Change

One thing that is constant in life is change. Seasons come and go but one thing that remains is our ability to grow. The past two years have been difficult and tough for not only myself but for others as well. I am here to announce to you that change is here and God has kept you through it all. It does not matter the battle you may have faced in previous years or the exhaustion from them; keep moving and going forward. CHANGE, EVOLVE, AND GROW!

Do not remain in the same mindset that served you in previous years, do not remain in pain or shame from the past. Just as winter turns to spring your life will not remain stagnant or the same; push yourself past old limitations, go beyond “I am not good enough,” “I can’t do it,” “I am not qualified enough.” Break out from stinking thinking and go get what belongs to you. Pressure bursts pipes but it also makes diamonds as well which one do you choose to be; a old rusty pipe or a diamond?

I am glad you all have chosen to be the diamond. Well, we all know what diamonds do, they shine. So go out and shine and never let anything dim your light! When challenges or trials arise see it as a compliment that means you are growing and doing something right. Remember, we go high. May God’s peace and blessings rest on you as He elevates you.

Strength

Strength: the quality or state of being strong. We often consider the Oxford or Webster dictionary definition when we think of strength. These worldly definitions highlight physical strength, which is only seen or felt in the natural. There is another form of strength that takes spiritual awareness and agility to uphold. That is spiritual strength.

Spiritual strength is strength given to us through God’s grace and mercy. This strength is sovereign over all other forms because they stem from spiritual strength. Spiritual strength gives us the capacity to survive, overcome, and obtain victory. Spiritual strength gives us the power to withstand every fiery dart aimed and shot at us. We can not acquire spiritual strength by going to the gym or living a nutritionally healthy lifestyle; this strength is only built through intimacy with God.

Psalms 18:34-35 (EASY) states, “He teaches me how to fight in war. He makes my arms strong to shoot arrows from a bronze bow. Lord, your power has helped me to be strong.”

Allow the Lord to help you to be strong in every battle. Allow Him to carry and sustain you as he teaches and graces your hands to war. It is not over with you! He has given you the tools to fight and the courage to conquer!

Hope

There are times when hope seems lost and that the light at the end of the tunnel will never shine. We cry at night and we feel the burden of what we long for. I understand because I have been there; I know what it is like to cry, to hope for, and to lament. The saying “hope deferred makes the heart sick” is true but “a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” You will see that tree!

There are seasons in life that test our character and strength. Seasons where we want to bury our heads in the sand and give up. Seasons of depression and despair. Hope is defined as a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. There were times when I lost hope and felt discouraged—even when my pillows became the world’s biggest soft tissues.

Through it all, I have been kept. I have learned that hope is not defined by what you can receive but by what you give. Hope comes from within; it is a gift from above and a fruit of the spirit. Our trust levels and faith also define hope. While I do not have all the answers to the problems I have and will have in life, one thing that I do have is hope and peace. The type of peace that surpasses all understanding and places my hope in something far greater than the world can offer.

Even in the coldest of winters and darkest of nights, stay steadfast and do not lose your confidence. Do not trade in your joy, and yes, there is a difference between happiness and joy. Whatever situation or depression you are facing, remember this too shall pass. It always rains before the rainbow.

Patience

Persevering can be hard when you have a clear vision and are dedicated to your craft but are seeing no results. I know how frustrating and hard that can be to watch others get what you have been hoping and yearning for. But, I am here to tell you that through perseverance and consistent dedication you will see your seed bloom and discover purpose. It is hard and even discouraging at times to constantly feel behind or not good enough.

Do not give up! You are good enough and more than enough! Nothing worth having or the path you are destined to walk will be easy. Patience is a virtue and craft is a vision. Whatever your vision is keep at it and do not derail when discouraged. I believe the young women and men reading this have greatness in them that is waiting to be unlocked and tapped into. Continue to climb and hold fast to your dreams and visions because it will come to pass.

