I Need You!

Sorry guys I'm to tired to do a real update but I do have a song!! I hope you enjoy it! I know I do...actually I love this whole CD! Anyway let me know what ya'll think! I'll give you a better update soon I promise!

Luv ya'll bunches!

Trese

Home Free...

Hey ya'll!!

So like as of Saturday August 30, 2008 I moved back home! Soooo excited! God has brought me back to the place where my heart has longed to be. I'm sooo thankful. The Sunday school lesson was on Being thankful and acknowledging God even in the small things (which as you can see by the last few blogs I've been trying to do) I am most thankful for God giving me another chance. I dont quite understand why he would choose me instead of a downright sinner. I was born and raised in this and I looked God in the eye and told him I didnt want him. Sis Karen used the analogy of a yo-yo. God allowed me to go so far but he never took the string from around his finger. He waited for me to stop rolling and and wandering and then he decided to give it another go. Soooo I'm very excited to be back among the saints and all. But pray for me ya'll because one thing I dont want to do is become common with my salvation. I refuse to have a form of godliness.

So yah! I'm Bbbbbbbbaaack! lol Still without a job but I know God is able. Be praying that I do what God requires of me and nothing less!

Love ya'll bunches!!

Trese

He Knows My Name!

So I like LOVE this song! It's comforting knowing that He knows my name, He knows my every thought He sees EACH tear that fall and hear me when I call! I know this isnt much of an update but I refuse to let the devil come in and take my joy! Continue to pray for me I'm determined to stay saved and I know that God will help me get rid of myself in order to maintain my salvation.


Luv ya'll Bunches!

Trese

Saved to the Upmost- I Know that I Am!

GOOD MORNING YA'LL!

It's been some days since I last updated. Mainly because I haven't been feeling to excited lately. So then I realized..."Hmmm...I'm only blogging when I feel encouraged and happy and so on (in the good times) but when I'm down and out and don't feel God around or struggling to read and pray (bad times) I'm just blah. How do you praise God when you don't have the urge to? How do you pray to him when you can barely get through reading one verse? And of course the devil wants to tell me that I can't be saved. But I know I am. I haven't committed sin...I guess that's one thing I can praise God for huh? That even though I don't have the "feeling" of being saved I know that I am. Ooooh! remember that song, I'm healed and I know I am I'm healed this very hour for my Jesus says I am...yea I think thats all I know but the point is I know that I'm saved! And yes lately it's been quite the struggle but I know that if I stay honest and true to God he will deliver. One thing is for sure I really want to be saved. I really want a TRUE experience with God. I want to wear this world as a loose garment. I want him to make everything that's not like him ugly to me so that when I look upon it I'll be disgusted. So, those of you who can pray- Pray that God do just that for me. In order for me to make it I'm going to need a different outlook on things.

In other news! I am moving back home at the end of the month...I dont even have the strength to do that! I gotta get this stuff shipped home and I cant get it packed right and then I dont wanna have to carry it from the house to the car from the car to the store...sigh! But I'm sooooo excited!!!

Welp! thats all we have today folks! I'll be back soon and hopefully with a testimony of victory but if not I will praise the Lord no matter what tomorrow brings or what it has in store I know I will praise the Lord!!


LUV YA'LL BUNCHES!

