All Day, Every Day

As I was reading my scriptures this morning I got to thinking...  What if my friends and family who I love only called me when they needed something, or just once a year to say hey.  How would that make me feel?  It saddened my heart to think that God could be feeling the same way!  Often we go to him when we have prayer requests.  We start off like we are at the drive-thru at a fast food place ordering a value meal on our way rushing to an appointment we are late for.  Oh and lets not forget on Sunday mornings we rush into church catch some of the message and may even have to leave early for another commitment.  We have to slow down!  We are really missing out on what really matters.  I have decided to really focus on worshipping the Lord.  Worship (appreciating God for his nature and worth) should occupy the core of our lives and not just a few minutes once a week.  I wanted to learn more ways to direct my life towards more worship so I found an article entitled Ten Ways to Worship Without Music.

1. Worship through prayer
2. Get in a regular habit of reading the Bible
3. Obey God
4. Tithe
5. Build deep relationships with other Christians
6. Share you faith
7. Serve others
8. Build into your life the attitude of thankfulness
9. Begin turning over to God areas of your life that you have never committed to Him
10. Live a life of purpose

These are things I can actually do daily to help me worship God in practically everything that I do.  To keep my mind focused on him and in return he will take care of me and anything I would otherwise be concerned about.  How awesome is that!  Don't let me leave out worshipping with music.  Listening to some uplifting music and meditating on the words I am singing can be an instant relief from anything that has come up that could have potentially changed my mood for the worse.  So try it with me.  Let's worship a little more each and everyday!  I am truly excited!

Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. - Psalm 150:6

Until next time...

Grace and Blessings!

   

Dying Daily

Have you ever been in class and the teacher was speaking on a subject and maybe you hadn't read that chapter so you just sat there and nodded along with the other students who seemed to be taking it in and right there with the teacher.  Well that is me some times when I am speaking with people who maybe have a little more knowledge than me when it comes to knowing Jesus.  They may have a little more experience talking with Him and hearing the Holy Spirit speak to them with more profound information.  I know God does not have favorites and He can use anyone for His purpose so this does not discourage me.  In fact it makes me want to find out more and more what I can do to have a closer relationship with Him also.  


So class the topic of today is dying daily.  What does that really mean?  I knew that was something as a Christian I was suppose to do to be more Christ like.  In my prayers I have been asking the Lord to help me be more like Him, to show me what I can do to get closer.  Well today I was sent a devotional that helped with just that!  It was about dying daily!


"[I assure you] by the pride which I have in you in [your fellowship and union with] Christ Jesus our Lord, that I die daily [I face death every day and die to self]." 1 Corinthians 15:31 (AMP)


Everyday we are faced with situations where we can snap back at someone.  Get upset because we have told our children umpteen (an imaginary number my mom use to say to my brother and me) times to do or not do the same thing.  Maybe it is as simple as passing judgement about someone.  We have to stop and think is this pleasing to to the Lord?  If not go ahead and be like me take a second to die.  Let all of those thoughts and reactions that we have let come up in our spirits just die off!  Stop take a deep breath and die in a spiritual sense.


Ok that is not hard right?  Well what about when we forget to think of the other person.  I sometimes promote self, elevate self and just plainly think too much about myself and my feelings in situations.  Stop and die!


Die to self, Die to flesh, Die to the attitude of entitlement, anything that changes my attitude to result in me acting wrong. 


Thank you Lord for opening my eyes and increasing my knowledge about You!  


Until next time, 
Grace and Blessings!

Hair from February 24th Straightening - Update

When I had a TWA (teeny weeny afro :) ) I played in it all the time!  I wore a lot of wigs and just didn't take the neccessary care for it like I should have.  Some how I managed to get over the hump and it grew out and I found a stylist that could flat iron my hair but with methods that would not strip it too much.  She uses a steamer, she may deep condition you 2xs if your strands need it and a good heat protectant before she uses the blow dryer or flat irons.  Daisha is awesome!  Just look at her work.  This hair being straight is 5 weeks old.  I used no oil or hairspray on my hair.  I keep it wrapped if I am not leaving the house.  I only use a wide too shower comb in it.  

