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Destiny’s Dilemma

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Why did men always show up in twos? Why did she always have to pick?  She hated being home, but the male attention she was getting wasn’t too bad. There was a handsome white gentleman who chased her all over town. then there was a good looking Negro who made her smile every time he showed up. But right in the middle of it, life happened. Zo had to decide would she be a woman of principle or a woman who took what she wanted.  She would have to learn to make their racist intentions work for her.

Destiny’s Dilemma is the book of the month. It is available on Amazon and Books2Read.com

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Part of Moving To Something New

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is leaving something behind. I think about the things I am going to miss, like pulling up to the Sonic drive-thru or working the camera at church. These things have become part of who I am, and the good news is God is still writing that story.  This gives Him the right to edit.

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I think about the people I won’t see every day and the fact that some of you are moving out of my life for good. We assume we have an eternity with each other. We don’t so we should make the most of the time we do have.

I have learned that God isn’t going to fill up something that is already full. So. He takes things away

Moments like this give me the opportunity to really value the people and activities which make an impact in my life. Some of these things will be hard to let go of, but I look forward to how they are replaced. And one of the really cool things about God is He always sends little snippets of what I can expect.

As I am on my way to the table to meet a good friend today for lunch, I ran into someone else.   This woman is on my A List of people. Here daughter Amy is one of the biggest cheerleaders in my life. God sent Barbara Love by today to give me a hug and encouragement.  It was so sweet running into her today. God keeps confirming those strong BSF foundations in my life.

Today I got to have lunch with a person who was my hero in college. I remember watching her as an undergrad and thinking I want to be like her when I grow up.  And the cool thing about today is we spent the time talking about the future instead of reminiscing about the past. We acknowledged the challenges that are ahead of us but see more of the adventure that is to come.

We talked about the skills we have picked up over the last couple of decades and how we can use them more wisely.  We knew the world had changed drastically since we were in college.  We discussed how we as older women find ourselves in a place where we have a lot of knowledge but need to create new paths to distribute it. We encouraged each other.

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God knew who I needed to meet with before I started this new journey and He knew what would be the outcome.  When a sister is on her way up the ladder, she has to stop and take inventory of where she is.  Knowing where I am, helps me know what I need to let go of, and what I need to keep.

 

I Knew What I Wanted To Be When I Was 10

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I knew what I wanted to be when I was 15. I knew what I wanted to be when I was 21. I knew what I wanted to be when I was 25.

None of those things were the same thing.  I ended up doing those things and many more.  Let me be honest. I have had a great deal of fun, but seldom have found satisfaction.  Many times we do things in hope that it will satisfy us, but usually end up void. After many years of struggling and finding new things to do, I found the remedy for it all.  One of the most powerful thing I learned is Psalms 32:8.

I often think about Abraham leaving his family and going with God. I am sure it was a frightening proposition to go face the unknown. Some of the places God has taken me have been cooler than anything I could imagine, and some of the places have been “What the heck?” One of the first things I learned about God was He is more interested in my character than my comfort. I mean I started to learn that if I was too comfortable,  what I was doing wasn’t from God.

When God is your guide, He often takes you along the scenic route.  I don’t ever remember getting anywhere quick or in my timing.  I mean somethings have taken decades to get to, but He is faithful.  There are also detours along the way.  If you do not stay connected to God these detours will slay you. You will think God has lost his mind or doesn’t plan to do good for you.  Sometimes we get in our own way, like Sarah giving her handmaid to her husband to make a child.  I got in my own way so many times, God stopped telling me what was going to happen. He just led me. I learned to shut up and follow.

You have to trust Him that the path He takes you on is the best path for you.  I admit there were times I would ask “What are you doing? This is crazy, God!” I have had some of the craziest jobs, but I can see how each experience has taught me more about the Creator of the Universe.  Sometimes people get stuck because they have not learned what God needs them to learn.   I am reminded that David spent 16 years learning how to shepherd all the crazy odd people before he became king over the entire nation. I have to remind myself that God created me and knows me well. This means He knows what I need and when I am able to learn it.

