Daily Devotional – 7/8/19 “You got the power but …”

I’m going to say, well type this and it may cause some upset or it could allow you to look at self but however you take it, take it. You can’t keep getting mad when weapons form against you. You cannot keep losing hope when your patience is tested. You cannot give up every time the enemy try you. You can’t fight every person who wags their tongue at you. Truthfully, you can, if you want but how has that worked for you so far? Beloved, the word of God says in Isaiah 54:17, “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD.” Here’s the thing … how will you know the weapon won’t prosper if you keep cussing the weapons forming? How will you know you have the power to condemn those who accuse you, in judgment, if you don’t let them talk? How will you know the power of God’s vindication if you keep trying to fight folk yourself?

Baby, God’s word says in Mark 16:17-18, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” If you believe, Bible says, you’ll pickup snakes and drink poison and it will not hurt you. HOW WILL YOU KNOW THE POWER YOU POSSESS IF YOU DON’T EVER GET CLOSE ENOUGH TO DANGER? You can’t tell folk, the poison didn’t kill me, if you don’t drink it. You can’t testify, I was in the midst of snakes (I’m talking about folk) whom I hugged and held, and their bite didn’t harm me, if you don’t get close enough? How can you shout, I came out the storm if you curse every doggone storm that shows up? The trials we must face, isn’t because God ain’t got nothing else to do but test us. The trials and tests, heartache, pain, storms, loss … they happen to prove what God has promised. Stop cursing what God has sent to demonstrate the power you possess. You got the power, but it has to be tested, every once in a while.

WRITING IS NOT FOR WIMPS

WRITING IS NOT FOR WIMPS

I’ve penned this particular topic, a couple of times before and I thought I’d share it again.

WRITING IS NOT FOR WIMPS

Writing is for those who trust and believe in the process and timing of it all. See, writing takes hard work, patience, determination, passion, money AND courage. No, it doesn’t take some of these, it takes all of these.

I’ll tell you why …

1. Hard work – if you think writing is as easy as pulling out a computer or a notepad, think again. You have to come up with a story that makes sense, flows and is grammatically correct while sacrificing time you want to hang out, sleep, vacation and everything else. You NEVER give up!

2. Patience – it takes patience to build a following, to get people to believe in you, to make it to bestseller, to sell books and to see a return on your investment. You NEVER give up!

3. Determination – Who will work harder for you than you! (sing with me … nobody!) You have to be determined to make it even when the royalty checks aren’t enough to cover gas. You have to be determined, even when it’s been months and no reviews. You have to be determined to keep writing even when your first book is still ranked at 1,254.144 on Amazon. Which means … you NEVER give up!

4. Passion – Writing can/is be a career but it works better when it’s a passion, something you believe in. How do you know if it’s your passion? Your passion is something that you’ll willingly lose sleep over and something you will not give up on, especially when it gets hard. You NEVER give up!

5. Money – Here’s one that you might cringe at but you have to spend money to make money. From book covers, editing, promotion, ads, newsletters, gifts, etc. because Jezzy, the rapper said, “Scared money don’t make money.” Sometimes you have to take a risk, even if it fails, the first time. You NEVER give up!

6. Courage – You absolutely have to have courage. Why? Because you will have strangers reading your work and some will not like it. You’ll have folk combing through every word and scene with a fine tooth comb, leaving “constructive criticism” on a word you misspelled or a comma you didn’t place. Mane, you’ll have folk mad because your fiction story doesn’t seem real.  Writing takes thick skin but here’s the blessing … for the few who don’t like it, hundreds will. You NEVER give up!

Therefore, let me leave you with this piece of advice, don’t allow anyone to detour your dreams. It’s your story, tell it. Sure, writing isn’t for wimps but it’s worth it! Just NEVER give up!

— Keep writing 🧡

 

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A Little Encouragement – 7/1/19 — YOU GOT THIS!

I haven’t been lead to share a devotional, in the last few weeks but it doesn’t mean I’m not praying. This past week, when I took some time away from social media, I decided to create a prayer room. Notice, I didn’t say my prayer room because it is my desire for everybody in the house to use it (even though it has pink pillows in it .. LOL). See, I realize that being attached to social media can get overwhelming and tiring so I wanted to encourage somebody.

