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Writer's pictureA'Leeyah Ponder

Be encouraged

Updated: Jul 28

Hello Family!


Last weekend I went to the 2022 InterVarsity Christian Fellowship REMIX conference. The conference consisted of large group sessions, breakout sessions, breaks for intentional resting time or time to simply explore the city, and a chance to strengthen your connection with Jesus.


I was grateful for the weekend, however going in I had some doubts about my ability to receive the messages God had in store for me… Here’s why:

  • I’ve had 4 menstrual cycles in the past 8 weeks

  • My stress levels have been extremely high due to my anxiety fueled habit of overthinking, having a large sum of responsibilities (i .e. professionally, academically, & personally), and having poor stress management habits

  • I’ve been wrestling with this overwhelming feeling of needing to “have it all together”

This laundry list of worries, concerns, and health issues has left me in a position of being both drained and in need of a LONG vacation; one that I can’t take right now because I’m in the middle of the spring semester with responsibilities I still have to tend to.


During the course of last weekend I received many words of wisdom from various people God put in my path that will definitely help me relieve a bit of stress. A few of the messages included:

  • “BE HEALED. YOU ARE HEALED.” – I heard the voice of the LORD speak this over me during our prayer session in the 2nd to last large group we had. I believe that in that moment, not only did God heal me, but He also met me in the most vulnerable and stressful situation I’ve been dealing with lately.

  • “GO TO BED!” – The need for rest and recharging is mandatory for our body to function in the ways it was designed to. So, staying up until 2:30 A.M. and waking up between 6:30/7:30 A.M. is a habit I'm working on breaking.

  • “Your physical actions should only go as far as the ‘commitment’ to that person” – In the ‘reconnecting in relationships’ panel, one of the panelist noted that in dating relationships, friendships, professional relationships, and familial relationships our physical actions should match the ‘commitment’ we’ve made to the person or group of people. The only way we can align our physical actions with our ‘commitment’ to a person is by being able to clearly define what ‘commitment‘ means to you.


After returning back to campus from the conference, this week has been one full of reflection and adjusting. I’ve become both encouraged in some ways and discouraged/hopeless in other ways. So what do we do when we struggle to accept the messages God has given us for our various situations?


  1. Honestly, as I’m working to find the full answer to that question, the first place we can start is confession. If you believe the LORD has spoken to you regarding a person, place, thing, situation, WRITE IT DOWN and SPEAK IT OVER YOURSELF DAILY (Proverbs 18:21|your words have power).

  2. Put God in remembrance of His word (Isaiah 43:26).

  3. In moments of doubt, when your thoughts are convincing you that things will never get better and what God said isn’t true GET YOUR THOUGHTS IN ORDER (2Corinthians 10:5 | Philippians 4:8).


My prayer for you today and this week is even if your situations, problems, struggles, and promises from God look nothing like mine, that God will meet you and help you exactly where you are with whatever those things may be.


I love you! Jesus loves you MOST! Stay encouraged. Everything is going to work out for your GOOD (Romans 8:28). Stay Fruitful!


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