Lakisha, the Author

Daily Devotional – 5/30/14 “Psalm 23”

“You Lord are my Guide and I want for nothing. You allow me to rest my weaken spirit in green pastures and lead me to peaceful waters to drink when I thirst for your word. You restore my weary soul while leading me along the right path to honor thy name. Even when I have to walk through dark valleys, I shall not fear because you are always near to comfort me with thy rod of comfort and staff of protection. You prepare a table for me in the midst of my enemies that fill my spirit, you raise my bowed down head with your anointing and fill my empty cup with blessings. Surely, your love and mercy will follow me as long as I follow you and I shall dwell in your house forever.” (Lakisha’s version)

So tell me again why you are worried? God is your guide, follow Him. God gives you rest and He even quenches the thirst you have for Him, take it. God can restore your soul, let Him. If God is there when you have to go through, why aren’t you going? God prepares a table with a feast of everything you need and then lays it out in front of your enemies to show them who He is, why haven’t you taken a seat? God fills your spirit so why is it empty? God raises your head, why do you insist on bowing it down? God fills your cup with blessings but you have to turn it over. Don’t you know that God’s love, mercy, guidance and grace follows you, then why are you looking back? All you have to do is believe in Him and allow Him to be your guide. Once you do this, everything else falls into place. God has his part; accept your role, learn your lines by studying His word and then play your role.

Daily Devotional – 5/29/14 “Don’t hang up!”

Yea, I’ve been telling you the last few days about the power in calling on the name of Jesus but please understand this … when you call on Jesus, the enemy hears and it’s his job to make sure you hang up before Jesus answers. You know how it is when you call someone but you hang up after the second ring because you get impatient and don’t want to wait, well it’s the same way when calling Jesus. You get impatient while the call is going through because you expect Jesus to come the minute His name leaves your mouth. Oh but it doesn’t work like that. See, in the midst of your calling, you may have to go through some things. In the midst of Jesus answering, you may have to deal with some folk. Yea, while you’re calling you may be wallowing in your worries, partying in your pity, drowning in your depression, sinking in sin, bound by bankruptcy, maintaining misery, suffering in sickness, accepting addiction, being held by chains of your circumstance, jailed by judgment, neglected because of your name, guided by grief, cast out because you chose Christ, walked over because of God’s word, discarded because you’re devoted and made to feel guilty because you’re using your gift but don’t hang up! Hold on to your faith while you wait on Jesus to answer. Yea, the fights with the enemy get harder but don’t hang up. You may even be fighting in your own home but don’t hang up. Folk on the job may be acting crazy but don’t hang up. Children looking and sounding like strangers but don’t hang up. Bills outweighing your money, don’t hang up. Getting paid and it seems like you’re paying them to work, don’t hang up. No matter what you do it’s never good enough, don’t hang up. Your name stays in someone’s mouth with lies but don’t hang up. See, when you hold on until Jesus answers (like I said on yesterday) things start happening. When you hold until Jesus answers, everything you’ve been through would have been worth it. Sickness would be worth it to get to your healing. Falling would be worth it when you stand back up brand new. Crying would be worth it because it has now washed the dirt from over your spiritual eyes. Lied on is worth it because you’re now lifted. Being talked about is worth it because it’s your testimony now. Don’t hang up because the fighting is getting harder, it just means you’re favored.

Daily Devotional – 5/28/14 “Have faith when calling!”

When you call on the name of Jesus with the faith that it’s possible, you’ll quickly find that it’s possible. For Romans 3 tells me that I am justified by faith. Romans 3:22 tells me, “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.” See, it doesn’t matter about the color of your skin because we all look alike on the inside. It doesn’t matter about the type of car you drive because we all have to take the same route to see God. It doesn’t matter about the kind of house you live in because the one we’re destined for was designed by the same man. It doesn’t matter about your bank account because our tickets home cost the same. Baby, I’ve come to realize that none of what you think matters actually matter because when we call on the name of Jesus and we have the kind of faith Abraham had, thangs start happening. Yea, when you call out the name of Jesus, in the midst of your storm, not only does it end but it ends at the right time with everything that you’ve been asking for being given to you. Oh when you shout the name Jesus, your enemies run. When you shout the name Jesus strongholds are destroyed. When you shout the name Jesus, the rocks that were about to be thrown your way crumble. When you shout the name Jesus, sickness begins to heal. When you shout the name Jesus, addictions are cast away. When you shout the name Jesus, new paths are designed. When you shout the name Jesus, knives that once cut you won’t even leave a scratch. When you shout the name Jesus, your household is fixed. When you shout the name Jesus, gifts are governed accordingly. When you shout the name Jesus, burdens are replaced with blessings. When you shout the name Jesus!

