I was born in the rural Mississippi Delta to a 22 year-old single mother, raised in the midst of cotton fields by an aunt and uncle who were in their sixties when I was born. I didn't have the best or most expensive clothes; my hair was thick and kinky; my face was especially round. So, I was teased mercilessly in school; my nickname from the kids was 'pie-face'. I hated that name! When I wasn't being teased, I was totally ignored by the other kids; no one played with me during recess. The older I got, the more different I was. I tried to fit in, tried to look and fit the part, but nothing worked. I sought attention from boys, and all I got was used. I made my way to college, thinking surely things will be different. Wrong. Then in my sophomore year, the rug was pulled from under me. My mother was diagnosed with cancer in August (1989); she died four months later on December 21. My sister was only 16. We left my stepdad (her dad) and went to live with relatives. The years rolled by, and one by one loved ones passed away, all the ones who truly loved and cared for me. I met a wonderful man and got married, but Satan couldn't let that rest. He got a grip, and has run rampant in our family. People that I considered family, so-called friends, stabbed me in the back. Now my family may be in jeopardy. The clouds have been thick and dark, the storm has raged all over my life.
Now you may be saying, this does not sound good. But here's the thing: I'm still here. There is a silver lining in the midst of my dark clouds. I have two beautiful children (of course, my 14 year old and I battle daily, lol). My little boy is the sweetest, and my daughter (the 14 year old) has so much ambition. My sister and I, after some years of off and on strain, have reconnected in a way that is so amazing, and I feel closer to her now than ever before. And I have a gift: writing. It is my gift, my passion, my source of relaxation. And God has led me to avenues to share that writing, avenues that may lead to a whole new world of possibilities. So yes, my life has been filled with sadness, heartbreak, and pain. But through all the hard and sad times, through all the misery and heartache, through all the trials and tribulations, I'm still here. I'm Still Standing. And I'm still here for a reason. God allowed all these things to occur in my life for a reason, and He kept me through it for a reason. My breakthrough is coming; I have to endure, to see what the end's gonna be. Know this; you may be going through some serious trials right now; you may feel that God has deserted you, that you're alone and no one cares. I know, I've been there. But deliverance is just ahead; you're breakthrough is right around the corner. It is so true, what doesn't kill us, makes us stronger. Know what? I ain't dead yet! I, am Still Standing. And I Stand With You.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Speak It & See It
There was a song out a while back called "Speak Life". I loved that song; I thought it was so beautiful. However, I didn't know then what that meant, 'speak life'. At a funeral, the granddaughter of the deceased made remarks and she talked about how her grandfather 'spoke life' into them as they were growing up. I still didn't understand what that meant. Now ladies, I have been blessed to understand just what it means and I want to share that blessing with all of you.
The meaning of 'speak life' actually came to me through my sister. We've both gone through some difficulties in our lives, with the death of our mother in 1989 and having to go live with other relatives afterwards. Eventually we would go on to get married and have kids. She went through some really tough experiences with her marriage, and there was a point in her life when things looked bleak for her. After a period of being down, she decided it was time to make a change in her life, so she went back to school. At the beginning of her final semester, she began to talk about the things she wanted and the positive changes she wanted to make in her life. She had a car, but it was on its last legs. She prayed that it would take her through to the end of school and into a job where she could afford to buy a new car. But she didn't just say, "Lord, I need a car." She literally would state (and kept stating, every day), "Lord, I'm going to have a new car by December. I'm going to get a job where I can afford it, and I'm going to get a car." December came, and the car she had was yet declining. She had a job, but it wasn't paying so well. Then she got a call from a clinic (she's a dental hygienist) where she had interviewed before. They had another opening, and they remembered and wanted her. She went, and was offered the position, making a great salary. Shortly after that, she went and browsed the dealership, just to get an idea of what she wanted. The dealer called her the next day and told her to come get her car! The same thing happened with her new apartment, a beautiful townhouse, and her nice new cell phone. She had said, "Lord, I'm going to get a new cell phone, because this one has had it." Shortly after she started the new job, the old cell phone literally died, and she got a great new one. She said, "Lord, I'm going to have a nice place, one where my girls can have their own room." She's in it. Everything that she spoke to the Lord, came to pass, He granted.
