Friday, November 25, 2016

Cheap Christmas Shopping Haul + Try-on

Just in time to get that Christmas shopping done... Don't break the budget this holiday season!!!! Click here for some tips and ideas on how to get that new Christmas wardrobe for pennies on the dollar!!!!

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Jealously is a Robber


Jealously is a robber….

It robs you of connections…it robs you of friendships… it robs you happiness…it robs you of your own strength…it robs you of security… it robs you of your self-esteem, self-worth and your image… Jealously robs you of being your best self! 

Jealously is a robber…

Jealously steals the destiny and the purpose of the innocent and guilty alike… The innocent often allow others to stagnate their growth for the sake of saving {face}.  And the guilty cannot grow because they too busy hindering the growth of the innocent…In the end jealously wins because neither of them are able to fulfill their destiny and purpose! The Song of Soloman 8:6 states that love is as strong as death and jealously is as cruel as the grave… Yes, jealously brings death to your destiny and purpose!

Jealously is a robber….

So why do we allow it to creep into our homes, our marriages, our friendship, our jobs, our ministries and the like? I know why… I have been there… We allow it {meaning jealously} to come in and rob us because we do not have the courage to face the TRUTH!   And the truth is that {We Want} what {They Have}, but we don’t have the {Faith}, the {Courage} or the {Power} to believe that we can obtain just that and more!  And to make matters worse, we allow {Pride} to rob us of seeking their wisdom and guidance on how they got there!  So now our initial fear and insecurity teams up jealously and pride and creates in us a green-eyed monster that steals, kills and destroys our hopes, our dreams and our ambitions!  We cannot {Thrive} because we have given jealously the power to {Drive}!
 

Jealously is a robber….

Competition breads jealously…. I started competing in pageants as a little girl… I remember getting dressed at home and thinking that I was the cutest thing on the block!  When I arrived at the auditorium, I was surrounded by a sea of beautiful girls that all had beautiful dresses… Because I didn’t have a good self-image… I began to tear down others… {Her eyes looks like Elsie the cow....Her lips are as big as spaceships…That purple dress must have been borrowed from Barney}But when my opportunity came to hit the stage and the lights, camera were waiting for my reaction… My tearing them down did not build me up! As a matter a fact what was really in me manifested…Fear, low self-esteem and rejection!  When I look back on those pictures… I can see it all over my face! I allowed jealously to rob me of that moment because I was competing with what was around me instead of what was in me!    I was a pageant competitor until I was 25…and at my last pageant, I was crowned Miss United States Sophisticate.  I remember taking off my heels after the strap broke…thinking I am tired of the competition!  You see the competition didn’t start and stop at the pageant, it carried over into every area of my life! Competing with friends, competing for men, competing for jobs…. It was draining!  I knew there was more to life and I was determined to get it!

Celebration and Separation Conquers Jealously

When I started the process of being free from a spirit of jealously; there were two things that I had to do. 

#1- Celebrate others before jealously set in.

#2- Separate myself from those who breed {jealously}! 

Let me take a second to expound on #2!  Yes, there are people who breed jealously.  They actually get their energy, their  power and their motivation from others being jealous of them!!! These are the individuals that talk about themselves 25/8, they are inconsiderate and purposely say and do things that make you feel worse about yourself/your situation.  For example… You tell them that you had to forfeit buying a new dress because you had to pay unexpected bill… And their response is that they went shopping earlier that day and pick up that {same} dress {because they liked it too}, two Louis Vuitton purses and six pair of shoes… Don’t get me wrong, they have every right to buy what they want…But a true friend would have offered some encouraging words instead of jumping on the opportunity to {breed jealously}.

So that's why I had to separate myself from those individuals while I was in the healing process… They too needed help, but I couldn’t help anyone until I helped myself! 

Okay, let’s go back to #1… Celebrate others before jealously set in.

By making a conscious effort to do this… I was eventually able to do this even in the scenario that I described in #2.  I mean… When I started celebrating the successes of others..it really became a stepping stone for me to see that success was possible!  It was kind of like the old childhood game that I used to play outside… called Punchinello…

 What can you do,

Punchinello, funny fellow?

