Your girl is in a magazine!

A few months back, I had the honor of connecting with Mrs. Ann Marie Bryan who wanted to feature me, ME (queue squeals), in the premiere issue of Victorious by Design Magazine.

Can you say excited? Say it with me … EX-CIT-ED!!

That was me child because I’m simply someone who’s being intentional about her God given purpose. While I’m minding my good ole business, God is placing me on the mind of amazing women like Mrs. Ann. #workGod

I never thought I’d be a writer, shoot. I never pictured myself as a preacHER, author, blogger or anything else. Thank God, His plans for me outweighed mine.

Now, I get to meet people like you who support me release after release. (K, let me stop before I become a sobbing mess.)

Today y’all, the premiere issue of Victorious by Design is now LIVE and it’s FREE.

GET IT NOW!

You can get your digital copy of Victorious by Design HERE.

Once you do, be sure to follow VBD on all social media sites.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/victoriousbydes
Twitter: https://twitter.com/victoriousbydes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoriousbydes

Daily Devotional – 10/6/21 “Making You Ready!”

Sometimes we have to go through a period of confinement. A time of feeling like everything is being shaken up, yet nothing is settling. You find yourself up at night staring at the ceiling or feeling as if you’re alone. A time you feel stuck and not moving.

I’ve been there, asking myself hard questions. Am I the one holding me up? Am I fearing what’s next? Am I secretly hindering my own progression? Is it me? When will things change?

So, I cry out to God. “Father, will this end?”

Him replying, “Yes daughter, but this is your period of confinement.”

“But God, why do I need to be confined?”

His reply, “Because I’m making you ready.”

“Okay God, but why confinement?”

His reply, “To keep folk from taking credit for getting you there.”

I reply, “My bad God, I’m in your business.”

Let me help somebody today. You aren’t being overlooked, you’re being confined. Sounds crazy, but did you know one definition for confinement is the condition of being in childbirth? Baby, this blessed me and it made sense. See, you have to limit access because everybody can’t be in the delivery room and since you can’t make the hard decisions, God will.

Therefore, He’ll snatch us from people who’ll want to take credit for what you’ve struggled to birth. You’ll be in labor and they’ll be the one screaming. You carried and birthed what they’ll try to name. You haven’t even given them permission and they’ve already posted pictures on social media.

This is why God will take you from the grip of “mentors” who’ll gloat over being the reason you pushed. God will sever ties with those ‘spiritual mothers/fathers’ who desire to be on the birth certificate and they didn’t have anything to do with it. And since you don’t have the strength to cut them off, He’ll do it.

Yes, it hurts. Yes, it seems lonely. Yes, it may be a long process, but let God be God. Trust Him with you because you’ve tried everything and everybody else. And if nothing else, know this … You’re being prepared, not passed over. Stay the course beloved. Stay the course.

Devotional — 9/17/21 “Dear Life”

Dear Life,

Mane, you’ve thrown me a few curve balls lately. Just when I thought I had everything planned and things were starting to fall into place, you come and shake stuff up. I was happy then death hit my house, leaving me with pain in places I didn’t know could hurt. I was making plans then sickness showed up and sat me down. I was getting ready to travel until Covid-19 shut the world. I was finally getting out of debt, then I lost my job. I thought I’d dealt with the burden abuse left me with, but quarantine showed me I’d only covered it. I thought I was healed, but you showed me I was simply hiding. Car broke down, kids acting up, dog ran away, depression talking to me … If it isn’t one thing, it’s another.

Man, life. Will things get better? Will the storm ever stop? Will I heal? Will my tears dry up? Life, please answer because I’m tired.

Signed with a sigh,
Me.

Life replying …

Dear Me,

While I wish I could tell you every day will be easy, it won’t. Truth is, you must endure these parts of me as well. You don’t get to love me when it’s easy and leave me when it’s hard. We’re in this together. And stop blaming me, I’m only doing the responsibility of my job. For it was our creator whose authority spoke, “To everything, there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”

Yes, I show up without warning sometimes, bringing stuff I wish I didn’t have to; but it’s my job. I know it can hurt, but it’s my job. Yet, here’s what I also know. You’re stronger than you think you are. The gray skies of grief, they’ll lighten. The dark nights of depression, they’ll get better. The strong wind of woes, they’ll cease. The heavy downpour of tears, they’ll stop. Yes, you may lose a job, go through breakups, suffer through death, get sick, be lied on, fall, fail, or even feel stuck; yet you’re stronger than you think you are.

Here’s my advice, prepare for what you can and pray for what you can’t. Trust what you can see, faith what you can’t. Do what you can, let God do what you can’t.

