this!

Get up. Get out. Get going. If your days aren’t being spent doing the things that help you fulfill your purpose, then ask yourself why? What aren’t you doing to have more focused and productive days? What can you do today to glorify God? What can you do to help someone feel His joy today? What can you do today that will bring you joy?

For those of you who just excused away your goals, be honest with yourself, why?

What goals do you have for this month that you haven’t achieved? It’s the 24th of May. The month isn’t over. As long as your goal wasn’t too lofty, like “lose 20 pounds this month” and as of today you have only lost 3 pounds, then you can finish strong and possibly with a victory under your belt. It’s important that our goals are challenging but attainable. So you may need to reassess what you’re pursuing and how. And in the case of weight loss or weight gain, let’s make sure that our goals are also healthy ones. Having a goal of gaining or losing 20 pounds in a month isn’t a healthy pursuit, unless a doctor has prescribed this for health reasons, and you are under their care and guidance. Let’s always place safety first and stop looking for microwave results.

If you have a career or financial goal, like changing jobs or career paths, starting a business, launching a new product, or earning “X”-dollars by a certain date, are you investing at least 5 to 8 hours of pure sweat equity towards your goal per day? You may have a 9 to 5 job but that simply means from 7 to 12 you’re focused on your goal, or you split up the time throughout your day.

Now some of you may be telling yourself a big fat lie week after week, like “I’m still in the research and development stage”. Saying that you’re “still researching” or “working on the details” months and years after setting the goal, are usually the fallback excuses for lack of progress. You’re stagnant and not admitting why.

Is it because you’re either confused about next steps and need help, or that you’re simply afraid to take those steps? Admit it so you can move forward. If it’s fear, we’ll cover that shortly. If it’s confusion or needing help, you need to go to God for direction. Also, don’t assume that you have to wait for God to deliver you something. It may already be in front of you. He could’ve delivered it to you months or years ago. Your answers may come through a friend or family member, or friend of a family member. It could come from a person you met in the waiting room at your dentist’s office. Sources of help can come from the oddest, as well as the most obvious of places, so don’t rule out anything until you have at least inquired first. I keep learning these lessons.

If on the other hand you’re just being lazy, then you already know you won’t make any progress because you’re making the choice to not do anything. You have to take responsibility for that. Own your mess. And let’s be clear, those of you roaming around with an entitlement mindset, expecting someone to do for you, to hook you up, and for riches to just pour over you—snap out of it. The only thing that’s going to pour over you is misery. What else can you expect when you’re not making a positive contribution— the same return on that investment. Even if you receive money from a trust fund, what are you doing with the money? How do you view the relationship you have with this money since you don’t have to earn it? The fund was created to help you focus less on some things so you could focus more on others. The fund was put in place to free you to pursue your dreams, not live recklessly.

So whether you’re lazy or entitled, or both, stop wanting someone to do for you what you won’t do for yourself. Get up, try, fail or succeed, and try again—or try something new. But do something!

If you’re saying, “Natasha, I haven’t set any goals but it’s not because I’m lazy, it’s that I don’t know where to start…” Think about things this way—what recurring dreams are you dismissing as just being dreams, instead of possibly a direction or calling? What ideas have been placed on your heart that you haven’t pursued? Those can be your goals. Just like I mentioned earlier, you may need help from someone who can assist you with planning, execution, and follow up. But first you need to identify and make sense of what you’re dreaming about.

Now let’s be honest with each other. Fear is a punk. Laziness leads to failure. Why do we give in to either of them? They both lead to our misery. I know firsthand how suffocating life can be when consumed by fear or disconnected through laziness.

You may say, “But, I don’t want to be a failure or seen as one” and that fear is what’s holding you back. If you don’t want to be a failure or seen as one then you have to do the opposite of what you’re currently doing. Failing doesn’t make you a failure. Doing nothing does. Instead of sitting around looking at life pass you by, get up and make the most of your day. Take things in smaller, manageable chunks. Even if you fail to achieve your goals, at least it wouldn’t be due to your laziness, or because you didn’t try, or because you sat on your butt making excuses.

Change is difficult. We rarely change because we want to, it’s usually because we have to—circumstances get so intense that we’re left with only two options: be consumed by the misery of our present or change our ways, with a hope for the better. We try to excuse away the choices we’ve made. We excuse our laziness. We try to blame others for the situations we choose to enter and remain. Stop making excuses, stop trying to play the blame game, and start living your dreams. No one can keep you from achieving your goals except you.

If God can’t trust you with the little things then how do you expect Him to trust you with the big things?

Maybe you won’t become a billionaire but instead you create a life that gives you the freedom of choice that you admire in the billionaire lifestyle. You may not end up with that 20,000 square foot home but instead you buy a 2,000 square foot home and you get to travel several times a year seeing the places you once only dreamed about. You have to learn to see things from different angles and vantage points. Don’t give up before you get started and don’t give up just because it gets rough. Get up, get out, and with God as your Counselor, make smart decisions and career moves that will help propel your life where it needs to be—where God intends for it to be.

Prayer

Father, rid me from any laziness that I might possess. Cause me to rise up from my slumber. If necessary, make things so uncomfortable in my life that I must do something positive to change my circumstances for the better. Help me face my fears because they aren’t as big as my fear of losing favor in Your eyes Lord.

I do not want to lose the gifts and blessings You have given me because I am not doing my part to take care of and nurture them. I don’t want to lose the things You have loaned me. I don’t want my mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health negatively impacted because I have disconnected from Your plan and purpose for me Lord. An idle mind is a mind not focused on You Father, and I want my mind and heart to always be focused and connected to You. In Your Name I pray. Amen.

Wow, today’s message really hits home for me, serving as a huge reminder. I’m motivated to make the most of my day. I hope it helps you and someone you know. Maybe you will share it. If so, I thank you now.