 What can you do,

 Punchinello, funny you?

 

We can do it, too,

 Punchinello, funny fellow,

 We can do it, too,

 Punchinello, funny you!

 

You choose one of us,

 Punchinello, funny fellow,

 You choose one of us,

 Punchinello, funny you!

You see to play the game all the kids would stand in a circle. One child stands in the center as Punchinello.

In Verse 1 - Punchinello makes motions while other children sing. In Verse 2 - Children forming the circle around Punchinello imitate motions. In Verse 3 - Punchinello chooses someone to take his/her place.

I began to realize that while I was singing Punchinello was moving and after I finished singing… I had the opportunity to imitate the move that Punchinello had just made…

You see in life we are very much like this game. When you see the Punchinello’s in your life achieving their goals and successes just sing… Celebrate with them!  Eventually, opportunity will come for you to imitate the move that they just made.  And as you keep on praising and celebrating God will pick you to be front and center and you will be able to bust a move that is uniquely you.. And there will be others watching and waiting to imitate you!!!

There is nothing wrong with imitation!  God made us in His image and likeness… However, the problem comes in we allow jealously to cause us to try and duplicate and not imitate! 

When you duplicate…you try to be….When you imitate you try to be like… There is something about their ways, their personality, their style that you like… and you incorporate those “likes” into your own! There’s a difference!

I pray that this post will bless somebody, somewhere that is striving for better!  Remember, jealously is a robber don’t be its next victim!  Protect yourself by separating and celebrating!  You will find that celebrating them will bring elevation to you!

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Victory is Only a Second Away


Last year, during our annual New Year’s Eve, Minister Tamara Joy Scott released  this word from Amos….
Amos 9:13-15 {The Message (MSG)}
13-15 “Yes indeed, it won’t be long now.” God’s Decree.

“Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won’t be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once—and everywhere you look, blessings! Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills. I’ll make everything right again for my people Israel:

“They’ll rebuild their ruined cities.
They’ll plant vineyards and drink good wine.
They’ll work their gardens and eat fresh vegetables.
And I’ll plant them, plant them on their own land.
They’ll never again be uprooted from the land I’ve given them.”
God, your God, says so.

As I mediated on this word, I also begin to reflect on the Alabama versus Auburn game that took place over the weekend. It only took one second for {tides} of the battle to turn in their favor… I remember looking at my tv screen in disbelief… thinking, {WOW},  now that was fast!

And then I began to meditate on the word that God gave us in Amos again this time last year… “Yes indeed, it won’t be long now.” God’s Decree. “Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other…..” 


God wants to bless us just that fast… But we must be in the right position to receive the provision that He has predestined for us!  That moment for me was not about luck… It was about the importance of being in the right place at the right time with the right people and getting the right results… It was about not giving up or not preparing to go into overtime; when there is still now time… It was about holding on to the hope of winning…when everyone has around you has doomed you for defeat! 

If you follow me… you know that I am really not an avid football fan. I do sports because I want to be able to create memories with my husband… So this for me is not about a college football game… It was about real life and being able to see and receive a message through any messenger.
I have been holding on to this word and believing God for a head swimming blessing all year… But I have yet to see it manifest in the natural… I have believing God for jobs for friends, healing and deliverance for family members and breakthrough in my spiritual physical, mental and financial life… and I have yet to see it manifest in the natural… Yes, I have experienced some trickling here and there, but not the full manifestation of the rivers that He wants to flow in my life.

So, I thought to myself, God… I am ready… I am really ready for a head swimming blessing.  I want things that you promised us in Amos! 

Promises from Amos

1.      Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. {Before I can walk through one open door…. Another will open… And then another…Leading to a path of open doors…. I receive the key of David {according to Isaiah 22:22}!  May your blessings rest upon my shoulders!

2.     You won’t be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once—{I receive the bountiful blessings that you are pouring into my life… I thank you that every seed that I have sown, prayer that I have prayed and words that I have confessed are manifesting… Everything is maturing at once.  My harvest is here… I am reaping something new every day.  I will need help to gather all the crops that are coming in the form of {speaking engagements, new opportunities, witty inventions, investments and appointments}.