Strength and the ability to maintain status or a higher level is birthed from the ability to endure. The training for the reigning as I like to say. A queen or king cannot just wake up one day and rule there is a process and training they go through before ascending the throne. If you are feeling discouraged do not stay there get back up and keep trying. Failure comes with the dream; but is not the worst part it is the learning curve and catalyst to pushing you to the top. Keep going!

Everything is timing and when the timing is right you will see it happen for you. Stay steadfast and persevere because the reward will be worth it.

Grace

Grace abounds and for women that grace gives us the ability to reign in life and change the lives of others as we move within our purpose and given assignments. The shallow definition of grace is elegance, pardoning, or presence; we will explore grace on a deeper level. While yes elegance, pardoning, and presence are a part of grace they are simply products of grace. Grace is an unmerited favor given to us which gives us the ability to do and become.

Grace is a cycle in which we receive grace first, then we conduct it by operating in our gifts and influencing the lives of others, finally, we send it back up to glorify God. Let me clarify grace we all can receive grace as it is free and there is nothing anyone can do to earn it. For everything, there is a specific grace given to fulfill a purpose, assignments, and a call. My challenge to everyone reading this blog is to conduct grace and allow it to flow through you.

As women, we are called to influence and intercede in many different ways. My prayer and hope for you all is that you tap into your unique grace and begin to reign with all authority as the Queens you are. 

Forgiveness

The saying “unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to get sick” rings true as we often hold onto actions, people, and words that have hurt us. We all have had a period in our lives when we held people in our hearts and opened ourselves to reliving that pain. My heart for this blog is to help free you from the snare of grudges. I know firsthand the effects it can have on your well-being and ability to live freely.

Personally, I have dealt with the struggle of forgiving others especially when they are in my environment, and have to see them often. It felt like a knife cutting into a stitched wound that was trying to heal each meeting. It felt like I was being mocked each time and that is the thing about grudges it makes you see, think, and hear things from a distorted point of view. Do not get me wrong I am not saying you have to allow the perpetrator in your space or life again. 

Forgiveness is for you and not the other person. I believe in releasing people with love and never giving them access again. Forgiveness allows you to clear the apartment of your heart, mind, and soul while making room for yourself and new friendships, relationships, and partnerships. I sincerely hope this blog has touched your heart and inspired you to make room in it for more. Realize your strength and choose to forgive. 

Happiness or Joy

What is happiness I used to think that happiness is found in the material items, titles, or successes I acquired. People pleasing became a way for me to obtain the validation I was desperate for. Always thinking am I good enough? Why don’t they like me? I am doing everything they want me to do and for a moment I felt happy when they would reciprocate for a short moment. 

Then I realized that this is unsustainable and quite frankly has the opposite effect of what I truly want. See, there is a difference between happiness and true joy. Happiness is contingent on what we have, who acknowledges us, situations, or status we finally reach. None of those things are truly sustainable because people change, jobs can be lost, and material things depreciate with time. Happiness is fickle and codependent. 

Whereas, joy cannot be measured by the things we have, do, or positions we hold. Joy is available and free to all but many fail to possess it. My prayer for all of you reading is that you will come into a relationship with joy and choose it before anyone else.

Beautifully Broken

We often believe our trauma and pain disqualify us from becoming great and doing great things. We allow the hurt and pain to blur our vision and immobilize us. I have experienced this firsthand; thoughts of being unworthy plagued my mind. I saw the world through the lens of limited possibilities and the mean names spoken to me—words like ugly and fat words that cut deep and fractured a piece of my soul with each encounter. I release you from the chains holding you, and just like I found my true identity, I speak life into your true identity.

I began to take on these false identities that made room for things that were never to be a part of me. To the young women reading this, you are not small, ugly, or worthless. You are royalty, made in boldness and glory. The affliction of your pain births great purpose. I am here to introduce you to a forever-flowing well of life and limitless possibilities.