-Wait on the Lord-

God is an awesome God aint he?!! So I'm before God because I want to move home! As I told ya'll at the Jubilee I've already told my landlords that Im not renewing my lease which is at the end of this month. Soooo I would like to get a job so that I can be out by or on August 31st. Mah BFF told me that I should challenge God give a set date tell God that by this day I want to see you bless me. So I did, and that day is coming and I haven't heard anything. My bosses ask me what are you going to do? We can't have you out on the street at the end of the month...we want you to stay...My faith is in God and if he gives the fowls of the air all that they need then how so much more me. God has been taking me to Matthew 6:25 for the last couple of days- take no thought of your life...take no thought of the morrow...you heavenly father knows your needs before you even ask of him... It says, seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you. All I have to do is seek God and nothing else. As long as my affections are set upon the things above and I'm seeking God dilegently everything else will come. So, I'm on my way home from work this morning and Im listening to SCS (Steven C. Chapman) and I dont know how many of ya'll know this song but it says, Wait wait on the Lord, you will understand in time why you must wait, wait wait wait on the Lord yes he hears you but for now you must wait on the Lord. I can't tell you how many times I've heard this song but today it touched me. Im before God wondering when where and how. But God wants me to seek and wait on him. What a comfort to know that he hears me, that my praying and fasting isnt in vain. God is so good ya'll and even though I may not feel him with me all day everyday I know that he's working my situation out for my good. So to all my luvs out there, Wait on God. No matter what it is you are looking for HE has it all. The husband, the wife, the child,the money, your healing etc; yes youre before him day in and day out and it seems like there's no answer But he hears you and for now he wants you to wait...one verse says... Answers come slowly to your cries of desperation, But time is His tool, teaching the greatest lessons learned; So let Him do His work in you, And watch the miracles come true as you...wait

So ya'll be praying for me that I continue to wait AND WITH PATIENCE! and I'll be doing the same for you!


-Luv ya'll Bunches!-

NEVER WOULD HAVE MADE IT!!!

Just a lil song to express myself- God didn't have to keep me in my right mind - didn't have to give me another chance and if it wasn't for his grace, his mercy and undying love I never would have made it! Hope ya'll enjoy this song...by the way I heard a version from Sharon (Rose of Sharon that is...) can anyone send me that version?






LUV YA'LL BUNCHES!!

And I Am Telling You I aint Going!

Hello World!

Now most of you if not all of you are familiar with the movie DreamGirls correct? Well, there's this particular part in the movie where Jennifer Hudson is singing to Jamie Foxx and the lyrics are- "And I'm telling you I'm not going your the best man I'll ever know there's no way I can ever go,no,no no way I'm living without you I don't wanna be free- I'm stayin I'm stayin and You're gonna love me..." I quote these lyrics because I am at the point in my life where I gotta tell God I'm not going - He's goes beyond my wildest dreams he's more than wonderful THE BEST MAN I'VE EVER KNOWN There's just no way I could ever go! I've tried the road of sin and found it's prospect all deceived and now that I'm with God I don't wanna be anywhere else. Just in these short weeks of me being TRULY saved! God has been showing himself to me. I can go to him in prayer and leave ALL my sorrows there. It isn't easy but I am determined to stick this thing out. All that I need is in Jesus....lol look at this

In the song she said that he was the best man that she'd ever know (not ever known past tense but future) and if you watched this movie you'd know that he was a horrible man so if that's what you call a great man I'mma need you to get yo life together. Man can't compare to the God that I've been talking to for the last couple of weeks. There's a song that says, There is NONE like YOU NO ONE ELSE can touch my heart like YOU do I could search for all eternity long and find there is NONE like YOU! Never have I had God like this! I am EXCITED!!

So ya'll continue to pray for me cuz I am telling you that I'm not going- I'm staying I'm staying and God is forever going to love me!!

Sorry ya'll I gotta Go back to HE's STILL IN CONTROL!!

Ya'll mah God is Still in Control! I had a meeting today to determine the end of my situation and can I just tell you that God worked in my favor! I stayed before him, I fasted and I prayed I told God that I didnt want to see Trese in this matter! And God took me out of the situation. Attitudes rose up but not in me. God gave me the victory! HE kept me in perfect peace and in the end HE made a way!!! PRAISE GOD!!! OH HOW I LOVE HIM!! My mom said to me in the middle of this meeting- Don't let the devil get in at the end- I told her I refuse to let my fasting be in vain! God knows how hungry I been for the last week and I wasnt goin get to the end and let the devil trick me. OH SAINTS HE IS STILL IN CONTROL! There's nothing that man can do to me that God didnt allow! Be still and know he's still in control! All things work together for the good og them that love the Lord!

The picture shows how happy I am right now...actually Im happier now Cux I'm SAVED!!!

LUV YA'LL BUNCHES!!!

Great Things, Great Things In Store For Me!

