Your Daily Cup of Inspiration!

Is it too Early?

In the morning, before the children arise, I always enjoy my quiet time. That's when I have the opportunity to pray, study the word, spend time alone with the Lord, and write... uninterrupted. Well, yesterday morning, the pitter-patter of little feet rushing toward my bedroom door, abruptly pierced the silence. "Mommy, we're hungry," said two sleepy voices in unison. I looked up and saw Kaleb and Kedar both standing in their flannel PJ's, rubbing their eyes, eagerly awaiting breakfast. I knew they had to be seriously hungry to give up sleep and get up that early. Neither of them is typically awake at that hour. Mommy Duty began a whole lot sooner than usual and my alone time quickly turned into pancake-cooking time. But hey, I didn't mind much. I was able to steal some moments later in the afternoon.... Read more →

Is it too Early?

Whenever we're operating in God's perfect timing, things come to us more easily. But when we pursue certain avenues too early, everything is a struggle. Things feel stressful, out of balance, and forced. That's not God's will... Read more at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Embrace the Waiting Place

The other day my 8 year old daughter, Kaiah, dragged into my room with her shoulders all hunched over, as if she were carrying a ten pound weight on her back. I looked up, wondering what she was moping about. With her face twisted up and looking slightly depressed, she asked in a whiny voice, "Mom am I still in the 3rd grade?" Kaiah's exasperated tone and morose expression immediately let me know that Little Miss Kaiah was feeling like it was time to move on from 3rd grade, and advance toward bigger and better things. As a homeschooling mom, I work with all the children very closely, and I know exactly what areas need work. Kaiah is doing quite well, but she certainly isn't ready for 4th grade yet. Calmly I replied, "Yes, you're still in 3rd grade baby.... Read more →

Embrace the Waiting Place

Today, I encourage you to "embrace the waiting place" you presently occupy. Trust God's sovereignty and know that, when you're ready, He'll take you higher. Read the full post at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Don't be Defined by Your Past

Sometimes I think my husband Kenya is a frustrated chef. He loves experimenting with recipes and whipping up meals. There are times when the exotic entrees he prepares are delicious. When he gets it right, he gets it really right. And when he gets it wrong, well, it's a murderous assault on the palate. There have been evenings when we laughed hysterically at the dinner table about something disgusting he concocted. Kenya's a good sport though. When he messes up a dish, he'll admit it... most of the time at least. Well, yesterday, he was in the mood to cook. Of course, I didn't mind at all. I was content to relax and let him experiment away. He sauteed yellow squash and zucchini with mushrooms and onions; baked some fish; and cooked up some rice to go with it. Once... Read more →

Don't be Defined by Your Past

It's human nature to view our future in the context of our history, but no matter how many times we've experienced defeat in the past, we cannot allow ourselves to be defined by our past... Read more at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Here I Am

Last evening, before settling in for bed, I went to my Yahoo! homepage to log into my email. I needed to catch up on some missed messages since, as some of my Facebook friends know, my husband and I were a little tied up with the bird that flew into our house yesterday morning. Thankfully, we managed to get him out! Anyway, I read the story of how Pastor Marvin Sapp's new album, Here I Am, has broken a record for all previous gospel albums. It sits at the #2 spot on Billboard's Top 200 and no other gospel artist has managed to do that. That's huge. Sapp's album has the highest first-week sales in gospel since the 1997 release of Kirk Franklin's God’s Property album. This excited me when I read about it, because the message of the gospel... Read more →

Here I Am

If you are willing to say Lord here I am, not just with your lips, but by living a life that's pleasing in the sight of God, then He will use you. He will set you up on a pedestal, not for vain glory, but so that His light can shine through you and illuminate this dark world. Read more at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Thoughtful Thursdays: Week 34