Just like a mirror that has been shattered and put back together with layers of colored glass, a new masterpiece has been formed. It is a beautiful masterpiece from the brokenness and the mirror put together again. Your pain does not disqualify you.

You must know who you are! You must arise and shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! YOU MUST ARISE!

YOU WILL MANIFEST GLORY!

Healing

The past few weeks have been extremely challenging and exhausting. I felt at my wits end and hopeless as if the world became my personal Hell. I know I am not the first and will not be the last woman to feel like this. So how do you move forward and keep going when the storm is drowning you?

The answer is simple you rest. Now if you’re a survivor and highly ambitious resting may seem like a foreign concept. How do you rest when your very nature is telling you to fight your way out?

You heal. This journey has taught me the importance of healing. You heal by resting and allowing the light to penetrate your heart. Where do you find the blessing in the midst of your pain?

You find it in the pain because it exposes the parts of you that need to heal. Trauma is complex to deal with, but allow peace to speak to your heart as you rest because what comes next is your healing. Peace be still and be made whole.

Grief

Grief is a monster we all have to face throughout life. It is a battle I am still facing as I learn to navigate life without my childhood best friend, who was more like a sister to me. I grieve a lot, and sometimes it feels unbearable. She is one reason I decided to start this blog: to help young women navigate through life, find purpose, and help others.

I have learned that grief is a giant that can be defeated with just a slingshot. Grief teaches strength, endurance, and perseverance. At least, that is what I have learned as I grieve the loss of loved ones and things. I do not know what you may be grieving or the suffering you have endured, but I am here to tell you that you are strong, wise, and full of purpose. As you grieve, you will find the strength to help others through your story. You are necessary, and you will be heard.

Light

What do you do when it is dark all around you and the tunnel seems long?

You shine! That is what you do. You carry light… You are light. When in the darkest moments, your light should shine the brightest. The tunnel may be dark and long. What you need to illuminate, clarify, and eradicate the darkness is already inside you. As you shine, you prepare and light up the pathway for others. You shine brighter than any headlight on a train. Do not let a little bit of darkness deem your shine.

Arise and shine! You are the world's light, and purpose is calling you.

YOU ARE LIGHT! YOU ARE TO SHINE! YOU ARE TO ARISE!

Sound

There are days when I question my importance in this world and if what I have to say truly matters. I used to limit my voice until I realized it carries sound. Life and people have a way of making us give up and lose our sound. What if I told you your voice matters and the change you seek to see is locked within that sound. Never limit your sound to the pitch of your pain, grief, or heartache. Your voice carries vibrations of change and purpose.

I often think of a lioness roaring to solidify her territory within her queendom. The strength within her voice and the echo of the sound she makes. Like the lioness, we possess the sound to save and uphold our queendom. Let that sound carry and let it be heard worldwide.

Who You Are

Identity determines our way of life as it forms who we are and how others perceive us. It is essential to know who you are and what you are made of. "Who are you?" is a question we often ask ourselves as we seek to discover ourselves as we navigate the world. Sometimes, we take on false identities due to traumas, pain, or upbringing. I am here to tell you whatever negative identity that has been placed on you is a lie. You are more than your weight, features, talents, and interests. 

You are greater than any pain or trauma you have endured. Those things do not define you or your future; you must know who you truly are. You have a purpose. Your experiences, whether positive or negative, have purpose. Identify yourself as you truly are and walk in that authentic identity. Once again, who are you? 

I know for sure YOU ARE MADE FOR MORE!

Grateful

Thanksgiving is a time of merriness and gratitude for most. We celebrate and cherish the things we are most grateful for, such as friends, family, pets, and belongings. Gratitude should be in our hearts consistently and daily. Above all, we as women should show ourselves the most tremendous appreciation for being courageous and intelligent trailblazers. I'm sorry, I forgot to mention that we are undeniably beautiful and worthy of achieving our dreams and goals.