I love you all,

Natasha 

Copyright 2011-2021. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Breaking Bread For 5.21.21

Scripture

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Romans 5:3-5

Reflection

Through uphill battles and downhill falls we persevere, grow, and develop our character with a restored sense of hope that tomorrow will be better, and that after this storm will come the rainbow, and the beautiful rays of God’s Light shining brightly. Never lose faith and hope that God will always see you through life’s issues, failed relationships, economic downturns, personal hangups, and moments of fear and frustration. Praise Him. Thank Him. Sing and dance as though you don’t have a care in the world—because you know that God is taking care of you and your needs, even if you can’t see the solution—know it’s there.

Prayer

Father, I praise Your Name through good times and in bad because I know that through life’s trials and tribulations I grow stronger, wiser, and closer to You. Father, I know that every time I fall and get up, every time I face a setback, my perseverance is helping to build my character as Your ambassador; and every day that I rise to see the sun I know that am truly blessed. So I thank You, Father. Amen.

Love always, 

Natasha

Copyright 2011-2021. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Breaking Bread For 5.20.21

Scripture

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 

But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

James 1:22-26

Reflection

If our walk with God was intended to be easy then everyone would be able to do it effortlessly and we wouldn’t have trauma in our lives, and Jesus would never had been placed in the position to atone for our sins and sacrifice his human existence to prove an eternal spiritual existence. If our walk was to be easy then even Jesus’ demonstration through his life would have been made easy. 

The world around us is filled with goodness that oftentimes gets manipulated and coerced into following the darkest of ways—but the foundation and roots are still governed by God who is merely waiting for the world to make a decision and commitment to walk in His Light.

As you make your journey through life you will be tempted to stray from your path. You will be tempted to return to old habits that plagued your life. You must decide which life you want to lead. I’m not telling you to change your life like a light switch, because as quickly as you attempt to turn one way, you will quickly be tempted and give in to resuming your old lifestyle. 

Every day we must work and strive to be better people. Every day we must work to give up bad habits. Everything in life can’t be dropped cold turkey without a great deal of pain and frustration; and if we could easily handle pain and frustration then we would never have adopted the negative habits to begin with!

If you are accustomed to cussing folks out and calling people out of their name in your private life, but in your public life you act like the sweetest angel ever created—sometimes going so far as to pretend as though you don’t cuss people out and call them out of their names—guess what? You are a liar, and you are first telling the biggest lie to yourself.

We all have flaws and none of us are perfect. Look at your flaws and decide what you can and will begin to change about yourself beginning today. Then each day work at turning that negative into a positive, turning pain to strength, and fear and hate to love.

When I was in high school, my father always said to me, “Cussing is what a person does when they can’t intelligently convey what they are trying to say” so many of us would opt to cuss than to take the time to find another way to verbalize what we are thinking and how we feel. It didn’t mean my dad didn’t use profanity. It doesn’t mean that I don’t. But can we find other words to describe our joy, pain, frustration, and anger? Sure we can. But will we make that conscious effort?

Are you willing to try to find alternative ways to express yourself?

Watch what you invest, ingest, and digest into your life, and decide what you can remove immediately or gradually. Do you enjoy watching a certain type of movie, playing a certain type of video game, indulging in certain “private” acts of pleasure, or listening to certain genres of music but you know you may or may not admit to it publicly, at church, or to your beloved grandmother?

Seems hypocritical doesn’t it? Only if you profess to be living some high and mighty way while knowing you’re not. If you love horror and gore movies, don’t act like you only watch the Hallmark channel. If you’re into playing violent video games don’t pretend to be playing something more appropriate for a small child. It doesn’t make you evil for enjoying violent entertainment. Lying about it simply makes you a liar. God already knows what you do so telling humans something different means you’re more concerned about their judgment and opinion of you, than His.

If you’re concerned with the things you do privately and want to change in some way, then work to do something about it but don’t be a fraud in the process. We’re all works in process. Just “keep it real” while God is molding you, if not life only gets harder, more difficult, and more frustrating, and you will find yourself trying to avoid the pain and difficulty—which is only going to lead you down paths of more deception. We have to be comfortable in the pain and discomfort, understanding it’s temporary. Masking it and numbing it with counterfeit alternatives, pulls us farther from God.

Let’s be responsible and accountable. Pick a lane, don’t straddle or swerve across them—if you do, expect to get a ticket for lane violations!

Prayer

Father, every day I pray to you countless times as the hours pass and my blessings shine over my mounting trials and tribulations. The closer I get to You, Lord, the more challenging life seems to become at times because the way of the world is beginning to now seem different to me, and I am seeing my life through a different lens.

As these changes are taking place, the “enemy” keeps trying to convince me to stay as my old self, to hang with those people who aren’t good stewards and ambassadors for Your Kingdom; and there is pressure to behave, think, and speak in a way that is not loving and Christ-like.

As I move to focus my eyes, heart, and life more on You I am being tempted and tested by outside forces to live a double life, one that shines brightly as Your representative on some days, or during certain periods of the day, and the other life that stays hidden away where I can secretly indulge in my old “ways” of living. Father this battle for my soul can only be won when I let go, surrender, and let You have all of me.

When I question why certain things seem to happen to me at the oddest and most inconvenient of times, why bad situations seem to blindside me, and why I’m tempted by outside forces to invest my time and energy into other things and other people instead of You, I know that it is because it is a test of my commitment and devotion to You.

Well family, I hope this message has helped you as it has helped me. I love you all and will continue to pray for your peace, joy, and safety each day and hope that you too pray for me. Enjoy your day.

Love Always,

Natasha

Copyright 2011-2021. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Breaking Bread For 5.19.21

Scripture

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

James 1:19-20

Reflection

A child of God should be strengthened in His Word, and by the example of His son Jesus Christ. We should have discernment to see, hear, feel, and know when things are wrong and not of God. We should have discernment to see, hear, feel, and know when we are being moved towards darkness.

We should be disciplined enough to turn away from darkness and not give in to anger and rage. Pray for the strength to be more loving even when others aren’t being loving to you. As the old adage goes, “If you have nothing good to say then say nothing at all”. We should practice this daily so as not to fall into the enemy’s trap. The enemy wants you caught up in chaos and confusion. Don’t give in to the foolishness. Turn the mess over to God.