It’s hard, some days, but don’t take any days for granted because one day, I’ll end.

Signed with the hope you’ll try again,
Life.

Midnight Prayer

Tonight, as I lay on the couch, I decided to share this again because somebody needs it. Maybe it’s you, the grandmother dealing with grieving grandchildren and cries silently while they sleep, the mother who’s weeping with the eviction notice in her hand, the father who is stressed out because he can’t find a job, the uncle who’s tired from carrying the weight of his family, the aunt who’s secretly fighting a sickness, the sister who’s been having thoughts of suicide, the brother who has seen more friends buried this year than in his lifetime, the cousin who is fearful of the call on their life, the niece who’s afraid to admit her sexuality, the nephew who’s hiding the fact he’s been sexually assaulted, the daughter who’s being bullied and the son who’s been abusing his wife … I’m praying!

I’m praying for the nurse who had to watch another patient die alone, the doctor who has to deliver news that another mother’s son didn’t make it out of surgery, the fireman who couldn’t save the grandmother’s house, the police officer who’s struggling with the job, the EMT who’s stretched thin, but can’t afford to quit, the lawyer who watched his innocent client take a plea to save his/her life, the pastor who’s trying to balance his/her family & church finances, the teacher who’s trying to figure out how to clothe the child, in her class, that’s in need, the business owner who thought about closing twenty times today, the delivery driver who had to pick up extra shifts to cover their child’s school fees despite being tired … I’m praying!

I’m praying for you, my brother and sister. I’m praying for your release, your healing, your strength, your faith, your joy to be returned, for the addiction to be broken, for you to love again, for you to be loved again, for you to heal so that you can stop hurting people, for somebody to take notice and stop the bullying, for your protection, for resources, for your prayer life, your personal life and for your spiritual life. I’m praying for your mind, body, and soul. I’m praying you survive this. I’m praying because you must survive this.

I’m praying for you, mane! ❤️

Devotional – 9/15/21 “Spiritual Labor”

On December 19, 2016, I penned a devotional titled, “Pre-term labor.” Lately, this devotional has been getting attention. I don’t know why, but maybe it’s because we’re amid a pandemic that’s causing you the downtime needed to truly hear God’s voice. Maybe you’ve been spending more time in prayer and feeling pressure you can’t explain. Maybe something is happening within you, spiritually, and the pain is becoming unbearable. Here’s the truth, you may be in labor spiritually.

Well Rev. Kisha, how do I know if this is what I’m experiencing? It’s a simple answer, really. You’ll only experience labor if you have something to birth. In other words, if you’ve been praying, if you’ve been faithful enough to believe God will answer and if you’re waiting in expectancy for said answer and now, you’re experiencing pressure and pain … you may be in labor.

What are the signs?

  1. Your baby “drops” – This is the thing God has allowed you to carry until the expected time of its birth. The business, book, ministry, after school program, mentoring camp, school to finish the degree, etc. is pressing heavy on your mind. You dream about it, see signs and the pressure to push is becoming heavier. Don’t be afraid, you’ve found favor with God.
  2. You start to dilate – For months or years, you’ve tried to get this thing off your vision board and into reality, yet nothing worked. Suddenly, you’re filled with ideas, people are contacting you and things are working in your favor. Yes, there’s going to be moments of pain, but it’s because room must be made to receive what you’re about to birth. It’s scary, but don’t be afraid, you’ve found favor with God.
  3. You feel more pain – Baby, there’s pain with every yes you give God and you can’t expect to birth something big without pain. Yes, it hurts but you’ve found favor with God.
  4. You’re emotional –Your life is about to change. You’re bringing something in the world you didn’t even think you were worthy of. So, it’s natural to be scared, excited, crying, thinking what if you messed this up, etc. It’s okay, you’ve found favor with God.
  5. You’re fatigued – Child, you’re preparing something that’s about to shift your household, break generational curses and leave a legacy for your family. You have a right to be tired because you’ve found favor with God.
  6. You feel the instinct to nest – You couldn’t figure out why you didn’t chase after those who walked away, this time. Why it was easy to delete the group text, throw away the pictures and move away from what was comfortable. You’re nesting. This means, you’re preparing the area to accommodate what you’re about to birth and it needs to be safe, welcoming, and rid of anything that can potentially harm it. Yes, it’s hard but you’ve found favor with God.
  7. You can’t explain the pain - Oh, you thought what you were experiencing was physical? No baby, you’re about to get what you’ve been praying for.

God asks, “Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?” says the LORD. “Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?” says your God.” – Isaiah 66:9

Congratulations, you’re in labor and I look forward to seeing and celebrating your blessing.