Today is my beautiful mother Annie’s 68th birthday. I wish she were here in Buffalo. That way, I could hug her and tell her in person how much she is loved. But she lives in Atlanta now, many miles away from the hometown where she and Dad raised me and my family and I still remain. Her warm smiles, gentle embraces and soft hand squeezes are what I miss most.

The other day, I was reading an old blog post I wrote about my mother a decade ago on her birthday. I love that I can go back and read stuff like that. I especially appreciate it now, since many of my memories were lost last year. But I wrote about calling my mom in the morning and singing a purposely botched and goofy rendition of the Happy Birthday song to make her giggle. She laughed as expected. By the way, that totally sounds like something I would do – just be silly for no reason.

In that post, I talked about how adorable it was to witness Mom’s excitement over her lunch date with my father, Joseph.

"You guys are so cute," I told her at the time before asking about her agenda for the day. She mentioned a few things she had planned and then pivoted and told me, "You know, Dianna, I'm just happy. Happy for life. Your daddy. The children and grandchildren. I'm just happy about the simple things."

Apparently, I also shared an old memory with Mom from when I was about five or six years old, while we were living in North Carolina, and my father was pastoring a church called Holy Ghost Temple. One of the church leaders, Deacon Conyers, used to sing solos a lot. Whenever he stood in front of the congregation holding the microphone, before ever uttering a note, he would blot his forehead with a white handkerchief, blink his eyes rapidly and sing the same song that grew to be one of my favorites:

I don't need no money/ I don’t need a dime, no/ ‘Cause as long as I got Jesus/I got a satisfied mind.

As I read the post and smiled, the memory came back to me, and I could hear Deacon Conyers’s voice vividly in my ears and fell in love with the song all over again!

I’m so glad I read that post. It takes on even more special meaning now, since I have lost some brain function and am still adjusting daily. My mind may not be all it used to be, but as long as I’ve got Jesus, I’ve got a satisfied mind. I get the feeling I’ll be singing that song a lot more.

I imagine that Paul the Apostle would have liked that song too, because it captures the essence of what he wrote in Philippians 4:12-13 NIV: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

The word strength Paul uses is in this passage is the Greek word “endunamoo” (Pronounced en-doo-nam-o'-o) which means to empower, enable, make strong, and increase strength.  This is the same word that is used in Hebrews 11:34, as the writer describes the men of God who did extraordinary things in the Old Testament, “whose weakness was turned to strength.”

It was supernatural strength – the kind that they didn’t possess before God bestowed it upon them. I just love looking at the word strength in the original Greek language, because it takes on more meaning and makes it clear that without divine equipping and empowering, the things that these men of God did would have been impossible. It would have also been impossible for Paul, without the Lord, to be content whether he was high or low, hungry or well-fed, thriving or struggling. Christ gave Him strength to endure!

Isn’t it good to know that the equipping power of God turns your weakness into strength? When God strengthens you, what could, would and should be impossible becomes possible. What was unbearable becomes bearable. What was unconquerable becomes conquerable.

Friend, today, God is letting you know, you’ve got supernatural strength. Strength to go through. Strength to endure. Strength to overcome. Strength to persevere. Strength to defeat giants. Strength to possess the promise.

To remind you of this truth, I’m stirring a portion of Numbers 13:30 into your cup of inspiration. It contains the words of Caleb, a faith-filled leader of Israel who scouted the Promised Land and despite seeing giants said, “We are well able to overcome it.”

As you drink down the contents of your cup, know that you are well able to do whatever God has called you to do, because whoever He calls, He equips and strengthens. Tap into His strength, and you will do extraordinary things for the glory of God.

Now, let’s pray.

God, on my own, I am too weak to deal with everything life throws my way. But thank You for reminding me that You have given me supernatural strength to endure, overcome, and do the impossible. Whenever I feel weak, teach me to tap into Your power that equips me to do all things. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you desire prayer, please allow me, along with my intercessory prayer team, to stand in faith with you for breakthrough. We would be so honored. We have seen God work over and over again. There is power in agreement. Click here to request prayer now.

As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!