You don’t have to take me at my word but take God’s word because the bible tells me in Romans 4:13 that the promise to Abraham came because of his righteousness of faith and not because of law because where there is no law, there is always faith. This is why Romans 4:16 says, “This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace, to guarantee it to all the descendants–not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of Abraham’s faith. He is the father of us all.” Have faith in whatever you go through because then when you call on the name of Jesus, strength appears; when you call out the name of Jesus, joy is returned and when you stand on the word of Jesus nothing will be able to crack your foundation! All you have to do is have faith when calling!

The Wedding Blog Tour

Butterfly Book Promotions Presents…

The Wedding Blog Tour

Camille Anderson has been dreaming about her wedding with Trevor Williams since she first laid eyes on him in her driveway 18 years ago. Now that her dream is coming true, she doesn’t want anything to interfere with her special day. But when issues surrounding her parents, an office scandal and Trevor’s nosey cousin come into play, Camille wonders if her dream day will go up in smoke.

Trevor Williams doesn’t want anything to go wrong with his wedding with Camille. He wants to do everything perfectly; but when he is faced with an important decision, he soon realizes that not everything in life will be the way he wants it.

With the issues that are surrounding them, they soon have to re-evaluate the love they have for each other and most importantly, the friendship they deeply cherish.

EXCERPT….

Chapter 1: Camille

August, 1996

“Camille, you
better get a move on! Tia will be here any minute!”

I rolled my eyes
towards the ceiling at my mom yelling in the hallway. I knew Tia was on her way
over. She called five minutes ago letting me know she was.

“I know, Mom! I’m
trying to find my sandals!” I yelled back.

The two of us,
along with her mom, were heading to the mall to buy new clothes for
school. Since a new school year was
starting soon, my parents gave me some spending money to shop. Normally, my mom
would take me, but since she had a huge project for her job, she asked Mrs.
Simmons if I could tag along with her and Tia. I think she really wanted her as
reinforcement to see what types of outfits I would pick out so Mrs. Simmons
could report back to her.

After searching
through my room for a good 10 minutes, I was finally able to find my tan sandals.
I slipped them on, looking at myself in the full-length mirror. I couldn’t
believe in a matter of days, I would be heading to eighth grade. This time next year, I would be in ninth
grade. I couldn’t believe it! I wish this year would just hurry up so I could
start my journey in high school.

I looked at the
green dress I was wearing, wondering why I chose such a hideous color. I hated
anything green, so I didn’t know why I bought it. I guess because I loved the
dress so much. I spun around, letting the full skirt twirl and did another
inspection of my appearance. I sighed, grabbed my purse and went
downstairs. Once I got down there, I
went into the kitchen and took an apple from the fruit bowl. My mom looked at
me as she stuffed a couple of papers into her briefcase.

“Took you long
enough. What were you doing up there?”

“I had to make
myself even more beautiful. You didn’t want me going out of the house dressed
any kind of way, did you?”

My mom smiled and
put her glasses on. “Of course not. If you did, I wouldn’t let you leave. Now,
I trust you to pick out appropriate clothing for school, okay?”

“Of course, Mom.
See you later. I love you,” I said, giving her a kiss on the cheek before
heading out the door.

I went towards the
driveway, taking in how beautiful the day looked. The only thing that would
make this day better was a breeze or two coming in. Hopefully, Tia and her mom
would arrive soon because heat and I definitely did not mix.

I continued
standing outside when I noticed a tan Suburban pulling into the driveway next
door. I stared intensely at the vehicle, curious to see who my new neighbors
were. The SUV had been coming back and forth to the house since this morning,
along with moving vans and loud noises that woke me up from my peaceful sleep.
Whoever it was probably wouldn’t peak my interest anyway. It was probably some
older couple who I would never see because they never left the house.

I started to
become impatient waiting on Tia. I stood on the heel of my sandals, rocking
myself back and forth. I looked over at the house again, and my entire body
stiffened. My breath was caught in my throat as I stared at the guy stepping
out of the Suburban. He was absolutely gorgeous! I checked out his appearance
from head to toe: ivory-colored skin that looked so smooth, jet-black hair that
was wavy and looked shiny in the sunlight. And the best part – he was wearing
the jersey of my favorite player from the Houston Rockets, Hakeem Olajuwon.

He looked over in
my direction with a bright smile that showed his pearly white teeth. His smile alone made me melt.

He turned around
and looked at an older man, which, from the similar features, I assumed was his
father. He smiled at him, then walked my way. I suddenly became nervous and
wiped my sweaty palms onto my dress. Hopefully, I didn’t leave any stains.

“Hi,” he said once
he approached me.

“Hi,” I said
shyly, wiping my hands on my dress again.

“I noticed you’ve
been staring at us from the time we pulled up to now, so I wanted to introduce
myself. I’m Trevor Williams,” he said, offering his hand.

