Today is the day~
The day that I do the one thing that I haven’t done in almost 4 years…
*I’m going to take my mother’s clothes to a womens shelter*
My mother, Sylvia, died almost 4 years ago on January 30 and tomorrow would have been her 61st birthday.
So instead of me continuing to ride around w/her wardrobe in the back of my SUV…I’m going to give them to women who are deserving, women who are in transition~for the better.
In a way, I kept her clothes so long b/c I didn’t want to let go…but now I’m at peace.
I’m trusting God w/my heart and all that I am…
So, its time to be a blessing!
I pray that as I pass along my Mother’s clothing, I also pass along Quiet Strength, Loyalty, Healing, Resilience, Peace, Generosity, & Confidence~All the qualities that my Mother possessed and received…

I must admit…I have been very impractical when it came to my faith.
Please don’t get me wrong, I believe that there is nothing that God can’t do…but along with God’s mighty power, I have a part to play too!

~Faith is believing that God will increase our monthly income and daily confessing increase as well as keeping an updated spending log along w/a current monthly budget…
~Faith is believing God for good health and healing and working out daily, drinking plenty of water, eating healthy, appropriately portioned well balanced meals, and taking medication/vitamins and seeing doctor regularly…
~Faith is believing God for the completion and publication of my first book and writing daily, taking classes and getting info to perfect my writing, and blogging regularly:o)…

Faith is a beautiful thing!
What I’m learning daily is that my faith is given the legs that it needs to run when I give God my time, words, effort and talent to bring forth amazing things on this earth…
So…how practical is your faith???

*Faith Scriptures*
~James 2:24~You see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only
~James 2:26~For as the body w/o the spirit is dead, so faith w/o works is dead also
~Hebrews 11:6~But w/o faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him

Love~this small,yet big four letter word, is the word that has constantly been coming up in my thoughts, my devotions and during my quiet times…and all that goes along with it…

Love is action not just mere words…
Love is being the solution to a problem and not just a listener…
Love is giving up what is meaningful to you to be a blessing to someone else…
Love is giving up what’s comfortable to do for what’s right, needed and necessary…
Love is giving and receiving correction in even the hardest times…
Love is being selfless and knowing when to take time for self…
Love is void of critism, judgement, and gossip…
Love is authenticity…
Love is hoping the best in even the worst situations…
Love is creating new opportunities with God’s Word…
Love is an exchange…
Love is encouragement…
Love is hanging in there even, by the Holy Spirit, when it’s easier to leave…
Love…what does it mean to you???

Change is good…
Change is an opportunity for growth…
Change holds blessings…
Change is inevitable sometimes…

Sometimes I’m not the best at handling major changes. I say that I’m okay, but on the inside I’m wondering, worrying and wandering emotionally.

It’s not always easy for me to convey my feelings to others but what I am learning is to be authentic.
Not saying that I dwell in my feelings but I do acknowledge them through journaling.
I’m learning to tell my DaddyGod exactly how I’m feeling
w/o giving Him the sugarcoated, “Churchy” version…
Along w/being honest about my feelings, talking to God, and journaling…I’m replacing my feelings w/God’s Word.
So day by day, I’m changing…changing for the better…changing into my best me ever….
How do you handle change???

I read an article today that saddened me…
A 14 year old girl was videotaped (unknown to her) performing a sexual act on a boy while another boy looked on…this video was then uploaded to a social media network.This video/the girl then became a “Trending Topic”.
This young lady, I’m assuming, thinking that she could gain some type of notarity, made a Twitter account and began posting comments.
After awhile, the little girl was being called everything but the child of God.  She then began to post comments saying that she was just doing what her “role models” do and talk about in their music etc. This 14 year old stated that she looked up to some of today’s most popular female rap/hiphop artist and reality show stars…
If I could write this young lady a letter, this is what it would say…

I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now~but know that a person can only define you, if you let them. I’m not going to sugarcoat anything. I know that people have said and will probably continue to say some hurtful things. Their words can’t kill you…unless you let them.<br
If I could tell you anything, I would tell you that you are WORTHY!  You are worthy of honor, respect, love and fullfilling your God-given purpose…don’t cheat yourself out of the life that God has planned for you.  Don’t live by anybody else’s standards~friends,peers or celebrities. 
You SET the standard~you have the power to create purpose from your pain on the inside of you…
You are beautiful. You are loveable. You are respectable. You are full of potential and purpose. You are God’s special creation.  Take some time to get to know you… Not the you that society or tv tells you that you should be. But the you that God created you to be~there’s a big difference.
Learn from this situation. Learn to set boundaries, make wise decisions, and hold yourself and your body in high regard b/c you are valuable, you are one of a kind~there’s no one else like you….

