Thursday, March 31, 2016

Thursday Thoughts

Good morning,
As I thought about what to share with you today, the song Pressure just kept coming to me. So many of us put some much undo pressure on ourselves to be and do, and then we wonder why we can sleep at night. It's the pressure. 
Sisters, I encourage you to take the pressure off of your shoulders and give it to God. He can handle it. Below is a link to the Jonathon McReynolds song Pressure...let it minister to you.
As always...live Blessed
https://youtu.be/TDP64c-TPYo

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Wednesday Word

Good Wednesday morning, 
Today I want share a pretty short but powerful set of scriptures.

I Thess 5: 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit

These are a part of the final instructions for the church. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks no matter what and don't quench the spirit.
Very short but somewhat difficult request, if we are not conscious of our thoughts. In our flesh we don't always want to rejoice because in our minds everything isn't rejoice worthy, yet it says rejoice always.  Not when you feel like it, not when it feels good, but always. Hum
It goes on to say pray without ceasing.  Not as difficult but it does require that we keep our thoughts under subjection. That we are more focused on the roll conversation with your father.
Then it brings us back to the idea that we have to look past our feelings and obey what the Lord is requiring of us. So it says give thanks in all circumstances,  for this is the will of the Lord concerning you. So even my flesh might not want to I have to find a way to give thanks. Interesting enough this was probably one many lines that power if positive thinking people have taken from the word. No matter how bad a situation might be find the good in it, and give thanks.
And as you giving that don't allow the rest of the situation to water out your fire.  You have to keep you fire burning, for the word and presence of God.
Again, for short scripture that makes have to focus on keeping our thought focused and on track. Hope pray that you have a blessed Wednesday in Jesus name.

As always...live Blessed

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Tuesday Tools

Good Tuesday Morning,

Today I want to feature another one of our speakers. Mrs. Nolanna Simon. She is the Sole Proprietor of Perissos Counseling & Educational Services and Therapy @ St Francis Community Center. Some of you might know Lanna as she is affectionately known, from the Urban League were she served as the Nulites coordinator for several years.

She is a graduate of Wichita Southeast, Clark Atlanta Univesity and Northwestern University School of Psychology. Lanna is a proud member of the AKA's  and even prouder mom of two incredible young people. Nolanna and Patrick Simon call Wichita home and we are proud to have them.
https://www.facebook.com/lannasimon

Monday, March 28, 2016

Monday Motivation

Good morning.

What a difference an afternoon makes. Snow when we go to church and nothing by evening.  Wow.
Mondays can be very difficult for some of us, so I want to encourage you this morning.
In our American society our children often get set up for failure because we make them believe everyone should get a trophy, even when they didn't do everything required to get one. They can make an excuse and the teacher should except it or I'm callin that school and going off.  These behavior set them up to hit the brick wall off life real hard. In this life everyone us not going to like you, you don't always win and even when you do it might feel so sweet.
So I want to encourage you to seize the moment.  Don't wait to others to give you something.  Forge out and make something.  Don't allow your self esteem to be determined by other people's standards. You be the measuring rod,  the litmus test of your destiny. In life there might not be a second chance.  Seize opportunity as it comes and when it's not coming, make it. You have always had the power within you.
Remember,  always...live Blessed

Friday, March 25, 2016

Friday Findings

Good Friday Morning,
As we approach this last Friday of woman's history month I wanted to remind you to take your folic acid. If you ate in the child bearing years this is a must,  plus it makes your hair, nails and skin look great.  Those of us that fight anemia this is also a plus. Below I have post a link to a short little benefits article.
Have a blessed Easter weekend. And as always remember to...live Blessed

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/mobileart.asp?articlekey=41765&page=1

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Thursday Thoughts

Good morning, 
I just want share a thought that occurred to me yesterday pertaining to the fire in ks and ok. People were asking about the end times and what is going on
The question is if that was supposed to be the end, Were you ready to meet Jesus in peace? If you can not immediately answer YES my heart is right then,  you, I, we need to get in it.
We have all had weather in the 70s and my friends in Denver are snowed in today. We have taken the grace of God for granite.  Are you sure your ready?
And as always...live Blessed

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Wednesday Word

Good Wednesday morning,
Oh my the word the Lord showed me this morning is so rich.  If you get a chance read the whole book of Hebrews 9, but I have a bit for us to examine this morning as we approach Easter on Sunday.