I
smiled and put my hand in his, giving a firm shake as I stared into his brown
eyes. Even his eyes were dreamy.

“Camille Anderson.
I guess we’re neighbors,” I replied. Then I thought that was the dumbest thing
ever to say. Of course we’re neighbors; I didn’t have to remind him of that.

“Yeah, I guess we
are. So, do you usually stand outside and keep a watch on the neighbors?”

I blushed and
realized I probably had been staring at him for a long period of time. I guess
I couldn’t help it.

“I’m waiting on my
friend and her mom. We’re heading to the mall for school shopping.”

“Cool, there’s a
mall nearby. Well, I will definitely have to ask to tag along one day, if
you’re interested.”

Definitely, I thought. “So where are you moving
from?”

“Across town. My
dad just got a manager’s position with Cadwell Bank, and since it’s in this
area, he wanted to be closer, so here we are.”

“Cool. Well,
welcome to the neighborhood.”

“Thanks. So, what
school do you go to?” Trevor asked.

“McKinney.”

“That’s where I’m
going. I guess it makes sense since it’s in the neighborhood. What grade are
you in?”

“Eighth.”

“Same here. Maybe
we’ll have some classes together,” he replied.

“That
would be great,” I said with a bright smile while looking at his jersey.

“So,
I see you’re a Rockets fan.”

“Of
course! I am from Houston, so why wouldn’t I be?”

“There
are a lot of people who live in Houston and like sports teams from other
cities.”

“I
guess that’s true. I know this may be a dumb question to ask, but do you like
video games?”

I
rolled my eyes at him and smiled. “Why because I’m a girl?”

“Well,
yeah.”

“Don’t
let the girly exterior fool you. I play them every once in awhile. In fact, I
just finished playing Tekken 2 yesterday.”

“Really?
I’m playing that game now.”

Before
I could say anything else, Tia’s mom pulled up. Tia stuck her head out of the
passenger side window with a surprised look.

“Hey,
Camille. Who’s the cutie?”

I
blushed again, and Trevor gave a huge smile.

“Tia
Marie Simmons! Get your head back into the car!” Mrs. Simmons yelled.

“Well,
I guess that’s my cue to leave. It was nice to meet you, Camille. I’m pretty
sure we’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”

“Yeah.
I’m counting on it.”

Trevor
smiled as he looked at me one last time before heading back to his house.

Sheena Binkley first discovered her love for storytelling when writing her first story for a class project at the tender age of nine. Since then, she has composed several short stories and numerous tales that are not only engaging, but simply entertaining. She is also a freelance writer, penning articles on various topics including education and entertainment. Besides writing, she loves reading, shopping, and spending time with family and friends. She lives in Houston (where the weather is always unpredictable) with her husband and son.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/2d93343/

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7092860.Sheena_Binkley

https://plus.google.com/+sheenabinkley

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Daily Devotional – 5/27/14 “In the name of Jesus!”

In Acts 3, there was a man who was lame (from birth) and considered a beggar. Now, every day he would be brought to the gate called Beautiful so that he could beg from the people entering. On this particular day he encountered Peter and John and of course he did what he knew to do, beg but Peter replied, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. (Acts 3:6)” See Peter could have given him what he was begging for but he would have been back at the same place, at the same time the next day begging again so instead Peter gave him healing in the name of Jesus. Yea, Peter or John could have given him what he was begging for but he gave him, in Jesus’ name, the use of his legs that he’s never been allowed to stand on. Yea, Peter could have reached into his bag and handed him a few pieces of silver but they wouldn’t last like his healing would. Yea, he could have given him what he asked for but instead he gave him Jesus. Jesus; who doesn’t spoil like milk or mold like bread. Jesus; who won’t ignore your phone call, deletes your text or come when it’s convenient. Jesus; Him whose name can shake things up and make things happen.

Oh, in the name of Jesus! See, I may not be able to get it with my name but in the name of Jesus doors open, applications are approved, promotions are granted, sicknesses are healed and chains are destroyed. In the name of Jesus; mountains are climbable, obstacles are movable and past mistakes are wiped clean. In the name of Jesus your minimum wage job allows you to live a maximum life. In the name of Jesus your 12 year old car is still drivable. In the name of Jesus your marriage is still surviving and strong. In the name of Jesus you’re still able to work even though man said you should be disable. In the name of Jesus … If only I could feel the feeling that beggar got when Peter pulled him up and his legs didn’t give out. If only I could hear the praise he shouted walking into the temple on the feet that now worked. If only I could have witnessed the power given to Peter for he proclaimed in Acts 3:16, “And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.” Why don’t we have this kind of faith to speak things in Jesus name when His name has the power? I can only imagine how much better we would be when we really believe in the power of the name of Jesus and use it!