Do you! Be you! Love you! Laugh at you! Challenge you! Encourage you! Embrace you! Comfort you! CHOOSE YOU!

In other words, don’t allow anyone else expectation of you to be the driving force behind what you do. When you do, you set yourself up to be disappointment if you happen to fail. See, social media got some of y’all thinking you’re supposed to be married by now, with the baby and the big house, the foreign car, the expensive wig, the designer clothes and shoes and the 6 figure job but reality is … if you’re happily single, celebrate it. If you stay with your momma, 2 roommates or a cat; celebrate it. If you got to put water in your radiator, every day just to make it to work and home, celebrate your car. If you’re like me and will rock a $7.50 jumper from Family Dollar, celebrate it. And whatever your job is at the moment, celebrate it.

Ma’am, sir .. your purpose is your purpose and just because you haven’t fully blossomed yet, it doesn’t mean you won’t. However, you can’t give up during the season of sowing because then you won’t have nothing to harvest.

YOU GOT THIS!

Dear sister,

Dear sister,

 

I apologize for being the bearer of this gut wrenching news but …. You cannot be mad at ALL men simply because you’ve made the mistake of choosing ALL the wrong ones. In other words, stop making all men pay for the mistakes of a mistake.

Here’s the part that may hurt, even more … take some time to heal! You can’t do this running from relationship to relationship. Find YOU, love YOU and believe in YOU first before you give yourself to anybody, other than God. This means, you may have to spend some time by yourself and be okay with it.

Take yourself out – if you can’t spend time with self, you definitely can’t spend time with somebody else.

Boost your own confidence – If you don’t believe in you, how can you convince somebody else?

Love you – If you don’t know how to love you, how will you know when someone else does?

Not all men are bad and the one meant for you, will find you when you stop sabotaging you.

Sincerely,
A concerned sister who wants you to be happy.

 

 

Broken

Gwen was left broken and never dealt with the issues, so when heartbreak reared it’s ugly head, she almost didn’t survive.

Broken

Get your copy HERE

A Compilation of Christian Stories

New Book … well, sort of.

Box Set _ Promo

If you’ve never taken the time or had the opportunity to read any of my books, you’re in for a treat.

I’ve placed 4 of my best selling #ChristianFiction novels into ONE book!

Dear God
2:32AM
Chased
And my newest release Broken.

A great read for book clubs, vacations, long car rides, to drown out your baby daddy/momma, to stay awake in class, while you’re on break at the job, at the kid’s practice … well, you get my point.

Download it NOW!!

A Compilation of Christian Stories

 

Synopsis:

Dear God,

Hear my prayer because it feels like 2:32AM and I’m losing my faith. I’m being Chased by my past and fear has left me Broken. God; I want to do better, I desire to be better and I’m tired of feeling this way. Please God, I need your help. I need you to restore me.

Amen.

This box set of books is a compilation of

1. Dear God: Hear My Prayer

Jayme’s story of overcoming abuse at the hands of her stepfather, Pastor James Madison. She has to find her way back to God and it all starts with her saying, “Dear God, hear my prayer.”

2. 2:32AM

Charlotte feels as though her faith is being tested when her daughter dies, suddenly. She can’t make sense of the suffering, she’s having to endure so it causes her to lose her faith.

3. Chased

Pastor Magnolia Wright has been given an opportunity to serve God’s people but she’s fearful. Fearful of the thing that keeps chasing her … Her Past. Sure, she can preach God’s message, lay hands and pray for others but what happens when she’s the one in need?

4. Broken

Gwendolyn’s heart is used to being broken, by men. It started when her dad walked out when she was 13. Then she meets Jacque and his love was the thing she needed to mend her heart. Until he broke it. Now, she finds herself spiraling and she needs help.

All four of these books are written, from a place of hope and restoration. It is my prayer, you will find the courage to be healed and made whole, while not losing your faith in God.

A Compilation of Christian Stories

Happy Reading,

Lakisha

Box Set