My fellow saints...and readers...if there's any besides Liz and Lisa...lol! Once again I'm blogging. It's been quite a peaceful week. I've applied for jobs, looked for apartments...but yea..still nothing. As a matter of fact I actually felt pretty down today. I woke up questioning my salvation. I mean it was almost as if I couldn't feel God's presence. I went to work, I continued on my fast but still nothing. At lunch I went into my corner and I prayed. I mean I've been fasting for a while now and although Lena got saved...Im still unclear as to what I'm supposed to do concerning my life. So of course I start getting all these thoughts like well maybe you did something wrong and God's now pulling his hand away...Maybe you should have said something concerning your situation...surely God isn't going to go this long without giving you an answer...Man, the devil can talk can't he? I told God, Lord I need to feel you here with me. I believe I've done what you have required of me and I'm still before you. I need an answer, I need to read something that's going to comfort me. Finished praying..still nothing...prayed again...Ya'll God gave me this scripture and talk about a comforter! I mean it was JUST what I needed! 1Corithians 2:9 But as it is written, Eyes hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man , the things which God has prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit: for the spirit searcheth all things,yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

Ya'll I don't know whats happening or what's going on but I do know that God hasn't told me to make any moves as of yet. I do know that what he has in store for me is beyond my wildest dreams. No matter what man may do or what they say my hope is in Jesus. No matter what may come my way I'm trusting My God for I know not what he has prepared for me!

Continue to pray for me!


Luv ya'll Bunches!!

-Trese-

HE died for me so the least I can do is live for HIM

SAVED BY HIS POWER DIVINE!!

Hey guys/gals!

So this might be another long one but Im goin give God FULL glory!! So previously I told about how God told me to fast on Tuesday and I regretfully didnt. So I decided I was goin to fast on Wednesday because somethings come only by prayer and fasting. Wednesday came I had a good day. Thursday I decided to fast again..why not? It doesnt hurt to fast to get to where I need to be. So for two days Im fasting, praying reading and just feeling soooo encouraged. I wanted God to do sooo much for me. Mostly to settle me in this GREAT salvation.

Meanwhile- A friend of mine had recently gotten promoted and she needed to go shopping for a new suit. Thursday morning she asked me if I would go with her after work to help her shop. I really didnt want to go. I had something that I wanted to take care of and I considered telling her to go ahead without. Work came and went and we headed out to her apartment to pick up somethings before heading to the mall. Now, going to the mall around 5pm after a day of fasting aint exactly the smartest thing to do so i asked her if we could hang out at her place until 6pm...wait...let me rewind...

Two days prior Lena, I and a two others went out for lunch/dinner and ended up at CHEERS. Now before I got saved as soon as I got in the restaurant I was checking out the drink menu and CHEERS just so happen to have what I consdiered to be one of my favorite drinks. When I got there the devil tried to get me with that...well your newly saved so technically you can drink it and be alright afterall you want a fresh experience with God and yeah you were taught that drinking is wrong but why dont you just let God tell you personally...NO GOOD DEVIL! I ordered a juice and MAN Talk about some good juice!! lol ....ok now back to the original story...

So we're walking to Lena's apartment and she tells me how she went to church one Sunday and how the preacher was talking about the Prodigal Son. Talk about the story of me! Man, just talking about that story just gave me an increase! We talked for hours about salvation and God's grace and mercy. I told stories, she told stories and we talked...before I knew it it was passed 6pm but my mind wasnt on eating. I was praying, Lord, you know if she's serious about living right and Lord if so speak to her, help her to let whatever she's holding on to go. She told me how she noticed two days prior that I didnt order a drink. ( I didnt know she was paying attention) We talked more and then her phone rung...Instantly I knew the devil was working. I again starting praying, Lord dont let the devil take this away from her. She ended the call and she picked up right where we left off. Ya'll God had his way. Lena had told me before that she wanted to be saved. She was searching for more than calling yourself saved and feeling good at church on Sunday morning only to end up at a bar Sunday night. She wanted to be a completely different person. ...shorting the story...I called my dad and he prayed with her and Lena got saved!!

