Cry out to the Lord

Many times I have told the Lord my cares, hurt and pains. It seems like my world around me is caving in. Financially it seems like I have more bills than money and can’t afford to feed my family. My dearest family member’s health is fading and need a healing touch. And even though I give my last to you Lord sacrificially, I still feel sometimes that my change won’t come soon enough. Gas is high, my husband just got laid off from his job of twenty years, and we are down to scraps in the refrigerator. Lord I need you NOW!

How many of you feel this way? We all have cried out to God in desperation at some time or another. I have been one of those that felt hopeless and depressed through trials and tragedy. But I tell you, once you tap into the power of God, and learn of Him in a mighty way, your change starts to take shape.

Recently, I’ve asked God for several things to happen in my life, personally and professionally. I did indeed feel that after all of the promoting of my book, travels to and fro various destinations, and investing into different marketing materials, I had come to a dead halt in everything financially. Personally, I had moved to Atlanta for the increase in pay as an educator, and a brand new home (Thanks to God). But then after a few months of really diving into the business as an author and writer, my business became personal as I reached into my personal funds to cover my writing expenses. Many authors have done that a time or two, expecially if they didn’t have a solid business plan, (which I’ve learned now how to do).

So I began to have more bills than money. My daughter needed things that I couldn’t always provide right away. Then she had a severe growth of fungus that occurred on her head that I thought she would not be able to fully heal from. But God! After crying out to God (many of you have been praying for her), seeking God’s face and his ever working healing power, not only was my daughter healed, but my finances started to increase. After taking Asia back and forth to the doctor and losing personal and sick time in the process, I should have had less money in my check that would have severely affected me and my bills for the month. But even with those monies docked from my pay, I still had over $500.00 more in my check this month!!! To top it off, my check next month will be even more than that! My God! Hallelujah! God knew what I needed and came through like he has always come through!

Saints, when your back is up against the wall, and you feel like all hope is gone, God shows up mightily in your life. But you have to believe and trust that He can do it!

Of course, there’s other things that I’m looking for God to do, and when He does, I will give you that praise report as well! Magnify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together!

Don't Let Disorder Mess Up Your Plans

Proverbs 16:9- In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps.
Proverbs 15:22- Plans fail for lack of counsel,
but with many advisers they succeed.

Everyone wants to know a better way that they could get through their various tasks for the day, and have everything work in their favor. Many people say, “If I just had a few more hours in a day, I could get more things done.” Well, as we know there’s only 24 hours in a day. From sun up to sun down, we labor to get all of our priorities met. But sometimes we are left with more clutter than when we started.

My good friend and advisor, Pam Perry from Ministry Marketing Solutions, has provided a wonderful article that I would like to share that gives tips to organizing your life and business, the Jiu Jitsu way. I hope you find some of them to be empowering and proactive in your life!

Great article on Jiu Jitsu Business Systems

My computer consultant was at my office last week optimizing my Macbook for my next business trip. Opening up my email, he said: “OMG, your inbox is clean!” Then he looked around my office. ”Are you really this organized?” I am.

Stuff is distracting. If your office and inbox are overflowing and you don’t like it anymore, keep it clean with these five Jiu Jitsu moves:

1. Start with a clean slate every day (clean inbox, clean office, clean desk). If you need help getting to ground zero, bring in an office organizer to help you catch up and put systems in place.

2. Set aside the last hour of your workday for planning. Write down three high payoff actions you’ll complete tomorrow and pull out any documents you’ll need. Then clear off your desk. Don’t just stuff it in drawers, put it away so you can put your hands on exactly what you want when you want it.

3. Set only 3 phone appointments each day. Leave the rest of your day for emails, return calls and working on your biz. If possible, do the high payoff actions first thing in the day. That way you’ll feel good about what you accomplished every day.

4. Download your email once in the morning, once at noon, once before planning hour. If you’re waiting for something urgent, look for that email more often but leave the rest for later. When you do focus on email, aim to reply to or delete everything. Be ruthless. Good intentions only last for so long. If you have to keep an email for later, put it in a Pending folder in your email program and set a time to go back and clear the pending emails each week.

5. Have one day each week set aside for outside-the-office appointments. Tuesdays are my day for the doctor, dentist, massage, etc. Cluster appointments whenever possible.

Beauty Tips

Beauty Tips
written by Sam Levenson

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge you’ll never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anybody.

Remember, If you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.

It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years -only grows!

Our beauty shows deepest when we feel good inside and it exudes outwardly to others. Doesn’t it also feel good when we can get dressed in our best feeling good on the inside as well? Amen! But in today’s economic times, it’s really hard to be able to go out to different boutiques to buy expensive jewelry. We go out of our way to serve and treat others, all the while losing ourselves. How about treating yourself this upcoming holiday season with economical but beautiful inspirational jewelry that speaks volumes in style and grace, while proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. www.everythingthatslily.com showcases some of the finest costume jewelry at a fraction of the price! Do something special today!

Paid in Full

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box.

Curious, and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man’s name embossed in gold. Angry, he rose his voice to his father and said “with all your money, you give me a Bible?” and stormed out of the house.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father’s house, a sudden feeling of sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father’s important papers and saw the still gift-wrapped Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matt.7:11, “And if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,how much more shall your Heavenly Father which is in Heaven, give to those who ask Him?”

As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss God’s blessings because we can’t see past our own desires?

Lily: Lord, help us to continue to see what you do for us everyday! Let us never take for granted the many blessings you already bestow upon us. Praise you Jesus!

Twenty Dollars

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, “Who would like this $20 bill?”

Hands started going up. He said, “I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.” He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up. He then asked, “Who still wants it?” Still the hands were up in the air.

“Well,” he replied, “What if I do this?” And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty.

“Now who still wants it?” Still the hands went into the air.

“My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives,we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value in God’s eyes. To Him, dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to Him.

Psalm 178 states that God will keep us, “as the apple of His eye.”

THOUGHT: The worth of our lives come not in what we do or who we are but by WHOSE WE ARE! You are special - Don’t ever forget it!