From the Abundance

Photo by  ANDRIK LANGFIELD PETRIDES  on  Unsplash I do a post every year for my birthday reflecting on the things I've learned, what I hope for moving forward, and just where I am in life.  This year I had a different kind of birthday so I wrote a different kind of post.  Hope it still blesses somebody!  Sometimes when you're wired to give and pour out and nurture others you can feel invisible.  Most days I spend my day taking care of other people, helping families, and  keeping children from being removed from their families.  I take crisis calls, ims, and emails all day and try to be a listening ear for friends and family when needed.  Sometimes I feel like I've disappeared and all people see is the gifts, the talents, the benefit of having me around. I love that I can be and do all of those things but at times I feel like screaming , "Hey I'm human too ya know!"   "I need someone to support and encourage me."  "It ...

Sometimes you meet the greatest people in the most unexpected places...  This past week I had the pleasure of meeting two!  I was on the plane headed home for Thanksgiving and noticed the lady next to me sniffling and coughing.  My initial thought was, oh great she's sick and hacking all over the place. When I looked over at her I realized that she wasn't ill but she was wiping away tears my first thought was to talk to her.  I didn't want to pry and ask what was wrong but I just hoped to lighten the mood and maybe take her mind off of things for a minute.   I stuck up a conversation and just asked if she was going home or visiting friends.  I was so unprepared for what she would say next. She told me that her one and only son had passed away 6 weeks ago and she was flying back to Lexington to meet her brand new granddaughter for the first time.  She couldn't quite explain the cornucopia of emotions she was feeling all at once.  How can you fe...

It's taken me a while to figure out what I've wanted to blog about today, what God would have me say to His people, and what's in my heart.. Love it the overwhelming need, prevailing thought, main idea, and thing that was there.  There's so much going on in our country, our homes, schools, and individual lives that we forget sometimes to love. Not only to love but be loved.  As I've watched the news coverage of the shootings in Orlando I can't help but be overcome with sadness for the families that lost loved ones, the coworkers and friends that lost their people, and the love and light that each of them were robbed of. I remember what it was like when my father was murdered, it's been a little over a year, and it's not something you just get over.  At best you learn how to cope, how to re-establish normal, and live with a piece of your heart missing.  So I say to each of you that it's a time to love.  People all over the world are hurting, in...

As I sit watching this beautiful blanket cover the streets, buildings, and trees I am reminded of God's love. The streets are covered with dirt, rocks, holes, oil, and trash.  Just beyond the edge of the street there's a sidewalk lined with trash cans, mailboxes, fire hydrants and other random things.  When you step beyond the sidewalk there's grass and more sidewalks, stairs and buildings, trees, more cars, and a few people braving the cold.  The amazing thing is, the snow keeps falling, keeps covering, and keeps coming back no matter how many times you try to shovel it away.  That never ending blanket covers everything.  The dirt, the grass, the mailboxes... everything covered under this beautiful blanket of snow.  The same way God covers us. His love wraps us up, covers us, and makes us new.  It covers to the point that nobody sees the dirty places in our lives, the holes and voids in our hearts get filled, the oil and residue of past ...

It's been so long since I've taken the time to sit down and write, I should really be ashamed of myself.  That's what happens when you let go of the things you love. This blog isn't about the love between two people, but about the things you love and how easily they can get lost in the wind.  A lot of times things slip right through our fingers without us even realizing it.   When I started this blog it was a way for me to share my excitement about what God was doing, the experiences I was having, my trials and victories. all the things that might help encourage somebody else.  But this year I seemed to have lost that zeal and passion for writing.  SO many things have happened, and so quickly, that it just kind of knocked the wind out of my sails.  I shut down and I allowed the enemy to take away my voice for a while.  I felt like Ariel when the Ursula had her voice in a shell.  There was a lot that I wanted to say but I just couldn't ...

So I've been thinking about doing a post on dating and relationships for a while now but there's just so much to say I couldn't figure out where to begin... until I started a Bible study series on the book of Proverbs (one of my favorite chin check in the spirit books).  There's so much wisdom, knowledge and just flat out common sense in this book that it's crazy.  If you haven't read it, studied, and applied it, I highly suggest you start today.  It talks about life, how we treat one another, our neighbors, relationships, business, how to carry yourself, everything really.   But back to what I was saying.. I didn't know where to start until I started this study series.  As I prepared the lesson for week one covering chapters 1-5, I paused at the continued warning about the people you choose to connect yourself to.  Especially the warnings about strange women and harlots.   Not because I plan on doing so, but what the word was saying a...

Dear Pastor Chaconna, In lieu of coming to you directly I wanted to take this opportunity to offer you a few friendly reminders for your call and appointment.  First let me start by saying, I know it's not the easiest thing in the world to walk in the calling that God has placed on your life.  I know you had plans and things you wanted to do with your life and probably even some dreams and goals you'd set for yourself as a young girl.  Nevertheless you chose to answer God's call.  I can't say that everything will be peaches and cream, heck you may not even see any of those hopes and dreams you had for yourself come to pass, but know this... the plan (Jeremiah 29:11) He lined up for you is greater than anything you could have imagined. You'll have to compromise much of what you thought was normal and completely switch your way of thinking... church to kingdom... I know it's crazy but you'll never get it right until you can do this.  Trying to figure ou...

