Happy Father's Day!

Today is Father's Day and when I woke up this morning I praised GOD for being such an AWESOME father to me! I am truly thankful for HIS unconditional LOVE. I then thanked GOD for the Fathers that HE put in my life. As some of you may know I have two AWESOME Dads that are just the best and they continue to show me what right looks like (I blogged about them here). Both of my Fathers know that I love them to pieces because I tell them all the time how dope they are but I don't always tell my brother. So today I want to tell my brother how DOPE he is!

I am the oldest out of Antonius and I (by 47minutes...lol) but he has always acted as the oldest. He has always had such an old soul and it was defiantly the balance between the two of us. Growing up Antonius took on the role of being my protector and even as I am about to turn 36 he still looks out for me (he secretly ask my sister-n-law if I am ok). I am thankful that he allowed me to be a tomboy and climb mountains with his friends (even though I know he wanted to send me home), I am thankful for him rubbing my stomach when I was sick, I am thankful that he worked hard and sent me on our Senior trip instead of himself, I am thankful that he paid for me to go to college, I am thankful that when I was going through a divorce he came home and moved me to Atlanta and got me an apartment, I am thankful that when I came oversees he encouraged me and told me I would be okay.  Whew....I have tears in my eyes just thinking about all the things he has done for me.

When I was younger I wondered what it would be like to have a twin sister instead of a brother but GOD knew I would need my brother. Praise GOD!

Now that Antonius is a father everything that he has done for me  he is now doing those things for his kids. I love to see him interacting with him and I love that he is leading his kids to CHRIST!

Antonius I am sending you a big cyber hug and kiss today (I know you say you hate the mushy stuff but I think you are getting soft in your old age...lol). Have an AWESOME Father's and continue to be our protector. Oh and thank you for rocking with HISBlessedOne!


Love you so much
A'Keta Julinate'

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there and to all the Single Moms!

Gifts from GOD

Last week I had a conversation with one of my girlfriends about being baptized and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongue and as I was talking to her it reminded me of a Saturday morning in my 20s when I received the gift of tongue.

My mother had encouraged me to attend a Woman Conference with her at my God Mother's church and shortly after I had walked in I heard a noise that sounded like a woman in labor. I turned around to see what was going on and in walked my God Mother dressed in scrubs. She said that she had come to birth to our spiritual gifts that GOD had put in us. I don't remember very much about that day but what I do remember will forever be with me.

After being there for a while my God Mother asked if anyone wanted to receive the gift of speaking in tongue. My mother turned to me and asked if I wanted to receive the gift and made sure that I fully understood what the gift entailed.

I had been baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit but had not received the gift of tongue. My relationship with CHRIST was getting stronger and I knew that I was called to do more with my life. As I walked to the front of the church a few women came to pray with me. Now this is where my memory escapes me a bit because I know I walked to the front of the church but all I can remember is laying on the floor on the right side of the pews with about 3 to 4 women praying in tongue over me. I remember opening my eyes looking for my mother and wondering why she was not there with me. I was nervous and even though I tried to speak nothing would come out of my mouth. It seemed like I was on that floor forever but the women of GOD did not give up. Ha but my flesh did...I finally succumbed to the spirit and when I opened my mouth I uttered a word. The women began to praise GOD and I began speaking in tongue as if it was my second language. A sense of peace came over me and I was no longer nervous.

I received my gift over 10yrs ago and during that time my relationship with CHRIST has gotten stronger and my tongue as changed since that first day at the Woman's Conference. I now mostly pray in the spirit and sometimes it is peaceful and some time I am loud and crying and exhausted but I never complain or get tired of it because I know that either I am being healed or delivered or someone else is.  In some instances after I come out of prayer the Holy Spirit will give me a word for the person I was praying for and I have learned to embrace that gift because it is not about me but about the Holy Spirit having its way.

Of course this was my experience and I am sure that everyone that has the gift of tongue has a different story.  What I LOVE about GOD is everyone's experience with HIM is different and personable (that makes me smile). 

For those that does not have the gift and would like to receive it I would encourage you to study the word, have faith and pray for it.


Acts 2:4, 10:45-46, 19:6 
Mark 16:17
1 Corinthians 12:7-11, 14:1-2  

Please share your story of how you received your gift of tongue. I would love to hear it.


Blessings
A'Keta Julinate'

*****All pictures on my blog were taken by me. The pictures above seemed fitting for this post....symbolizing my flesh and spirit battling.********