Tag: love

Soulful Sunday

Soulful Sunday – Who Told You That??

Coming To America is one of my all time favorite comedies. To this day I can watch it over and over again like I’ve never seen it before. This movie is 30 years old! Debuting June 29, 1988 featuring Eddie Murphy in the role that truly put him on the map as a comedian like no other. I’ve seen it countless times and can quote many lines verbatim (Unapologetically!) it’s simply hilarious!

My teenage son was flipping through channels recently looking for something to watch and landed on a showing of the movie. I had not seen it in years but of course stopped in my tracks at the sound of the all too familiar script.

There was one line that stuck out as I was watching for the gazillionth time. It had an affect on me that I never considered before!

“WHO TOLD YOU THAT??”

For those who know the movie, this line was uttered by King Jaffe Joffer when Mr. McDowell’s youngest daughter proclaimed that the “Prince” was in love with her and not her sister.

With shock at this untruth, the King belted out the question with such deep command, force, authority and rule!

My spirit was instantly quickened that this is the exact question my Heavenly Father asks of me when I meditate on lies from the enemy. He only does it with 100x the power of King Jaffee!

Who told you that you can’t do it?

Who told you you’re not going to make it?

Who told you that you’re a mistake?

Who told you you’re not good enough?

Who told you that you’re a failure?

Who told you you’ll always be sick?

Who told you that you’ll always be broke?

Who told you that you’re not worthy?

WHO TOLD YOU THAT thing that makes you feel inadequate????

Like Adam in the garden when he sinned, eating from the forbidden tree of life, when God came looking for him, Adam responded that he hid himself because he was naked.

God instantly responded “Who Told You that you were naked?”

No one but the enemy in the form of a cowardly snake!

When we hear words from others or those in our own minds that don’t line up with what God has to say about us, we must consider the question, WHO TOLD YOU THAT?”

If it wasn’t God, we must dismiss the allegations and accept truth in who we were called to be even when it doesn’t look like it.

You are a child of God

A Royal Priesthood

Hand picked and Chosen

Have an inheritance from your Father

Have many gifts

Are valuable and Precious

And so much more!

Believe it and conduct yourself as the Prince and Queen that you really are! Now, WHO told you that! Carry on!

Until Next Time, Happy Sunday!

Accomplishments, Inspiration

The Error on Page 100

Shhhh, don’t tell anyone, but there’s an error in my book book Angels – The Discovery! I absolutely cringed when it was reveal to me! A body of work that I’ve put an incredible amount of time into is still flawed. I felt like a failure!

I quickly reminisced on the countless days and lengthy nights spent combing through the more than 58,000 word manuscript. I read it over and over again! How could I have missed this? So did my publisher, yet the error was continually overlooked. I initially thought I wasted weeks, months and even years working so tirelessly at this thing. Not to mention the financial investment sacrificed to bring this project to life. I so wanted my debut to the world as a published author to be spot and error free! But like many others before me, that didn’t happen.

That mental beating I put myself through lasted about 24 hours. I had to get over it! The book is here now and still needs to be introduced to the world! God certainly didn’t get me to this point for this is HIS project. I am sure He knew it would be slightly flawed.

But oh how much He can do with flaws! As I launched the book, most readers never detected the error or simply never mentioned it. They were so completely engrossed by the story line and overall content that the minor blemish didn’t take away from the ultimate message. Review after positive review were beginning to pour in further diminishing my over perfectionist thinking. It is good and is finished!

Often times we see the flaws in our lives, character, output and conduct and we magnify them far greater than they need to be. The emphasis should never be made on a slight imperfection but rather the overwhelming beauty of the overall person or matter.

Beneath what we feel is a mistake lies nothing more than intent to show the world what God is capable of achieving. He can do so much with human defects, weaknesses, shortcomings and beyond in order to get Glory that is rightfully His.

I can’t take any credit for the success of this book. Not because of the error on page 100 but the process endured to complete the same. It was all Him from beginning to end. I have faith that this story will impact countless lives, flaws and all!