She spoke these things into her life. And it's not so much about the material things she got, although they were all needs for her and her daughters. It's about faith in God, faith that allows you to speak the things you need and want in your life, into your life. There is no good thing that God will withhold from us, but we have a part to play in it. We have to exercise that faith and know that what God has for us, He will gladly bestow, if we just trust and believe.
So let's start speaking life into our lives. Speak into existence that which we need, want, and desire. Financial blessings? Speak it. Career advancement? Speak it. Strengthened family relationships? Speak it. Deliverance and healing? Speak it. From our lips, to God's ear, with no busy signal, no call waiting, and no dropped signal. Speak Life.
The meaning of 'speak life' actually came to me through my sister. We've both gone through some difficulties in our lives, with the death of our mother in 1989 and having to go live with other relatives afterwards. Eventually we would go on to get married and have kids. She went through some really tough experiences with her marriage, and there was a point in her life when things looked bleak for her. After a period of being down, she decided it was time to make a change in her life, so she went back to school. At the beginning of her final semester, she began to talk about the things she wanted and the positive changes she wanted to make in her life. She had a car, but it was on its last legs. She prayed that it would take her through to the end of school and into a job where she could afford to buy a new car. But she didn't just say, "Lord, I need a car." She literally would state (and kept stating, every day), "Lord, I'm going to have a new car by December. I'm going to get a job where I can afford it, and I'm going to get a car." December came, and the car she had was yet declining. She had a job, but it wasn't paying so well. Then she got a call from a clinic (she's a dental hygienist) where she had interviewed before. They had another opening, and they remembered and wanted her. She went, and was offered the position, making a great salary. Shortly after that, she went and browsed the dealership, just to get an idea of what she wanted. The dealer called her the next day and told her to come get her car! The same thing happened with her new apartment, a beautiful townhouse, and her nice new cell phone. She had said, "Lord, I'm going to get a new cell phone, because this one has had it." Shortly after she started the new job, the old cell phone literally died, and she got a great new one. She said, "Lord, I'm going to have a nice place, one where my girls can have their own room." She's in it. Everything that she spoke to the Lord, came to pass, He granted.
She spoke these things into her life. And it's not so much about the material things she got, although they were all needs for her and her daughters. It's about faith in God, faith that allows you to speak the things you need and want in your life, into your life. There is no good thing that God will withhold from us, but we have a part to play in it. We have to exercise that faith and know that what God has for us, He will gladly bestow, if we just trust and believe.
So let's start speaking life into our lives. Speak into existence that which we need, want, and desire. Financial blessings? Speak it. Career advancement? Speak it. Strengthened family relationships? Speak it. Deliverance and healing? Speak it. From our lips, to God's ear, with no busy signal, no call waiting, and no dropped signal. Speak Life.
Move Forward or Sit Still
First, let me start by saying, if I talk a lot about my sister, it’s because I can’t help it. She has become such an amazing woman and an amazing person. Considering where we came from and what we’ve gone through, and what she’s gone through in her personal life, and to see where she is now, well, I couldn’t be prouder as a big sister.
Having said that, we had a conversation one day about reaching out. She and I were both born and raised here in the Mississippi Delta, in the rural outskirts of Greenville. I moved away for about three and a half years, from 2004 until 2007. She, on the other hand, has never lived anywhere else. In December, she got a great job opportunity in a town about 2 hours or so from here. She took it, of course, and for the first time in her life, moved away from home. After a couple of weeks, once she got settled in, is when we had the conversation about reaching out. She was talking about how other than her co-workers, he hadn’t gotten to know anyone. As we talked, we both came to the conclusion that she would more than likely have to reach out to make friends. She said herself that she would probably have to venture out of her comfort zone and go meet some people. She’s had several invitations to visit some churches, and she said she would take them up on their offers and go to church, and I agreed with her.