Hebrews 9:13 And if under the old system the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of young cows could cleanse men’s bodies from sin, 14 just think how much more surely the blood of Christ will transform our lives and hearts. His sacrifice frees us from the worry of having to obey the old rules and makes us want to serve the living God. For by the help of the eternal Holy Spirit, Christ willingly gave himself to God to die for our sins—he being perfect, without a single sin or fault.

Wow,  how much more can the blood of Jesus cleanse us from all unrighteousness?  We have to take everything that is not like Christ under the blood to be cleansed. His love for is so vast and incomprehensible that in our minds we can even begin to process that kind of love. A love that will make Jesus take on my sins and yours when had committed no sin.
And after all of that, the only thing that we can say is, thank you.  It doesn't seem adequate, but thank you for your blood that covers every unrighteous thing i have ever done.  Thank you. If you haven't thanked him lately you might want to get on it.

And as always...live Blessed

Monday, March 21, 2016

Tuesday Tools

Good Morning Ladies,
Today in our Tuesday Tools I want to share with you one of the presenters at our upcoming Sistahs Can We Talk Saturday Series. Jondalyn Crosby is the CEO of Road to Hautness. She is shaping up the booties of many of Wichita's finest. Below is a link to her business facebook page. Please go on and like it. It is up to us to support our own.
And as always remember to ...live Blessed

 https://www.facebook.com/Roadtohauteness/?pnref=lhc

Monday Motivation

Good morning,
So glad to be alive. Just want to drop a thought on you. Your words control your destiny. No matter what anyone else says, the words that you choose to speak, determine your path.
The power of death and life in the tongue.  Speak life today. Don't be fooled by what you see, be driven by what you say.

And as always...live blessed

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Friday Findings

Good Morning,
Just in case you didn't know Wichita State Small Business Development Center has tons of free information and even online classes and workshops. Don't just think about starting a business be about it.
And as always...live Blessed

http://webs.wichita.edu/?u=ksbdc&p=/schedule/

Thursday Thoughts

Good morning
So often we get caught up in the presidential campaign and forget about local issues. 
Brothers and sisters please educate yourself on state, county and local issues. Some of these elected officials are running our local economy into the ground.  They have run unopposed for years and are comfortable in pulling the puppet strings. This has to stop.
Some of you might not be aware of all of the changes because they have not effected you yet, but if we keep robbing Peter to pay Paul it will.
Get involved, every voice counts.
As always remember to...live Blessed

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Wednesday Word

Good Morning,
This morning let's take a look at prayer. Specifically an acronym ACTS.
And as always...live Blessed

A.C.T.S. is an easy way to remember key elements of prayer. It’s simply prayer in four parts:
Adoration – “Praise be to God!” -Psalms 68:35
Tell God how much you appreciate Him. Express your love for Him. Praise His power and majesty. This is a great way to begin your prayer time. Sometimes I watch the sun rise, and praise God for the beauty of His creation. You should never run out of praise. “How awesome are your deeds!” -Psalms 66:3
Confession – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” -1 John 1:9
Tell Him where you have fallen short. Be specific. I thank Him for the forgiveness I have in Christ and ask for help and strength to turn away from future temptations.
Thanksgiving – Always “glorify him with thanksgiving” -Psalms 69:30
You have plenty of reasons to be thankful. Thank God for His love, His faithfulness, His patience and a million other things. Express gratitude for what He’s doing in your life. Thank Jesus for dying on the cross for you. Thank the Holy Spirit for indwelling you, and never leaving. Thank Him for being your conscience, your counselor and that “still small voice.”
Supplication – “Make your requests known to God.” -Philippians 4:6
Tell God what you want, no matter how small it seems to you. Do you really think any of your requests are big to God the Creator? You should have lots of intercessory prayer here. Remember: As a Promise Keeper, you are committed to pray for your pastor and your church every day.