My hair is starting to get a little fuzzy at roots so putting it in a pony keeps it looking together.  

Well since the gray hair is creeping in I will have to dye it soon at the roots.  When I do I will post pics and updates!  Until then be blessed and thanks for stopping by!

Hands Off!

I really think the big secret to growing hair is to keep it moisturized (if you have dry hair and scalp) and to keep your hands out of it.  When I had a TWA (teeny weeny afro) I kept my hands in my hair twirling the curls, and when it grew out some I had fun gelling my hair back into puffs.  Using gel and a boar bristle brush.  I just think my hair didn't achieve its potential because I kept manipulating it.

Once I knew I would be in a foreign country (Germany) without my stylist and a lot of my hair products readily available to me I had to make some changes.  I decided to get a sew in when I 1st arrived in August.  I kept the weave in until the 1st of October.  Not sure if I could have gone longer, the hair was holding up pretty well, but I am the type of person that like to feel my scalp and the rat tail comb to scratch up under the braids was not working for me.  I took the hair down and began my routine with my shea butter mixture.

From October until February was conditioner wash on Sunday.  Two strand twist with shea butter mixture.  Twist out on Wednesday.  Dry braid out every other week on Friday night.  Ok not sure if that was clear but when my hair was in twists I would pin them in a style when leaving the house or I wore my satin bonnet under a winter hat and went about my day running errands. The every other week braid out was when I was attending a basketball game and wanted to wear my hair down.  So here are a few visuals of those styles.

Sew in weave

Dry braid out

Wearing satin bonnet under winter hats

This was it in a nutshell.  Nothing spectacular :)  I just believe minimal is best.  Oh and the dye is because I have a lot of gray hair.  It is my way to camouflage it and give me a little sass ;)
Until next time stay blessed!

Little Bit of This, Some of That! My Shea Butter Mixture

I want to apologize this took forever for me to post.  When I initially wrote that I would post what I mix into my shea butter concoction I failed to realize that I had taken my measurements home to the USA during my visit in February.  So what I will do is tell you the things I included in the mix and what they are claimed to do for your hair.  I want to also say that I am no scientist, doctor or even a cosmetologist.  I just did some research for what I wanted out of a hair cream and got in the kitchen mixing!  I really think want helped my hair (and as we all know all hair is different, what may work for me may not work for the next person) was the fact that I stayed out of it.  I had been looking around on the web and reading about all the harsh things that are in store bought products (not all) that are not moisturizing for our hair.  My hair was feeling dry and I have a two year old with really dry hair so we needed something to restore moisture, make our hair soft and manageable.  This mix is heavy.  Your hair will not bounce or fly with the wind lol.  It was really for the health aspect for our hair.  I will post my routine for the fall and winter on another post.  Stay tuned!

Here are the ingredients I used in the mix:

Aloe Vera Benefits

- dandruff prevention- has natural antibacterial and fungicidal properties.  

- conditioning- The gel also has a similar chemical composition to keratin, the primary protein in hair cells, which allows it to more easily penetrate hair along the entire length of the shaft, according to Gage. Once the gel has penetrated the hair shaft and follicle, its combination of essential amino acids gives it strength and luster.

Glycerin 

-keeps hair hydrated by drawing moisture from the air to the hair shaft. As a conditioner, it's especially beneficial for curly hair, which tends to be drier due to the shape of the hair shaft. It helps curls form better and works against that dreaded curse of the curly girl: frizz.

