I just have to tell somebody....

So in actuality I wasn't going to do an actual blog post today but the news I just received makes me wanna post so here goes! 

I just found out that I am now a size 14/15! (I can't believe I just typed those numbers...SERIOUSLY) But yes..I am 24 years old. 185-190 lbs. & 5"11. To someone on the outside looking in you are probably saying, "Okay what's the big deal?" & honestly it's really not THAT big of a deal but then again it kinda is. I mean if you know me..you would know that I was ALWAYS known as "the skinny girl, toothpick," & everything else to describe a tall & slim girl in my younger years. But since my 20's all of those words have definitely been thrown out the window because even tho I'm still tall..all that "skinniness" is definitely not me anymore. I don't even know what that looks like on me anymore. 

Haha...looking at old pictures is the only rememberance of being skinny I have. My deal today is just that I'm so amazed at how quickly things can change right before your eyes. It makes me not only reflect about my outer appearance but about my inner too. & it makes me all the more excited about all the changes that are too come. I mean I know me nor anyone else would EVER think that skinny April would be the next Buffy the Body (sike...just kidding!!!) but no seriously, I know no one would ever had imagined me being this size at this age. My momma always told me all that eating I did would catch up with me. I just didn't know how soon she was talking. But the moral of the story today is...

1. Love yourself right where you are

2. Look forward to change

3. Embrace it when it comes

What do you think?

People (including myself) never cease to amaze me with the things we say & do. We are very quick to point fingers & call names without looking at ourselves first in the mirror to say "What...hold up. Do I have room to talk?" It happens all the time in our home, on our job, but surprisingly to say the least in our churches & community. & to be quite frank with you...I'd like to say I'm tired of it.

My issue today is not that we judge one another because I've already discussed that with you before, but today my issue is that we put people on pedestals & began looking to them to be "Our God" or "Our vision of perfection." But WHY?! God is no respecter of persons, so why should we be?  [Peter fairly exploded with his good news: “It’s God’s own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. The Message he sent to the children of Israel—that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again—well, he’s doing it everywhere, among everyone. (Acts 10:34-36 MSG)] Now this I absolutely love! God doesn't care who you are, where you live, what's your background, or occupation. If you are ready to receive Him & follow Him the door is open & the only one who can shut it is you. We have a tendency to look at people in church & those in the pulpit & perceive them to be these Holy rollers who as soon as they start to proclaim the name of Jesus they receive their halo & are God's perfect child. Sorry to burst your bubble but you are sadly mistaken! The only perfect one is God! None of us are truly capable of doing good alone. [They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Psalms 14:3 KJV)] When we do begin to proclaim the name of JESUS, that's when we need Him the most. None of us can walk this journey without falling down & making mistakes. If we could there would be no reason for JESUS to have endured the cross & the suffering that He went thru for us. [But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5 NKJV)] We as believers don't have to worry about feeling guilt & shame when we make mistakes because we know we have a Savior & a Father in Heaven that we may turn to & repent. 

I really can't tell you why it is that we look at people in the church & begin to believe that they are supposed to be perfect & not make mistakes but they are human. We all are & we all make mistakes. God never promised me peaches & cream but He promised me that He would never leave me nor forsake. [Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV)] So even right now today as I sit here & reflect on my own short comings, I won't fret my lil pet because I trust the One who holds tomorrow is the same One that holds my life in His hands. 

F.O.E

Friend Or Enemy

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Today's topic is about friend/family or enemy. Nowadays alot people are confused on who to trust & who to love, when in reality we should be loving everyone FRIEND OR FOE!

In my Young Jeezy voice, "I got two words for you, LOVE & LOYALTY." Two very important key components of ANY positive, healthy relationship. First off we have love. I absolutely love the meaning of love expressed in 1 Corinthians 13 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT) I definitely would want someone I call my "friend" to possess some if not ALL of these particular qualities. We all need someone who can be there for us when we've hit rock bottom & it seems like we are in the pit of hell. Real friends will be there to lift you up, encourage you, & help you along your way! If in the toughest moments of your life, that guy/girl that you call your friend isn't there I ask you to evaluate your circle & team & find out who's there & why. 

