Humility At Its Finest

Many times we look to relationships like: Beyonce and Jay-Z or Kim and Kanye. Not realizing that they are not the epitome of a real relationships. I personally look up to people like my parents, and many of my parents married friends who are like Aunts and Uncles to me. But recently a couple that is new to me has definitely shined a bright light on relationships for me. Stephen Curry and Ayesha Curry. The first time I even witnessed Curry was in Game 1, and when I saw his game I knew he was great. But what made Curry different is that he gave God all the glory for each game he won. This makes him a lot different than the other players. For instance, Lebron who had an interview, and acclaimed all his skills to himself.

To Continue, after Game 1, I had to see who this Curry character was, and I stumbled upon his wife’s instagram and began to scan her page and her bio, and the first word was “believer.”

I know you want me to get to the point and explain why I look up to their relationship. Well here is the answer. God comes first in their relationship and just from instagram, and the news I can see that clearly. I read an interview that was done on Mrs. Ayesha and she was talking about how faith was at the front of her household and relationship, and I could not have been happier. They don’t downplay their Christianity.

Another article talked about how they did not want Curry to express his faith, and it talked about his story, and how he got to where he is now, and that is his faith in Christ, and he exemplified that. I didn’t see Curry cussing out any of the refs or the other team, he was was humble when he lost, ecstatic and humble when he won. Regardless, Curry still gave thanks to the one who truly got him there.

Not only are he and his wife great examples, but they are a great example for their little one Riley, and will continually be great for the one on the way.

Shout to Curry and the Warriors on the Win, and on the Humility. We need to see more teams like this (Lebron get together).

Judge Not

The issue of the Caucasian woman who for lack of a better term, posed as an African American is hot on the news right now. I needed to come and state my opinion on such a matter as this.

I have no problem with her portraying herself as African American, I had a bigger problem with her lying about her true race, but it’s a compliment nonetheless.

I find it a bit hypocritical ,my Black people, that we are totally okay with Caucasian people literally burning their flesh (tanning) to get darker, but when she changes her hairstyle a bit and is actually doing more for our people than our people are, a problem arises.

If you want another example. A lot of African American/ Black people have an underlined thought to want to be white. Lets take a look at the apparent Queen of Music, Beyonce. Now if you ask me she is the epitome of an African American person wanting to be white. She wears the blonde hair, which could be considered as something more under the Caucasian race. Rarely do you see true African American people with blonde hair. Beyonce could be looked at as trying to be white.

Does it really even matter what Race she truly is? I believe it matters not her race, but what matters is that she is doing things for a culture that kills one another, and sometimes tries to keep their fellow black person down instead of building them up.

Before you start complaining about a woman that made such a powerful impact, think about yourself first. Are you walking around with your natural hair or skin color?

Matthew 7:1 -3 states, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?”

Before you begin to judge someone for “trying to be black,” take a lot at yourself,

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO BE?

(please feel free to comment and leave thoughts and opinions, those are free.)

Re-Evaluation

I feel like I have been on a blog sabbatical and truly I have. I took time to re-evaluate, make “big girl” decisions and come back with a little more knowledge. This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the “Fearless” conference.

Fearless meaning that fear is not absence, but in fear you still continue to push forward. (Example: You have a white sheet of paper and there is a black dot on the paper. Yes, the black dot is there, but that should not stop you from drawing the best picture. The dot might always be there but it does not control you.)

I felt like a lot of times the word fear comes out of my mouth way more than it should. I felt that it was necessary for me to just take a 21 day fast from the word and of course there are a lot more elements to the fast, but the main being to stop using the word fear in my daily vocabulary.

Fear is not in control of me, it won’t stop me from doing any of the things that I once feared.

-Fearless is not the absence of fear, but the continuity factor while fear is still present.-

Take Another Second

The issue of Baltimore…

I was not going to comment it, until these pictures showed up on my twitter timeline.

The comment was something along the lines of, ” Anyone see a difference? Hint: One the two actually worked and changed history.” A girl went on to rebut that, “If the first picture changed history why is the second one needed.”

Her comment made me reevaluate my life for a quick second, only to lead me here.  I am all for protest. Things do need to be changed. Our African American men, women, and children need to stop being beaten, and killed. But…What is destroying the cities we live in doing exactly? I feel as though this method of protest is doing nothing, but destroying the very things that people like Martin Luther King Jr. marched for us to have.  Him and many others got beat, battered, and killed so that in times like this we can walk down the street together and make a change.

All that destroying things is doing is causing the law enforcement to bring more force, bring out more guns, and protect themselves. Now, please don’t take my words as though I am agreeing with the way that they are treating people, but this is so much more than a ‘BLACK’ issue. It is not even a ‘WHITE’ issue, but a Nation issue, a ‘US’ issue.

Simply put, we as a nation have failed to do the very thing our government strives for: JUSTICE and FREEDOM.

I will stand for what is right 100%, but when you begin to take out your frustrations on the very things that my ancestors, your ancestors, have marched for and fought for then that is when a problem occurs. I feel as though my grandmother would be rolling over in her grave, not only at the killings and deaths, but at the fact that they already fought for us. SO fighting physically, and destruction should not even be a method.

Me being a Christian, would simply pray. Ask for those that I am closest to, to hold my hand and open the heavens with prayer. To go sit in Baltimore and pray. To go sit in Chicago and pray. To go sit in Ferguson and pray.

I leave you with this:

1 Timothy 2:8 says: I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling.

Take A Second

I have not blogged in a while, but I felt the need to this morning. I got onto Facebook which in itself can be the worst thing ever. But I get on there and see people complaining about their life. I would say that I was highly irritated while trying to fully wake myself up. Many people, like myself, complain about the job, the money, the people, and life in general.