Castor Oil

Regular castor oil use on your hair’s roots and scalp will help:

1. Increase hair growth
2. Thicken hair that is starting to thin out
3. Reduce and prevent hair damage
4. Eliminate dry hair
5. Make the hair fuller and shinier
6. Deeply condition and moisturize hair and scalp
7. Prevents dry scalp
8. Boost your hair’s overall health

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (EVCO) - makes hair manageable, seals in moisture, pre-poo

Shea Butter – heavy butter for sealing in moisture, softens hair

• Shea butter provides moisture to dry and damaged hair from the roots to the tips, leaving it healthy and shiny. Because it's rich in vitamins A and E, shea butter soothes dryness, repairs breakage, and mends split ends.
• Shea butter absorbs quickly and completely into the scalp without clogging pores, leaving a greasy residue, or causing a buildup of oil or dandruff.
• Shea butter helps heal a variety of scalp problems, including dry scalp, psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis.
• Shea butter protects hair from weather damage caused by wind, humidity, and extreme dryness, and repairs such damage.
• Because it's rich in moisture and can shield against harmful ultraviolet radiation, shea butter protects hair from sun damage.
• If your hair has endured chemical treatments, hot irons, and blow-dryers, shea butter can restore its moisture and vitality.

Jojoba Oil - structurally and chemically very similar to the human sebum( natural oil we produce), non greasy, high content of minerals and Vit E, antibacterial and prevents damage from free radicals.  

Extra virgin olive oil EVOO- Used on hair, olive oil can nourish, condition, and improve the strength and elasticity. Moreover, being olive oil a completely natural product, treating yourself with it will help reducing the stress caused by chemical products and therefore improve the health of your hair overall.

Orange Fragrance Oil

A lot of these products don't smell like the nice smelling stuff you can buy in the stores.  That is why I added the Orange Fragrance.  It gave the mix a spa smell, kinda clean and herbal, like when you close your eyes on the massage table.  Here is what it looked like after mixing it by hand:

It is the consistency of cake icing.  I do apologize for not having the measurements.  A tip to remember though you have to warm the raw shea butter to get it soft enough to stir and mix.  I achieved this by spooning it into a small bowl and putting the bowl in a HOT larger bowl of water until it melted.  The coconut oil was solid as well but after a little stirring it became soft.  There are some hair sites on the web to give you a reference to measurements.  Just look around and see what looks good to you.  If you have a question please ask and I will try to get back to you very soon!  Thanks for stopping by and good luck if you decide to make it yourself!  Happy Growing!!!

Grace and Blessings!

My Very 1st Blog Award!

Oh wow I have won my first blog award and I feel so honored!  

Leibster: (German Origin) Meaning beloved, dearest, favorite.

Presented to me by Mrs C Truscott author of Greater Than the Game, the Liebster Award is awarded to you by the readers of your blog; making this so much more special to me because it means that my words…my efforts are touching someone.

        
Mrs C Truscott Is a wonderful, woman of God.  She is led by the Holy Spirit and is a blessing to all those who know her.  Her blog is a wonderful testimony of what a Christ filled life can be like.  She is very transparent and tells stories of her struggles and her blessings.  Her testimonies of faith will inspire anyone who reads.  Check out her blog Greater Than the Game and see what the goodness of the Lord can do!  
        
Not only does she write on this wonderful blog she is a co-founder of Bara Prayer Movement.  Bara Prayer Movement is a global ministry that was created for women who are committed to keeping God and His son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, first in their lives, families and marriages.  Mrs C Truscott along with 2 other ladies have inspirational devotionals and live prayers during the week.  You can find the prayer recaps on the site as well!  Please check it out, you will be blessed.  


I feel so blessed to have Mrs C Truscott as both a reader and nominator of this lovely award.

The honor of accepting the award is traditionally done in the following way:

1.      Show your appreciation to the blogger who presented you with the award by linking back to their site.

2.      Pick 5 blogs that you would like to spotlight/nominate that have 200 followers or less. Let them know by commenting on their blog.