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Tuesday Tools

Tuesday Tools
I don't know if you have had the experience but watching a loved one with Alzheimers slowly fade away is very difficult. Difficult to watch them become someone totally different than who you knew. Hoping every time you see them that their memory is not so short that they can't remember your name. Below is a listing of research for women and Alzheimers. Ladies let's check these out and find out how we can prevent our children from having this experience with us.
And remember as always...live Blessed.

http://www.webmd.com/news/breaking-news/confronting-alzheimers/20160225/alzheimers-women

Monday, March 14, 2016

Monday Motivation

Good morning,
The first real day of spring break.  Yeah
I just want to drop this on you this morning. Who are you influencing and how are you making a difference in this world?
And as always remember to... live Blessed

Friday, March 11, 2016

Friday Findings

We made it. It's Friday. 
Today on Friday Findings I want to talk about depression. I know it is a word we don't talk about, but it won't disappear because we ignore it. Below you will find the stats for American women and depression. The more I speak with youth, the more I realize that depression is one of the things the enemy is using to take people, especially gifted and talented, out.
Ladies, let's help each other fight through the cloud that can and is depression.
I have attached a webmd site that is full of great tips for fighting through depression as well.
As always...live Blessed

http://www.webmd.com/depression/default.htm

Prevalence

  • Approximately 12 million women in the United States experience clinical depression each year.
  • About one in every eight women can expect to develop clinical depression during their lifetime.
  • Depression occurs most frequently in women aged 25 to 44.

Contributing Factors

  • Many factors in women may contribute to depression, such as developmental, reproductive, hormonal, genetic and other biological differences (e.g. premenstrual syndrome, childbirth, infertility and menopause).
  • Social factors may also lead to higher rates of clinical depression among women, including stress from work, family responsibilities, the roles and expectations of women and increased rates of sexual abuse and poverty.

Gender Differences

  • Women experience depression at roughly twice the rate of men.[3]
  • Girls 14-18 years of age have consistently higher rates of depression than boys in this age group.

PMS/PMDD

  • Twenty to forty percent of women may experience premenstrual syndrome and an estimated 3 to 5 percent have symptoms severe enough to be classified as Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). 

Marriage/Childbirth

  • Married people have a lower rate of depression than those living alone.  However, unhappily married people have the highest rates of depression; happily married men have the lowest rates.
  • Approximately 10%-15% of all new mothers get postpartum depression, which most frequently occurs within the first year after the birth of a child.

Co-occurring Illnesses

  • Research shows a strong relationship between eating disorders (anorexia and bulimia nervosa) and depression in women.  About 90-95% of cases of anorexia occur in young females.
  • Reported rates of bulimia nervosa vary from one to three out of 100 people.
  • Research shows that one out of three depressed people also suffers from some form of substance abuse or dependence.

Suicide

  • Although men are more likely than women to die by suicide, women report attempting suicide approximately twice as often as men.
  • An estimated 15 percent of people hospitalized for depression eventually take their own lives.

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Thursday Thoughts

Good morning
Just a little for your Thursday.

Philippians 2 1-4 If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

Are you a helper or a hinderer? Hum
And as always...live Blessed

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Wednesday Word

Good Morning my friends,
I just want to share with you something that blessed me from one of the daily encouragements I receive.

 “Fear not: stand still, firm, confident undismayed and see the salvation of the Lord which He will work for you today…the Lord will fight for you and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest.” Exodus 14:13-14 Amplified Bible

“These words contain God’s command to the believer when they are reduced to great straits and brought into extraordinary difficulties. You cannot retreat; you cannot go forward; you are shut upon the right hand and on the left. What is one now to do?” The Master’s word is “stand still.” It would be well if at, such times, we listen only to our Master’s word, for other and evil advisers come with their suggestions. Despair whispers, ‘Lie down and die; give it all up.’ But God would have us put on a cheerful courage, and even in our worst times, rejoice in His love and faithfulness.” Charles Haddon Surgeon

The word for today is, take your finger off the panic button. Don't run. Trust God even when you can't track where he is going. Stand still, firm and confident. I can only do that when I know I have backing.