Throughout my formative years, well into my teens, my siblings and I would hit the road with my dad who was a traveling evangelist. Aside from preaching soul-stirring sermons, my father would also operate fluently in the gifts of the spirit. I am no stranger to the five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4:11: "It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers." Dad was all five rolled into one. So, it was not atypical for me to see the prophetic gifts in action. When folks went up for prayer, they came back with genuine testimonies of healing and deliverance. I can remember how my father, with beads of sweat dripping down his face, would hear from God in the middle of an altar call. He would... Read more →

Thoughtful Thursdays: Week 34

Throughout my formative years, well into my teens, my siblings and I would hit the road with my dad who was a traveling evangelist. Aside from preaching, my father would also operate fluently in the gifts of the spirit... Read more on www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Don't Get Played

Kaleb, who turned four last week, walked into my bedroom last night with his feet dragging and shoulders slumped over. He looked up at me with those adorable brown eyes. He had the saddest, most pitiful expression on his face, which instantly melted my heart. For those of you who read your Daily Cup regularly, you already know that Kaleb is the baby of the Hobbs clan and has me pretty much wrapped around his little finger. "Awww, what's wrong with mommy's baby?" I asked in my most sympathetic voice. That's when my husband Kenya shot his eyes over in my direction and snickered a little. He always tells me I'm such a sucker when it comes to our children. He's right. I am. I smirked at Kenya and turned my attention back toward Kaleb, who didn't say much of... Read more →

Don't Get Played

The enemy is always scheming, so you have to always be prayed up, girded up, and looking up to God for help. That way, you won't be caught off guard, weakened, and defeated. Don't get played... Read the full post at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Living Life On Purpose

Last night, my husband Kenya was working on some urban planning concepts for the development of a commercial corridor in our city. Let me say right off the bat, this is not my area of expertise. I know nothing about urban planning or city development projects. But Kenya asked for my input, so me, being the "dutiful wife" that I am, gave him my best answers. Well, the glazed over look in Kenya's eyes said it all. Unbeknownst to me (although I quickly discovered it), my bright ideas were not so bright. In fact, I had completely missed the mark. Still, Kenya listened attentively and periodically interjected clarifying points, hoping to possibly steer me in the right direction and spark those embers of brilliance lying dormant within. Ha! That never happened. No matter how much explaining he did, things didn't... Read more →

Living Life On Purpose

There are specific assignments in life that God has given us the grace to carry out. But, when we step outside the place God has equipped us to occupy, and take on matters we have not been favored to handle, we make a complete and total mess. More on www.diannahobbs.com... Read more →

Keep Leaning on Jesus

There's this old song I woke up hearing this morning. I knew the Lord had laid it on my heart, so I sat up and started tapping away on my laptop keys to tell you all about it. Perhaps you know the song. It says, "Learning to lean, I'm learning to lean, I'm learning to lean on Jesus. Finding more power than I ever dreamed, I'm learning to lean on Jesus." Even if you're not familiar with that tune, the lyrics perfectly encapsulate what I believe God wants you and me to take away from today's blog post. Whatever it is you're facing, lean on the Lord for help and that's where you'll find your power. In this day and age, I know we're taught to be independent. We're told to "pull ourselves up by the bootstraps" and make things... Read more →

Keep Leaning on Jesus

There's this old song I woke up hearing this morning. I knew the Lord had laid it on my heart, so I sat up and started tapping away on my laptop keys to tell you all about it. Perhaps you know the song. Read the rest at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Do It His Way

Yesterday, I was helping one of my daughter's refine her cursive writing technique. While she knows how to write individual letters perfectly well, she still has a bit of trouble connecting some of them together. In order to help her out, I began explaining that when writing in cursive, the letters must flow into each other and connect a specific way, which is what makes them legible. We talked about the order and structure of certain letter combinations, and I began modeling them for her. As I started writing out the cursive letters, I realized how unnatural it felt to configure my letters "by the book." You know how it is once we grow older. We tend to develop our own way of doing things, because we know the ropes. Somewhere along the way, we throw the rules out, and... Read more →