Prayer

Father, help me to listen more intently and purposely. Open my eyes to see the things I overlook, and help me to clearly discern what’s before me. I pray that I stop to think before I speak so that only loving words come from my mouth. I hope that I turn to You so that my emotions do not bubble out of control, and grow to anger and rage.

Father, I know that anger is not a by-product of Your love and Light. It is in weakness that a person turns to anger and violence to address their concerns and issues. It is a weak person that lashes out verbally or physically. I want to be strong in You. Touch my heart so that I can align in all ways to You. In Your Name I praise and pray. Amen.

Love always,

Natasha 

Copyright 2011-2021. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Breaking Bread For 5.18.21

Scripture

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 

And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

Luke 6:32-36

Reflection

You must walk the path that God directs, not looking for a short-cut or smoother way. That means showing mercy to others even when it is easier to turn away. Lend or give money even if you don’t expect a repayment. Love those who say they hate you. Love those who are determined to destroy you, ruin your reputation, take what you have, or make you feel less than who and what you are as God’s child. You don’t have to be buddy buddy and affectionate to love someone. We can love in spite of their ignorance and inner ugliness, because we know that God loves them. He counters hate with love.

Love is accepting their limitations, not trying to browbeat them for it.

Yes, I love those who hate, fear, loathe, and detest me. I love those who call me ugly while they spend thousands and thousands of dollars to look like me. I love those who say vile words about me because I know the truth is, they actually envy me. I live rent-free in their minds because they are obsessed with me. Why else would they invest so much time, money, and effort trying to disrespect, dehumanize, discredit, devalue, and destroy me? It’s because in their darkness they see my Light. They see God in me and it repulses them.

So, no, I don’t like what they say and do, but I love them despite their ways. I love them because I know they’re sick from the contamination of lies they have spent most, if not all of their lives digesting and believing. I know that they are plagued by a generational curse that haunts them. They are exhausted and it shows on their faces and through their actions. That’s why I show them grace and mercy. I love them because I know that the energy they pour out is weak and miserable, and the only Source of healing for them is God. The only salvation they have is God. So, I love them because I want them to see and embrace His Light. I want them to see the counterfeit for what it is and run instead to God. I don’t need their acceptance or apology. They need to do right by God. He is their judge. He determines what happens to their souls.

I desire their realignment in God. I can only want that if I love them. I know who I am and to Whom I belong. I’m not trying to be like them, I’m trying to be like Him. I know my strength, power, and identity comes from Him. They are the confused ones. They are the lost ones. So out of love I pray for their spirits and souls.

It is all about God and about our role and purpose as ambassadors in Christ, building God’s Kingdom. It has nothing to do with your image, ego, pride, self-esteem, self-worth, bottom line, or personal brand. Be the Light you claim to be. Pray for your enemy. Touch a stranger’s life today, even with a simple act of kindness, and watch the ripple effect of God’s love spread.

Prayer

Father, daily I am working to be a better person in every way, in every situation, and to every person regardless of how they look, what they believe, or how they treat me. Father, it’s because of the value and importance of the heart that I strive to be better and do better. It’s not about them it’s about what’s in my heart. It’s about my relationship with You and strengthening our bond. I don’t want to disappoint You. I don’t want to disappoint myself.

I understand the importance of pouring Your goodness into a world plagued by Your opposite. Every day You pour into me and I want to pay it forward to all of Your children. I hope that we may grow in Your love, to love and help others, show grace and mercy, and reflect Your Light. Father, help me to grow closer to You and stand tall in Your confidence. I love You. Amen.

Love always,

Natasha 

Copyright 2011-2021. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Breaking Bread For 5.17.21

Scripture

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

Luke 6:37

Reflection

We spend so much time butting into other people’s lives and personal business that we fail to realize that we are stepping outside of the boundaries God set for us. We are in no position to say who sins more or less, who is going to heaven or hell, or who is evil or good. We’re supposed to be living our lives focused on being better people, better stewards, and loving everyone despite our differences.

While you’re screaming about someone going to hell, just remember to mentally prepare yourself to join them. Heck, you might be on their welcoming committee. Or you might find yourself sold out and they aren’t sitting there in misery with you. Either way, a dumb look will be planted on your face!

We spend so much time holding grudges and carrying around the burden of our ego and pride that we never consider how freeing it would be if we only stopped and forgave those who wronged us. Unhinge that dead weight!

Forgive. Let go. Stop judging. Stop condemning people to a fate you would never wish on a loved one. Start living and start loving. Start allowing God to be your God, and then you can let go of pain, fear, anger, and shame as your gods.

Have an amazing day. I love you all—friends, family, associates—those near, those far, those traveling, and those that I only know through these Breaking Bread messages.

Prayer

Father, I pray for a warmed heart to forgive those who have intentionally and unintentionally hurt me. I pray that my heart be filled with peace to not judge or condemn other people.

Father, my role in Your Kingdom is to be a good steward and ambassador, not serve as judge, jury, dictator, or ruler over Your children. It is not my place to say who is keeping or breaking Your commandments, or who is fulfilling their duties as Your ambassadors. You are the only Judge and I apologize for all of the times I have crossed the lines and forgot my place and position. Touch my heart Lord. In Your Name I pray. Amen.

God bless you!

Natasha 

Copyright 2011-2021. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Day 3 Look at Our Distorted View on Marriage

Let’s pick up where we left off yesterday. Let’s focus on the two things that so many of us resist and try to pass off to other people—responsibility and accountability. We do it often and let’s stop denying it.

With Titles Come Responsibility and Accountability

Your title as husband or wife means nothing if you aren’t living according to God’s vision. The husband and wife are only honored in their positions if they are walking in God’s Light and deserving of the position. They must both be worthy of support and being followed. God determines our worth and rightness. If we’re not leading like Christ then we won’t have true support from our spouse. The two must work together in God’s love, with the purpose and mission of being the example of Christ.

We must be shining examples of God’s bride, not Satan’s whore.

That sounds harsh doesn’t it? Well, truth be told, it is. Let’s stop sugar-coating things. We have too many people casually getting married, adding children to dysfunctional arrangements, and then blowing up everything through nasty divorces. Then we wonder why people are rejecting the idea of marriage and parenthood. We have more people opting out because there’s so many jacked up examples of what not to do.

