Jess

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Shekinah Glory

The Power of Praise

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Keep Your Hope

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It dawned on me as I was writing this post how much it takes to be committed. Commitment is a huge factor when it comes to any part of your life, i.e. school, job, relationships, etc. I just think that in all things you have to carry a bit of hope.
Hope is what brings out the faith that you carry inside of you. No matter how hard things get for you, you have this inkling inside you that keeps pushing to keep your hope alive. You want to do almost everything to get passed what you felt was weighing you down and becoming an abyss that you could not find the exit to. But I assure you to stay and be hopeful.

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When I think of some of the things that I have certainly faced in my life, I think about the many times that I could have thrown in the towel and given up. I thought that things would never get easier or that there was no silver lining waiting for me at the end of the road. All the hardships left me feeling so low of myself that I wanted/needed to be left by myself. Every now then I would think of these moments and how bad I felt in THOSE moments. But what kept me going and moving forward, was HOPE!

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Had I given up long ago, I probably would have never been blessed with some of the things that I have today. I wouldn’t like the passion that I have for public speaking or for teaching children. I wouldn’t enjoy my life the way that I am now and I certainly would not have a love and joy that God continues to bring me. No matter how low I was feeling, my hope kept me going. It gave me the fire inside and the drive to do and become the things that I wanted for my life. It kept me on my toes and pushed me into some of the happiest experiences of my life. The way my life is now, I certainly could have not seen had it been a few years back. I now love that I am so passionate about teaching. I’ve learned over the years that I had this quality inside of me that burns so deeply because I feel to learn, to grow, and to teach others.

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It always reminds me of the famous film, Pay It Forward. I think to myself daily, how can I give back or pass on information that I once too was given by another? And after thinking of new ways to do this the hope that I have continues to show me how far I have actually come.
But I must say, I am glad that I kept my hope. For no one knows what tomorrow brings or what the day will bring your way. Through prayer, through patience, and through hope, you find yourself living for a better tomorrow.

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Life will always have its curve balls and you will always have a moment that will make you weak, but nevertheless, keep your hope. This hope is what will keep you going. It will bring positive vibes your way because you will not give up but you will continue to PERSEVERE. To get passed the difficulties, you have to endure. To overcome obstacles, you have to go through.
For a better life, you GO through it while you GROW through it.
Keep your hope, continue to fight for your goals, and live for a better you.

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To Be Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
 
When we have so much, we often forget what it’s like to be left with little. Or what it’s like to given an opportunity to receive something. With all that we have we grow less and less appreciative for the small things that we were once grateful to be given. We don’t know the significance behind the words “thank you”. Not saying that all of us lack respect and courtesy, just that with small acts of kindness we tend to forget to be thankful.
To be thankful…
 
It means that you show and have appreciation for what’s been given.
 
It means that we know what we’ve received and honored to have it or been given it. 
 
So why is it that we take life for granted?
 
 
God brought us into this world as His people. Each of us born with a gift and purpose meant to be fulfilled. Born with freedom of choice to live our lives, yet we act like our lives are not worth it. That our lives must be wasted away. That we don’t remember the pain suffered on the cross for us and our sins.
To be thankful…
 
Jesus Christ came into this world to carry our sins on His back and to free us from those said sins that would tear us away from our relationship with God. God has given us SO  MUCH but we can’t find time to show Him our appreciation for our lives. To be alive is something to appreciate and be thankful for. 
 
As people we should do our best to be most appreciative of the things we have and the things we do not have. That when it comes down to what really matters in our lives we would know how to be appreciative. 
 
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” This simply means that we should always be thankful. No matter the occasion, we need to be thankful for what it is going and what we already have. God wants us to do this because it is in our wills for our various lives. The simple fact that you are alive and still breathing is something to look to God to and say thank you for. 
 
When we work on how thankful we are, we become better people. I urge you to always be thankful and that moving forward in life you want look to only big things to appreciate but that you will appreciate any and everything you have and will gain. 
 