The hard part for most of us is the hold your peace part.  We want to explain our side and get someone told. The Scripture says, SHUT UP and let God fight for you. 

My dears, it has been lovely being with you another morning and as always...live Blessed

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Tuesday Tools

Good Morning,
Today is Tuesday Tools, and I have a treat for you. As I often do, I want to share one of the wonderful women that I encounter through Happy Black Woman and Rosetta Thurman. Today, I want to share Valorie Burton. She will discuss with us Helping People Get Unstuck and be Happy.
If that is you sit back and enjoy Valorie...and remember live Blessed.
happy black woman podcast_feat _VALORIE BURTON_CAPITAL Letters_72 DPI


http://happyblackwoman.com/hbw040-valorie-burton-helping-people-get-unstuck-and-be-unstoppable/

Monday, March 7, 2016

Monday Motivation

Good morning
This is Monday Motivation and I want share a little bit of love. Too often as women we are pitted against each other and don't take the time to lift each other or ourselves up.
So I want to challenge you to find a positive thing to say, to at least, one woman today and find one positive thing that you are going to tell yourself today.

Friday, March 4, 2016

Friday Findings

TGIF
This month is women's history month so I want to something about a women's issue, endometriosis. Below you will find some stats that should make think twice before getting to young ladies for not having kids. Some young ladies, can't.
And as always...live Blessed

Symptoms
There are many symptoms of endometriosis, but not everyone will experience all, most or even any of the symptoms. Most commonly endometriosis patients experience pelvic pain.  Pain usually coincides with menstruation, but some women may have symptoms throughout their entire cycle.

The other symptoms will vary depending on where the endometriosis lesions are growing, but may include:

*“Killer cramps” – cramps that do not go away with NSAIDS and/or impede the activities of daily living

*Long periods – periods that last longer than 7 days long

Heavy menstrual flow – having to change your pad or tampon every hour to two hours throughout most of your period

*Bowel and urinary disorders – including but not limited to painful urination or bowel movements, frequent urge to urinate, or diarrhea
*Nausea or vomiting
*Pain during sexual activities
*Infertility

Over time, cyclic inflammation causes the scar tissue and adhesions to build up around the lesion, giving the impression of the lesion increasing in size. 

These may cause their own issues, such as organs which are bound together or anatomy that is moved out of place.
Some women do not realize they have endometriosis until they try to become pregnant.

Approximately 30-40% of women who have endometriosis experience issues with their fertility. However, studies have shown that fertility may improve after undergoing excision surgery to treat endometriosis.
Epidemiology and Disease Patterns

Endometriosis affects 176 million women worldwide, and 1 in 10 girls and women in the US.

Endometriosis usually causes symptoms during reproductive years (~12-60 years old), however many women and girls are undiagnosed.

Endometriosis affects women equally across all racial/ethnic and socioeconomic lines.

As of now, researchers have not identified one specific cause for endometriosis. Multiple theories exist but none can adequately explain every aspect of endometriosis.

Endometriosis is not contagious and cannot be passed from person to person through contact.

We do know that there may be a genetic component to endometriosis. Girls who have a close female relative are 5-7x more likely to have it themselves, but more research  is necessary to fully understand the genetic characteristics of endometriosis.

For many years, doctors believed that retrograde menstruation was the main cause of endometriosis. However, it is now understood that 90% of women have retrograde menstruation and only 1 in 10 have endometriosis.

More research is required to determine why retrograde menstruation affects women differently.

Research has also shown endometriosis can be present during fetal development and may simply be activated at puberty when estrogen levels increase in the body.