3.      Post the award on your blog!!!

Thus, the 5 blogs that I would like to spotlight are as follows:

1. My Two Roads
2. xxxMixed Chickkxxx
3. Pretty In Pink
4. Tower
5. Our Global Escapades

Thank you again to Mrs Truscott and to all of the readers who enjoy this site, thank you for visiting this blog and for continuing to read, comment on, and support my posts. I greatly appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Sincerely,

Too Blessed to be Stressed!

Today started out nice like any other, thanking God for another glorious day, and seeing my wonderful family awake and getting along with the activities of their limbs.  Somewhere after breakfast and before lunch it all went wrong.  There were a few grocery items we were in need of and I wanted to browse two little boutiques for small gifts for friends.  The hubby had training so it was going to be me and the little lady out and about.  We parked and commenced our shopping with smiles and songs.  That is where the happy story ends...  Inside the 1st store with no shopping carts available to strap her down, she wanted to run through the aisles grabbing things.   This type of behavior is frowned upon in majority of the German stores I have been in so I grabbed her and tried to shop a little faster.  She kicked and screamed because she wanted her freedom to roam.  I tried to buy her silence by showing her some stickers of one of her favorite characters.  That bought me two minutes of quietness but when the whaling started back we made a dash to the check out.  I didn't get the items we went in for I didn't see them or perhaps I did but my mind was thinking lets get out of here before the clerk says something to me.

Isaiah 58:9 

Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

The second store wasn't much of a difference except there was a cart.  She just leaned over to the side of that trying to grab items to throw in the cart.  When they were replaced on the rack the screams started.  I had a little more luck in here with finding items, I think the fact that I wasn't chasing her or trying to hold her while being kicked helped :)  SO the final two stores were grocery stores.  The first store wasn't bad I can't recall a major incident.  Then second grocery store was a different story.  In there we only had to get a special flavored yogurt her daddy loves so I planned on dashing in and out.  All was good and we were on the home stretch in the checkout line.  Can you guess what she spotted as we waited our turn to check out? Yep candy!  I said ok the chocolate eggs she loves with a toy surprise inside were on sale.  So I said we will get two.  She of course wanted them right then and there and we were 3rd to check out.  So she cried and screamed like I had pinched her.  Her nose started to run and she fell out all over the cart.  Finally she stopped because the nice lady behind us played as though she was going to tickle her.  After paying and thanking the stranger we went home.  

You would think the wild day would end because we came home to lunch already prepared.  Daddy met us down at the curb to carry our groceries up four flights of stairs but you thought wrong.  She barely ate lunch and wanted to play with our electronics and when she was denied she screamed and cried.  It was definitely nap time and mommy time!  Daddy was leaving for night practice and we would be alone again.  We had a battle to lay down but I thought I won so I came out to sit and check emails.  Ok it was a little too quiet so, I decided to go take a peek.  Sure enough she was into something!!  She was sitting in the middle of our bed covered from head to toe in my lotion.  Lotion I had brought back to Germany from the States.  In other words cannot replace it at this time.   So after cleaning her and the sheets, I told her I didn't want to see her face for a while!  She cried and screamed so I closed her door.  I needed "me time".  

After a while of her crying and I was able to talk to a dear friend (thanks Mrs. Truscott) who chuckled at the situation because it is what a typical sleepy child would do in that situation.  My daughter was no different than other children nearing her nap time, although at times I wonder am I the only mother going through this?!  After stepping back and looking at the situation and hearing my baby call out Mommy! Mommy! from the other room I did the only think I could do at that moment.  Asked for help.  No my husband still wasn't here but I called my Father (not my dad back in the USA), my comforter, my teacher, and just called out Shalom - Lord of Peace!  I prayed for help, so that I can help her in this time of need.  I asked Him to show me how to be a good mom to her when she is in distress and I am stressed.  He is always an on time God!  The tension left my body, and I felt I could walk in there and deal with anything.  Well not only did He give me peace He gave her peace as well.  We ate dinner, and played a little then at 8pm (her official bedtime) on the dot she was in her pjs and on her way to a deep sleep in bed.  I have to remember to thank God for the good and the bad.  The situation with my daughter drew me closer to my Father.   We have to believe that with Christ we can handle anything!  We have to ask the Holy Spirit to help us love in those tough situations and to give thanks.  For this realization I am truly blessed.  