Another thing I learned about the Father is that He always puts me in a situation where I need Him. I can’t do it without Him. But the beautiful thing about this is that it will stretch you beyond your limits.  You will learn about yourself and the God who created you.  It will take you in new directions. He turned one of my deepest fears into something I love dearly.  Only a God who knows you well can do that.

I hope you will stop faking it and focus on what seed God has placed in your heart. Allow Him to take you on an adventure that will make your life satisfying.  As my sister says,  You only have a few moments left on earth, use them on your mission. Stop wasting time trying to buy a new home, car or vacation. Connect with your purpose for life and that will be more than you can even imagine.  Trust the Lord with all your heart and don’t lean on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)

Books of the July: Privateers

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So there is this young woman who hates herself and her life. She finds what she thinks is true love, only to realize she was being scammed. And to top it off, he tries to kill her.  Even though most of her wants to find a hole to hide in, a part of her wants to fight back. She just doesn’t know how.

In the first book, Privateers, Claire has her first encounter with these pirates who can move between space and time. More importantly, one of them wants her dead.  She has to figure out how to catch them and stay alive.

In ReCovery, book four, Claire is in the process of transitioning from the calm quiet life of an accountant to non stop empowering life of a private investigator.

8, 9, and 10 of my 17

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Here are some more of the things I accomplished in 2017.

8. I learned to create digital art.  This was not easy nor did it come quickly. I changed colors, added images, deleted images and even created some from scratch. More importantly, I learned to look at it as digital art. I worked with Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.

What I learned here is that you have to create your own path and don’t get side tracked by what other people can do. Do you.

 

9. At first, I was intimidated at the thought of creating light photography.  And my first few experiments did not work out. But, when it did work out, I loved it. Learning to do this photography was a blast. I enjoyed the experimental aspect of of itand trying to get the light to do what I wanted it to do.

 

10. I learned to photography with an Alien Bees Flash Unit.  This flash creates a flash of light that separates a subject from the background making the image very crisp. But the real learning happened when the Alien Bee didn’t work, but I still needed to created portrait studio quality images.  I learned to manipulate the settings on the camera to give almost the same quality of image. It broadened what I could do photographically.

 

I learned a lot in 2017. It made me a better photog and gave me the opportunity to take some amazing photos.  I also added new depth to my art.  If there is something you are really good at, look for some ways, maybe even unconventional, to add depth to it.  It will allow you to look at the world around you with new eyes.

Peace and Hairgrease

A Different Type of Christmas

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I love Christmas and it is my most favorite time of year. Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you this girl loves Christmas.  By this time I have usually finished Christmas cards and got them in the mail with my Christmas Letter and Christmas Photo. I would be half way through Christmas shopping and planning who I will be celebrating with.

This year there are no christmas cards, no christmas photo, no letter,  no presents, no parties and no shopping.

There are two finals, 1 photo project, 1 drawing project, a couple of photo packages, an unkept home and a cold that will not die.

BUT I still love Christmas. I mean think about this. The Creator of the Universe loved us so much that He came down from heaven to see about us.  He didn’t try to keep His apartment in heaven. He didn’t go home to heaven every weekend to kind of help Him get used to our ungratefulness.  When the choice came for Him to lose communication with heaven, He gave it all up for us.  We were important to Him.  (How can you not fall for a man who will do that for you?)

I love Christmas because He didn’t come on His terms, He came on ours.  He came as a human baby raised by human parents. He dealt with poverty, rejection and death. When He says He understands what we are going through, we believe Him. We got a wonderful counselor, a mighty God, everlasting Father and a prince of peace!

I don’t have to shop for this. I don’t have to send cards.  All I have to do is accept the free gift He offers and spend eternity with Him.

I do have a Christmas tree which reminds me that even though it is strong and sturdy, it is the lights that give it the beauty.  The same is true of us. We may be strong and sturdy, but it is Christ’s light in us that give us our realy beauty.

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I love this season and how it changes people’s hearts. I hope it changes your heart.