Autopsies performed on infants have shown evidence of endometriosis.
The immune system and the body’s inflammatory response also contribute to endometriosis, although the mechanisms are poorly understood

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Thursday Thoughts

Happy Thursday,
This week is almost over.  March is women's history month.  As I began to think about what to talk about I reflected on the women that have enhanced my life.  Women who knowingly or unknowingly made a difference. 

So I want to challenge you, this month, to tell them that. Tell the women have helped you in anyway, thank you. Ideas; take them to lunch (you pay), send them a card, email,  handwritten letter, send them flowers or a fruit bouquet. Something that comes from your heart.

As women we spend so much time tearing each other down, let's change that vibe this month. You never know your act of kindness might be the thing your sister needs. Just a thought for Thursday Thoughts. As with everyday...live Blessed

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Wednesday Word

Good Wednesday morning,
Wow as I scrolled down my facebook feed I had to shake my head and say wow more than once. This world, that we exist in, is in a sad state of affairs. There were shootings, deaths, racism is at an all time high (for my lifetime), the state of education is at an absolutely sad place. The election cycle and candidates that are coming forth are deplorable. So much tragedy and despair,  yet church attendance and faith in God is at an all time low.
How can we process through all of this without the help of God? Like a perfect gentleman,  he is not going to force his way into our affairs,  he must be invited and ask to reign over our lives. Yet it is so hard for us to give up control because our society had convinced us that we can do it on our own. Well, how is that working so far?
It is truly time for believers to get back to seeking the direction of the Lord.  Truly praying until the power of the Lord comes down and consumes our sacrifice.  The deception spirits that are permeating our families have to be stopped. We can't be rude, but we can't be comfortable with sin. God is a spirit and they that worship must do so in spirit and in truth.
Will you speak the truth in love? Will step out and fulfill the plan of God for your life or will you sit on the sideline complaining and waiting for others to do what you have been called to do? Our world is dying and getting weave, buying purses and going to conventions. When we stop doing church and be the church?
I'm just saying, ...live Blessed

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Tuesday Tools

Good Tuesday Morning, 

I wanted to share this article with you on our Tuesday Tools. I know everyone that reads this is not married, but I think these communication skills are transferrable to other relationships as well.  Happy reading and remember to ...live Blessed

Two Communication Rules That Can Save Your Marriage 

by 


james-5-19-400x400


All the important communication tools can be reduced to six basic skills. If you learn them and use them, you will be able to give more love to your spouse, and your marriage will become super-charged with positive energy.
They are:
1. Make “I” statements, not “you” statements.
2. Practice reflective listening.
3. Understand and accept the differences between men and women.
4. Apologize when necessary.
5. Power down and get offline.
6. Communicate through touch.

Make “I” Statements, Not “You” Statements

When you are upset with your partner or you feel hurt by him or her, your natural tendency is to attack: “You drive me crazy! You never ask my opinion when you decide something important!”
A “you” statement like this guarantees a relational barrier. Your partner has virtually no alternative but to feel blamed, accused, and criticized. It is extremely unlikely that he or she will say, “Yes, you are right. I can be very insensitive.” Rather, his or her natural reaction will be defensive: “What do you mean? If you have an opinion, just say it. I can’t read your mind.”
And then what typically follows is a returned “you” statement: “You are the one that’s insensitive. Did you ever consider the pressure I’m under right now?”
Volleying “you” statements is a surefire way to spoil an evening. This scene would be completely different had “I” statements been used to report how you felt or how you experienced the situation: “I feel hurt and neglected when you don’t ask my opinion.”
Do you sense the difference? “I” statements dispense information to be understood rather than accusations to be defended. “I” statements are much more likely to elicit concern and caring from your partner: “I’m sorry, honey. I had no idea you were feeling that way.” “I” statements do not cause defensiveness because they say nothing about how bad your spouse is.
There is no benefit to making your spouse feel attacked. Instead of saying, “You are so careless. How could you forget that we were going out tonight?” it would be better to say, “I feel hurt and a little scared when you forget things we plan together.” This allows you to express your feeling of being neglected, but you’re saying it without accusing your partner of intentionally hurting you.
In place of “You try to make me feel stupid by always correct- ing what I say,” say something like, “I feel very put down when you correct little things I say.” Begin your sentences with “I” rather than “you,” and you will save your marriage much misery.
Communication is not what you say, but what your partner understands by what you say. When you make “you” statements, all your partner hears is blame and criticism. “I” statements are much more effective because they allow your message to be correctly heard and understood.