Sometimes we sit around and wonder why we don’t have any friends, or why we can’t find any opportunities. Could it be because we’re sitting around wondering? I know I’m guilty of this. I’ve had many a pity party, sad and whining because 1) I didn’t know anyone and had no friends, and 2) I couldn’t seem to get any opportunities to move forward in life. I realize now, it was because I was sitting there in a puddle of pity. I couldn’t find those friends or those opportunities because I wasn’t putting forth any effort.
Now, we all don’t sit around and do nothing. In some cases, we know what we want to do; we just don’t know how or where to start. I’ve been guilty of that too. We then have to take a step towards reaching our desired goal. One way to achieve this is to get out and/or reach out and connect. Make yourself visible and available. Go visit some churches, and challenge yourself to introduce yourself to at least one person while you’re there. When you’re at the grocery store, challenge yourself to greet and talk to someone, maybe the cashier who is checking you out (always be careful and selective in public situations like that). If you’re a homebody like me, and you want to take a different approach, try browsing and joining some of the social networks online. I've been connecting online for just a little while now, and I've made some great contacts, and met some wonderful people. People have read and enjoyed my work (I’m a writer), and it feels great. And I have made some wonderful, caring friends, which is the best part. Through these blessings, I have a couple of opportunities, and who knows where this could lead. And not to mention how much I'm learning from everyone I've met.
So the main thing is, challenge yourself to take a step forward. Meeting people, connecting, and making friends is not as hard or as bad as it may seem. If I can do it, I know you can. And remember, you can't move forward if you sit still.
Having said that, we had a conversation one day about reaching out. She and I were both born and raised here in the Mississippi Delta, in the rural outskirts of Greenville. I moved away for about three and a half years, from 2004 until 2007. She, on the other hand, has never lived anywhere else. In December, she got a great job opportunity in a town about 2 hours or so from here. She took it, of course, and for the first time in her life, moved away from home. After a couple of weeks, once she got settled in, is when we had the conversation about reaching out. She was talking about how other than her co-workers, he hadn’t gotten to know anyone. As we talked, we both came to the conclusion that she would more than likely have to reach out to make friends. She said herself that she would probably have to venture out of her comfort zone and go meet some people. She’s had several invitations to visit some churches, and she said she would take them up on their offers and go to church, and I agreed with her.
Sometimes we sit around and wonder why we don’t have any friends, or why we can’t find any opportunities. Could it be because we’re sitting around wondering? I know I’m guilty of this. I’ve had many a pity party, sad and whining because 1) I didn’t know anyone and had no friends, and 2) I couldn’t seem to get any opportunities to move forward in life. I realize now, it was because I was sitting there in a puddle of pity. I couldn’t find those friends or those opportunities because I wasn’t putting forth any effort.
Now, we all don’t sit around and do nothing. In some cases, we know what we want to do; we just don’t know how or where to start. I’ve been guilty of that too. We then have to take a step towards reaching our desired goal. One way to achieve this is to get out and/or reach out and connect. Make yourself visible and available. Go visit some churches, and challenge yourself to introduce yourself to at least one person while you’re there. When you’re at the grocery store, challenge yourself to greet and talk to someone, maybe the cashier who is checking you out (always be careful and selective in public situations like that). If you’re a homebody like me, and you want to take a different approach, try browsing and joining some of the social networks online. I've been connecting online for just a little while now, and I've made some great contacts, and met some wonderful people. People have read and enjoyed my work (I’m a writer), and it feels great. And I have made some wonderful, caring friends, which is the best part. Through these blessings, I have a couple of opportunities, and who knows where this could lead. And not to mention how much I'm learning from everyone I've met.
So the main thing is, challenge yourself to take a step forward. Meeting people, connecting, and making friends is not as hard or as bad as it may seem. If I can do it, I know you can. And remember, you can't move forward if you sit still.
I Got Your Back (Taken from Psalm 37:1-25)
Don’t worry yourself sick over haters and troublemakers; don’t be jealous because evil people always seem to get ahead.