Until Next time...

Psalm 62:1-2

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Is That All You?

Is that all of your hair?  I have heard that a few times since getting my hair flat ironed this last time.  I don't mind the question because I use to be the weave/wig queen!  I knew all about different yaki, remi, indian wet and wavy hair that would make your head spin.  I love change and not sure the real reason I wore the extra hair but I enjoyed the quick change it allowed me to achieve in an afternoon instead of trying to grow my hair unsuccessfully for years.

I have the honor of receiving the gray hair genes in the family and have had strands since middle school at age 13.  With trying to dye my hair (I don't mind gray but the amount I have is comparison to a senior citizen) and get relaxers my hair was not healthy at all and stuck at shoulder length or above for many years.  I had to make a decision between dying my hair often to keep up with the gray or getting relaxers since doing both was thinning my hair out.  I decided that cutting it all off and starting over with no relaxers was going to be my best bet.  I did the "big chop" for New Years 2008.  I was so self conscious of my short hair.  I mean it was so short I could barely get comb twists (pictures to come when I get home to my desk top).  SO I was hiding my hair for about 2 years and in the process not letting it get the moisture and care it needed.  Finally listening to a friend (thanks Anneka) I went to a really good stylist who would teach me to care for my natural tresses.  I also was a googling fool looking up everything on how to make your own moisturizers, conditioners, etc.  This was really helpful this year in Germany.  Although there are a lot of people of color here, there aren't any products in stores for their hair textures.  I made my own moisture hair dress and was protecting my hair from the cold winter here in Germany by wearing two strand twists and braid outs.  So I want to show you my hair growth from my arrival in Germany until now.

July 2011

February 2012

So that's about 7months of growth.  Let me know if you are interested in my routine.  I will post my homemade hair dress on here soon!  

Take care!

Grace and Blessings!

I Define Me...

"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)


Today once again one of my daily devotionals came right on time.  My quest to get closer to the Lord and to be more like Him has my mind in a very good place.  I look at the world and situations with a totally different attitude.  It is great!  I feel like a new person in the sense that I don't let anything get to me.  It feels wonderful to hand over all my troubles to the One who can truly handle them!  Today for some reason I was a little down.  I think it is a mix of jet lag and fatigue and the fact that I NEED to get back in my routine with the Lord.  I let some things slip and as a result some not so good thoughts have crept in my head.  


I let the opinions of others get into my head and it got to the point of bringing me down.  I looked in the mirror and saw exactly what they were talking about instead of what God sees in me.  It seems the devil knows who to get to be the bearer of adversity because then will it really get to us.  He will use the people you love, your parents, your friends, or even your spouse or signifcant other to really hurt you.  When you let your guard down the enemy is waiting and ready to pounce.  You have to stay covered in the blood (or the Word of God).  This is our only defense against the enemy. 2 Corinthians 10: 3-5 ...we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.


I had to pray and ask for forgiveness for letting my spiritual life become lax in the past few days.  I had to ask for acceptance of all of me, flaws and all, and for my self love to be increased.  I was reminded that God wouldn't create anything that He wasn't proud of.  He made women beautiful, strong, in all shapes and sizes each with unique plans and purposes on this earth.  These are the scriptures my devotional provided about women and how we should view ourselves:


    • Created in the image of God. (Genesis 1:27)
     • Fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)

• Precious and honored in His sight. (Isaiah 43:4)

• Redeemed and forgiven. (Ephesians 1:7)

• A new creature in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

• Holy and blameless before God. (Ephesians 1:4, 1 Corinthians 1:30)

• Chosen by God. (1 Peter 2:9)

• God's masterpiece. (Ephesians 2:10)

• Created with purpose to do great works for God's Kingdom. (Ephesians 2:10)

So ladies please don't get to that point like me!  Write these scriptures down and read them anytime you feel less than what God made you to be!  You define who you are!  No one else can tell you who you are, all you have to do is ask yourself who are you in your Father's eyes!  

