by Khojdeshia Denise | Jul 18, 2015 | Faith + Expressions
God has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3:11
Time. A four-letter word that means everything in life. Time is defined as, “an appointed, fixed, or customary moment or hour for something to happen, begin, or end.”(Merriam-Webster, 2015) In life, there is truly a time for everything, and I have come to learn that whether we are prepared or not, when that moment arrives there’s nothing that can stop what’s meant to happen at that moment. Time is truly a gift, when utilized properly it allows the opportunity to prepare for what’s to come. It is often the defining factor in whether endeavors succeed or fail. Especially, when we don’t allow ourselves to embrace the process that is vital to the maturation of our dreams, goals, purpose, and plans.
“God has made everything beautiful in its time.” There is an appointed time for all things to happen, begin, or end and when we allow God to prepare us for that time, we will see the results that we desire. We will see things happen in the way they were meant to unfold. How often have you have allowed yourself to move before it was time? What were your results and were they favorable to your desired outcome? Consider what would happen if you were to move your car into traffic before you had the right-of-way, before the light changed, and gave you the signal that it was time to safely proceed. In the same way that you wouldn’t move your car into the danger of bustling traffic, you should exercise the same caution when pursuing various endeavors in life. Timing is everything!
Fear. A different four-letter word that can have profound effects on the very trajectory of your life. It can derail your plans and hold you back from your goals, dreams, visions, and greatest aspirations…if you allow it. I know, because for many years, honestly for as long as I can remember, I allowed some element of fear to control me. I realized that it was the element of the unknown and my desire to control outlying factors that grounded me. That weight held me down and kept me from fully pursuing ALL that God had for me. Then one day, I read a quote by T.D. Jakes that I’ve since started to see everywhere in some variation or another. “Feel the fear and do it anyway!” That day, life changed forever. I realized the time had come for me to face my fears and do what was necessary to fulfill my purpose; in spite of the fear I felt.
When you allow yourself to feel the emotions necessary to fuel your dreams and plans you can truly be unstoppable. In the same respect, when you allow an emotion as daunting as fear to hinder you, you can disfigure your life in ways that some never recover from. Time is fleeting, and with every passing minute you have the opportunity and responsibility to defeat fear. Take it! Every single chance you get.
Believe in the unknown. Not because you fear it, but because you EMBRACE it! Believe there are many good things specifically set aside for you-even if you can’t physically see them yet. Everything won’t always be a fight or a struggle, but know that you are prepared to deal with either. Have some confidence, good things can and will happen for you; furthermore, understand that these things will come to you in the time they are meant to, and not a moment before. These things are for your advancement and your purpose to show you that there’s beauty beyond pain, beyond failure, and beyond mistakes! The lessons that you are yet learning are for your good. It’s never about what you’ve “lost” and ALWAYS what you GAIN, because what’s meant for you will ALWAYS find a way! Never stop picking up jewels along your journey. Wisdom and discernment are granted to those in a position to handle them. Rather you believe it or not, you had to experience it to truly learn from it! So, believe in the lessons, believe in yourself, but most importantly believe GOD! With your whole heart, trust that you are ready for a time such as this.
You ARE ready for this!…It’s time.
by Torrie Oglesby | Jul 2, 2015 | Learn + Grow
I imagine when God was creating Kiersten, He looked at her and said “I’m going to give this one an extra dose of strength, zeal and compassion.” I also imagine little tiny embryo Kiersten looking up at her Creator and asking “Why?” and then God just smiling at her and laughing and saying “Oh, you’ll see.”
Kiersten Homalon lives a life of truth, love, and a hunger to know God and share his love with the lost, the broken, and the invisible. The first and most important crown she wears is Daughter of the King-Jesus Christ. Her eagerness for the word of God and the heart of God is contagious. It’s the fuel behind all her passion and all her desires. God is at the center of her being and you see the character of God breaking out of every seam of her life. Secondly, she’s a mother and a wife and wears that crown with all beauty and humility by constantly learning from her husband and her baby girl and leaning on God for guidance on how to do both roles the way He intended for her. Between being a servant of God, a wife and a mother she also manages to be a loyal and dependable friend. The kind of friend who doesn’t just say “I’ll pray for you”, but actually stops her entire life to say a fervent prayer on your behalf. She has this amazing gift of hospitality that makes you feel at home with her the moment you are in her presence.