Practice Reflective Listening

A sage once said that the Lord gave us two ears and one mouth and that ratio ought to tell us something. Good point. We often think about learning “good communication skills” as learning to express ourselves more clearly, getting our message across. In fact, however, 98 percent of good communication is listening.
If you can hear, you can listen — right? Wrong. Hearing is passive. Listening is actively interacting with a message by reflecting it back to the sender. Effective listening is a simple habit to develop, but it can be difficult to learn because, in situations where it is most important, we are usually more focused on what we are going to say next than we are on listening to the message being sent.
Consider this typical husband/wife interaction:
Wife: (holding up a navy blue dress with a broad white collar) Look at this! I just got this dress cleaned, and there’s a gray stain all over the collar! I can’t believe it. What am I going to do now? I was going to wear this dress tonight!
Husband: Oh, honey, I don’t think anyone would even notice it. Besides, you could wear your yellow dress. It looks great.
The husband in this scenario was trying to be helpful, but he didn’t listen. He was more concerned with solving the problem than with understanding his wife’s emotions. He could have made any number of remarks that would have made his wife feel heard and understood, such as “I’m so sorry, I’d be furious too” or “I can’t imagine how disappointed you are.”
The point of reflective listening is to let your partner know that you have heard what they said and that you understand their message. By the way, reflective listening is a wonderful way to defuse a potential conflict. If your partner starts hurling “you” statements such as “You are always late,” don’t say, “I am not.” Instead, genuinely express your understanding of his or her feelings by saying, “I know it upsets you when I’m late. It’s got to be exasperating. I’ll work on being on time in the future.” Listen for the message underlying the actual words. “You are always late” means “I’m upset.”
Many of the couples we teach reflective listening to, complain that it feels awkward and sounds phony or even patronizing. That’s why we lay a foundation of being warm, genuine, and empathetic. When reflective listening is grounded in these traits, it is never a robotic function; it comes from the heart. If you are listening deeply, and if you truly care, then what you reflect back to your partner will not be mechanical. Like any new skill, listening may feel awkward at first, but when you begin to experience the difference it makes in your marriage, the awkward feeling will abate quickly.
Remember, however, that true empathy in listening involves change. Unfortunately, some people may learn to listen well, but they fail to heed what they hear. If your partner is asking for a change in your behavior, seriously consider the request and then, if it seems reasonable, act on it.
Just as words without deeds are dead, so is listening without action.
One more thing on listening. If you are at a loss and can’t seem to reflect your partner’s message, do two things: (1) make sure you really want to accurately understand their message, and (2) say something like, “Tell me more about it” or “Help me understand what you mean.” This safety-net technique works wonders.
Renowned Swiss counselor Dr. Paul Tournier has said, “It is impossible to overemphasize the immense need we have to be really listened to, to be taken seriously, to be understood…. No one can develop freely in this world and find a full life without feeling understood by at least one person.”1 When you offer your spouse the gift of listening, you are embodying what marriage was meant to be.
Be quick to listen [and] slow to speak. — James 1:19
  1. Paul Tournier, To Understand Each Other (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1967), 29.
Excerpted with permission from Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts by Les and Leslie Parrott, copyright Les and Leslie Parrott.
* * *

Your Turn

Even if it’s never been our practice before, today we can begin to communicate with “I” statements and to listen reflectively. Come share your thoughts on our blog. We’d love to hear from you about turning the rules of successful communication into habits that foster happy and healthy relationships!

Monday Motivation

Good day friend, Grace and peace be unto you! What are you manifesting on this marvelous Monday? With the new day comes new strength and th...