There's nothing better than the warmth and comfort of a soft fuzzy blanket on a cold night.  You can't wait to pull it up high under your chin and tuck it all around you so no cold air can get to you.  Well this morning as I felt the cool air in my room hit the back of my leg I realized a few things... 1. when you're outside the covering you get hit with the sneak attack 2. sometimes when you leave, it's hard to get back underneath like you were because you're so tangled up 3.when it's really bad you have to stop everything and focus on that task for a while until you get it right 4. sometimes you have to change positions to get it right I hope y'all are with me in the spirit... you can look at this a couple ways..Look at that warm fuzzy blanket as God's covering... sometimes we get out of His will, and way without even realizing it until we get hit with a sneak attack. Then we feel just like that cold foot that's hanging out from under the ...

There's a lot of talk about being transparent and real and what not these days in the kingdom but a lot of people are more like a stained glass mosaic than truly transparent... they let you see through the areas they want you to but hide most of the truth.  Well today let me help somebody out by being real  transparent... I'm 33, I have two degrees ( a B.S. in Apparel Design & Merchandising and A Master of Social Work), I live alone, pay my own bills (with the Lord's help), I'm gifted, talented and anointed to do a lot of things.  I have great friends, a wonderful family and a pretty decent boyfriend.  I have a small image consulting business on the side, I'm building a ministry and I'm writing blogs, books, and several other things...I'm usually a pretty upbeat and positive person.... People usually tend to think I have it all together, ask me how I do it, how I did this and that or whatever The thing is... I'm extremely frustrated, ...

Every day we walk past people in the hallways at work or school, we drive and ride past others in cars on our way home, greet people in the aisles at the grocery store or smile and nod at a stranger passing. Have you ever wondered what that person's life is like? What they believe? Who are they really? Do they even believe in God? Are they married? Or if you're like me, I love hearing people's stories.... stories of struggles turned to victory, defeat turned to triumph, and the impossible manifest in miracles. My momma always tells me that I don't meet any strangers and that I know everybody... I for one take pride in not meeting strangers. What can I say, I'm a people person. To that end, each month I will be featuring an untold story. Some will be people I know well, others will be people I've met along the way. So here goes.. I frequently visit the Dollar Tree behind my house and I know most of the cashiers and managers by name. I told you, I'm...

But if anyone does not provide for his relatives , and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Tim. 5:8NKJV  2012 has certainly been a year all about family for me... I've always been a firm believer that family is not just made up of those you're stuck with (bloo d relatives & those who got "I do 'd" in) but also those you adopt in your heart and those who Gods send you on purpose. My natural family is huge!! I've been finding and have been found by many relatives (thanks Facebook!) this year.  I hope I get to meet them all face to face very soon.  It's so important to know your heritage and who your people are fo r so many reasons... Beyond getti ng to know new family members, I've had a lot of time to spend with the not so new ones this year and boy did I learn a lot!  Yep !  I got to spend a good part of the summer with my nieces and nephew , which was great!  I'd m...

It's been a  while since I've sat down to write anything, let alone blog.  I think I went through a season where I couldn't really outwardly or verbally express what I was thinking or feeling so I didn't write and definitely didn't say a whole lot.  But that ends here and now.  My Pastor challenged us not to return to a place called The Revolution Mark 16:20 and I accept that challenge.  Part of my purpose in creating this blog was to do just what Mark 16:20 says, so everywhere and preach.  So I've been neglecting my duties.  Now that I've gotten some things back in order it's time to move forward.  I can't promise that this blog is going to be like my others but it will be truthful and relevant.  Titus 2 (American King James Version) reads as follows:  But speak you the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women...

From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2 Monday night I went to bed with a heavy heart and a a million thoughts racing through my head.  I couldn't even seem to find the words to pray to express what I was feeling in the moment.  Sometimes the burden for others can take your breath away, tangle your words and put your mouth on a temporary mute.  I am thankful that when I don't know what to pray, or even have an idea where to begin, the Chief Intercessor steps in on my behalf.  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26 Sometimes we get so overwhelmed or hit from so many sides that it's hard to find a starting place but thank God that we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our ...

If you live in Kentucky, and even if you don't, you know the first Saturday in May is reserved for the most lucrative event for milliners everywhere, Derby!  The array of colorful hats and sun dresses, silver cups filled with mint juleps, and the red carpet fanfare of celebrity sightings in the Bluegrass is a tradition that began over 130 years ago.  Derby means something different for everybody, to some it's about the race, the tradition, the parties, BBQ, family gatherings, and others the gambling.  Although I've never been to the race, I watch it every year as I spend time at my Grandmother's house or with the rest of my family and there's 3 words the gamblers are always waiting to hear... Win, Place, and Show. Well I don't gamble but I have my own personal Win, Place, Show.. WIN- win souls to Christ; he who wins souls is wise (Proverbs 11:30);  win over your enemy, submit yourself to God, resist the devil and he shall flee (James 4:7), all I can do is wi...

  A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17 Today I had the pleasure of attending a beautiful wedding.  The groom and I have known each other for almost our entire lives.  I met him in kindergarten and that was over 25 years ago.  Through all the years he's never failed to be a friend.  Any time I  see him he greets me the same way, with a big cheesy grin, a big hug and a "hey sis, how you doin?".  No matter where we were, who we were with, and what was going on.  He's always had the same sweet spirit, the same warmth, the same big heart, and the same love for his friends and family. As I greeted the newly married couple today, I would be meeting his wife for the first time.  What a surprise it was to me when she already knew my name.  Just goes to show that no matter the space, time, or life in between... a friend loves at all times.  In the few moments I spoke with Mrs. Co...