So, be thankful! 
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A Heart of Gratitude

Gratitude is the Attitude of the Blessed

Knowing what we know now about being thankful, we have to uphold the best attitude we can possible for all the things that we’ve been given. We have to show what it means to us that we are fortunate enough to earn something or be given something by another. It’s not easy for everyone to always be grateful of the things they have personally.  But how do we uphold such a great attitude? As people who are blessed by God what we need to do to is always have gratefulness in our hearts. 
 
Being Grateful
 
Grateful:
Adjective
-warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received; thankful
 
What comes to mind when you think of this definition?
 
Like most, we always ultimately think about thanking someone for a kind gesture. Or even a time where someone assisted you with your assignment when you asked for help. What we do with our kindness goes a very long way. As mentioned in my previous post, no matter how small the gesture we should always be thankful. God wants us to always give thanks for the things we have and the things we do not have as well. By doing this we are showing how we truly appreciate all that has ever been done for us. 
 
But how often do we portray gratefulness as our attitude? How can we become better with our gratitude?
 
Gratitude As Our Attitude
 
Gratitude for the blessed comes naturally. Every day when we start our day, we wake up with a thankful heart and a pure mind. We carry an attitude that no matter what happens today, what we have to be grateful for will always surpass those burdens. We don’t let ourselves sleep with problems on our mind or anger resonating in our hearts. We always wake up and go to sleep thankful for the life we live and love. 
 
God has given us the opportunity everyday that we live to give Him the best praise. That we continue to celebrate Him for all that He continues to do in our lives. That though we face troubling times, we still come back to Him to assist us and guide us. That we have many more things to be thankful for.  That what others do and what God does for us would not go unnoticed. That everything will be appreciated. 
 
When you continuously give thanks, you grow the gratitude you already have. It becomes easier for you to not dwell on your hardships because you still have so much more to be grateful for in your life. By letting gratitude be your attitude daily, you better yourself and how you see you life. You continue to keep the best attitude and that is what keeps you in positive light.
 
Life seems way easier when you are grateful rather than stressed out
 
You don’t begin to worry so much about how others have what you don’t have or why you haven’t been given a new job or something new in your life that you’ve wanted. When you are grateful, God eases blessings into your life. The more praise that goes up to Him, the more blessings come down to you. So instead of letting stress occupy your mind, continue to praise Him.
When you keep gratitude as your attitude, you are thanking God for all the blessings thatHe brings your way. You’re building yourself up to be a better person. You’re showing how much joy and appreciation you have for the life that you’ve been given. You’re allowing God to be the ultimate anchor in you’re life. You don’t let stress occupy you. You don’t your hardships define your life. But by being grateful, you show how happy you are to have things be done for you. How appreciative you are of your life, your family, your home and your work. You continue to be thankful for all that is with you and is going for you in your life. And above all you cherish the moments that you’ve been given while living. 
 
So remember this when you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, you have have so much more to be grateful for and don’t let your hardships replace the blessings you already have!
 
Continue to have gratitude as your attitude

The Act of Giving

-What is Giving?
 
What do you consider to be your definition of giving? Do you think of how someone can offer you something and you receiving it? Or do you think about how selfless some people can be by handing away the things they have?
 
Giving is one thing that can be done without the need being reciprocated. To give simply means to present voluntarily and without expecting compensation.
 
There is one specific type of giving that I would like to focus on since Thanksgiving Day is tomorrow and we will have many things to be thankful for in our homes and with our families. The giving that I want to discuss is giving to the poor.
-Giving to the Poor
 
Every now and then you tend to see someone in need who can be holding a sign up or just happens to be disheveled on the side of the road or near a building with their remains fairly close to them. In that moment, what is your initial action? Do you continue to walk/drive/ move? Do you begin to feel compassion for them? Do you think of what you could do to help them? All these things may be running in your mind at this instance because of what just took place in front of you. 
 
When we see someone who is poor or who is very much in need we should always do our best to offer something to them. Now I know that there are times where some people you have offered help to are unappreciative of what you have done but the fact alone that you were able to give is the greatest deed of all. 
 
