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7/29/2018 0 Comments

Not Your Burden

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Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30
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It does not matter who you are, where you are from, or what your status is, none of us are exempt from the burdens of everyday life. Part of being human is having a life that consists of problems and issues. While our problems may seem to be the driving force in our lives, the Bible reminds us that our issues do not have to control us. God gives us the opportunity to lay our problems down at his feet and rest in knowing that he is in control. 

In Matthew 11:28-30, the Bible reminds us that the heavy loads that we face are not ours to carry. God is willing to exchange the burden that you carry for his rest! Remaining in control of our problems can seem so much easier, but the truth is, there is such a beauty in resting in the fact that God is in control. You know you could worry about your problems, but you chose not to because you know someone bigger and greater than you is in control. Isn't that amazing?

So my brother, my sister, today I want to encourage you to rest!! I know it doesn't sound easy, I know it doesn't sound like your norm, but why carry these loads when you do not have to? Learn to rest in knowing that the God of this world loves you so much and he has his hand over you and your situation. Every anxiety, every worry, every fear, place them at God's feet, and watch him work it out. Stop carrying the unnecessary and start resting in God's promises. It is not your burden to carry...
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7/25/2018 0 Comments

3 Tips To Master Saying "No"

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​"Half of the troubles of this life can be traced to saying yes too quickly and not saying no soon enough" -Josh Bullings
At our core, we are people pleasers we want to make everyone happy even if it means us being unhappy. We seek to please others so much so that we are willing to put our goals and dreams on hold for the sake of others. 

I found that over the years I have said too may yeses which led to frustration, overwhelm and resentment. Along the line, I found that pleasing people is not worth my time or sanity. Over the past year, I committed to saying no more often. As a result, I have seen my goals and dreams moving forward, and seeing that helped me understand that my no's were necessary. 

You must understand that what you do now is vital to what your life will look like later. When you are saying yes to everyone and everything you risk overcommitting your time, energy and even finances. While letting others down is hard and saying no seems like a selfish choice, it is the best thing that you can do for yourself. So how do you start saying no more?


Examine what you want

​First, think about what you are working towards. What are your goals and dreams? Personal, financial and business. While you are examing your goals, consider them without others in mind. Yes, I said it! Do not think about family and friends, think about you! The reason you must examine these things is that when you know why you are saying you're no, it makes it easier to say no. 
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 Be strong in your belief

“The ability to communicate ‘no’ really reflects that you are in the driver’s seat of your own life”. -Vanessa M. Patrick
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Learn to be strong in your no! When you say, no others will try and sway your decision. One of the hardest things about saying no is the feeling that you have to explain yourself. The truth is saying no does not requires a explanation, no is no. It is easier to say no now then regret saying yes later.
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 Prepare for an emotional response

​Emotions are typical when you are telling someone something they do not want to hear. Know that when you make a choice not to please people, their instant response may be backlash. Prepare yourself for this possibility ahead of time. In the midst of giving your no, stay strong in your why. Saying no is about setting boundaries, and most people do not like or respect boundaries. The thing about boundaries is they are necessary for your growth and success. 
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​Saying no is not about hurting people, it is about helping you. Saying no to others is saying yes to self. The yes you give yourself is the best yes you can and will ever speak. I want to encourage you today, your no does not have to come with guilt and shame. You can rest in knowing that your dreams are a priority and you won't let anything stop you. So here is to saying no to others and yes to you, you can do it! 
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7/22/2018 0 Comments

Drop Your Nets

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"And Jesus, waking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a new into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets and followed him" Matthew 4: 18-20

In life, we find ourselves comfortable with familiar. We love the job, the car, the house, and oddly enough we are okay with having doubts and fears too. But what about the times when God calls us to leave the things that make us feel comfortable and tell us to follow him? In this text, Peter and Andrew were busy and caught up in their familiar everyday life, yet when Jesus called them, they dropped everything and followed.