We aren’t taking marriage and parenting seriously.

That’s because God’s not the All-in-All of our lives and relationships. He’s the fallback, default option for a quick reboot when our signal is buffering. You know, when you quickly unplug and replug or flip the switch off then on, and you cross your fingers and hope all will be well. We never fix the issues we just keep trying to find a new service provider or spend our days complaining. We don’t realize we’ve been tapping into a bootlegged or counterfeit source. If we weren’t so self-absorbed we would see God as our one and only true Source, not just a convenient option we find on the FAQ page or 1-800 hotline.

As I said in my previous posts, I explore this and more in my Seek Him book series, be sure to find out more by visiting DOMELifePublishing.com

Prayer

Father, only You know my heart and what’s in it. You know what I desire and what I need. You are my Source, Provider, and my Protector. I am me because of You. I ask for forgiveness for each time I live my life different than what I profess. I apologize for not taking full responsibility for my actions and for resisting accountability so that I can be aligned fully with You. I’m sorry that I place more power in my fears than my faith in You. While You hold me accountable and tell me to look within, the enemy tells me to doubt You. I apologize for every instant when I doubt You and choose to do things my way. I want my confidence to rest solely in You.

Father, I want to walk with You with a boldness that can’t be shaken and an obedience that can’t be questioned. Help me Father to see the fear and act anyway, to push towards my truth in You, so that I never have to live a lie. I pray for discernment and clarity to see all people and situations as You do, so that I’m not operating from lack or confusion. I humbly pray to You with gratitude in my heart. Amen.

Love you all!

Natasha

Copyright 2021. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Breaking Bread For 5.13.21

Introduction

Yesterday, I shared a layer of information, for greater insight as to why portions of the letters from Paul to the Ephesians, Corinthians, and others have continued to cause confusion and conflict in the church, community, and our homes. The same is true of some parts written in the letters identified as 1 John through 3 John.

Why do some of these authors’ words keep the riptides of chaos churning? Why do men and women, husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends keep tussling over the language, interpretation, and perceptions drawn from these and other letters? Remember what I said yesterday, context is required for perfect understanding.

Let’s go back to what many people would call the beginning of mankind, what others would call the beginning of the Israelite genealogy, or what some would simply call a great cautionary tale. Let’s look at the foundation of our issues—the screwup in the Garden of Eden.

Adam, Eve & The Curse That Haunts???

For those of you who read the book of Genesis, you know that it is said that God cursed the serpent, Adam, and Eve (Chavah) for their sins committed in the Garden of Eden. The curse on Adam and Eve created friction and struggle between husband and wife, where there would be difficulty in unity—just as God later disrupted the plans for the Tower of Babel through separation of the people and division of their languages. You can’t bypass God to get what you think you’re entitled to.

Adam and Eve chose flesh and to reason within their mind, without deferring to and reconciling all with God. Neither took responsibility for their decisions. Eve blamed the serpent for her failure and Adam blamed God and Eve for his. Even with Eve making a choice that went against God, Adam had a choice to hold her accountable and defer to God—choosing obedience to Him over the temptation of the flesh. God created them to be partners, stewarding and managing together. However, they were to be united under one Mind, His. They were to put Him first above all things including each other. They didn’t choose Him. They listened to the serpent. They put self before Him, flesh before Him. So cursed they became.

This is still our struggle today.

If we’re to break the curse we need to remember who we are and how we’re to live and love God, ourselves, and each other. We have to remember our original design, purpose, and relationship. We have to live putting God first and always, and deferring to Him in all matters. Then we must live accordingly and with accountability. Tomorrow let’s dig deeper into what that truly means. Until then, let’s begin to wrap up our time today with some reminders.

If You’re Married or Engaged

If you are married, engaged (or planning to be) then you must remember that you are not the master of your spouse. You are not their god. If you can’t see them and treat them as equal partners, not just in division of labor, but in matters of the heart, then you need to turn to God for redirection. And just as you aren’t their master, their lord, their god—they aren’t yours. You are not the tail that they wag and vice versa. We will dive deeper into this in a day or so.

Managing Outsiders

When it comes to people outside of your marriage, you must remember that no other person should ever have priority over your spouse. They should never ever be in a position where they could cause disruption on any level in your relationship. They shouldn’t have access to you like your spouse does. There shouldn’t be a familiarity and intimacy that even comes close to what you share with your spouse. You are responsible for creating, reinforcing, and maintaining healthy boundaries.

Just like you don’t want Satan involved in your relationship with God, keep that raggedy jerk out of your love life with your spouse. Satan might tempt, but you choose to be faithful or stray. You can only entertain the temptation if you’re giving him your attention. Remember Adam and Eve. They got it wrong.

If You’re Single and Want Marriage

If you aren’t married or engaged yet, but you’re thinking about one day making that leap—begin living your life like you’re an honorable and faithful husband/wife. Be that faithful bride of Christ. Be what you dream of receiving. Begin living with those reminders that I just shared above for married and engaged people. Look at this as a long term boot camp. Your heart and mind need to be dialed in, aligned, and prepared for the attacks that will come your way.

You will be tempted, but are you relying on God or your own devices to see you through?

Give God your whole heart so that it can be aligned with another heart that complements yours, and yours theirs. If you’re looking for a person to complete you then you need to postpone marriage until you either allow God to fill your gaps, or you rely on Him to get things done along the way. Don’t think that marriage can fix you or the person you love. Just like children can’t fill those holes, neither can your spouse. It comes down to you and God working it all out, deep down in the trenches. So make sure you’re in this to win this soldier!

What We All Must Do

Even if you have no desire to marry or remarry, you play a role in this construct and how it’s portrayed. We all must rewire our thinking about marriage and this narrative that plays out as man ruling woman, and woman sheepishly slaving to man as though she’s a farm animal. Also, stop seeing marriage as man being the sole provider of all things and in all ways to the woman. It puts both in a position of lack.

It isolates and separates both people. It leaves you vulnerable to attacks by the enemy. It’s a recipe for disaster.