Love You!
Grace and Blessings,

Got Soul Food?

Ummm Not Quite!!!

As I think of driving over to my parents home to have dinner with them the only thing on my mind is my mom's soul food cooking.  If my stomach is empty enough my thoughts will make my mouth water thinking about her greens, dressing and candied yams!  When I step into the house the aroma fills the air and I know I am "home" and will eat good!

Well for some time I felt that same emptiness as my stomach did when I yearned for my mom's soul food.  Only I wasn't hungry, probably just had eaten a wonderful meal but yet I could feel a void.  My husband and I would talk about how we are so blessed but it seemed like we still weren't living to our fullest potential.  We wanted more!  We had to think what was missing.  We have a lot of things that the Lord has blessed us with so it wasn't material things we were wanting. We came to realize we were missing "soul" food.  Just as we need food for our bodies we need spiritual food for our souls.  We were spiritually malnourished.  In order to fill our souls with authentic soul food of Jesus we must follow Him and tell others about Him so that our souls will be truly satisfied or full.

In a devotional from Encouragement for Today, Lysa TerKeurst wrote so wonderfully,

Food can fill our stomachs but never our souls.
Possessions can fill our houses but never our hearts.
Sex can fill our nights but never our hunger for love.
Children can fill our days but never our identities.

So strap on your feed sack, grab your bible and prepare to get full, satisfied and happy! 





John 6:35 (NIV)
Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

On Purpose!

It would be wonderful if there was a place called Purpose and once you got your high school diploma you could go there and find out what our life's agenda is.  I am probably one of many who feel that I don't know my True purpose.  I have a Bachelor's degree and 18 hours towards a Master's degree but no fire behind pursuing that degree further.  I don't want to be in a job, possibly making good money and just feel ok about getting up and going to work.  I want to LOVE getting up and doing what I feel I was Born to do!

Sure I had an agenda, I had a game plan.  In college I never thought I would be where I am right now.  I didn't plan this but this is where I was placed.  It has all been apart of the plan all along.  Bishop T.D. Jakes had the most uplifting sermon on the 1st Sunday of this month.  He spoke about purpose and how just because we have an agenda does not mean it is what God has for us.  He created and put us here to accomplish His agenda.  So I was thinking like others watching and the whole congregation well how do we know what His purpose is for us, how do we know if we are following His agenda?  So he broke it down...  When we are walking in our purpose, He will provide protection and provision.  Then look at what you are passionate about, it will lead you to purpose.  Passion is the key!  Your passion and purpose must be in alignment! I was like a cartoon character and my light bulb turned on at that moment!  We must pray in our passion and believe that we have already received it and we shall have it.  He gives us want of our passion of what he has predestined us for in this life.  Passion leads to Purpose!

Everything that has happened is designed to push you into your purpose.  It's no accident you are reading this right now.  All the things that have happened thus far shaped you into the person you are and its the path you need to take to get to where you are suppose to be.

My last post was about 10 ways to grow spiritually and that will definitely help with finding purpose.  As the relationship grows with the Lord so will the understanding of your/my purpose.

It's 2012 so let's get it!!!

10 Ways to Grow Spiritually in 2012

Good Morning!  A blessed morning it is!  I went to bed and prayed last night asking the Lord for guidance as to how to achieve my one and only "resolution" for the year, getting closer to Him.  This morning I was directed to this article that was just the answer I needed!  I wanted to share with everyone who may be at this point in their lives wanting more.  I am so excited I cannot contain myself!  Here are the 10 ways to grow spiritually in 2012.  You can find the link back to the original article at the end!  

1. Read through the Bible in a year. There are several good resources available to help you do this. If you've already done it, do it again, but in a different translation. (Even better, team up with a friend to do this with you and hold each other accountable).