Do It His Way

God has a specific purpose, plan, and design for our lives. All we can see is the individual parts, but God sees the whole. Our understanding is partial, but God knows how the story ends... Read the rest at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Thoughtful Thursdays: Week 33

Last July, a woman named Ms. Gibson was laid off from her job and has not yet been able to find work. Because of the lack of funds coming in up to this point, she has lost just about everything. Ms. Gibson's past due bills got out of hand, to the point where she had to file bankruptcy. Her car was repossessed and she lost her home, forcing her to move back in with her parents. "I guess I'm just in a state of confusion with my life and where it's going," Ms. Gibson wrote in her email. "I know God has a better plan for me, I just can't see it right now." She also went on to say that at times, she has no peace of mind and struggles with depression. Aside from all that, her faith has... Read more →

Thoughtful Thursdays: Week 33

A woman on our "Thoughtful Thursdays" prayer list has been struggling to find work since last July. She emailed me and said, "I know God has a better plan for me, I just can't see it right now." Today, we're praying for her... read the rest at www.diannahobbs.com. Read more →

Don't Throw EVERYTHING Away

Yesterday I was cleaning out one of my most used storage cabinets that had just gotten way too over crowded. There were so many things in there I no longer have any use for, but back when I first stowed them way, I thought they were important. You know how it starts off. You'll find all types of paper, mail, and "important documents" too. Let's not forget those mysterious screws, nuts and bolts, that you somehow just can't bring yourself to throw away, right? You tell yourself, "These screws right here probably came off of something I need... guess I better keep 'em." Before you know it, a whole year has gone by. You've got those same random pieces and still have not figured out what in the world to do with them. Well, I finally came to grips with... Read more →

Don't Throw EVERYTHING Away

If we don't consult the Lord, we'll end up severing healthy relationships right along with the toxic ones. We'll disconnect from divine connections and that is not God's will for our lives. Read the rest at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Be Careful Who You Trust

After returning home from grocery shopping over the week-end, the kids decided they wanted to help their dear old mom and dad, by putting away all the groceries without our assistance. So, with gleaming eyes full of pride, they worked together to get the job done. Once the task was completed, Kenya and I came back into the kitchen fairly impressed with what the children had managed to accomplish together. That is, until random items could not be located. For example, when I got ready to prepare some soup we had purchased, I couldn't find it anywhere for the life of me. Kenya and I each looked all over the kitchen for it. "Did you forget to put the soup in the bag?" I asked my husband. But he assured me. Nope, he had not forgotten this time. The next... Read more →

Be Careful Who You Trust

Every well-intentioned person is not equipped, qualified, or able to help, enhance, or improve you. You have to be careful about who you trust, otherwise your life can be thrown into confusion.Read the rest at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

What it Takes to Spring Forward

Happy Monday Daily Cup readers! Hope your week-end was productive and that you're not too thrown off by the loss of an hour. I was talking to one of my sisters who forgot we'd be "springing forward" on Sunday. I think that makes most of us. Well, she and a few of her friends had an important out of town ministry engagement that took several hours worth of driving. Instead of heading straight back home after it was over, they did a little bit of shopping, eating, and touring. By the time they received their reminder about the time changing, it was already too late to make it home before midnight. Since my sister had another early ministry commitment, she was awfully tired the next day. It's funny how one hour can make such a big difference in your schedule... Read more →

What it Takes to Spring Forward

You must lose something first, before you gain something else in return. Just as we lose an hour of rest when the seasons change naturally, the same is true of spiritual season changes. It's the price of productivity. Read the rest at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Watch Where You're Going

Yesterday, my six year old son, Kedar came into my room holding his forehead in his hand and crying. When I asked him what had happened, he removed his hand and revealed a big hickey right in the center of his head. Yikes! I thought to myself, but I didn't want Kedar to read my expression and discover just how unsettling the protrusion was to me. I hate to see any of the kids hurt. Well, after I finished making sure he was OK, doctoring on him, and cuddling him through his stifled sobs, I inquired further about exactly what he had banged his head on. "I walked into a wall," he explained. You see, Kedar has a very bad habit of not watching where he's going. He repeatedly takes steps forward, while looking backward. My husband and I often... Read more →

