Keep them squares up out ya ⭕️!

Whew chilee. ☕️ Transformation church got H.O.T (Humble, Open and Transparent) today baybeee. Keep them squares up out ya circle. Circle of Faith that is.

I told y’all I had to introduce you to my book club. These three ladies have been with me for over a year- praying, seeking God and evaluating relationships. Again, context: I gotta give it.

Today in church, Pastor Todd preached about what has our ear: has our faith. He went over how our circle consists of Family, Friends and Fighters. They either help us to believe what God has promised or they push us away from what He said. This hit me to my core. I have to protect my promise.

I’m out here trying to walk in CrazyER Faith. At one time I was hosting group Bible plans on the Youversion Bible app and women from my youth church group, undergrad and insta fam were joining me weekly. I made a little canva graphic and people I love told me I was doing too much. I had people I love tell me not to move to Oklahoma. Now being in therapy and trying to be a better Paige, I have people I love telling me how I should hope for and bless others. This is not to say people shouldn’t challenge us- they should. People should also believe with us and have faith. Even if they couldn’t experience it for themselves doesn‘t mean that I can’t live in abundance.

The Holy Spirit is speaking to me in so many different ways and I can feel myself trying to keep up. At the end of service he said this week God will show us who needs to be in your circle. 😂 Let’s just say, God is wild and He keeps his promises.

This Saturday I had a virtual brunch with one of my best friends for over four hours. We caught up and talked about everything under the sun. It was so so good to my soul. Some way in the midst of our conversation, I got on friendships from undergrad. I started to share how in college my besties and friend group had changed. I told her about how I felt like one moment I was “in the group” and the next moment they had kicked me out their circle. I started reflecting “why me? Why did they treat ME like this.”

It wasn’t until I was spending quiet time with God today after church that he brought this situation back to my memory. Pastor Todd had “Why Not” on his shirt today and God began to say “Why not you Paige?” That wasn’t the circle for me- that’s why not me. God was telling me with out telling me back then- Keep them squares up out ya circle.

Honestly, it has nothing to do with those women. They are out here flourishing, living their best lives and I have nothing but positive things to say to and about them. It had everything to do with God and the fact he knew who I needed in my life and who could help sustain my faith in this very season. I used to sit and wonder about why I wasn’t in those group messages or why those people didn’t invite me on that trip. God sees the end from the beginning and he was orchestrating my community- all I needed to do was be patient and trust Him. He had a circle of faith with my name on it.

This was the first time I’ve ever looked at that friendship change situation as a blessing. I began to think about my best friend Chantrel. Literally her entire life blesses me and friendship and fellowship with her is necessary for my life. I began to think about how we met in 2011 but the way in which God brought us together. I started to think about how I had to be pushed out of that circle to be pushed into the Godly community that I was destined to be in. I couldn’t help but think about this book club.

Now that I’m writing this I’m realizing we need a better name than book club😂 Shout out to ABC🤞🏽

The women I’m connected to help build my faith. The way they believe. How bold they are. How planted they are in their faith encourages me to keep pushing. With my move to Oklahoma: they encouraged me. With this blog and my YouTube: they encourage me. With my health journey (eventhough I’ve failed so many times): they encourage me.

I had no way of knowing when Relationship Goals the book dropped in April 2020 that these women would have this much of an impact on my life here in October 2021. We meet weekly and share roses and thorns, praise reports and prayer requests. We take time to build each other up and read Christian books and discuss sermons that are always right on time! The way that they self reflect, go after God and how they navigate life, relationships and their dreams is an inspiration to me. Their faith ignites my faith.

Sometimes I wish people could listen in (sometimes I think people are iykyk😂) and see how special this bond is. I feel safe with them. I can be myself. I can cry and laugh. I can share when I get caught up in an old cycle or when my faith is fading. All I can do is thank God that I have them in my circle of faith.

I wish I could show undergrad Paige my faith now. I wish I could show her my circle of faith. I wish I could show her this book club. I’m learning and experiencing how intentional God is. Every single move is strategic and calculated. In the moment it doesn’t make sense but God has already thought about it. I’m so thankful His thoughts are not my thoughts and that His ways are higher than my ways. He’s really outdone himself with this book club. Watch this sermon and evaluate the people in your life, the media you consume, the words you speak over your promise and others promises. I pray God speaks to you and reminds you to keep them squares up out ya circle of faith! ⭕️🙏🏽