Because very soon, they will be destroyed; they will expire in due season.
Trust God, and obey Him; continue in your good works, so that you will live long, so that you will have all that you need.
Find your joy in the Lord, and He will give you everything you need and want.
Submit your life’s path to God, and He will make everything you want happen for you.
He will show your honesty and opinion; they will shine as the brightest light.
Rest in Him, and wait and allow Him to move in His time; don’t worry about those who seem to keep getting away with their mess.
Stop getting mad, let go of anger, and forget about getting even.
Your enemies will be handled and done away with; but we who trust God will live and prosper abundantly.
Before long, the evil enemy will not exist anymore; even if you look for them, you won’t find any trace of them.
But those who are humble in spirit will receive everything the Lord has for them, and will find joy because there will be nothing but peace surrounding them.
The enemy sets out to destroy us, and tears our world apart.
God laughs at them, because He sees the day that this enemy is destroyed forever.
The enemy has pulled out all their weapons and has set every painful and evil device to hurt good, honest people.
This ditch they dug for these good people, will be the one they fall into, and they will be taken out by their own weapons.
What little bit that a good person has is far better than all the vast wealth of evildoers.
The enemy will be broken down, but God will support the good and humble.
Our God knows that the just man will live and reign forever.
We will stand tall in the time of trouble and be provided for with plenty.
The evil ones will die; all enemies of God and His people will literally be consumed by His fire.
Those hateful people will take continuously and never give; but a good man will give a far a possible.
Those that are chosen and blessed by God will receive all He has and be prosperous; those that God curses for their continuous evil will be destroyed.
God sets the path of a good man, and he finds joy in following that path.
He may stumble or even fall down, but God will lift him up and support him.
I was young, some time ago; now I am much older. But I have never seen God’s people left alone, I have never seen the good and honest people who love Him, starving and going without.
Because very soon, they will be destroyed; they will expire in due season.
Trust God, and obey Him; continue in your good works, so that you will live long, so that you will have all that you need.
Find your joy in the Lord, and He will give you everything you need and want.
Submit your life’s path to God, and He will make everything you want happen for you.
He will show your honesty and opinion; they will shine as the brightest light.
Rest in Him, and wait and allow Him to move in His time; don’t worry about those who seem to keep getting away with their mess.
Stop getting mad, let go of anger, and forget about getting even.
Your enemies will be handled and done away with; but we who trust God will live and prosper abundantly.
Before long, the evil enemy will not exist anymore; even if you look for them, you won’t find any trace of them.
But those who are humble in spirit will receive everything the Lord has for them, and will find joy because there will be nothing but peace surrounding them.
The enemy sets out to destroy us, and tears our world apart.
God laughs at them, because He sees the day that this enemy is destroyed forever.
The enemy has pulled out all their weapons and has set every painful and evil device to hurt good, honest people.
This ditch they dug for these good people, will be the one they fall into, and they will be taken out by their own weapons.
What little bit that a good person has is far better than all the vast wealth of evildoers.
The enemy will be broken down, but God will support the good and humble.
Our God knows that the just man will live and reign forever.
We will stand tall in the time of trouble and be provided for with plenty.
The evil ones will die; all enemies of God and His people will literally be consumed by His fire.
Those hateful people will take continuously and never give; but a good man will give a far a possible.
Those that are chosen and blessed by God will receive all He has and be prosperous; those that God curses for their continuous evil will be destroyed.
God sets the path of a good man, and he finds joy in following that path.
He may stumble or even fall down, but God will lift him up and support him.
I was young, some time ago; now I am much older. But I have never seen God’s people left alone, I have never seen the good and honest people who love Him, starving and going without.
A Divine Original (Taken from Proverbs 31:10-31)
Anybody know where a good woman is? ‘Cause a good woman is worth more than all the gold in Fort Knox.
Her husband knows he can trust her with anything; he knows she will never let him fall or fail.
She will treat him like the King that he is, and would never do anything to hurt him.