3.     and everywhere you look, blessings! {Lord, I thank you for the eyes that you have given me to see the blessed side everything that I look upon… I thank you for the eyes to see areas of untapped wealth in a time of famine}.

4.     Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills. {I receive the streams of blessings that you have granted to us… Blessings that are flowing from the high places; because You have allowed our gift to make room for us and are ushering us into the presence of great men}.

5.     I’ll make everything right again for my people Israel:  { Lord I thank You, for I am Your Child, and you are making all things new in my life because I choose to trust and obey You}.

6.     “They’ll rebuild their ruined cities. {Father I thank you for rebuilding the destiny changing connections that I have ruined in my life due to making poor decisions. I thank you Lord that every cancelled appointment is being rescheduled, every late appointment is on time and every missed appointment is in remission.

7.     They’ll plant vineyards and drink good wine. They’ll work their gardens and eat fresh vegetables. {We are eating and drinking the good of the land… Everything is fresh… Everything is new…Everything has life…}

8.     And I’ll plant them, plant them on their own land. {You are giving me a land that you have predestined just for me}...

9.     They’ll never again be uprooted from the land I’ve given them. {And I will never have to endure the hell, the frustration, the rejection and the pain that I have endured up until this point in my life… My mind, my emotions, my will are fixed upon You.  And because I am anchored in You Lord… I will never have to be uprooted again}.

10.God, your God, says so. {And it is so, Amen}!

 

Father, I thank you for this word and this revelation!  I am holding on to it because I know without a shadow of a doubt that you are going to fulfill it! You said that Your word never returns to you void…

So no matter how many giants I have to fight, champions that I have to defeat or enemies that I have to face…. You don’t need a year, you don’t a month, You don’t need a minute and you don’t need a day!  Lord You have shown me that, “Victory is only a Second Away!”

 

 

Monday, November 4, 2013

Why I Create

I was recently asked why I create... After giving it some thought... Here is my answer... This is a must read for all women... If you NEVER READ ANOTHER STATUS OF MINE... READ THIS... I PRAY THAT IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE AND PERSPECTIVE ON CREATIVITY.

All women are made to create something…. Some of us are crafty, some of us are artsy, some of us are sewers, some of us are designers, some of us are artists, some of us are entrepreneurs, some of us are cooks, some of us are stylists and some of us are fashionistas…. Whatever your gift may be it is one that coerces you to create.  Now the problem occurs when women don’t have a creative outlet….

When women do not have a creative outlet they are forced to create something {because we were made to create}.  We create drama, we create rumors, we create gossip, we create jealously {because we see other women doing what we don’t have the courage to do}, we create envy, we create deceit, we create backstabbing, we create bad relationships with men, we create hurt, we create pain, we create boredom, we create depression, we create anxiety, we create low self esteem, we create a lack of self worth, we create ways to self destruct and we create walls that are a wedge between us and our destiny and purpose because we refuse to create what we were created to create by the Creator!

Creativity can be a blessing or a curse… Positive or negative….A launching pad or an anchor…. I challenge  you today to tap into your creativity and cause all the confusion, catastrophes and calamities in your life to cease!!! 

Create something some positive and watch the Creator work in your life like never before…. Create something positive and watch the happiness, joy and fulfillment that will flood your life like never before.

And that is why I create….

Thursday, October 31, 2013

My 30 Day Journey to Physical, Mental and Spiritual Fitness: Day 8 thru 30 + Update