What faults in your life do you amplify while discounting all that’s truly good and perfect? Stop doing that to yourself and praise your Savior for these imperfections. They serve as purposeful reminders that He can do so much even with these errors present. In fact, our flaws are often intentionally placed at the forefront, exposed for all to see. When success is achieved, we will remain humble and point upward to where our help comes from.

Soulful Sunday

Soulful Sunday – A Wake Up Call For Christians!

Many believers make Christianity look incredibly undesirable and not worth the conversion effort. The world looks upon us and struggles to see true benefits of walking with Christ.

With too many religious practices, limited reflections of how “fun” can be had and often appearing like the majority is barely making it, I can see why non-believers choose to remain just that! It does not appear corporately that the Body of Christ is prospering.

Now I’m not talking about mere material things. Although essential in life, this is the least of things I am referring to.

I’m referring to complete prosperity in the totality of man.

*Success in our relationships

*True redemption in our health

*Consistency in our conduct

*Overflow in our finances

Instead many of us are divorcing at the same pace as the world, are dying before our time, act as if we’ve never confessed the prayer of salvation and constantly struggle in lack or “Just Enough”.

We make it seem like the devil takes better care of his than God ever promised His children that He would!

As a result, the world struggles to respect our position and our purpose in the gospel. This is exactly what the enemy wants.

Christ indeed paid it all! So why are we not reaping all that He laid His life down for?

It’s our lack of FAITH!

It’s The words we speak contrary to His promises!

It’s the company we keep!

It’s the voices we entertain when we are alone!

Many of us need to REALLY try God at His very Word! Put a demand on Heaven and stop making Christianity look so unattractive!

Just think of what could happen if you routinely did the opposite REGULARLY!

Instead of giving up on your relationships and seeking the easy way out, Walk In Love with people until change comes.

What about writing and speaking out declarations over that illness DAILY while you do what you must in the natural regarding diet and exercise.

Challenge yourself to be a better representative of Christ in your character to win those who don’t believe.

Truly trust God with your finances by managing your money according to His plan and not your own which probably is not working anyway.

How much more would our Heavenly Father blow us away with His goodness when we truly activate FAITH? It’s the very element that keeps us from living that abundant life that He promised us.

Make a decision today to prepare to go into the new Year REALLY believing and trusting God. This cannot be done with mere words but also in action and deed. God has already done all that He will. It’s up to us to move and ignite in FAITH in order to see all His promises TRULY come to pass!

Until Next Time, Happy Sunday!

Soulful Sunday

Soulful Sunday – Tempted By Sight!

These last days that we live in have proven to be filled with difficult challenges, great disparity and corrupt with incredible immoralities. It is more critical now than ever for the believing heart to remain tied to The Savior.

He is the ONLY thing that remains consistent, unchanged, refreshing and true. Hope, peace, restoration, healing, abundance and so much more are a guarantee in Our Heavenly Father.

But because we live in flesh and face a spiritual enemy that lives to destroy our connection with God, we are sometimes tempted by the things we see.

I consider myself a strong woman of great faith. Yet, a few weeks ago I was challenged in an area that I allowed to affect me and I became tempted by my sight.

My 6 year old son suffered some symptoms that appeared asthmatic in nature. Neither I nor my husband recognized what he was going through initially. It started with a cough, runny nose and sneezing. Surly this was just a common cold for the whether swiftly changed from warm sunny days to brisk chilly mornings filled with dew in the air. The change was sudden and a bit of a shock for everyone.

Several days went by and my son’s symptoms remained. His cough continued and he told me “Mommy, I can’t do the big breath.” Yet I still didn’t get it and kept providing him treatment for a cold.

After a week, he developed a fever and seemed to be using his entire diaphragm to take simple breaths. His heart was racing uncontrollably and clearly he appeared distressed. That’s when I knew something was terribly wrong. As my husband and I took him to the emergency room, we remained for 5 hours and they could not get his symptoms under control. They admitted him to ICU and there he remained for nearly 2 days.

The enemy messing with my baby was overwhelming! To see him on a breathing machine with IVs in his little arm and not being able to feed or hold him affected me in a way nothing ever could. We watched numbers on him monitors rise and fall. Over 24 hours of unstable readings and no clarity on his condition I allowed my emotions to be toyed with.