SERIOUSLY!!! NOW YA'LL I THOUGHT I WAS FASTING FOR ME AND MY SITUATION BUT I WAS BEFORE GOD JUST FOR LENA. At the jubilee Pastor D. Lloyd said that you need a soul to get saved thru your life to stay saved. MAN! it added soooo much joy to my soul and even more fuel to the fire.

GOD IS TOOOOOOOO GOOD!! So I'm going to ask ya'll to continue praying for me...as well as Lena. That we stay saved and encouraged. Also, with my situation, I'm trustin God completely and as the song says, I'm happy in the Lord today and it really doesnt matter what comes my way today Im going to wear a smile hold my head uo high and say, Im happy in the lord anyway!!


LUV YA'LL BUNCHES!!!

He's Still In Control!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaah!!

That's kinda like how I've been feeling. But it's my fault. You see yesterday while on my way to work the thought came to me that maybe I should fast today. And it was so...well that is until I got a migrane and my stomach started hurting. Now, why didnt I just rebuke the devil and continue? Because once again, Trese wanted to have her way. So 11:40 came around and I was off to eat some rice and chicken (although the rice was quite tasty it wasnt worth me not fasting). So the day goes on and everything's going just swell. UNTIL I recieved a very disturbing phone call. Oh talk about feeling sick. I was watching a GREAT movie and it was hard for me to focus on because I was just worrying about this call. I called my mom and told her my situation but as always I told on myself. God knew what was waiting for me and if I would've just stayed my course I would've had the strength I needed to handle that call.

I was soooo salty (as they would say back in 1990). All I could do was pray and trust that God was going to work it out not for my gratification but according to his will. Yes, I'm still in this test but as I told God I don't want these people to see LaTrese Deonna Hodges! I've been seen for 22 years- I want them to look at me and see God. There's a KF song out and the bridge says,

If I say I love Jesus, but you can't see my Jesus
My words are empty, if they can't see Jesus in me
No more excuses, I give myself away
Because I may be the only Jesus they see

Oh ya'll more than anything I want people to see Christ through me. For all I know I might be their first impression of Christ and as we all know first impressions can effect the final decision.

Before going to bed I again talked to my mom. She said pray about it and let God work it out. Let God tell you what to say. I opened my bible and I read Mark 19. It's a verse that says something like but with God all things are possible. MAN! IM TELLING YA'LL GOD WANTS ME TO TRUST AND BELIEVE THAT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN MY LIFE BONDS AND AFFLICTION AS PAUL SAID...NONE OF THESE THINGS MOVE ME...You may ask me why it doesnt it affect you? Well, I think about it a lot even and most times I have to tell myself to focus on other things let go and let God...NONE OF THESE MOVE ME NEITHER COUNT MY LIFE DEAR UNTO MYSELF THAT I MIGHT FINISH (RUN) MY COURSE WITH JOY..!! Ya'll there's a song that's playing RIGHT now and it says..GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF ME! The hardest part of my life was when he carried me!!! MY HEART IS ENCOURAGED! HE IS STILL IN CONTROL! NO MATTER WHAT MAN MAY DO OR SAY MY GOD WILL TAKE CARE! I'M SOOOOO IN LOVE WITH THIS MAN! ONE SCRIPTURE I READ SAID WHAT MANNER OF LOVE IS THIS...

YA'LL I DONT KNOW WHAT TOMORROW HOLDS BUT I KNOW WHO HOLDS TOMORROW AND I KNOW THAT HE HOLDS MY HAND.

sorry for the caps...I got excited there...ok Im not sorry...so I'm sorry I said sorry...lol

But PUHLEASE continue to hold me up in your prayers- more than anything in my life I want to have an experience with God and in order to do that I'm going to have to go through somethings. As they say only the strong survive and I mean to be one of those standing at the end hearing God say, Well done my good and faithful servant!

Love ya'll bunches!!!


P.S this is another KF song that I love!