I would like to start by deeply apologizing for seemingly falling off the face of the blogland right in the midst of My 30 Day Journey to Physical, Mental and Spiritual Fitness…. If you would give me just a few more minutes of your time… I promise you that I will make my best attempt to set the record straight point by point…
  1. Somehow in the midst of the Blogger system updates, I was unable to post in blogger using my hotmail account. After doing some preliminary  research I thought that it was an issue using my company computer; so I continued journal for a while but I lost motivation after not being able to post and reaching my fitness goal.
  2. Yes! I did reach my goal, but it was short lived.
  3. Read #2 again… I learned that reaching, obtaining and maintaining Physical, Mental and Spiritual Fitness is definitely a journey and not a marathon.  It takes everyday to maintain this level of fitness.
  4. I am going back to square one and implementing ways to make this a way of life for me!  I will share them as I journey along the way….
Do I still have your attention… I do???? Wonderful!!!! Well, I have since learned that one must possess a gmail account to log into to blogger and that I really miss blogging… I really miss sharing my thoughts and ideas and all that has been going on in my life! 
This lil’ ole piece of the bloggy world houses so many precious moments in my life and I have got to get back into the habit of capturing them here…

Now, that we have all of the preliminaries out of the way I would like to share a few exciting things that have happened in my life since I last posted!!
  • My brother-in-law got married and I was able to fit comfortably in my dress on the day of the wedding!!!! What a feat and the wedding was absolutely stunning!
{Photos taken by Appear Photography}
 
  • Robert and I celebrated our one year anniversary Ochio Rios, Jamaica.
 
  • I have literally been on a bargain shopping kick and found some unbelievably amazing deals!!!!
 
  •       Our new home is shaping up nicely…..
  • We celebrated our 26th Church and Pastoral Anniversary {I had to so the tablescape} and my mom visited our home for the first time!!!
 
  • And last but not least… I am ready for the holidays!!!!!



 

It feels so good to be back!!!!  Let me know if you are still out there???   Role call!!!

Until Next Time,

M’Shonta

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

My 30 Day Journey to Physical, Mental and Spiritual Fitness: Day 8

I woke up this morning rushing to Facebook to wish my dear little sister a happy birthday only to realize that it was the 21st and not the 22nd!  Ha!  What a relief and a prime example of what my week has been like.  I am still in expectation…I believe that something good is going to happen in my life! 

It’s actually happening now… Change is always good when it is for the better … I must admit that the change that I now desire will impact my life immensely.
I have a very full day ahead of me… So I don’t have time to belabor this point… However, today I am back on course to change!  And it feels so good!


Until Next Time,

M’Shonta

It is my hope that sharing this will be useful to someone, somewhere who desires change… Be blessed and follow me on this journey!

For the Mind:  The true measure of a man is not how he behaves in moments of comfort and convenience but how he stands at times of controversy and challenges. - Martin Luther King Jr.

For the Body:  Drink 8 bottles of water. Walk 5 miles. Don’t eat after 6.

For the Spirit:  The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. -Proverbs 24:16 (NLT)

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

My 30 Day Journey to Physical, Mental and Spiritual Fitness: Day 7

This week has been quite a challenge and it’s only Tuesday!  I am not sure why, but when you commit to change-challenges always seem to cling along. 
Physically and mentally, I am exhausted. This will make the 3rd day in a row that I didn’t get to work out!  I have had extremely early mornings and very, very late nights due to delayed flights and prolonged work days!  Managing what I eat has been even more challenging, as the choices have been rather limited.  However, I have managed to maintain my commitment towards drinking water and getting as much sleep as my time has permitted. 


Tomorrow seems to be a bit more promising and I can see a glimpse of time that I will be able to complete my five mile workout and still be in bed at a reasonable hour. 

I must admit that it would be impossible to do all that I am able to do in day without the help of the Lord.  My spiritual life is the only thing that keeps me sane…keeps me seeking…keeps me going…keeps me joyous….keeps me creative and keeps me at peace.  I really don’t know what I would do or where I would be without my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 
Nevertheless, I must push pass the challenges and through the commotion and get back on my track to change!  I will not be SIDE TRACKED on my journey to physical, mental and spiritual fitness.  I am fully committed to change.

Until Next Time,

M’Shonta

It is my hope that sharing this will be useful to someone, somewhere who desires change… Be blessed and follow me on this journey!
For the Mind:  When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change…  -Paulo Coelho
For the Body:  Drink 8 bottles of water. Walk 5 miles. Don’t eat after 6.

For the Spirit:  " We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair .. 2 Corinthians 4:8 (NIV)