My son shedding a river of tears due to being weary, hungry and scared were down right torturous to my very soul. I lingered by feeling absolutely helpless and would take his place if only I could.

There were periods throughout this 72 hour ordeal when my eyes indeed fell off my Savior. I was tempted by what my son was enduring and what I was seeing.

Our Heavenly Father commands us to keep our eyes on Him in every situation that we face. Any other action temps us to be ensnared by the enemy’s tactics. We will certainly begin to worry, doubt, become offended, say the wrong things and react with fear. These emotions are contrary to The Word of God.

The longer we keep our eyes on our circumstances, the longer it takes to be delivered from them all. No one purposely wants to prolong pain so the quicker we adjust our perspectives spiritually, we allow our Savior to go to work on our behalf.

I eventually recognized that the attack on my son was to get me questioning God’s power in my life. I shut him down by putting out a call to some warriors that I knew would stand in the gap with consistent prayer.

Within hours my son began to recover. He was discharged and returned to his normal self within days.

Are you facing a situation today that you keep looking at with your natural eye? If so quickly adjust your understanding and trust God! He is not taking too long neither is He ignoring your cry. This mentality is yet another trick of the enemy to keep you in emotional bondage with what you face.

Fight him by aligning back in faith quickly! You may not be able to do this alone so do what you must to regain your peace, your trust, your prosperity, your sanity and your future. This thing WILL turn around for your good when you no longer allow the enemy to tempt you by sight!

Until Next Time, Happy Sunday!

Inspiration, motivational, Relationships, Testimony, Wisdom

Racism-The Great Form of Evil

Like a great deal of my fellow Americans, my heart simply aches over the recent events that have taken place in Charlottesville VA. It’s a national disgrace and I’m struggling to see a United front in and for “We The People”. Leadership has also delivered a stance a day or two late leaving me wondering if the good for us all is truly a non-biased priority.

My personal experience and view points regarding the topic of racism runs painfully deep. I was once grossly affected by the matter especially as a youth.

Like yesterday I can clearly recall walking to elementary school with my cousins and needing to run through several blocks to safety or risk getting jagged edged rocks slammed in the back of my head. I eventually mastered dodging the blows but only after being wounded on multiple occasions. This was a daily sprint and no way around the confrontation generated simply because of the color of my skin.

In middle school, a boy spat in my face and called me an ugly nigger. I tried to chase him down in flip flops but never caught up to him. I was left feeling like dirt on the ground as his warm thick saliva oozed over my eye and down my cheek. To this day, I believe spitting on another human beings is one of the worst forms of insult imaginable.

Not long after that another approached me and asked me to perform a disgraceful sexual act on him. I remember feeling so frightened for it took him repeating it several times before I understood what he was asking. He was seriously vulgar and I was just about 9 years old.

Several more instances happened thereafter which I won’t disclose but I remember developing the learned behavior of prejudice by the time I was in high school. All of my insults came from caucasian males and I grew a racist distaste over the very site of them. I put them all in the same category and couldn’t fathom any good at all. As an extended result, I didn’t socialize, befriend or seek to get to know anyone that didn’t look like me. I made the assumption that any race outside of my own automatically hates me and I them.

By the time I was approaching 20, a life changing event occurred that melted away a very deep form of racist hate that had been growing in my heart for years. I had rededicated my life to Christ after hitting some tough places and moved to a neighborhood where most residents did not match my skin complexion. I was overwhelmed by how I was embraced but still had guards up looking for hidden agendas. The acceptance just couldn’t be true as I considered my previous encounters. 

Not long after that I befriended a beautiful Korean girl who had a Jewish boyfriend with the biggest heart I’d ever met. Truly the sweetest in my life up to that point. I genuinely grew to love them both and was blessed for these friendships. 

I made a point thereafter to not classify everyone simply because of the ignorance of a few. God healed my heart of the deepest form of hate and I purposely sought out opportunities to get to know all kinds of people who were also willing to get to know me.

Today my heart is completely open and longs for diversity in my relationships. I no longer find contentment in surrounding myself with only African Americans. In fact I prefer to worship with a congregation with a healthy mix of all kinds of people. My current church fulfills that beyond description and I have sisterly/brotherly like bonds that far exceed color lines. Our bond is spiritual by the DNA we share through the sacrifice of our common father, Jesus Christ.