Lately I've been thinkin'
Thinking 'bout you
And all the things
I've seen you go through
Your mother the kids and
The problems at home
Sorry I wish I could fix what's wrong
I hurt when you hurt and
I cry when you cry
Even the deep ones
Sometimes wonder why am I going through
I'm waiting but still no use

[Chorus:]
He's still in control
He's soverign and He knows
Just how it feels to be afraid
Have folk you love walk away
Be still and know He's still in control

[Verse 2:]
Lately depression
Your job and your life
Weighs on your mind
All day and all night
You know every scripture
And what prayer to pray
Only a fool would think
It'll all go away
But there is a use
For you there's a plan
A High Priest who knows
And who understands what you cannot say
Just a little longer can you wait

[Chorus:]
He's still in control
He's soverign and he knows
Just how it feels to be afraid
Have folk you love walk away
Be still and know He's still in control

[Bridge:]
Don't know what tomorrow will bring
Or if this sickness will ever leave
You can paint a perfect picture
But will it ever look like it used to be
See, one thing I know for sure
This season made you stronger and more mature
Can't you see how far you've come
And when you look back
It's gonna be worth it, oooh

[Chorus]

He's still in control
He's still in control
He's still in control

I Will Praise the Lord!

Hello again!!

It's nice to be able to share my testimony with people. I'm not able to attend services but yet God still gives me what I need. OH It's beautiful! I just wanted to share with ya'll the goodness of God.

I was reading the 20th chapter of Acts and it talks about when Paul was preparing to go to Jerusalem. Now I know I'm saved because before I wouldn't have understood what was going on but God has given me an understanding! So Paul was preaching to the disciples before leaving and in the 22nd verse he says, "And now behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there...(24th verse) BUT NONE OF THESE THINGS MOVE ME, NEITHER I COUNT MY LIFE DEAR UNTO MYSELF, SO THAT I MAY FINISH MY COURSE WITH JOY..." Oh wow! The things that I've been going through and yes, I think about it constantly. What's goin to happen now? what are they going to do? and so on and so forth But God told me in this scripture- I may not see what the future of next week or next month holds but regardless let NONE OF THESE THINGS MOVE ME! Right after I read this scripture (of which I kept goin over and over) the song came on and it said, " I will praise the Lord, No matter what tomorrow brings or what it has in store, I know I will praise the Lord.

That's all that God wants from me. To put EVERYTHING in HIS hands. Make up in my mind that no matter what happens it wont move me, neither I count my life dear unto myself, so that I may finish my course with joy. No matter what comes my way with God's grace I'm going to give him praise for it!

I hope I was able to get that out the way I felt it. I pray that it was a blessing to ya'll as it was to me. Keep me in your prayers!


Love ya'll bunches!!



http://www.christianlyricsonline.com/artists/ray-boltz/i-will-praise-the-lord.html

Marvelous Grace

Almost 3 years ago I moved to Boston. From the moment I landed I knew I would hate this strange land. Talk about the most unfriendliest people...YEESH! I moved here in January and it took me 2 months before I found a job. I applied for soooo many jobs from Victoria's Secret to a Mall Cop. Nothing happened and I was running low on cash. Then one day I noticed that Dunkin Donuts was hiring paying about 8 bucks/hr and so I applied for it. God knows I dreaded the thought of working at a place so low (by my standards) but then it turned out that they were the ONLY place to call me. At that moment I told God, "Lord, I dont wanna work at no Dunkin Donuts but if it's what you want me to do, help me to let my pride go and be the best donut and coffee maker they ever seen." And no lie, once I said that prayer and let it go I got a call from the Ritz-Carlton. They wanted to offer me a job making 13.75/hr!! SERIOUSLY!! Needless to say I took it and ran with it. Thinking back on this particular time, I can honestly say that I felt God's presence with me. Now dont get me wrong I wasnt saved but I knew HE was there. It's a song that the saints in Sharon sing that says, "he was there all the time, he was there all the time, waiting patiently in line, he was there all the time." HE was there to dry the MANY tears that I've cried and even though I denied him over and over he was still there.