It also contradicts the Genesis narrative, the story of the Proverbs 31 wife, and numerous examples compiled in the Bible, and other religious texts. As I reveal and explore in my Seek Him book series, nothing in that distorted arrangement (I mentioned) that people keep pandering, looks like God and His marriage design. We have perverted it. We have cheapened it.

Just as someone doubted the words that God spoke through the prophets, and chose to modify to their liking—someone has done the same by doubting God’s desire for man and woman to rule this Earth as equals, side-by-side, with woman representing the true intention behind the word “ezer” and not what man devalued it to be.

If God used the word “ezer” to describe Himself, then why have we perverted its meaning and chosen instead to use it to make the woman small and insignificant? It’s because of what’s in the hearts and minds of man, and if God’s not in it then we know it just ain’t right!

That means we must realign and get back to where God wants us. God did not bring you together as a couple for you to neglect, abuse, belittle, take advantage of, and hurt each other. That’s not the type of relationship He wants to have with you so it can’t be what he wants for you and another.

You must choose to either follow God or the “enemy”. You can pray for healing and do your part for restoration, or do nothing and watch everything wither and die. It’s your choice. We have options. So choose!

Tomorrow’s Message

I look forward to tomorrow’s chat. I will warn you now, it may sting some of you a little harder than others. The truth has that effect. Like rubbing alcohol on an exposed sore. Just breathe through it. I’ve been praying on it. I got a little anxious but I reminded myself to breathe and let go to let God!

Prayer Prep

I want you to read the prayer below with passion and conviction. Even if you aren’t in a relationship right now. Pray it with a focus on your future. Pray with an understanding that you are first and always His bride. Declare God’s love and protection over you, your significant other, your relationship with them, and your relationship with God!

Prayer

Father, I pray that Your love, as demonstrated through and by Your son Jesus Christ, touches and warms my heart and the heart of the one I love—that we treat and love each other the way You love us, and how we should love ourselves. I pray that we put in the time and care to nurture each other the way that we are supposed to care for and protect our own bodies; that when we see something is wrong we work together, with You, to do everything in our power to make things right—surrendering what we can’t, to You.

Father, I want to protect and be protected, with a focus on protecting our relationship with You and our union together. It is my belief, Father, that no one should be able to penetrate a relationship, when a couple is united in Your love, and devoted to living the life You have gifted. It is our choice to let that person in. It is our choice to give into temptation. I pray that we keep our eyes and hearts focused on You, Lord. Keep us pointed in the right direction Father. I praise You today and each day. Amen.

Love always,

Natasha

Copyright 2021. Natasha L. Foreman. All Rights Reserved. BreakingBreadWithNatasha.com

Breaking Bread For 5.12.21

Scripture

“In the same way, husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it—just as Messiah also does His community, because we are members of His body.”
—Ephesians 5:28-30 TLV

Reflection

I’m going to come at this from a different approach and I think I will focus on this part of Ephesians 5 for the next few days. It represents a part in the letter where Paul is writing about accountability, honor, and walking in alignment with God, just as Jesus did. When we get to lines 21 through 33 we are seeing this interwoven blend of simile and metaphor to help the men and women of the “community” (what we now call the congregation or the church) be reminded of how they were to treat each other just as Jesus treated people, to unify in God just as Jesus did. If they learned how to regard, respect, hold accountable, follow, and lead each other just like Jesus did, then they would be in alignment—just as Jesus taught and demonstrated.

Context is Everything

When you don’t take this and other letters written by Paul (and others) into historical, cultural, geographic, and spiritual context—you not only pervert the meaning and intent, you downright lose it. There was a lot of chaos and confusion while the people were in exile, being ruled over by the Romans, and highly influenced by the Greeks and their gods. There’s a mishmash of ideologies. You have devout Jews mixed in with those who “dabbled” in the faith, along with others who initially worshiped Greek and other gods. So this of course caused discord and disharmony amongst the early flock of converts. You have some congregants who were devoted only to Paul, some only to this person and that person, and so some people were drawing lines declaring their allegiance to one over the other. saying, “Well Paul said…” just like you may say, “Well Pastor/Bishop said…”.

But what did God say?

I dive deeply into this in my Seek Him book series. Volume 2 and Workbook 2 are being released next month, and they’re designed to push you past your comfort zone and what you think you know. Volume 3 and Workbook 3 will be released later this Summer, and let me just say this—if you aren’t ready you better get ready, because they are packed with the tools that will help you never look back to your old way of thinking and living. That’s a little teaser, a sneak peek.

Tomorrow let’s explore a little more. See you then!

Prayer

Father, I praise You for today, another day to learn and grow. I ask for discernment and clarity, to know You and Your voice and presence above all others, and to distinguish my will from Yours. Father, point me in the right direction so that I may always seek, find, and share the truth, not revise or hide it. I pray to always remain faithful and in my lane, not trying to do Your work. Forgive me for when I step out of line. Forgive me when I forget my role and purpose. Forgive me when I think I have the right to dictate to and control others. Check my heart Father. I serve only You. Amen.

Love you all!

Natasha

Copyright 2021. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Breaking Bread For 5.11.21

Scripture

For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.

2 Corinthians 13:8

Reflection

No matter how we try to look at things, only in truth can goodness come our way. You can’t dress up a lie and make it the truth. You cannot pretend that what you’re saying and doing is right in God’s eyes. God will always uncover your false image and show it for what it truly is—so free yourself from days, months, and years of trying to remember your lie and instead opt to speak truthfully to and of all people, situations, and circumstances.

Clarification

Now let me be clear, telling a lie to protect the innocent, is not the same as telling a lie to protect the guilty. Hiding innocent people to prevent them from being victims of rape, murder, genocide, deportation, trafficking, slavery, and other cruelty—that’s not the same thing as protecting a person who is guilty of committing these cruel acts. You’re telling a lie about the innocent person’s whereabouts to protect the truth, to allow the truth to shine, and to prevent the lies from destroying more lives. So when you continue reading this message, be mindful of this clarifying point. Lot lied to the Sodomites to protect the two angels that were inside of his home. That’s not the same as lying to protect someone you know who is guilty of hurting people. In that instance, you aren’t fighting for the truth, you’re protecting the lie. You are an accomplice after the fact. Make sense?