While it may seem like for the disciples it was a easy decision, it is not always that easy for us. We hear about God and who he is but following him is an entirely different story. We hide behind what we know because we fear what may happen if God sees who we are. Here is a newsflash: God already knows who you are, he knows your issues, and he loves you ANYWAYS! And because he loves you, he wants you to live a life beyond your nets.

We must get to a place where we realize that our nets are limiting us and God is moving us beyond. Stop allowing your nets to define and limit you and start realizing they are a stepping stone to go from where you are to where God wants you to be. I am here to say that dropping your nets is may not be easy, but I promise you it is necessary. When you say God I trust you, God I want to follow you, Lord lead me we must prepare to leave our nets and embrace the unfamiliar! 

What nets are holding you back? Pray and ask God to help you drop those nets and prepare for what is on the other side. I will be praying for you too!
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7/15/2018 0 Comments

Overcoming Distractions

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​" I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible"
​1 Corinthians 7:35 (NLT)
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Day to day, there are things and people that are grabbing for our attention. Sometimes it is little things we do such as surfing social media surfing or checking celebrity gossip, or sometimes it is the people we are connecting with like that boyfriend or girlfriend that is toxic to our soul.

The thing we often fail to realize is that as much as those people and things scream for our attention, God is also seeking for our attention.

This week I found myself caught up in something that I deemed innocent, all the while God has been pressing on my heart that I needed to disconnect because those things were slowly pulling me from him. I found that when I tried to disconnect, it was challenging. In this I was reminded that while disconnecting from distractions may not be easy, it is necessary.

The thing about distraction is it can become a problem without us realizing. One day we look up and see that we are being led more by the distractions and less by God. When things of this world are speaking to you and consuming your attention more than God is, it is time to disconnect and reevaluate your priorities.
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"Don't allow the noise of the world keep you from hearing the voice of the Lord"
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In Hebrews 12:2, the Bible tells us to fix our attention to Jesus Christ. Directing our attention to Jesus requires that we be intentional. Last week we talked about intentional development. We must get to a place where we are so intentional about pursuing God that we are willing to get rid of those things and relationships that are keeping us from drawing closer to him. 

I do not know what your battle is or what you are wrestling with, but remember this, distractions are destructive. What are you willing to disconnect from in order to reconnect with your Father?

Friend understand this, if the devil can distract your mind, he can distract your sight, and when your sight is off of Jesus, you will find yourself down a path you did not which to journey.

Keep your mind on Jesus and allow him to guide your path today!

This weeks truth: 
A noise is not King over my life, Lord you are King over my life.
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7/11/2018 0 Comments

How To Communicate Effectively

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“Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something” -Plato
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It does not matter if you are sitting across a table from your spouse, or standing in front of a crowd of 500+, each day we must communicate in some capacity. Communication is an area that even the best speakers struggle. We must understand that communication is an area that requires constant development. 

Communication is a vital component to our daily life’s, learning how to be an effective communicator helps us to be better leaders, make better decisions makers and help others unlock their very own potential.

Communicating is so much more than merely opening your mouth and saying words, it is not only about you, but also whoever is on the receiving end of the conversation...​
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START BY THINKING OF THE LISTENEr
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Effective communication starts with listening, when you listen, you make yourself aware of the need of the concern the person/group of people is having. Example being, if you are speaking to an audience of people, you must start by understanding their need. If a company is struggling to keep employees before you give a solution, you must know why they have that struggle, that starts by actively listening. When you listen to the concern or the problem, it not only helps you, but it also allows the listener to know that you hear them. 

Being to ask yourself, what do I have that can help to solve this problem or help this person? When you understand what you have to offer, you can begin to formulate an appropriate response and plan of action. This leads me to my next point...
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BE HONEST AND TRANSPARENT
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“We may impress people with our strengths, but we connect with people through our weakness” -Craig Groeschel

When you are formulating an appropriate response, you need to communicate it honestly and transparently. Our weak areas are often the areas that people connect with us the most. Sharing struggles allows others to understand that you are not perfect and they also do not have to be perfect. 