She’s creative; House of Style has nothing on her; she’ll find the best fabric and make a killer outfit (and do it with a smile on her face).
She’ll ride all over town (fighting traffic and crowds) to get groceries for the house.
She’s up before sunrise, making breakfast for whoever’s hungry.
She can pick out a choice piece of property, save up, and buy it, so she can plant her garden.
She’s strong in character, and she’s no weakling when it comes to work, either; she can push a power mower just as well as any man.
She knows that what she has, what she makes, is the best; she’ll stay up half the night working.
She’s up threading her bobbin, adjusting her presser foot, and putting a hem in those school pants or that work shirt.
She’s always ready and willing to help someone, always looking for a way to feed someone who’s hungry.
She doesn’t worry when winter comes; she’s saved up and gotten everybody new winter coats.
She can dress! She could put Ebony Fashion Fair to shame with her wardrobe (and she designed her clothes herself).
Everybody in town knows her husband; when he goes to work and to meetings, she has made sure that he is well-groomed and well-versed. His co-workers know, they’re jealous because he’s got it so good.
The clothes and household items that she makes, by hand, are so nice, people are buying it all over the place, even boutiques.
When she walks in a room, you can see what a strong and respected woman she is.
She’s filled with joy, knowing what lies ahead.
She speaks truth in love, and gives advice constructively, not harshly.
She is always making sure the bills are paid, the house is clean, and food is on the table. She doesn’t spend her days propped up on the couch watching ‘General Hospital’.
Her children get up, singing, “Mommy, mommy, good morning, I love you mommy!” Her husband greets her with a kiss. “You’re the best,” he whispers in her ear.
There are a few good women out there, but you are by far, the best of the best.
Popularity is superficial and short-lived, and good looks will fade after a short time; but a woman that puts God as the head of her life, that’s a real woman.
Honor her by living and showing love and respect; honor her by being respectful children; honor her by telling the fellas what a good woman she is; honor her, by living for God.
Her husband knows he can trust her with anything; he knows she will never let him fall or fail.
She will treat him like the King that he is, and would never do anything to hurt him.
She’s creative; House of Style has nothing on her; she’ll find the best fabric and make a killer outfit (and do it with a smile on her face).
She’ll ride all over town (fighting traffic and crowds) to get groceries for the house.
She’s up before sunrise, making breakfast for whoever’s hungry.
She can pick out a choice piece of property, save up, and buy it, so she can plant her garden.
She’s strong in character, and she’s no weakling when it comes to work, either; she can push a power mower just as well as any man.
She knows that what she has, what she makes, is the best; she’ll stay up half the night working.
She’s up threading her bobbin, adjusting her presser foot, and putting a hem in those school pants or that work shirt.
She’s always ready and willing to help someone, always looking for a way to feed someone who’s hungry.
She doesn’t worry when winter comes; she’s saved up and gotten everybody new winter coats.
She can dress! She could put Ebony Fashion Fair to shame with her wardrobe (and she designed her clothes herself).
Everybody in town knows her husband; when he goes to work and to meetings, she has made sure that he is well-groomed and well-versed. His co-workers know, they’re jealous because he’s got it so good.
The clothes and household items that she makes, by hand, are so nice, people are buying it all over the place, even boutiques.
When she walks in a room, you can see what a strong and respected woman she is.
She’s filled with joy, knowing what lies ahead.
She speaks truth in love, and gives advice constructively, not harshly.
She is always making sure the bills are paid, the house is clean, and food is on the table. She doesn’t spend her days propped up on the couch watching ‘General Hospital’.
Her children get up, singing, “Mommy, mommy, good morning, I love you mommy!” Her husband greets her with a kiss. “You’re the best,” he whispers in her ear.
There are a few good women out there, but you are by far, the best of the best.
Popularity is superficial and short-lived, and good looks will fade after a short time; but a woman that puts God as the head of her life, that’s a real woman.
Honor her by living and showing love and respect; honor her by being respectful children; honor her by telling the fellas what a good woman she is; honor her, by living for God.
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