Now that we’re clear and on the same page, let’s continue….

Who’s Lying to You?

We navigate through this world knowing that we’re being lied to and conned by governments, politicians, law enforcement, businesses, scientists, and sadly, even religious leaders. Then it goes deeper and darker when we go inside of our homes. We don’t know what to believe because we’re constantly being fed lies. The majority of what you see and hear on social media are lies. People are marketing and peddling lies that they want you to believe as truth. We’re being spammed with lies via text and email.

What Are You Doing to Combat Lies?

It’s sad that we have to go to a fact-checking website to see if what is reported on the news, announced in a press conference, or shared online, is a lie or the truth. What’s truly depressing is the fact that the majority of people don’t either know, have access to, or choose not to use these websites to get the truth.

If you have access and get the information you have a responsibility to share it and ask that others do the same. If you have access and choose not to get the facts, then you choose to be ignorant, and that is not a defense. You are choosing to take part in the lies. However, if you don’t have access to fact-checking sources then you don’t know what you don’t know. You are left vulnerable to finding out the truth the hard way. If you’re reading this then you have access. Just search online for fact-checking sources. Or do a term search and type “fact check” before or after the subject matter.

But Who Are You Willing to Fact-Check?

So how many of you are fact-checking your religious leaders when they stand before you preaching and professing what they say is the truth?

Are you grabbing your Bibles, concordance, or other religious texts to ask the probing questions, and confirm the context shared? Are you searching online and seeking out credible sources to confirm that leader’s claims? Or do you gullibly ingest and embed that information as truth? How do you know they aren’t telling you lies? How do you know that they aren’t just “talking out the side of their neck” as the saying goes? You believe because they said it. Ironic though, because Jesus said a lot and lived his life a certain way, both of which you don’t fully align with and follow. God speaks daily to you, every moment of the day, guiding and redirecting you, and you choose to do your own thing.

Why does your human leader have greater influence on you? Just something to think about and possibly get right with…

Let’s Look in The Mirror

We’re not only being told lies, we’re also the one telling lies. We’re lying to strangers, managers, our loved ones, and to ourselves. We are the biggest liars because we lie about how we’re feeling, what we’re doing, what we’re thinking, how we spend our time, and the life we’re living. We lie about how much money we have and how we spend it, where we’re going and where we’re coming from. Some people lie so much that they lie about stuff that doesn’t even require a lie—it’s what we would call “senseless lies”. It simply doesn’t make any sense to lie about it, but they do it.

We’re also teaching our children how to lie. Yep, we’re reproducing more liars to crank through this toxic cycle.

Our Teachers and What We’re Taught

We were taught to lie, usually by our first teachers—our family. Then outside of our home we are groomed by more liars—our teachers, school administrators, neighbors, etc.

The irony and hypocrisy is that liars demand honesty and loyalty, but how can you trust an untrustworthy person?

Do you not find it disturbing that we chastise people who always tell the truth, no matter what? We call it “brutal honesty” and say that they have “no filter” because they won’t package the truth in a way that is more palatable to the recipients. If you can’t sugar-coat the truth then we would rather you tell a lie, and then we will downplay it by calling it a “little white lie”.

The Truth

The truth is, a lie is a lie, and we’ve all done it. I’m guilty of it. I’ve lied about some things that I later carried around in my shame bag. I had to forgive myself for not only telling the lies but believing it necessary to do so, because I needed to protect or disguise something I had done and didn’t want anyone to know. The lie was to cover a wrong I or someone else had committed. Two wrongs don’t ever make a right. The only way a negative and negative will equal a positive is when you reveal the truth about those negatives. I had to make myself a promise to not put myself in situations that could tempt me to tell lies to protect myself or someone else from punishment. If I’m doing wrong then lying about it won’t make it right.

We harm more than just self when we tell lies. We eat away at our relationships. We breed next generation liars and then complain about their corruption. Our compounded lies continue to destroy the fabric of society. We continue to feed the enemy, give in to the enemy’s plot to snatch our souls for its gain. If we’re God’s ambassadors, His soldiers, then we need to fight and destroy lies with Truth. We achieve victory with Truth. We build God’s Kingdom with Truth. We bring people out of darkness with Truth. We heal and redeem nations with Truth. We demand the Truth, live by the Truth, and we refuse to disseminate lies of any kind.

It does not matter if it is in a personal or professional relationship, tell the truth. Don’t sacrifice others for selfish gains—because in the end you will always fall short of winning. As long as we feed lies with lies, we will be slaves to lies. Let’s be free in Truth-seeking, Truth-speaking, Truth-sharing, and Truth-living. Just as God created us!

Prayer

Father, I seek the Truth in all matters of my life, and I desire to tell the Truth even if it may hurt someone’s feelings. I know that in the Truth all things are right, all people are equal, and all situations can be resolved. If I am to walk in Your Light, Father, it can only be in Truth revealed and ever-present.

Push those fears out of me, that would have me convinced that telling a lie or keeping a secret based on a lie, is far better than honesty. Help me to see that disappointing You far outweighs anything I could ever imagine. I want to do my part to be a protector of the innocent and a catalyst for change, in Truth. Only in Your Truth shall I receive peace. Only in Your Truth is there freedom. In Your Name I pray. Amen.

Love,

Natasha 

Copyright 2011-2021. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Breaking Bread For 5.10.21

Scripture

“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—”so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Ephesians 6:2-3

Reflection

I am grateful for God blessing me with my parents. I’m grateful for my childhood and the times we shared, the lessons learned, and their stern hand that kept me from danger. I’m grateful for the times I get to share with my mom, the lessons that I continue to learn, and the wisdom that she imparts to assist me.

I thank my mother for taking care of herself while she carried me in her womb and for taking care of our family so our bond could be unbreakable. I’m grateful for every single day that God blesses me with my mom. I thank my father for his role in bringing me into this world, for taking care of our family, and for the lessons he taught me—some, I’m finally learning now. Even though he transitioned from this life, he is always a part of me, always with me, and I’m grateful to God for that blessing. I thank my parents for their sacrifices so that I may live a better life than they did. I will honor them every day of my life. My parents are a blessing to me!