It is our nature to share our successes but sharing how our success may have begun with a failure should not be a taboo topic. Yes, you may have started a successful business, but do not be afraid to talk about the first five you had that failed before that. Share your truth as a way to understand that failure is not an end but rather a beginning for something new. ​

Finally...

Be Confident
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If you are not confident in what you are saying and the knowledge you are offering someone then they will not be able to have confidence in you. Confidence is something we must work on developing, and the journey to confidence is different for all of us. Take the time to learn and grow in your skill so that you can help someone else grow and develop in theirs. (PS I blogged more about confidence here!)
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Confidence is necessary to connection.

Communication is not about always being right; it is about being real. While you may not be the perfect communicator being willing to grow and develop that skill actively will help you succeed in any conversation. Remember great communication leads to great connections.

Until next time,

Tamika 

Friends, let's talk in the comments. Share any communication tips you have below, let's chat!
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7/8/2018 0 Comments

Intentional Development

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"But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Luke 10:40 (KJV)
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Have you ever been in a season of busy? I mean a season where you are so busy serving others that you are forgetting to serve yourself? We often wear busy as a badge of honor, but the truth is, it may be the very thing sabotaging us. I mean we are so caught up serving at the church, or putting in the extra hours on the job, and before we know it, we are burnt out because we were so busy serving others that we did not take the time to serve ourselves.

When I first got saved, I remember I was so busy at my church, I was serving on ministries and I was helping where I could. When I was not at school or working, I was at the church. While all of it was for the glory of the Lord, I soon began to realize that being busy doing up activities (even church ones) was stripping me from being intentional about developing my walk with Christ. When I began to realize this, I took a step back. I began to say no, I stepped down from serving in several ministries, and I began to take all my time and energy and put it into developing the most important relationship that I had, my relationship with Christ.

Serving others should never replace you serving Jesus. When you read the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42), you see that Martha was so busy and caught up with serving Jesus, that she missed the opportunity to be fed by Jesus. Serving others is not what gets us into heaven. We must learn to never allow anyone or anything to compete for the place that God holds in your life. 

So, in this season I want to encourage you, be intentional about your development in your own relationship with God. Learn to say no to some things and say yes to Jesus. When we allow busyness to become King, we can miss the beauty of what God is trying to teach us, where he is trying to lead us, and what he wants to show us. teach us. There are times when we are meant to be busy, and there are things when we are meant to grow.
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Give yourself permission to grow!
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7/1/2018 0 Comments

Accepting The Invitation

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 ​"Pray without ceasing" 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV)

​One thing that Jesus knew well, was how to pray. It did not matter who he was around or where he was at, Jesus knew how to call to the Father.

When he needed direction, he prayed...
When he needed help, he prayed...
When he needed strength, he prayed...
Even when he was on the cross, he prayed...

Jesus' prayer life demonstrates not only the prayers importance but its prayer. Prayer provides us direct access to heaven, it allows us direct connection with the one and only living God. So often we look at prayer as an obligation, something we need to check off of our to-do list, but prayer is not an obligation but it is an invitation to experience the power and presence of God. 
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"True prayer is neither a mere mental exercise nor a vocal performance. It is far deeper than that - it is spiritual transaction with the Creator of Heaven and Earth." - Charles Spurgeon
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Prayer is not about the thee's and thou's, its not about how much of the Bible you have memorized. Prayer is about your heart, God wants a heart that is ready and willing to hear from him. Prayer is your chance to tell God what you need, and watch him work in your life. 

It does not matter where you are in life or what you are going through. We must learn to make prayer a non-negotiable in our lives. Learn to not allow what you are going through now to keep from from what God has in your future circumstance to keep you from what God can do in your future. There is nothing to big or to hard for God. Do not fear the unknown, do not worry about all the details, simply open up your mouth and talk to your Father.
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"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” Mark 11:24 (KJV) 
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Prayer is God's invitation for you to connect with him. Will you accept the invitation? ​
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