It’s a beautiful experience and I would have it no other way. Adding God’s revelation to my adolescent ignorance as I matured showed me the true definition of love. Had I remained stuck on my initial experiences I would have missed out on rapport with some wonderful people. That would have been my loss for certain if I had chosen to remain oblivious.

I pray for our country and won’t give up hope that we can put our racial differences aside, bond together as humans and demonstrate respect instead of hate. Globally, those with a racists agenda are truly the minority and can remain as such if the majority commit to condemn their behavior as completely unacceptable! 

This may not come to pass in my life time but at least I’m living proof that with God’s love, even a powerful stance of racial animosity can be healed and conquered in Him. I’m living proof, He’s able.

Soulful Sunday

Soulful Sunday – Kisses From My Daddy


In my lifetime, I have experienced three forms of the sweetest kisses ever. My Maternal Grandmother gave me the longest kisses every time she saw me! I remember as a kid thinking at times that I wish she would stop, but as I grew older I looked forward to them. Now that’s she’s gone, I would do anything for one from her again.


My husband’s kisses still gives me chills after 12 years. His sweetest are those he offers for no reason and those given when he departs from me even if he’s just going to the store for 20 minutes. The ones he insists on right before we go to sleep are expected and comforting.

My son melts me with his sweet innocence like nothing ever has. His tiny precious little puckers turn my heart into a bowl of mush every time! I eat them all up for I know it won’t be long before he’s over being mommy’s shadow and little boy.

I am one of many millions who will never know the love of an earthly father. I can’t relate to conversations with women my age when they talk about their fathers and seeing that little girl in them emerge. I can tell it’s a unique experience that cannot be compared to another just like the three I mentioned above. For those who can relate to my story, the absence of what we never had is a feeling that truly never goes away. There is still a deep longing to be regarded even into adulthood as daddy’s little girl or boy. 

Acceptance can be difficult if one does not learn how God is a Father to the fatherless. His sacrifice should be leaned on and replaced by what will never be in the natural through the Spirit of Adoption.

Several weeks ago I found myself in prayer feeling like a lost little girl. I asked my Heavenly Father to hug me and kiss my tears away. By the end of the day that natural description I was looking for never came. But he showed up in the only way that He can – in the spirit.

He sent sweet little things over the course of two weeks that made the little girl in me recognize, smile, laugh and giggle.

The next morning He sent a butterfly. It was pure white. I was rushing to get coffee but couldn’t help but to pause for a long moment . I watched it flutter and play around a bush on my front lawn. It was the first I’d seen this season. 

He sent not one but two rainbows right over my house after a couple of summer showers. They were distinct with the most brilliant colors! Both were perfectly arched and set just for me. I had not seen even one in 4 years!

He sent the tiniest baby bunny I have ever seen up close and in person. It hopped right across my path out of no where! It was all alone and I watched carefully until he bounced away. Just the cutest thing ever!

He sent an exotic bird – Clearly out of its territory for I’ve never seen anything that magnificent in my neighborhood before. It swooped so close to my windshield while I turned a corner in my car and it’s wing span was breathtaking! The details of its rippled feathers was just a work of art.

No earthly father would be able to top that by far! I know for sure my Abba Father was sending me kisses from heaven! It certainly felt like it and I took it as nothing else but! 

God is more than willing; more than able to provide you with all the love that your neglected heart requires. Spend time learning how to hear His voice, how He moves and speaks to you specifically. He will show up in the most unique ways if you are paying attention. He’s a very good father and you are his precious child!

Until Next Time, Happy Sunday!

Soulful Sunday

Soulful Sunday – Used By Christ 

She was REALLY loud! Her voice deep, raspy and rambunctious! When I turned to get a better look at this seemingly unruly character, her appearance literally matched the description of her tone!