2.  Choose a book of the Bible to study. The next step after simply reading the Bible is to study it, go beneath the surface, uncover the truths, principles and insights in Scripture. You may want to study one book of the Bible each quarter...or one for the entire year. Try picking up the New Inductive Study Bible which actually teaches you how to study the Bible on your own. Make sure you regularly share with others what you are learning.

3. Study a topic that will help you grow. Ask yourself where you want to be in your relationship  with the Lord by the end of the year and then set tangible goals for getting there. For instance, if you want to know Him better, consider a study of His names in the Old Testament and Jesus' "I am" statements in the New Testament. If you need to slow down and learn to listen for His voice, study all the Word says about "rest" or "hearing" or  His "voice." If there are character traits you know you need to work on, consider an in-depth study of some or all of the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

4. Participate in a weekly small group Bible study or lead one among your friends, neighbors, or co-workers. We can grow at a faster rate in community because we are able to share our experiences with one another and hold each other accountable.

5. Read three books to deepen your devotional life. Set a goal to read a book every month, every three months, or whatever is realistic for you. Also consider reading books that will challenge and convict you...that's where the growth comes.

6. Start a weekly prayer group with others who share similar concerns on your heart.  (For example, praying with other moms for your children, praying with other wives for unsaved spouses, praying during your lunch hour with co-workers, or  praying with friends or church members for a specific burden God has placed on your heart.)

7. Start a journal to record your growth.  Start journaling your thoughts as you read the Word. How did a certain passage compel you to pray? What changes are you asking God to make in your life? What discoveries have you made about His character or His Word? Date each page. By the end of the year, you'll have a record of where God took you and what He has shown you through the past 12 months.

8. Record your blessings and answered prayers. Keep a "blessing book" in which you record every blessing that comes your way throughout the year, adding a prayer of thanks or praise. In addition, write out your prayer requests and record the answers as they come. By writing out these types of things, you will not only be more keenly aware of how God is working in and around your life, but you will be able to see your progress in becoming one who does "everything without complaining or arguing" (Philippians 2:14) and a person who gives thanks "in all circumstances" (First Thessalonians 5:18).  

9. Disciple a young believer. We learn the most when we teach it to others. And seeing them grasp truth for the first time gives it a fresh impact on our lives as well. Pick up the One-to-One Discipleship manual fromMultiplication Ministries and take a young believer through the adventure of living the Christ-directed life.

10. Pick a 'theme verse' for the year. Say it aloud every day. I guarantee if you do this, by the end of the year -- and probably a lot sooner -- you will have memorized that verse. And that's one more verse in the Word of God that you will have memorized during your lifetime. Choose from Psalm 90:12, Psalm 119:32, Psalm 119:133, Galatians 5:16, Philippians 1:27, Philippians 4:6-7, or find one of your own.

Thanks for reading and be Blessed!!!

http://www.crosswalk.com/faith/women/breaking-the-complacency-habit-10-ways-to-grow-spiritually-in-2012.html?utm_source=Crosswalk&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=010212&ps=0

Happy New Year!

Wow another year has gone and a new one is here.  Thank God for letting us see another year!  I don't know about you but 2011 was a roller coaster of events.  Some very good highs and some very bad lows.  One thing is for certain, we made it and hopefully have learned from it.  Everyone has the urge to set resolutions for the new year to make up for our short comings from the previous year.  I too feel like there are things I want to accomplish but to actually make them into resolutions, ummm maybe not.  I don't like the thought of not obtaining them.  I think by changing one aspect in my life then the others will fall into place like dominos in a line.  The one thing will be to decrease me and increase God.  Sure everyday won't be perfect and there will be times I will want to throw up my hands but as long as I know I have  someone to fight my battles when I am weak then I know it will be alright.  Here is a little New Year's Blessing to read and remember as you take your seat on the roller coaster of life and enter 2012.  Buckle up and enjoy the ride!!!