There is so much more that I would like to say…but more than anything I want to do…I want to be a Light, mentor, an example for some other young lady so that she doesn’t have to go through this type of pain and embarassment. I’m willing Lord, send me…

Today I’m taking the time to pray…I’m praying my family, friends, associates and even those I don’t know.
I’m praying for their strengths.
I’m praying that their personal best is revealed and put on display in their lives.
I’m praying that their strengths are strengthened by God’s power and grace.
I’m praying that their personal best encourages someone to be their best.
I’m praying for you…
I pray that you allow God to bless you through your personality and that you allow Him to bless others by being exactly who He created…

Sitting in Sunday school w/my kiddies, I realized something that I heard for a lonnnggg time…Joy is something that comes from the inside.
Joy isn’t a fleeting emotion, its an anchor that isn’t moved by circumstances, people or situations.
Joy is a mixture of peace, expectation, love and devotion all in one.
Joy is the very thing that keeps you sane, hoping in God when everything and everybody around you is in complete shambles…
Joy is strength.
Joy is hope.
Joy is love.
Joy is unshakeable faith.
Joy is optimistic.
Joy is on the inside.
Joy, true joy, not just happiness, is found in God and not things or people.
Joy is an inside only job…do you have real joy?

Sitting in Sunday school w/my kiddies, I realized something that I heard for a lonnnggg time…Joy is something that comes from the inside.
Joy isn’t a fleeting emotion, its an anchor that isn’t moved by circumstances, people or situations.
Joy is a mixture of peace, expectation, love and devotion all in one.
Joy is the very thing that keeps you sane, hoping in God when everything and everybody around you is in complete shambles…
Joy is strength.
Joy is hope.
Joy is love.
Joy is unshakeable faith.
Joy is optimistic.
Joy is on the inside.
Joy, true joy, not just happiness, is found in God and not things or people.
Joy is an inside only job…do you have real joy?

Yesterday we received an awesome word at church about “Love or Obligation”…man, it really blessed me! But more than that, it caused me to think and make adjustments…
When I’m acting out of obligation, I feel dread.
I’m dreadful b/c whatever it is I’m doing, I really don’t want to do it. But I’m doing it b/c for some reason or another I felt like I had too. The reason might be b/c no one else would do the task or I didn’t want to tell the person no.
Whenever I dread something, 9 times out of 10, I’m not giving my best. I’m giving whatever it takes, nothing more, to get done w/whatever it is that I have to do.
Lastly, resentment comes from obligation. Sooner or later, I start to not like or want to be around the person b/c I know that eventually I’ll have to do the very thing I don’t want too.
But Love!!!
Love will cause me to go above and beyond b/c its not about me. I’ll give my all because my main concern is to make someone other than myself joyful.
When I act out of love, the end result will be excellence.  Whenever I do something with love as my motivating factor, God is sure to get all the glory…
So what is the motive behind your actions…love or obligation???

Yesterday at church we received an awesome word about “Love or Obligation”…man, this blessed me! And better yet, it caused me to think…and to make adjustments.
Doing things for people out of obligation caused me to be dreadful…I’m only doing whatever I’m doing b/c I feel/think that I’m the only one to help, that this person realllly needs me or that if I don’t do the task it won’t get done.  Honestly, these aren’t good reasons to help anyone or anything.
If I’m dreading what I’m doing, 9 times out of 10, I’m not doing and/or giving my best…I’m just giving what I have too to complete the task at hand.
Dread also causes me to have a not so good attitude. I’m constantly thinking about something else I could be doing instead of what I’m doing at that moment…
And lastly obligation causes resentment.  Resentment sets in b/c for some reason or another I chose to do something that I really didn’t want to do. And now, my demeanor toward the person/people is somewhat cold and reserved.
But there is a brightside to all of this~LOVE!!!
When I’m acting out of love, my motives are pure and my one desire is to give my best. When I give my best, I’m not thinking about me…I’m thinking about the other person/people and what it takes to go above and beyond for them and their satisfaction.
When love is my reason, excellence will be my result.
Acting out of love will cause us to make a positive, Godly impact on others all for God’s glory.
Obligation will cause us to be resentful, stressed and half-hearted in all that we do…choosing love is choosing God.
What’s your choice today???