Proverbs 19:17 says, “He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, And He will pay back what he has given.” When you give to the poor, God blesses you mightily. He sees what you have done for another and repays it to you, not necessarily in monetary means but by what He has in store for your life. This simply means that blessings will be upon you because you have given.
-How Giving Makes You a Better Person 
 
When you give you are doing it not because you have to, but because you want to. Giving comes from the heart. It’s what brings joy to you knowing that you were able to help and aid someone. You don’t expect anything in return from them but just knowing that you were able to do such a good deed for another.  
 
People tend to feel that when they give, there is warmth and happiness inside of them. That they realize they have done something good and are proud of themselves for doing it. They feel more compassion towards others because of how generous they were whilst they gave. All these feelings of compassion, sympathy, joy, and happiness are emotions that bring up people with better attitudes. When you are thankful for what you have you would be happier to give to those in need. Just as last week I mentioned gratitude is of the blessed, when you give you are blessing others. 
-What’s in Store For Those Who Give?
 
When you give God blesses you in ways that you never imagine. All of your heart’s desires and prayers are answered by God with time. This is not to say that when you give, you will immediately be blessed with whatever you were yearning for. NO! God works in His time and His time is always right! 
 
God always repays those who do the good work and those who fight the good fight. What you do now to your neighbors, strangers, and those you love is how God in turn will bless you. He doesn’t only bless you with what you have given in monetary funds at church for tithes but He blesses you with so much more. 
 
When you give, God takes what you have given to Him or to others and replaces it with the blessings He has prepared for you. Whenever I think of this, I always think about one scenario. Let’s say you were given a book. You read the book and realized it was filled with so much knowledge and can see that not everyone had access to this book. Because you felt sad and bad for them you decided to share what you have already gained from the book. Just as you share what you have gained from a book, another person will share what they have gained from another book. This is exactly how God works. When you do good, give unto Him and give to help the poor, God gives back to you in abundance. He see what you are doing and knows what and where He wishes to take you in life. God will then start to place you on the right track and open the doors to the opportunities you thought you may never receive. 
 
This is a give and take situation. What you give to God and His people is what you will take  from God when He blesses you. Not only that, but you better yourself because you have done something that can be paid forward to another. Because you offered something to another, God will place the right people in the right places for you to receive something from them. This is the cycle of giving. Because you do good, others too, will do good to you. 
 
Allow this to be what you think about as we come to celebrate this coming Thanksgiving Day. What can you give to another? How can you pay it forward in this week? What good deeds do you wish to do on Thanksgiving? How can you help the less fortunate? What could you do for a neighbor? What can you do for your community? 
 
As you think of these things reflect on this bible verse:
 
Deuteronomy 15:10 
“Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.”
 
 
God will surely bless you, Amen! 
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Knowing Your Purpose

There is just so much that I can say about how and why my mind has drawn me to this topic. I remember vividly going to sleep last night and the thoughts came rushing to my mind. It had been immediately after I had finished my nightly devotional prayer with God above. I was faintly sleeping but then this message poured out into my spirit.
Have you ever thought of what makes you who you are and what is in store for you in your life?
As people gifted in this world, we are built to serve a unique purpose in our lives. What is planned for you has been thought of long before we were formed inside our mother’s wombs. We were hand crafted by God in heaven as He chose us and gave us a purpose to live out. As people we need to know what our own purpose is for each of us.

The talents and gifts that we have are what God knows we can use to bring success to us. He gave us these skills because He knew the power we hold when we put them to use. He knew that when we put our all into what makes us who we are, our passion for life stands strong. We grow stronger in Him because of what He has and continues to bless us with.
As people, it is our job in our lives to know what we want to do and what we are passionate about. The small talents you think are mediocre can be some of the things that will continue to be a blessing in your life and bring more blessings to your life. If you stay committed to those talents and skills, God will use you in ways you would have never expected.

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So I bring these questions back to you, What makes you who you are and what is in store for you in your life?