For Those Who Struggle With This

Some of you don’t have fond memories of one or both of your parents, or those good memories have been hijacked with bad ones—so every time you think of something good, a bad memory floods the entire space. Some of you are estranged from your parents or you never knew them. You could have built an internal wall to try and block any loving feelings that try to creep in. Maybe you have chosen to harden your heart towards one or both parents. But that’s not what God wants.

God said to honor your father and mother so that you can enjoy a long life on Earth. He didn’t say honor your father and mother only if they were present in your life, or only if they treated you right. Let God handle any grievances that you have with your parents. They are His children. He made them and He’a responsible for molding and correcting them. If one or both were abusive, neglectful, controlling, mean, selfish, or absent then God has those issues covered.

You must try to forgive them for not seeing the gift that is within you, and the gift that is within them. They are or were operating out of lack, and so lack is what you got in return. Don’t pass on that lack to others.

If you spend your life dwelling on what a parent did or didn’t do then you never get to enjoy life blessing the lives of other people and children—especially your own. You don’t get to see your full potential to love, forgive, and be forgiven. You unknowingly set yourself up to be as negligent as they were to you. By honoring them, as God directs you to, you break the cycle, and create a healthy one.

Here’s something else to consider: honoring your parents can also mean being more loving, patient, kind, considerate, nurturing, and supportive to people than they were to you. You evolve to where they didn’t, but without spite and malice in your heart. It’s not about pointing out their flaws and being obsessed with being better than them. Instead, grow to see their deficiencies and understand that they didn’t grow to where you are, but they helped bring you into this world, and now you’re able to do what they could only dream of. Maybe, their lack is because they had lack as a child and didn’t know how to positively process it, so they passed that lack on to you. You have a choice—continue the cycle or do what God asks of you.

For All of Us

Your journey, mission, calling, is not about them. It’s about you. How you see them and treat them is about you, not them. God is looking at your heart just like He’s looking at theirs. He’s dealing with them just like He’s dealing with you.

Think about it, honoring our parents positions us to be honored parents (or parental figures to children who need us most). If your heart is hardened towards one or both parents, how can it be completely available to love and nurture others? How can it fully express love to your significant other, children, and others? If part of your heart is closed off then it’s not fully accessible. God’s heart is always accessible to us, in all Its fullness. He wants the same for us.

Be the change you want to see!

Prayer

Father, thank You for my human parents. Thank You for blessing me with life and love. Even in rough times when I didn’t see eye-to-eye with one or both parents, I’m grateful for the lessons that I learned. I thank my parents for some of my mannerisms, the characteristics we share, and for the ability to look in the mirror and see them.

Father, thank You for making it possible for me to have these parents and to learn from them—what to do and what not to do. Even when I had doubt, even when I wished I or You could make some changes—I thank You for my mother and father because my life with them has helped mold and shape me into the person I am today. In Your Name I praise and pray. Amen.

I love you all!

Natasha 

Copyright 2011-2021. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Breaking Bread For 5.7.21

Scripture

Shout for joy to the lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;

Psalm 98:4

Reflection

If you don’t feel like dancing and singing right now, then you haven’t looked close enough at the blessings you have received today and over the years. Assess your gifts large and small and then rejoice. Think of God’s mercy and grace in your life. You didn’t earn the favor, God gave it because He loves you and wants the best for you. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to dance, sing, and shout with joy!

Prayer

Father, I love You. I am so grateful and filled with joy. I want the world to know my love for You and how good You have been to me. Thank You for everything Lord. Amen.

Love,

Natasha

Copyright 2011-2021. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Breaking Bread For 5.6.21

Scripture

Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.

Psalm 97:11

Reflection

The Lord is amazing in all of His glory. God has healed you from affliction. He has brought you through troubled times. He has made sure you had sustenance to survive and the right mind to understand and follow His ways. You should want to shout from the roof tops how much you love the Lord. You should want to walk up and hug every person you see and say, “God is good”. That’s how joyful you should feel right now. You are alive, you are loved, and you are blessed to have the technology to read this message. Isn’t He awesome?

Today, why don’t you tell someone how good God has been to you. Why don’t you do a random act of kindness to positively touch another person’s life so that they too can feel God’s love, light, joy and presence. Do your part as an ambassador for the Lord.

Prayer

Father, thank You for the blessings that I have already received and for those that I know will come, not because I earned them, but because You keep Your promises. You are my Comforter and my Beacon. I rejoice and proudly testify to my countless healings and blessings that were only made possible by and through You, Lord. Cast Your Light on me Father. Fill my heart with loving gladness. In Your Name I praise and pray. Amen.

Love you all,

Natasha

Copyright 2011-2021. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Breaking Bread For 5.5.21

Scripture

See, the lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the lord, the God of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

Deuteronomy 1:21

Reflection

God has told you that He will take you to the promised land, but instead of turning left as instructed you have turned right, and out of frustration you cry out to Him for guidance. Lovingly, God tells you that He showed you the way and even gave you the skills to read the map given to you—but your pride, fear, impatience, arrogance, and insecurities blinded your vision—and now you are off course and in, for you, is an unchartered area.

What you don’t see is that the promised land is so very close but you need God to get there. There is no success without God. There is no victory without God. Your goals, plans, dreams, and bills can not be met without God. 

As I push through my fears—which is a lifelong journey—but one that becomes more bearable and maneuverable when you learn to let go and trust on God more to show you the way, and to catch you when you fall—I know that no matter what I’m going through today, and no matter how much pain and insecurity that I feel, God has never forsaken me. I know that He has angels watching over me. I know that when no one else loves me unconditionally, that He has, does, and always will. He has a life for me that’s ready for me to claim. All I have to do is open my eyes, take that step, reach out, and make it mine. All you have to do is do the same for every opportunity and blessing that He provides you.

I love all of you. Those I know and those who only know me through this Breaking Bread message. I love you because we are all God’s children. I love you because just as I want and need love, peace, and security, so do you. We are brothers and sisters in a kingdom that is struggling with double-mindedness. Together we will uplift each other into the perfect examples of our Father, as He first created us. Embrace your day and embrace your life.