On top of all of that, Kiersten is an entrepreneur who owns and operates her own business called Essence from Eden Hawaii. Her company offers vegan, organic and wholesome products. From essential oils, to body wash, facial soap, natural teething remedies, lotion, shampoo, teas and so much more! If you live in Hawaii, she’s also a lactation specialist and qualified to do placenta encapsulation. Amazing, right? It doesn’t stop there! Even though her business is fairly new, she contributes 10% of all profits to Beauty for Ashes Uganda, a charity helping women, especially single mothers and widows, to reach long term sustainability for themselves and their families.
Kiersten is the true definition of a girl boss and a super woman! Starting with herself, her home life, and then pouring it out into the world for the world to receive more goodness. She’s shining her light and making the world a better place by living out her passions and following the desires God has placed in her heart. When I asked Kiersten what’s one piece of advice she would give all young and aspiring women her response was this:
“I would say, surrendering expectation. From everyone, even ourselves. That’s when the Holy Spirit can really move organically and POWERFULLY in our lives.”
May we all learn to surrender expectation a little more every day and may the life of Kiersten Homalon inspire you to go after whatever desire God as placed in your heart and to wear each crown you hold with all humility, bravery and passion.
Shop at her store by visiting www.essencefromedenhawaii.com
With love and big smiles,
torrie
by Torrie Oglesby | Jul 2, 2015 | Faith + Expressions
Let’s face it, sometimes being around negativity is out of our control. Whether it’s in the work place, your college dorm, family life, or maybe even your own thought life bad thoughts and situations happen. So what do we do when we are faced with negative situations or people? Here’s a list I’ve compiled to help you deal and react with negativity better because how we react is how we win the battle!
- POWER scriptures
The power of words is amazing! When a negative thought, negative situation or negative person is invading your space say out loud a positive scripture that immediately fights the negativity and puts it in its place! One of my favorites is Philippians 4:8.
- POSITIVE music
The minute I turn on fun and positive music I immediately stop thinking on the bad things, people or situations and feel as light as a feather as I begin to sing along to some pop song or worship song! This is great to do at your desk with headphones on, if your work place is where negativity tries to affect you.
- PUSH it.
After having a hard day or when you’re feeling down about yourself sweat it out! Go to the gym, do a home workout, go for a walk or turn on some dance music and dance a little. Whatever you prefer, get your body moving. Research shows that working out increases endorphins (your brains feel good neurotransmitters) which in turn improves your mood and leaves you with a better outlook and not to mention it benefits your body!
- PRAY or meditate
Quieting your mind and focusing on the bigger picture is such a huge part of prayer and meditation. When I take a minute a pray and talk to my heavenly father it’s truly meditation for me. It helps me to turn off all lies, frustrations and pains and turn my spirit to Gods goodness and peace. After taking a minute to pray I feel restored and renewed and prepared to fight any negativity that might come my way.
- PLACE yourself outside.
Literally, get a breath of fresh air! Step outside and soak in vitamin D! If you live close to the beach or mountains take a swim or go on a hike. Being outside recharges our bodies. Joy McCarthy tells us in her book Joyous Health, that a large study in the United Kingdom recently showed that green space is a powerful mood enhancer and improves self-esteem and your overall happiness. GO OUTSIDE and recharge!
With love and BIG smiles,
torrie.
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by STRONG | Jul 2, 2015 | Learn + Grow
do good. It is a philosophy founded the principle that we each have power. We are leaders who can positively create change and impact the world. We just have to believe in ourselves and do it!
It’s also a Biblically-based concept. 1 Timothy 6:18-19 says: Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
The principle is also deeply rooted in our history. Shirley Chisholm, activist and leader once said service is the rent do for living.
But what does doing good look like in practice?
1. Find your purpose
Doing good is more than just volunteering it is using your purpose to create change in the world.