My challenge this week to you is to write down a list of all the things you love about yourself and practice gratitude towards yourself. Enjoy this special day as you sit and enjoy a fabulous feast with loved ones, expressing gratitude toward each other and life. You are a gem, and the world is grateful to have you. You were created with gratitude in mind.

Artiste

The portrait that tells the stories of our lives is handcrafted and designed by our hands. We have the power to decide the viewer's perception. Even in uncertainty, we are creating beautiful artistry throughout life. Even the most challenging situation can transform us into a better version of ourselves; it is all in how we perceive situations. The goal is not to look at the puzzle pieces but the bigger picture.

Your beginning may not have been the best, but that does not define your story or where you are headed. Your story is beginning, and you are the artiste. You have the power to sculpt, paint, and write that story. A queen's greatest strength is knowing her authority and power. Your portrait still needs to be finished; continue to pick up your paintbrushes and create masterpieces.

Loving Yourself

Love is often understood as an outward action we show and give to others. Love should be defined as an inward action as well. Imagine how great we would feel if we showed ourselves the same love we offer to our parents, boyfriends, girlfriends, etc. Sometimes, you must look at yourself in the mirror and say I love you. You are so beautiful and celebrate yourself.

Command your day by showing yourself love and exhibiting acts of kindness towards yourself throughout the day. These can be watching your favorite TV show, eating that cookie or ice cream, or socializing with friends. We were created with love in mind and wanting to be loved. Regardless of your circumstances, you deserve love; self-love is the most potent form of love. You deserve more.

As you love yourself more, you open yourself to receive and do more.

A Rose

We often need to remember the process it takes to bloom into something beautiful. For instance, a rose starts as a seed and requires patience, care, and rain to grow. We are like roses; we need love, patience, and, believe it or not, hard times help us grow. Personally, this whole year felt like one big storm to me. I faced a lot of heartache, disappointment, and hardships, but I realized those things pushed me to work harder and helped me to realize my strength.

To the young girl reading this, what is strength if you do not know pain? Would there be a rainbow without the rain? You are strong, brave, and courageous; every day you press forward is a reminder. Never doubt your strength or ability to survive. A rose is never a rose until it has experienced its thorns. The thorns allow the rose to survive and grow into something fragrant and beautiful.

Your life’s fragrance is beautiful.

Mood

Today was hard… actually, this whole year has been challenging. Some days, I feel stronger than others, but today, I felt like giving up completely. Some days, I feel prettier, fitter, and more proactive than others, but I guess that is why there is always a tomorrow. I discovered different ranges of my moods and how that affects my confidence. The question is, what will you do on a bad day? 

Decisions decisions. You have options like giving up, wallowing in self-pity, or persevering. I hope the answer to that question is perseverance; something about the word tenacity gets me. We all have a tenacious queen in us. A queen that inspires cheers, "yes, queen!" "slay girl, slay," and "you go, girl!" that Queen is definitely in you. 

On days when you feel the world's weight, remember that Queen as you acknowledge your mood. Remember, it is okay to feel your emotions, but do not stay there too long. Get up, persevere, and slay because the influencer and role model you seek is in you. As always, remember this fact: YOU ARE MADE FOR MORE!

Unpretty

TLC said it best,

“You can buy your hair if it won’t grow,

You can fix your nose if he says so,

You can buy all the make up that MAC can make

But if you can’t look inside you. Find out who I am to be in a position to make me feel so

Unpretty.”

We all have self-perceived flaws we wish we could fix: a broad nose, wide-set eyes, an asymmetrical face, or higher body fat. What if I told you those flaws make you who you are and are uniquely beautiful. Sometimes we bend to societal pressures to attain a conventional standard of beauty that denies the world of natural beauty. If we all looked or behaved the same, the world would be boring and lack that exceptional quality you possess that no one else has. You are unique! There is no one else on this planet like you! Embrace how you have been handcrafted perfectly, look in the mirror and see how annoyingly beautiful you are, and confidently enter rooms. Display that beauty; what the world needs is you.