Watch Where You're Going

We can't look ahead toward the future if we're constantly looking back. God can't take us into our new and bright destiny if we're overly preoccupied with past failures, hurts, disappointments, and stumbles. Read the rest on www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Thoughtful Thursdays: Week 32

There are many simple things in life I love... particularly the joy of children. Their curiosity and sense of wonderment about life is refreshing. So when I read over a prayer request that involved a child being hurt, my heart broke and I want you to earnestly go to God with me today. We'll get to that in a moment, but first there's something else I want to share with you. A month ago, you joined me in praying for a frustrated inventor who was mishandled and taken advantage of by a company. As a result of their wrongdoing, she won a portion of the lawsuit filed against this company. Well, since we prayed together for her on March 11th, God favored her. Seleta emailed me and said, "I received a check in the mail from that lawsuit again from... Read more →

Thoughtful Thursdays: Week 32

There are many simple things in life I love... particularly the joy of children. Their curiosity and sense of wonderment about life is refreshing. So when I read over a prayer request that involved a child being hurt, my heart broke... read the rest at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Released by Force

"Can I have this mommy?" Kaleb asked me yesterday afternoon while holding up a used fabric softener sheet he found among the newly folded pile of laundry. "It mell (smells) good," he smiled, as he breathed in the fresh linen scent. "Sure, you can have it," I consented and chuckled to myself as Kaleb ran out of the room feeling overjoyed. He looked like a real live Febreze commercial, intoxicated by the aroma of a uh... dryer sheet. *Blank stare* Now fast forward to early last evening. Kaleb came into my bedroom crying. "What's the matter?" I asked sympathetically. Well, I won't give you the long drawn out answer Kaleb gave me, complete with the sniffles and repetition of the same sentence five times in a row. Essentially, his big brother Kedar had devalued the "ever-so-important" fabric softener sheet and... Read more →

Released by Force

We have trouble releasing things that are no longer of any substance or value to us. And since we don't know how to let go, God sometimes allows what we're attached to, to get torn up and released by force. Read the rest at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

He'll Send Help...

Last evening, my husband and I decided to drink some coffee together. Now, neither one of us is a serious coffee drinker... tea is my beverage of choice. We pretty much like the aroma of coffee and the idea of relaxing with a freshly brewed cup. That's about as far as it goes. In fact, we don't even own a coffee maker. It would be a waste, since we only indulge in a warm mug-full once in a while. Kenya and I just buy the instant coffee from the grocery store. One jar usually lasts for months. Well, when I was making my cup last night, I got so engrossed in the conversation I was having with Kenya, that I put one too many scoops of instant coffee in the steaming hot water. Boy was it bitter! I couldn't handle... Read more →

He'll Send Help...

In our walk with God, sometimes we will have to drink from a bitter cup. But the good news is, the Lord knows how much we can bear. When it gets unbearable, He'll send the help we need. Read the rest at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Do Your Assignment

My three year old, Kaleb, has this new thing he's been doing for the past several weeks. Whenever I tell him to do something he'd rather not do, he invents an imaginary ailment to weasel his way out of it. I've never met a three year old with so many mysterious headaches, achy joints, and pains. When he doesn't want to finish eating his meals, Kaleb develops a stomach ache out of the blue. If I tell him to pick up his toys, suddenly his hands hurt, or they're "ty-ode" (tired). My favorite one of all time? The feigned limp accompanied by a bogus claim of debilitating leg pain that always seems to disappear once Kaleb realizes I'm not relenting. Then he forgets all about his phantom condition that, just moments ago, severely limited his mobility. Of course I always... Read more →