Ephesians 2:10 tells us: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. God has already prepared us for what we are to do. We just need to find our purpose. You must ask yourself:
– What has God called me to do?
– What is my passion?
– What is the one thing that continues to follow me, the thing I can’t shake?
2. Align your purpose with your good works.
Once you find your purpose and align your purpose with your good works.
3. Give deep.
Understand the needs of the those you are serving. Think about the your giving in this way: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Is your giving teaching? Is your giving helping to eliminate or significantly reduce a community issue?
4. Partner.
Partnerships can help you:
– Expand your reach.
– Increase your credibility and visibility.
– Maximize resources.
As Big Momma said in Soul Food: “One finger…don’t make no impact, but you ball up all them fingers into a mighty fist and you can strike a mighty blow.” Make a mighty fist and strike a blow by developing partnerships to reach your goals.
5. Share how you are giving.
Once you develop your personal giving plan, share it and encourage others to give. I’d love to hear from you on how you are giving and how deep your giving has gone. Email me at bea@beawilliams.com
by STRONG | Jul 2, 2015 | Faith + Expressions
Let’s get started:
Regardless of our background, the family we were born in, or our social status, we have a gift readily available to assist us in moving towards whatever we desire to believe for.
This topic is a one that may appear to some as a simple term –many say they believe, but this word requires work. We really can believe for something that has not yet become tangible in our hands.
What does it mean to believe?
The definition of the word BELIEVE, is to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so.
Only if one believes in something can one act purposefully.
2. Trust yourself. Trust the voice inside your heart.
Anything that poses a positive impact, brings about good, challenges the status quo – is ok to trust. Good things will never hurt others – so if you are not brining discord or harm to anyone including yourself, trust yourself.
Learn to know when things are moving you toward something greater. We get better at this over periods of time.
3. Believing is an area that many of us struggle with because what we desire to see may not have physically appeared in front of our eyes.
4. When we choose to believe despite all negative self talk we move forward in allowing what we desire to see gravitate freely to us.
When we believe with our heart we send a clear message to the “thing” we desire to move towards us.
Others may not believe with you. You must know that this is something that you want so bad that having an entourage believing with you is not a requirement, but; when we truly gravitate towards the “thing” – people we need will appear and begin to walk along side of us.
5. Believing fuels success.
Believing requires deliberate action. We must renew our thoughts, address negative talk, make adjustments and ignite inspiration for the things we believe to happen for us.
6. Believing requires trusting.
If we do begin to get discouraged, listen to the thoughts that are being spoken and if after listening to the voices that say; “it will never happen”, “your time is gone”, “you messed up before”, and we feel that settling is ok – then that will continue to be the theme playing and we will place the thing that is gravitating towards us on hold, or it will become a missed opportunity. BUT, if we choose to think positive, speak positive, surround ourselves with positive thoughts, and embrace the journey, which seems like an extremely lucrative alternative for us rather than giving up on the thing(s) we believe for.
Before we can see the “thing” we desire in front of us, we will be tested with a life event of some sort.
Believing with a time table is very good. It’s even better when we allow time to work something fulfilling inside of us.
Believing requires patience.
When we believe, others will believe too.
Before we can expect anyone to believe with us, we must believe before anyone else, it’s our dream, our purpose, our vision not others.
Believe that it’s already yours.
7. Trust timing. Sometimes we have a vision of desire and we think it will happen one way, be flexible to the process of attaining the vision of dream but do not become doubtful because of delays or redirection. They are both tremendous gifts to the process.
Believe that what you desire to see is worth the fight.
Believe that all of the right pieces will fall into place.
Surround yourself with people that believe with you. Allow those that God desires to gravitate towards your purpose to come to you. Seeking out people own without His direction may cause unnecessary weight.
To believe and soar in what we desire to attain requires us to have “light weight.” This does not mean that you ignore, or not have love and compassion for your friends, family and the issues that they face, it means that we do not allow those things to cause our mind to lose focus and become blinded because of everyone else’s issues.
[Recap Of #STRONGTRUTHTUESDAY chat on @strongchatlive]
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