Operation: Abandon All
Has God ever given you an instruction that sounds INSANE? Last year I heard the Lord say "Abandon everything you know. Surrender it all to me." Now at the time, that didn't sound insane to me. I was on board. "Ok, Lord! Here ya go!" Nothing like being on an adventure with Holy Spirit. I was down! Totally excited to see what was going to happen.
From that instruction came my first "major event," Her Surrendered Life. I was in awe of how God created a whole event from a set of instructions. It turned out pretty good for a girl who has no idea how to plan an event. I was pleased and felt God's pleasure with the ending results. All was good.
Until...
A few months later I found myself with my mouth open when I heard God say "Abandon all you've learned about business."
Abandon all I've learned about business??? Huh?!
Now mind you... for years I studied successful people, and as of 5 or so years ago, I began investing in my personal development. That's a fancy way to say I've dropped many-a-coin in guru's pockets to teach me things I do not know in order to reach my goal of financial independence!
Anyhoooooo
After the initial shock, Holy Spirit brought back to my remembrance a convo I had with a good friend of mine a few weeks before. (Shout out to Tameeka D!) I expressed my feelings of not wanting to follow any of these stupid rules of entrepreneurship. I was OVER IT! Over the perfect steps. Over the measure this and that. Over analytics. Over numbers. Over you have to have a 900 page business plan. Over post 3,000 per day to stay relevant. O-VER IT! Now that FUNNY thing about being "over it" is that I wasn't actually "doing it" to begin with. I was constantly battling feelings of overwhelm just looking at the steps, lists, videos, lives, etc.
While recalling this memory, I realized for months God had been LOUDLY saying to me "Ye Vette!! Stop! This is not the route I planned for you! Abandon everything you learned! Come to me and I will give you the steps!"
Now some of you may be wondering "Well why didn't you listen to what you were feeling strongly about?"
I'll tell you why.
At the same time I was strongly feeling "OVER IT," I was also hearing:
"You're just lazy."
"You just don't want to do the work."
"You don't really want this."
"Maybe you're not smart enough."
"Perhaps the 9 to 5 life is just your cross in life."
I was literally going through tug of war in my mind. I knew it wasn't any of those things, yet on social media so many successful entrepreneurs were reinforcing those thoughts.
Let me just insert this glitter nugget here: THIS is why it's so important to know God for yourself! We're all on different paths and God is ordering each of our steps however he sees fit. He knows what's ahead. He knows what we're made of. He's the best person to listen to :)
Yesterday I received an email from Lana Vawser, who is a well known prophetic voice for today's church. Her email gave me glory-bumps! It was direct confirmation of what the Lord has been sharing not only directly with me, but it confirmed prophesies I've received over the past 2 years.
I am happy to say that as of this week Operation: Abandon All is ON! I am abandoning EVERYTHING I've learned, and will resume in carrying out the last set of instructions that I received in 2017.
Like Abraham, I am walking in obedience by faith.
Stay tuned! I fully expect to have a testimony to share in the near future!
XO&Glitter Always,
Ye Vette Derene