She was late with a nerve to be disruptive! These were all my initial thoughts and impression of the the stranger that walked into my weekly women’s prayer group. Those in attendance were mostly the regulars. I think we were all taken aback by the presence of this very unique visitor. 
As she signed in talking loudly the entire time, I felt the energy in the room shift in the same direction as my thoughts. What in the world? Who is she? Don’t she know better? Were again some of the extended thoughts obviously formulated by my flesh. 

One of the usual attendees left her seat to try and settle things down. As this unlikely guest took a seat in the back, she continued to make bosturious but Godly responses of Amen’s, Hallalujah’s and Praise God’s at every other statement our Pastor uttered.

It was obvious to me that going at this rate would interrupt the spiritual flow of the meeting. The nuisance may even prevent Pastor from being able to effectively minister. I was growing majorly uncomfortable and increasingly annoyed. Again in my flesh…..

Then, a still small voice said “She is my child, just as you are, comfort her and make her feel welcomed.” 
I knew it was The Lord because I felt resistance deep within. I sat there a few more moments and didn’t move. 

Then a flash back came to my mind. I attended a church over the summer and in the middle of the service a mentally disturbed man came in off the street. He began praising God and cheering on the pastor to preach. The pastor stopped and ordered two ushers to remove the man from the building. I was completely offended by the behavior of the believers! 

Didn’t Jesus minister to the sick, hang around with the unjust, raise the dead and heal the lame? Absolutely! He welcomed them all while religious observers stared, criticized and judged. I couldn’t get the look on the man’s face out of my mind for months thereafter. His look of pain and rejection was so sad and intense. No one tried to minister to him first before removing him. The effort was not even attempted. 

At that moment I wondered what Jesus would do with this woman in our midst if He were here in the flesh. The still small voice returned at that thought and said, “love on her”. I don’t like to be used (By means of being taken advantage of by humans), but if I must, let it be by the direction, unction and instruction of Christ Jesus!

Without further hesitation, I left my seat and walked to her. I threw my arms around her neck. I instantly smell an overwhelming aroma of alcohol mixed with cigarettes and perfume. I proceeded to whisper in her ear that we are so glad that she’s here and want her to stay. She began to weep and I asked if she wanted me to sit with her. She simply lowered her head and shrugged her shoulders. I knew at that moment that I must stay with her and I did. 

I kept my arm wrapped around her shoulder most of the time and gave her gentle squeezes or pats when she became too loud. She got the hints and apologized after each one. She cried the entire stay and often whispered “Yahweh, I love you!”

Although nauseously flooded by her mixed aroma, God kept me. I was even more overwhelmed with her heart. It was full of praise and genuine adoration for Christ. She may be struggling with alcoholism but it was clear to me that she loved, knew and depended on the same God as I. 
I missed the essence of the message that night as I prayed for this stranger. By the end of the night I was completely drained but felt honored to have fellowshipped with this sister and used by my Heavenly Father. 

Have you ever had an encounter similar to this one?

What did you do?

What did others around you do?
As believers, we must never reach a point where we forget what God has delivered us from. None of us have arrived! Without judgement, accusations, labels, or sneers, I couldn’t forget that I was once this woman in some shape, form or fashion. There are ministry opportunities all around us and God uses us to show His love to those in need. 

Represent and Let Him Use You!
Until next time, Happy Sunday!

Soulful Sunday

 Soulful Sunday – My Greatest F.E.A.R!


I sat talking to a friend who shared with me that a woman she knows in her late 30’s lost her life to lymphoma. She left behind a husband and 3 young children. I didn’t know her but the news completely broke my heart. I nearly wept while taking in the details. The thought of her babies waking up calling for her, needing her and looking for her is nothing short of devastation. Her husband longing for her and now faced with the incredible task of doing only what she could. I just don’t want to imagine the depth of it all….

The news chilled me as I watched my 5 year old son play near by. I realized that after waiting 22 years to obtain the title of Mother that a similar fate is indeed my greatest F.E.A.R! I can only pray that my Heavenly Father will allow me to see him through in the natural into adulthood. 

Those who know me understand how driven and intense I can be at times. I’m a goal oriented, future seeking, plan pedaling individual. I find that I am the most content when I am working toward achieving something. Life doesn’t feel lived just by allowing days, weeks and months to go by with no purpose in mind. I do aim to find balance in my quests and am thankful for the few who help me to do just that!