God bless you and keep you!

Prayer

Father, You have placed before me countless opportunities to claim as mine. Some I have seized ahold to while others I was too afraid to claim. Father, I thank You for my blessings. I thank You for Your patience as You wait for me to walk in and by faith, and not by fear, and to have the courage to claim what is rightfully mine, because You made it so.

Daily, I pray to You for Your grace and mercy as I push through my fears and cast them to the side. Father, I can see the promised future. I can see my victories. I can see a life filled with joy and the ability to rise, smile, and see my way through any situation, because I know that You are with me. I want to claim what You have said is mine. I want to claim the life You have envisioned and set forth for me. I want to honor and glorify You, through the ups and downs. I love you Father. Amen.

Lovingly,

Natasha 

Copyright 2011-2021. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Breaking Bread For 5.4.21

Scripture

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

James 4:7-8,10

Reflection

Yesterday was a doozy for me and maybe you too. But today does not have to be your yesterday, if you trust and rely on God to help you see your way through. Yesterday I said we should smile when faced with heartache, grief, turmoil, pain, setbacks, and disappointments. We should rejoice in the Lord for the triumph we know is coming. We should smile for being blessed with yet another day to demonstrate His goodness, grace and mercy.

Sometimes we have to make difficult decisions to stay within the status quo of man or to follow God. Sometimes we grow content with accepting the ongoing pain of living in the flesh that we don’t even consider the pleasure we receive from living in God’s Light. We must learn to love God above all else, including ourselves. We don’t want the pain and friction caused by God molding us, but we don’t realize that we are causing that pain and friction because we simply won’t let go and give up ourselves to Him.

So yes, when we resist, the molding process is more difficult. But ironically we have less of a problem enduring the pain received in personal and professional relationships—in those instances we can quickly make excuses and try to find ways to compromise or totally acquiesce. We are double-minded and not fully loyal to our Heavenly Father. We must choose which life we want to lead. We must choose whom we will follow, trust and obey. If we don’t surrender to God the molding process only becomes more intense.

Jesus

Everyone wants to be like the disciples who had an easy escape exit, but who wants the responsibility of truly carrying the cross like Jesus? Who wants to walk as Jesus did? I’m not talking about having hangers-on and followers who blindly cheerlead and applaud all that you do. That is not and was not Jesus’s path and demonstration.

Remember there were more than 100 disciples before they were narrowed down to 12 (with double-mindedness even in some of them). We read about their time spent with Jesus, but consider all of the time he spent alone talking to God, meditating on his calling, contemplating things—we don’t have written records of that. We have no clue what Jesus really had to endure, the fears he had to overcome, the doubt and frustration that would creep up inside of him. I can say that I only wish I had the faith, courage, discipline, and discernment he had.

Moses

Can you imagine surrendering and giving yourself to God knowing that tomorrow you will not be here with your loved ones? Just like Moses knowing that he would never enter the Promised Land; his mission was to get the children of Israel to a certain point and then Joshua would lead them the rest of the way.

To know when your last day on earth will be must be frightening at the same time it makes you appreciate more of life’s experiences and your mission and purpose along the way. That is why many people say, “Live your life each day as though it is your last”. With that I send my love to each of you and pray for your peace and protection, and hope that you also pray for mine.

Prayer

Father, I pray to release my burdens, fears, and doubt. I know You’re trying to mold me Father. I know You’re trying to direct my path and I keep resisting and following man and not You. I want to let go. Father free me from my shackles of double-mindedness and over-analysis. I pray for the discernment to know Your voice from any other, and the belief and knowledge that Your answer is always the right one. In Your Name I humbly pray. Amen.

Love always,

Natasha

Copyright 2011-2021. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com

Breaking Bread For 5.3.21

Scripture

If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile,’

Job 9:27

Reflection

Moments ago I paused to read over some old reflections from a decade ago. It’s awkward because it doesn’t feel that long ago, yet it does. I think of the things I was worried over and complaining about, and naturally I compared them to my present, and I won’t lie—some guilt creeped in. The things I struggled with then are nothing in comparison to what I’m dealing with now, and I’m being reminded that through it all there have only been two constants: God and change.

I’m also reminded of the family members and friends who prayed for me, even when they didn’t fully know what I was going through. They just loved me enough to pray. I noticed that when you pray for others and you’re open to God’s reality your problems, issues, and pain seem to be more bearable. I don’t know about you, but something else that I experience is when I listen to uplifting music, the sun seems to shine brighter outside, the light on the trees seem to glisten more on the leaves, I begin to notice things that I overlooked, and I can’t help but to smile. I’m not looking for the flaws, I’m not anticipating bad weather, I’m not expecting the “other shoe to drop”. No, as one song pours into another, I fill with hope, gladness, and gratitude.

As we walk through valleys, struggle to climb up mountainsides, get knocked down and work to get back up, instead of grimacing in complaint, let’s smile in anticipation of standing in victory. No matter how big or small your problem—God is your problem solver. He’s already handled it, He’s just waiting on you to catch up!

Wow, now isn’t that something to smile about?

Enjoy this beautiful day, take in all of your blessings, breathe in all of God’s greatness, and smile. This is your experience. Live it intentionally!

Prayer

Father Mother God, there are days when it gets tough and my shoulders feel as though they can’t carry much more of the weight. There are days when I feel alone, lost, too uncomfortable to rest, and too tired to think straight. Today, I may walk into all sorts of unknowns but one thing I will change is my perception that I’m in this alone—for I know and You have proven countless times that You are always with me.

So today I forget my reasons for complaining; I will forget those feelings that build up inside when I’m under attack by others; I will put aside those things I simply cannot change—and instead of frowning and crying I will smile and rejoice in gladness, for I am blessed by You, Father. I know that no matter what I go through and no matter what someone says about me it’s all right and all good—because You are my strength, my shield, my shelter, and my nurturer. Thank You, Father, for a brand new day and for a new outlook. I love You. Amen.

Love you all,

Natasha

Copyright 2011-2021. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com