Write It Down! [Part 1]

I had to split this post in two parts otherwise I think it would have been too long, and also for myself to be more focused on the one first and get the chance to be as clear as possible and give the best explanation I could give. So in this first part I will softly tackle the subject: writing down your ‘future established blessings’. I want to mainly share some stories about my experiences, which you definitely may call testimonies.

But first let’s check out Mark 11:24. For this has been the verse I always go back to in these particular situations.

Mark 11:24 – “Therefore I tell you, all the things you pray and ask for — believe that you have received them, and you will have them.”

This verse, among other favorites, has been such a powerful verse to me. It helped change the amount of faith I have in God. Which now has increased to the ultimate level in which I Completely Trust God. Mark 11:24 says to believe that we have received what we have prayed and asked for and we will have them. I read this verse on a card, which I think I got at a church in the Netherlands. But it was in Portugal during my first internship when I truly understood this verse and when I decided to put it into practice. In my Bye Bye Dry Spell. blogpost you can read all about it. I remembered that believing is not just saying or thinking something. I had to really proclaim it and confirm it. I had to assure myself in order to insure it, so that God could ensure that it happens. (That phrase though). For me that meant writing it down. Because ones it’s on paper, it’s done right? It’s not just out there, but you have written or ‘physical’ proof. There is no turning back.

So after that ‘Bye Bye Dry Spell’ moment I put this verse to practice another time about a year and a half later. This time after receiving message that I failed my thesis and had to redo it. I didn’t agree with the reason/way I failed my thesis, but I actually didn’t mind redoing it. What bothered me and what I didn’t want to accept was my graduation date. You see, when you fail your thesis your graduation day will be postponed for one or two months. You will graduate in a smaller group of colleagues who also had to redo their thesis or resit their exam. And also that didn’t bother me. It was the fact that my mother, stepfather and sister already paid their flight tickets from Bonaire to the Netherlands to see me graduate and/or celebrate my graduation (and birthday and farewell) with a party my mother had been planning for some time. One or two months later they would be back on Bonaire, thus wouldn’t see me graduate. It was that “fact” that I did not want to accept. And I didn’t. I remembered that special verse again and went to work. I spoke with a neutral party of the school and after a long conversation the lady advised me to put in a request to speed up my deadlines so I could graduate as normally planned. She said it’s a very slim chance and that it’s the only one she could think of. The only thing I heard was Amen. I opened my agenda and wrote down that I graduated on that specific day, I proclaimed it out loud and when I went to school I put on some of my favorite clothing items as a celebration. I went to discuss my thesis, but with my focus on putting in that request. It had to go personally to the head of the department, through my teacher. I waited for her to return to her seat next to me. She sat and said: “you are granted to graduate on the original graduation date, due to the intend of being a “personal” college”. Which was their slogan, “thé personal college” (dé persoonlijke hogeschool). Please note that this was an exception. It had never been done before, therefore I was the first to receive this opportunity in all their years of teaching. Within a week I finished my thesis and did my defense presentation, I succeeded in both. And as my agenda appointed, I graduated two weeks later with my sister and both my parents sitting in the audience. And with all three of them, my stepfather, family and friends I celebrated another week later this amazing blessing from God.

Mark‬ ‭11:22-26 – “Jesus replied to them, “Have faith in God. I assure you: If anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, all the things you pray and ask for — believe that you have received them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing.”

Are you getting to where I’m at? Not yet? Ok. One more story. One of the most recent times, in Portugal again. So in the last post I talked about entering the new year with no job yet. On the 6th of January this year I started a 21-day Fasting and Praying. On the sunday of that first week I found a job vacancy that I really liked. It’s at a call center (which I have always had an interest in as a side job, but never proceeded in getting one), it’s in English and all about travel. I wrote my motivation letter with the help of two friends and my mother and together with my CV I sent it in that same day. I prayed and asked God if this job was sent by Him. The next day I got a phone call from them asking me some extra questions. The starting date would be the 21st of January. It made me think of the 21-day fasting and prayer I was doing. It made me think, of 3 times completion (which is 7). Then the lady asked me if I was available to come to the office for an interview. We planned it on the next day at 19:30h, which after I read her confirmation email I realized was 7:30pm. What made me think of three times completion again. I started seeing how things are coming and flowing together. I prayed and thanked the Lord for this job, that I embrace it with open arms. That i am excited and oh so grateful and thankful. I remembered Mark 11:24 (after some Googling and thinking where the verse was again) and then I wrote it down in my agenda. On the 21st, for starting my training at the company. The next day the interview went awesome. I had other appointments planned, but all got cancelled. My friend even offered to bring me and later on also suggested to wait for me to return back together. Everything flowed. The first contact at the company was great, I was just being myself and not nervous at all. No pain in my belly, not even a poop! (In my case that’s a good thing). Also after the interview I was relaxed, no nerves at all and with just good feelings. I left everything in God’s control. He grants me whatever He thinks is just and sees fit for me, and I trust Him on that. I do and I go and I follow at every command from Him. So what is there to worry about and have nerves about if I know that He wants what’s best for me, and just wants to take care of me and see me do good and prosper. Like Romans 8:28 confirms and 2 Timothy 1:7 reminds, and as do many other verses.

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:6‬-7 ‭- “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

So then on the 15th, waiting for their call to say if it’s a Yes or a No I prayed: “If this is from You Lord, then let it be. If this is Your plan for me, if this is the job You held aside for me, what You wanted for me, if this is within Your will Lord God, let it be so. I accept, I embrace with open arms and hold tight and won’t let go. Let then everything go smoothly and let them say Yes. I only want what’s Yours. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.”

And then came the phone call.. 21 minutes to 3pm: “well hi Tashmyn, I have good news..”. And when I wanted to share the news with people I realized that after 3 days I got the job. I got selected and accepted after 3 days of application. Once again I ask, as I asked in my previous L.O.G. post, didn’t Jesus rise from the dead after 3 days? Well once again, this is me rising up with Him.

And what a first day I had. One of the highlights was that out of ten people in the training room, three have lived on Curaçao (including me), one has been there and one has Curaçao on his must-travel-to-list. Beautiful! And the brightest highlight is when the trainer said we would stop earlier for the day, so in this way I could try to still get to the first Hillsong Powerhouse of Faro. I made it, not on time, but I was SO glad I went.

Final conclusion.
Don’t be afraid to put it down on paper. Have faith, put all your trust in God and write it down. Truly believe it, type it in your phone, put it in your agenda, write it on your walls, wherever. But don’t fear, believe it, trust that you will receive and live as if you already have. There is so much joy and blessings and freedom on the tip of that ballpoint pen. Just do it! Try it and please share with me, not if, but WHEN whatever you asked for has come true. In the meantime I’ll be preparing my I-told-you-so’s. Just kidding, I will be preparing to celebrate this milestone with you.