Years passed and of course I got involved in things. I went where I wanted, did what I wanted- the taste of liberty was good. I didnt have anyone to answer to I came and went as I pleased Life was great. But the pleasures of sin only last for a season and I soon found myself thinking about God and his grace and mercy unto me. Now granted, I wasnt strung out or drugs or alcohol. I didnt sleep around or anything like that i just liked having a good time. But that good time was leading me to the same miserable hell. I was going through my many papers one day (Im what you call a pack rat) and I found in my spiral (of which I've had since way before moving out here) a letter that I had written to God when I first moved out here. It read, " Lord, Dont let me be out on the street. I need security and a place to lay my head. help me to respect you in all things and if it's your will for me to be on the street then help me to bear it." Man, When I read that tears came to my eyes. I started thinking about how far away from God I had gotten. no i wasnt being disrespectful and yes, I was telling people about God and how I was raised But that feeling of HIS closeness was no longer there. How clear he was to me then and now I couldn't even feel his presence. I mean I knew he was protecting me from seen and unseen danger but I didnt feel that warmness that I knew was there 3 years ago.
Now moving to present day....about 2 weeks ago I told my job that I was moving back home. I called my mom and told her to have the saints pray that i get a certain job. ( now ya'll kno that saints children kno how to get prayers thru...) My mom said, "You need to pray and ask God what he wants you to do, he may not want you to come back." Oooooh I aint wanna hear that! but nevertheless it was the truth and so I pondered it. I went to work that same day and realized that I didnt have my bank key (something like a cash register but not quite). I had dropped my purse at home and things had fallen out so I assumed that the key was included. Needless to say I was sooooo wrong. That was on Friday and so my boss gave me until Sunday to find it. Sunday came around still no key. I went to him again and he said if you dont find that key that's 1) a write up 2) you gotta pay $75-$100 and 3) you won't be able to transfer....WHOA!!! Come again??!!!! Yup no transfer I was in flames...wat do you mean no transfer over some stupid key?? Then my mom popped into my head..."God may not want you to come back..." Ruined my entire day. I called my parents and then realized..."GOOD JESUS! It's Sunday! They goin be in church allllll day I aint never finna talk to them!" Talk about knowing how to blow people up. I'll call everyone in my family's phone just to get to my momma. It didnt work this time...My boss gave me one more day. I was walkin home from work and i had finally got my mom on the line. Of course she tells me all the things that I'm doing wrong. "You need to learn to be content no matter if the situation is good or bad. Thank God anyway....See ya'll just want the blessings but not the blessor..." Oh yea she was right but as she was talking god told me, " You think you can go through life without me and get by but look at you, You need me regardless of how big or small the problem is." My mom prayed and needless to say God allowed the key to show up the very next morning! But I still wanted my way.

But July 12, 2008 while sitting in a chair rocking a sleeping baby God allowed Sis. Jennings to ask me what was keeping me from getting saved. She said I know you want it. I can see it in your eyes how bad you want it. Oh she was right. I mean seriously... I would plan my trips home around service. Wednesday night is bible study soo....I'll fly in Wednesday morning be at church that night. hmm...let's party harty on Friday night cuz Saturday i wanna be in the bed for church Sunday morning...hmmm I feel sick let's just Go to the Youth Jubilee....lol! My entire life revolved around church...it's a saying that goes, You can take the girl out the streets but you cant take the streets out the girl...that was me- You can take me outta church but you cant take the church outta me! ;P I realized that I couldnt run anymore. I didnt want to. I made the best decision of my life that day. The song says, The moment I knelt down upon my knees in prayer was the moment a beggar became a millionair, he came to live within this heart of mine and he filled it with glory divine and it happened that very moment he saved my soul. There's another song that says, I was in prison locked up in chains sin held me captive to sorrow and pain, years of frustration as love passed me by until the master heard my hearts cry for grace, Marvelous grace, I needed grace to pardon and make me whole OH Grace Marvelous Grace flows from above with infinite love Marvelous GRACE!!

It's only been a few days now but I've made up mind I'm Goin Live for Jesus! He died for me so the least I can do is Live for him!!


Luv ya'll bunches!!