A Diamond in the Rough

In College I ran for Miss BCU which was/is our campus queen title. I had my sister and best friend Mihia Mells help me with my campaign. The title/slogan we chose was Diamond in the Rough...that was the year that campings were stepped up 100 notches and this particular year was monumental and different from all the rest. This year I wanted to WIN BADLY!!! I gave EVERYTHING I HAD!


This particular year FRIENDS were running against friends and this race was more emotional than anything. However the conclusion was I didn't win but I learned a lot about myself. Well guess what 3 years later that learning curve hasn't changed and i'm sure 20 years from know i'll still be learning even more about me and about life. Just over a year ago I took a leap of faith and quit a GREAT paying job to pursue my passion for fashion and ministry. I took a lesser paying job for half the salary thinking that the job would be easier and less stressful...But boy was i mistaken!


This process has taught me about my character and every day its teaching me that the world is bigger than me, that people are different from me, and my little box I tried to place them in, and thats ok. Ive learned that everyone wont like you, respect you and love you. There WILL be times where you will have to take second place and be less favored in the eyes of people...but I'm learning thats ok too because i'm Favored by GOD! 


We are charged to carry the character of Christ and in order to do that we must know what that really means... and its simple. In 2 Timothy 3:10-11 Paul is telling Timothy to have the Character of Christ as he did in the midst of all he had to endure and how to walk this road called life: 


"You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, ¹¹ persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them."


The steps just like Paul said are to have:
Patience
Love
Endurance


He promises Timothy that persecutions and sufferings, all kinds of things, not MIGHT but WILL come...BUT God delivered him out of them all. So as you face your trials, your temptations, and moments that you might want to give up...Remember that you are a diamond in the rough. God is refining you to be the BEST you can be! And in due time he not MIGHT but WILL deliver you from them all.


So seek him for strength and wisdom to get through the tough times. You may be SO right, and may be accused for doing wrong, you might be over looked for that promotion even though you are VERY deserving, you may be in debt, you may be heart broken, you may be facing eviction, or losing your house, you may be suffering from AIDS, Cancer, or whatever your trial is, but know you are being refined and you WILL come out a DIAMOND...just don't come out of the refinery too soon, don't get scared...it's all working together for your good!


Remember a diamond starts out as an UGLY piece of coal, but when its done can be worth MILLIONS, BILLIONS, and TRILLIONS...so know who you are and KEEP the FAITH!! YOUR coming out a DIAMOND BABY!!!

Your RICH and ROYAL!