In your own time of reflection, you should meditate on this. Ponder over what you know yourself to be and what you know makes you happy. This is your life to live and you don’t want to live a wasted life. When opportunities strike and doors open for you, walk through those doors confidently knowing that this is meant for you.
Many times, we contemplate on what makes us happy and what we truly enjoy doing. Don’t live your life in a boring job that you know you only do because you have bills to pay and things to handle. You should find a job or career on what you truly enjoy and are passionate about.
I remember for me how hard it was to make decisions on what I wanted to do in this life I have. I knew I wanted to certainly make an impact but didn’t know where my impact would land. I often felt very indecisive until I came to terms with how passionate I was about communication, writing and working with youth. Now I find myself living life that is not so stressful. I am happy where I am today and cannot begin to think of the countless blessings that have come my way knowing I’m in an area of my life where I can truly explore and enjoy the talents and gifts that I have been given.

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Some people can handle working in offices or even in hospitals but others know that their unique craft is not in those areas and buildings. As individuals you need to explore all areas of YOU! You need to be able to find what works for you and what you know you are great at.
Don’t be afraid of how small your skill may be. Embrace it, for surely God has given you something He knows you will use MIGHTLY! So to my ERS, don’t lose your talents and gifts. Expand on them and with God’s direction, He will surely bring blessings and success upon you!

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Hello Friends!

It’s Been a While… But I’m Back! Here’s What’s Been Going On.

Hello, friends!

First things first, I owe all of you an apology. I know it’s been a while since my last post, and for those of you who’ve been waiting patiently (or perhaps wondering what happened to me), I just want to say: thank you. It means so much to me that you’ve stuck around.

The truth is, I needed some time to step away and recharge. Life can get overwhelming, and sometimes the best thing we can do for ourselves is to take a pause—whether that’s from work, creative projects, or even our passions. So, that’s what I did. I took a break from blogging to focus on a few personal things, reflect on where I want this blog to go, and rediscover the joy of writing.

But now, I’m excited to say that I’m back, and I’ve got a fresh perspective and a whole new approach to share with you. 🙌

Why I Took a Break

I’ve always believed that creativity thrives when you give yourself permission to step away and let your mind breathe. For a while, I felt like I was going through the motions—writing posts because I felt like I had to, not because I was genuinely inspired. I didn’t want to just churn out content for the sake of it, so I decided to hit pause, take stock of my life, and spend time doing things that refueled me.

During that time, I read books, took long walks, traveled (a little), and spent time with friends and family. It was a period of rediscovery for me, not only as a writer but as a person.

I also spent time reflecting on what this blog means to me and what I want it to offer you. I want this space to be more than just a collection of posts—I want it to be a place of connection, inspiration, and meaningful conversation.

What You Can Expect Moving Forward

So, what’s next? Well, I’m so glad you asked! As I dive back into writing, here’s what you can look forward to:

  1. Fresh Topics: While I’ll still be covering: personal growth, travel, lifestyle, expect some new areas of exploration as well. I’m excited to share more and dive deeper into subjects that have been on my mind.

  2. A New Focus: One of the things I realized during my break was that I want this blog to feel more intimate, more reflective. Expect longer, more thoughtful posts where I share not just tips and advice, but personal stories, struggles, and victories. I think we can all use a little more vulnerability in our lives.

  3. Consistency, But Flexibility: I won’t be posting every day or week—life happens, and I want to make sure the content I share is meaningful. But I will be here regularly, sharing stories, ideas, and insights that I hope will spark something in you, too.

What I’ve Learned in the Time Away

Taking a break isn’t easy, especially when you feel like you’re leaving something unfinished. But sometimes, letting go for a while helps you come back stronger. I’ve learned that:

  • It’s okay to take a step back: You don’t always have to be “on.” It’s okay to pause, regroup, and refocus.
  • Creativity requires space: Pushing yourself to create when you’re not inspired only leads to burnout. Space allows inspiration to breathe and flow naturally.
  • Community matters: I’ve missed hearing from all of you. This community means so much to me, and I’m so grateful for your patience during my time away.

What’s Coming Next?

In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing posts, new and old, and I can’t wait to dive into it with you. I’m looking forward to getting back to what I love and having more conversations with you, whether it’s in the comments, on social media, or through email.

Thank you for being here, for your support, and for sticking with me during this break. It’s good to be back. And as always, I’d love to hear from you—what would you like to see more of on the blog? Let me know in the comments below!

Here’s to a new chapter of inspiration, growth, and creativity. Let’s make it a great one. ✨

With love,

Jess