Merry Christmas

I.Love.God’s.Word.

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I really mean it.  I know many of you wonder why I spend so much time at bible study.  Because there is nothing more enthralling to me than when someone gets up to speak on a portion of scripture I am familiar with, yet they are able to help me approach it from a new direction.  Ms. Lisa Harper tore me up today teaching on patience and waiting.  But the moment that floored me. How you spend all your time praying for something, and when God give it to you, you complain about it.

You see we learned earlier today that grumblers and complainers died in the wilderness not able to reach the promiseland.

I am so glad I have friends who love God and want to get to know Him better.

As I sat in the room with thousands of women, I couldn’t help but think of the one woman God used to change the trajectory of my life. I had never encountered anyone who loved Jesus like she did. I wanted some of that.

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I have done 10 of her bible studies. Believing God was my favorite because it taught me to take Him at His word. It gave me courage to walk in the purpose He gave me.

I have not been disappointed in Jesus, but in some of the circumstances faith has led me to.  I have learned that God is far more interested in my character than my comfort. He always uses His word to remind me who He is.  He will have my pastor at church, my weekly bible study homework and a weekend conference I just happen to attend quote the same verse to let me know that He can do exceedingly beyond all I can imagine.

Today the teachers and preachers taught us that words are powerful.

For me: Doubt dies unborn if it is never spoken.

To quote and old bible study

God is who He says He is

God can do what God says He can do

I am who God says I am

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me

God’s Word is alive and active in me 

I am believing God

(Believing God Five Statement Pledge of Faith)

 

 

 

Broadening My Vision

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Over the last 90 days I have expanded my view as an artist. I have learned how to do new things, but also strengthened my current skill set.

The funny thing is when I was making goals for this year, none of these new skills were even thought of.  That thought makes me truly excited about all of the things I will learn next year.

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I achieved about half of the goals I had for this year.  The truth is lots of things in my life changed, but it changed for the good.  I am always amazed at this time of year when I sit and review. I look at all that I have done and it floors me.  God is good.

It is very important to write down the things you want to accomplish.  That list will remind and encourage you to make those things happen.  It will also help you cut down on the distractions in your life.  Those are the things that come along and are good things to do, but they don’t really fall into plans for your life.  They distract you from accomplishing the plans God has for your life.

Make 2018 a year like no other in your life.

First, write down a list of things you want to accomplish in 2018.

Second, pray over that list everyday.

Third, keep that list in a prominent place. Maybe create a folder for it.  I keep a list of overall goals, but also one that has specialized goals, such as financial, spiritual, etc.

Fourth and Final, get out of your own way. Sometimes we don’t accomplish stuff because we get in our own way. We don’t believe we can do something.  We would much rather believe the negative things people say about us, rather than the beautiful things God tells us about ourselves every day.

God places desires in our hearts that He longs to accomplish through us. Believe Him. I am doing things I never dreamt I could do.  It is fun.  Trust God to take you on an adventure that will change your life.

 

 

Are You All In?

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or are you sitting on the fence waiting to see which way the wind will blow?

In today’s sermon, my pastor discussed how it can be deadly to just pretend to be all in when  you just trying to look like other church folk.  In Acts chapter 5, Ananias and Sapphira wanted to look like  good church folks.  They even had their lie together so whether you questioned them together or separate, you would get the same answer.

What they failed to realize was that God knew their heart and their game.  It cost them everything they had thought they gained. Are you building up treasures in the right place?

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We only fool ourselves. God is not surprised by our actions.  It is kinda like those lights above. The white lights are rising above the fray.  There are some white lights mixed in with the colors. They look like they are all going the same direction. But. They. Are. Not..

Darkness and fake light does not fool God. He sees right through to your heart. It is our hearts that decide if we are all in or not.  Pray for a responsive contrite heart. It is a battle everyday to lay it down and not pick it back up.

Lets remind ourselves of Joshua’s words in chapter 24:  Choose for yourself this day the one you will worship. As for me and my family, we will whorship, Yahweh! Joshua 24:15.