Do Your Assignment

When there is an assignment we've been given to do, whether we feel like it or not, God expects us to be obedient. Ask yourself, "Can He trust me to submit to His will, even during the times I would much rather walk away?" Read more at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Looks can be Deceiving

Sometimes when I make my favorite meal for the family, which is spaghetti, I also bake garlic bread. Well, the other night my husband Kenya decided he would assume the role of baker and prepare the garlic bread. While he was in the process of making it, I walked into the kitchen and it smelled like someone had literally painted the walls with garlic. The scent was strong... really strong. "That smells like a lot of garlic," I thought to myself, but hey, I didn't wanna micromanage. So I resisted the urge to scrutinize his process and look over his shoulder the whole time. I let Kenya do his thing. Once the bread was finished baking, he proudly brought it out and set it on the table. It looked so buttery and delicious; he did the honors and ate the... Read more →

Looks can be Deceiving

We frequently get hung up on appearances. If everything looks kosher, we assume that it is. But no matter how well someone or something is "dressed up," only God can reveal what's behind the image. Read the rest at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Thoughtful Thursdays: Week 31

There's an old song I love that says, "There is power, power, wonder working power in the blood of the lamb. There is power, power, wonder working power in the precious blood of the lamb!" Do you know that song? Well, even if you aren't familiar with that particular tune, the lyrics still ring true for every faith-filled believer. The same blood Jesus shed to redeem us and cleanse us from our sin, is able to heal all our wounds and diseases, whether physical, mental, spiritual, or emotional. If you believe that, and I trust that you do, please join me in praying for the following women on our Thoughtful Thursdays list today. 1. A woman just diagnosed with breast cancer: 27 year old Latasha Payton was doing a routine self breast check when she discovered a small lump. She... Read more →

Thoughtful Thursdays: Week 31

There's an old song I love that says, "There is power, power, wonder working power in the blood of the lamb...!" If you believe that, join me in praying for those on our "Thoughtful Thursdays" list today at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Start Fresh!

"Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV). I spoke to a friend from college the other day. We hadn't talked in a good long while. But during the conversation she began opening up about some things that had transpired in her life. She had dropped out of school, made some bad financial moves and ruined her credit, and gotten into a terrible relationship along the way. She was really down and depressed about all of it. She beat herself up over it constantly too. She told me it got to the point where she didn't even want to get out of bed in the morning sometimes. As I sat there listening, I noticed how stuck she was in her past.... Read more →

Start Fresh!

I spoke to a friend from college the other day who was broken up about some poor choices that negatively impacted her future. I shared something with her that I want you to know too... Read the rest at http//www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Make it a Lifestyle

Today, I'm experiencing a bit of oral discomfort because I hadn't been wearing my retainers for the past couple nights. Then, when I put them back onn last night, my teeth had shifted a bit so I had to force them into the clear plastic upper and lower molds. Not fun! I know, I know, I've been through this before and I know better. I won't bore your patience with the details about why I didn't do what I should have. Each of my long-time loyal "drinkers" of the Daily Cup of Inspiration already know all about my story, and how I had braces on my teeth about five years ago to correct a malocclusion.When I first got the orthodontic work done, I thought it was a one-shot-deal, you know. I had it all planned out. I would wear the... Read more →

Make it a Lifestyle

There is a difference between a behavioral modification and a lifestyle change. One is temporary and the other is permanent. Many of us want to see change, but we don't want to change our lifestyle. Read the rest at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

After the Storm Passes...

After the storm passes and the wilderness turns into the promised land, we quickly see that even though it felt like forever, it wasn't. It was just a momentary setback, or a brief pause God orchestrated, so you and I wouldn't skip over a crucially important phase in the development and refinement of our character... Read the rest of my letter to you in the brand new March/April issue of Empowering Everyday Women Online Magazine. Click here. Read more →

After the Storm Passes...

Some hold ups are simply setups for elevation and blessing... read the rest on www.diannahobbs.com! Read more →