This is why I would much rather use the word FAMILY to describe those who are close to me. But aren't we all supposed to be family. We are all supposed to be members of God's family! He is the Father & we as His children are all brothers & sisters! But why is it that we don't seem to act like it? Why is it that the littlest things can make us turn our backs on one another? Now if we return to 1 Corinthians 13 you'll see that God never said we wouldn't be done wrong by another person or that everyone will get along all the time but it says "Love keeps no record of wrongdoing." This is a problem that so many of us have today! So many people can't have a successful relationship because they are still recording the wrong that was done to them over 20 years ago. Whether in a marriage, friendship, or even at the church. Let me tell you, it's time to LET IT GO & LET GOD! Harboring that hurt, pain, & betrayal in your heart is only going to hinder your growth whether mentally or spiritually. In order to grow there are things that you have to let go. The bible says (But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (Matthew 5:44 KJV) & you are probably thinking like a lot of us do..."Ughhh..no! You don't know what that person did to me! There's no way on God's green Earth that I will forgive them." Well just a little FYI if there's no way on God's green Earth you'll forgive them, don't expect the same God of this green Earth to forgive you. God is a just & righteous God! He's not going to ask you to do something that He hasn't already done Himself. He forgives us daily! All day, everyday! & He's God. ALL POWERFUL. & we act like we can't forgive someone because they stepped on our Timbs in the club! It's time to GROW UP & stop allowing the enemy to kill us slowly with the poison of unforgiveness! 

There's no doubt that FAMILY should ALWAYS stick together & be there for one another! I believe that's called, LOYALTY. In this day in age, it is so sad to see that to a lot of people loyalty is just a word on a t-shirt or a lyric in a song! It seems a lot of people don't understand the true definition of loyalty. Love & loyalty are one in the same. You have to have one in order to have the other. Now we are ALL supposed to be family right! & a family should consist of love! So with that should come loyalty! When I think of loyalty, I think of God & how loyal He is! Now God is loyal even to His enemies. Before Judah betrayed Jesus, Jesus still washed His feet knowing that Judah (someone He loved) was going to turn His back on Him. See loyalty is a characteristic of the heart! It is something that comes from within. You can't purchase loyalty, you have to already be about that life. See loyalty will say even tho I haven't seen my boyfriend in a year, because he's in another state I won't cheat on him. Even tho, I haven't talked to my homegirl in a year, I won't act funny towards her when I see her because I'm loyal to our friendship. Me & the people in my closest circle can go months even a year without speaking or seeing each other & when we do see each other no one would ever know that it had been that long because our loyalty to one another won't let time or distance come in between our love for each other. You see when you love someone your loyalty to them is ever present. 

Now let me be the first to say, that yes even tho we are all supposed to be a family within that same family you will have some enemies. They will come in all shapes & sizes. & they may be in the form of your mother or brother. But let's understand the definition of an "enemy." An enemy is a person or thing that tries to keep you from God! Now let me tell you this, our adversary the devil is our biggest enemy! He wants to kill, steal, & destroy us (John 10:10) from being who God wants us to be. So what we first need to understand is that, even tho you think that girl doesn't like you..it's not the girl it's the enemy using that girl! & he will use your momma too IF SHE LETS HIM! This is another one of our biggest issues! We fail to look beyond what our natural eyes can see to see the bigger picture. That girl isn't looking at you funny, the enemy wants you to think that so he can cause strife & anger amongst you two. Yes, he'll use you too IF YOU LET HIM. (For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12 NKJV) See our problem is not with each other! The enemy is our problem! That's why God calls us to love another! He knows that we need each other! There's so much that we all have to offer to the world & the enemy knows that. So if he can keep us divided & mad with each other then he knows that we can't be used to our full potential & fulfill the greater purpose in our being here! 

God is love. So to know God is to know love. & if you know God you know that His first commandment is that we love another as He loves us! So today, let's choose to walk in love & do everything in love! & let's live by the G code (God code) of being loyal!