I accredit my current mindset mostly to my past experiences . Now that I finally realize how much of my life I’ve allowed the enemy to steal from me, I’m on a spiritual mission to claim it all back! My life and things I’ve survived cannot be in vain! My story must end with God’s Glory!!

I don’t want to Leave this life prematurely and certainly not before His will in my life is complete. Like everyone else, I’m clueless of the day or the hour when He may call me home. What I do know for sure are the visions into my destiny that are coming from no one else but my Heavenly Father. They are all His, for the images my flesh struggles to perceive. What I am seeing line up with His truths and they shall come to pass!

But none of this without effort on my part! I can shout, nod and agree with the Gospel but if I don’t do my part naturally, I limit His supernatural, predesigned favor on my life!

I MUST write the vision and make it plain!

I MUST seek in order to find!

I MUST trust and not lean on my own thought processes!

I MUST take care of my temple!

All of the above are actions and scripture based. I have control over this if I consistently choose. My life WILL NOT be cut short as long as I do my part and stay focused.

Are you making the most out of everyday you are blessed to see? What actions are you dedicated to working towards to help bring about your expected and desires end? Rest for a while is a requirement but we must all DO something in order to usher in our destinies. It just won’t happen without a fighting effort! Don’t leave this life full of the treasures God sent you here to give away. Doing so would make this F.E.A.R. a gross reality!

Until Next Time, Happy Sunday!

Book Review

Read This! Dreaming the Dream

This month’s book review is coming a day late but I don’t even know if what I have to say will serve enough justice! It’s entitled “Dreaming the Dream!”

This one, without question is a serious MUST READ! I picked it up at such an appropriate time and was completely blessed beyond description!

This book is an incredible collaboration of 8 exceptional women and men of God who will inspire their readers to walk in love, keep their faith and refuse to abandon their dreams!

This read was beyond timely for me as I have reached a plateau while walking such an uncertain path towards my heart’s desires. Something inside has been reignited after considering the content between these pages.

Here are some highlights! It is my hopes that they will tempt you to purchase your own copy so that you can experience the totality of all the wisdom this book has to offer!


Shawneya Ellis will challenge you to reexamine your life and do some serious pruning! There may be some deadly seeds that may have been deposited in you life. They are smothering and preventing you from experiencing God’s best! 

Romella Vaughn provides incredible wisdom on why it’s necessary for every believer to wait on God. Patience is truly a virtue! While we wait we must be in preparation, focus on healing, be patient, have no fear, be aware of distractions and Trust God through it all!

Kishma A. George will encourage your heart and motivate readers to use what they have! Be unique, authentic and never downgrade the gift and visions that come to you from the Lord! They shall come to pass; it has been declared!!

Pippa Ashley provides a moving depiction of the essence of love. She reminds readers of its purpose, importance, the way it should operate and move in the life of a believer.

Dr. Yomi Garnett boldly decrees on the necessity of a steadfast spirit that is essential in living out your dreams. Don’t wallow in your past rather learn from them. Preserverence is non-negotiable and if failure is experienced, its not over! Have faith and fight to be extraordinary!

Rodney Davis shares a powerful testimony on his personal journey towards reaching his own dreams. His story really ministered to me about how God loves using people with barren wombs to produce incredible outcomes!

Tammy Collins Markee encourages readers to be resilient towards the quest of walking towards your dreams. Like a powerful inferno we must keep our eye on the mark while maintaining a humble disposition as we represent him and understand that it’s His process.

Trina Bowers provides loving conviction on the importance of operating in loyalty in order to obtain favor in our own desires. At times we must serve and help others reach their own destiny before ours will come to pass. Selfishness not allowed!

These are just a sample of nuggets I personally obtained from this excellent read. Again I don’t have enough words to express how each one of these authors inspired me to change certain aspects of my spirit as I journey towards what God has for me.

Dreaming the Dream is available on Amazon.com in both paperback and kindle edition.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0991520289/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467333992&sr=1-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=dreaming+the+dream&dpPl=1&dpID=51WmOzkIcgL&ref=plSrch

Purchase, read, share and be inspired!