30 Day Proverbs Challenge: Day 19

Welcome to Pray! you whore, a blog, that takes you on my personal journey of repentance, reconciliation, and redemption. The truth is... many of us suffer from dysfunctional families. Whether you are from a broken home, family members may suffer from addiction or mental health issues. Many of us have to learn from the pain to become the man/woman God has intended for us to be. The life of a chosen one is not for the weak but for the mighty who trust in Jesus Christ to get their family and the future generations through all that was meant to destroy them. It only takes one seed. What seeds are you planting? What is God refining in you? Will you bear fruit from the seeds you planted?

Many times I found myself pleasing man and running myself ragged to please others just to discover that they would never be happy with me because they are not happy with themselves. Many times we put our parents on a pedestal just to figure out they are humans who have failed just like us. They have fallen and gotten up just like I have fallen and gotten back up. Why do we still put such high expectations and disappointments that lead to resentment within our family dynamics? I truly think we have to be more honest and vulnerable with our family members. We have to understand that the health of our family is bigger than us individually especially as African Americans. We are the poorest because of our inability to build family and pass wealth down to generations. Our marriage rate as African Americans is about 33% which is truly embarrassing and in last place compared to all other races and ethnic groups.

We must remember wisdom and understanding in how we treat our family members and the issues that remain in all groups of people. In Proverbs 27: 23-24 "Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds, 24 for riches don’t last forever, and the crown might not be passed to the next generation." Speaking on behalf of African Americans as a black single mother of two its truly a disgrace that we don't understand how important it is to grow up in a two parent household and stay committed to building family. We don't see the effects of a broken home until later and the generational curse that often comes with breaking covenant (marriage). Lets just face the facts: we live in a narcissistic abusive culture where people have replaced God with themselves. In Proverbs 27: 20-22 " Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied. 21 Fire tests the purity of silver and gold,
but a person is tested by being praised. 22 You cannot separate fools from their foolishness,
even though you grind them like grain with mortar and pestle." Gods Word says it perfectly this is our problem with marriage and family dysfunction today.

What I have decided to pay attention to is verse 21 where God says that fire is a test of purity. I love this analogy because although I come from a divorced family and I am participating in creating a broken home I know that Gods mercy and love endures forever. How I handle my partners and family is a testament to my reputation and character adn I trust that the Lord, Jesus Christ is my Jehovah Jireh. I wrote in my journal 2/20/2025 about what fire can represent in our lives based off of I Corinthians 3: 12-15 "12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames." Fire can be used to purify or cause destruction and many other examples seen in the Bible. Some of the following are:

• Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11-12)

• Judgement (Matthew 13 40-42)

• Testing (Corinthians 3:13)

• Purification (Genesis 22:1-2)

• Destruction (2 Peter 3:7)

• Holiness (Exodus 3:24)

• Passion (Acts 18:25-28)

• Zeal (Isaiah 6:1-8)

• Warmth, Light, Provide Protection, Cooking Etc.

Enjoy the refinement process because the beauty that comes from patience and wisdom is the purpose of generational curse breakers. It is the purpose of why God allows things to happen to you. The experiences build you and make you more dependent on the Lord, your Savior and Greatest Counselor. Let God plant seeds of integrity, humility and love. You will bear fruit and be refined through the process of trusting in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Let the Lord your God fight your battles and do not put your energy into foolishness or things that are not bearing fruit.

xoxo KISS (Keep it Simple & Sanctified)