Life Can Be More

  Have you been going through some difficult times lately? Do you feel like your back is against the wall and there is no way out? I think we all have been there at some point and time in our lives. When adversity comes in our lives, sometimes it knocks us down and some of us have a difficult time getting back up. Have you ever been to the beach and while you are walking in the water a wave knocks you off balance? Then when you try to find your footing, another wave comes and next you know your swimming with the fishes lol? Sometimes, life’s troubles can come just like that, wave after wave after wave! Well “count it all joy” my friends!  “Count it all joy” is what James told his fellow believers in James 1: 2-4: 2  My brothers and sisters  [ C   fellow believers] , when you have many kinds of ·troubles  [trials; testing] , ·you should be full of joy  [ L   consider it all/pure joy] ,  3  because you know that these troubles test your faith, a...

  Do you ever have those days where you second guess yourself? How about those days where you feel less than? How many times have you compared yourself to others and you end up wallowing in self-pity? I think most of us have had one of those days.   Every now and then, I get in a funk. I question my abilities and compare myself to others. Next thing I know, I find myself rehearsing self-destructive thoughts that suck the joy out of my life. The “stinkin’ thinkin’” statements like “I’m not good enough”, “my achievements don’t measure up”, or this one, “who will ever love me in this mess?” replay through my mind relentlessly.   Some people can quickly recognize when they are going down that path and are able to steer themselves away. Others slowly wander onto that path, and it takes a startling moment to make them realize they’re going around the same mountain. Such thinking & negative self-talk can lead one to question one’s self-worth and/or lead one into depression...

                                              https://redeeminggod.com/sermons/ephesians/ephesians_2_4-7/ Do you know the story of how Eve was deceived in the Garden of Eden? If so, I bet you will agree with me that we have some serious questions for her! Hahaha! JK! Reference the scriptures below: Genesis 2: 16 “ And the  Lord  God commanded the man, “ You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;   17  but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil , for when you eat from it you will certainly die .” Genesis 3: Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the  Lord  God had made. He said to the woman, “ Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden ’?”……… 4  “ You will not certainly die ,” the serpent said to the woman.   5  “For God knows that when yo...

  If I’m being honest, anxiety knocks on my door everyday Some days are easy to ignore but other days, I get caught up in its fray Often times in my mind, excessive worry & feelings of dread have a room to stay Sometimes I wonder, will I ever cast it away?   If I’m being honest, I think I hide my social anxiety pretty well But when I open up my mouth, the fear tells me it’s not well Self-consciousness & embarrassment take the driver’s seat All I fear is humiliation and signs of defeat But everyday I pray for God to move with great feats   If I’m being honest, depression knocked on my door last year Oh gosh, why did I feel like hope was not near? Will I ever be able to count my tears? Gym-no, work-I have to/dragging, eat-emotionally, socialize-I guess so, but the struggle was real Oh try to dwell on positive things they say but I say it’s time to get real If I’m being honest, I had to search for something bigger than myself They sa...

copied from  https://www.shorelinecbchurch.com/new-blog/2016/7/15/the-new-creation-in-action-the-local-church Last year, I decided to restore my late grandmother’s cast iron skillets and I was not prepared for the journey. I kid you not, I literally finished the seasoning process almost three weeks ago!!! I like to give sentimental gifts and I thought that it would be a nice gift for my father. I THOUGHT it would be easy as a good scrub and done! Well….. First of all, I did not know how to go about restoring cast iron skillets and had to do some research. After doing research, I realized that the restoration process took time depending on the level of rust that needed to be removed. My grandmother’s skillets had not been used in years and were very rusty. I did not realize the time & energy that would be spent restoring the cast iron skillets. For the restoration process, I bought coarse sea salt, distilled vinegar, baking soda, and steel scouring pads. Naïve me also did not ...

                            There’s a reason why Jesus told his disciples in John 14 to “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” in the beginning of the chapter and to reiterate it again at the end of the chapter “Don’t let your hearts be troubled, don’t be afraid.” Jesus knew what His disciples were thinking, feeling, and what they were going through when he spoke those words. Have you found yourself in a “troubled” state lately?  It’s hard not to turn a blind eye to the various calamities happening around the world right now. I’ve found it hard to maintain a positive outlook after reading about current events. Let us put aside what’s going on in the world and focus on the home front. A lot of us have face some hardships in our personal lives or we know of loved ones that are facing similar hardships as well. What do you do in times like these?     You pray. Praise/Wors...

  Have you ever been around complainers? Answer me this, during your conversations with them, do you find it hard to keep a positive attitude? Well, not only have I been around complainers, but I’ve been one! Full disclosure, I was in a complaining ‘tude earlier this week for two days, ugh . I just couldn’t be comforted, and it was hard to change my perspective. I started complaining on Sunday of all days and it carried to Monday. My father had the privilege of spending the day with me on Monday and my mother was happy she stayed home. LOL. I’m being honest here folks! We got to be honest in order to make a change within ourselves. Have you ever tried to change a complainer’s attitude from pessimism to optimism? How did it work out for you? It was quite difficult for my father to help change my perspective around. He even wondered “what jumped on me” on Sunday. LOL! If you want to know how complaining can shift the direction of your life, then let’s take a look at the journey of th...