…But what happens when your life is taken away from you in minutes?

What happens when the life you complained about crashes?

First and foremost, the bible says in Phillipians 2:14 to do things without muttering and disputing.

Now while I am blogging about this I am in constant thought about how I am this person. I have spent years on end complaining about everything due to my attitude.

I complained about school, and freedom. Now that I am older, and can look back at that.  I am not proud of it,  because complaining is about self.  Also, maybe a day or two ago someone called me selfish. I won’t go into detail as to why, but when they did it made me aware. Normally, this would have made me a little salty. (I thank God for my growth and maturity over the years. Maturity does not have anything to do with age, but with how day-to-day situations that would once cause a bad reaction, now cause a more mature/adult reaction.)

This is why I have been doing this positive challenge for months on end, because at any point God can shut me up. In Numbers 11:1-4 it states: And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.

I am saying all of this to say that there are people out there with little to nothing. They are struggling just to eat dinner that day, and we are on social media complaining about how our PAYING JOB had a rude customer come in or our bosses had us messed up today.

Friends, family, and children of the most high, take into account that there is more to life than complaining about our own problems 24/7. We all know that God will never give us more than we can handle, so there is a lesson in each problem we face.

I leave you with this:

1 Thessolonians 5:18 says that in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

The Needed Push

To be impressionable can be a downfall. Doing things that close friends do, due to being around one another constantly. This was me at the beginning of 2015. I’m finding out who I am, and at any moment I can start ‘becoming’ other people. I guess I lost me for a split second. Don’t worry I am back now, but I brought this up for a few reasons. One being, this weekend I will be leading a small group at a conference. When I was asked, I felt fear and excitement immediately. I want to be able to leave these girls with what God wants me to give, so that their souls can be stronger. 

I have asked myself daily, how can I make them stronger if I don’t feel stronger?

It was brought to my attention that, many things have been placed into me since I pretty much left the womb. Things like scriptures, biblically important people and most of all, the strength to do the work of the ministry. I guess there are no more reasons except this. In my fear, I decided to find strength. God put me at CLC-NWI for a reason. And in everything I do and in every push that my pastor gives me, I refuse to push back, because of fear or because I lose myself. 

In everything that you do remember that God has His hand on you and His hand on your life. He will push you outside of your comfort zone so that you can grow in Him. In pushing you, He is always there to catch you when you fall.

I leave you with the scripture Deuteronomy 31:6:

        ” Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified of them, for the Lord your God goes with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you.”

-Peace to you-

Fresh Start

Ways to start your day off fresh:

1. Make up your bed. Making up your bed is a great way to let yourself know that a new day has started.

2. Read a scripture. Reading the word and feeding your soul, is just as needed as feeding your stomach.

3. Eat a well balanced breakfast. Health is important no matter how small or big you are. Healthy is the way to go.

Tip: always take your things out the night before. It takes the hassle out of the morning.

Run It

Rap Adventure

Before you listen to my little song clip let me just give you a background on me music, and this new adventure I am exploring.

Ummm. I am very musically inclined, or just very artistic. I love all types and forms of music. It excites me. So yesterday while just chilling at home I figured I would see if my rap skills were just as blessed as my poetry skills. I look at rap and poetry as the same thing. Rap is just poetry with music and poetry is just rap without music. I then began to write the song called, “Run It.” I made the beat myself, and then blended everything together. I did it all myself with God on my side.

Behind The Lyrics

Run It just talks about how we put so many people on pedestals, who at this point in there life are beneath me. Not beneath me in a evil, malicious way. They are beneath me, because they are of the world. For instance, my Beyonce Lovers. She might be one of the top artist in the world, but without Christ she is a nobody. She is just some woman who gets on a stage and sings. She took a plan that God gave her and used it for the world. It then proceeds to talk about praying to King of Kings and praying for our enemies. Initially I spit this cause it rhymed sort of, but no. Really it is not even just about praying for our enemies, but praying for anyone who is in or out of Christ. The song then ends with “God gave me a plan and I’m ready to run it. Killer on the scene I’m ready to gun it.” Nope I am not  a killer, but I am a “mercenary for Christ.” ( we are apart of God’s army.) The goal being to do whatever he asks of me, and die to myself on a daily basis to achieve it. Run it – meaning to not only run after Christ, but run after those who need to be reached.

The Song

“Rock Your Day”

This morning is a beautiful morning. Why? Because God is going to “Rock My Day.” This is something that a friend of my family started with his church, and kindly asked if I could just share this with people, as well as, be apart of it myself. You know that I was totally down. Anything that has to do with positivity and Christ makes me happy. Why? Because they go hand in hand.

So, I ask you, just as he asked me. Will you be apart of the #rockyoday(campaign)? Post pictures on instagram and #rockyoday. Post pics on instagram and tag me, so that I can tag him. Post positive quotes daily. ( AHHHH!! dont you just love positivity in the morning time.)

#RockYoDay

The Disconnect

I’m beginning a beautiful series called “The Disconnect.” There are so many ways that this could be looked at, my reasoning for this series being social media. I find myself engulfed in the social aspect of life, thus lacking normal social skills that I should have at 20. I can barely hold simple conversations with people and that is a down fall for many. This series will guide not only me, but you as the readers into a life that not only involves social media, but involves interacting outside of technology. It will also involve apps that allow you to take a step back from being glued to your phone, and apps that keep you on track . This series will also include poems that have to do with each week. So prepare yourself for the DISCONNECT.

-Lauren-