2018 Christian Random Thoughts ... Forsaking Compromise

Laela

Sidestepping the "lynch mob"
^^ Happy belated birthday! Those are great photos of your family and that cake is divine!

Like Steve Irwin used to say "Awwww... you're just a babe-y" :lol: God's best to you always.
 

Lucia

Well-Known Member
Turned 33 four days ago and ended up celebrating the entire week with friends and family members.

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It felt good to be surrounded by loved ones like this. We don't always have time to see each other, because we all have to make a living. The first six months of 2018, I just put a file together about turning 33 and dying to my ego. What that means to me is what He exclaimed at the cross: not my will, but yours. This means accepting God-ordained suffering rather than self-imposed struggling.

Been thinking about my life on earth so far and I'm pretty content. It has not been perfect, but God has always been there all along, long-suffering with us. There isn't really a specific area of my life that I am 100% satisfied with, they all need some kind of tweaking, but it's OK, I'll be patient :).

Life is so funny: I have been thinking about a particular romantic interest I had in my late teens, a guy from Cameroon. We were both college students at the time and he was a total blerd. But he only dated Asian girls, because he felt they were smarter and he abhorred Black culture, whereas I was majoring in African Studies. I've always felt that this may have been one of the reasons why he really never wanted to make a move, as he was working in a high tech field.

Fast forward about 15 years later and I now keep getting jobs in low tech fields. And I find it so interesting that I'm looking into ways to combine it with my main interest: Africa. #wontHedoit

How is everyone else doing?
Happy Belated Birthday! Nice pics, and that cake looked yummy :p
 

Shimmie

"God is the Only Truth -- Period"
Staff member
Turned 33 four days ago and ended up celebrating the entire week with friends and family members.

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It felt good to be surrounded by loved ones like this. We don't always have time to see each other, because we all have to make a living. The first six months of 2018, I just put a file together about turning 33 and dying to my ego. What that means to me is what He exclaimed at the cross: not my will, but yours. This means accepting God-ordained suffering rather than self-imposed struggling.

Been thinking about my life on earth so far and I'm pretty content. It has not been perfect, but God has always been there all along, long-suffering with us. There isn't really a specific area of my life that I am 100% satisfied with, they all need some kind of tweaking, but it's OK, I'll be patient :).

Life is so funny: I have been thinking about a particular romantic interest I had in my late teens, a guy from Cameroon. We were both college students at the time and he was a total blerd. But he only dated Asian girls, because he felt they were smarter and he abhorred Black culture, whereas I was majoring in African Studies. I've always felt that this may have been one of the reasons why he really never wanted to make a move, as he was working in a high tech field.

Fast forward about 15 years later and I now keep getting jobs in low tech fields. And I find it so interesting that I'm looking into ways to combine it with my main interest: Africa. #wontHedoit

How is everyone else doing?

@Maracujá :love2:

Oh how Beautiful you are. Happy Birthday to you. The celebration of your life never ends. God bless you and your beautiful family.

Love,
Shimmie :love2:
 

Maracujá

November 2020 --> 14 years natural!!!
@Maracujá :love2:

Oh how Beautiful you are. Happy Birthday to you. The celebration of your life never ends. God bless you and your beautiful family.

Love,
Shimmie :love2:

Thank you so much @Shimmie, it truly means a lot! I can't seem to stop celebrating :lol: :



It's the #Jesusage so it means a lot to me. Once again: thank you for your kind words ;).
 

mz.rae

Well-Known Member
I’m making a goal for myself to be more committed. More committed to my life, ministry, and things I want to do. For a good portion of my life I have spent it jumping from thing to thing and not sticking to anything. But I no longer want to do that anymore, it’s time to be committed!
I’ve been trying this past month to relocate to a different state to be with my significant other, and so far nothing is coming through. I’m feeling discouraged about this because I feel if I had a degree, a career that things would work out so much better. I feel like a change in scenery and a new location would be great for me. I’m more so trying to move for me than I am for SO. I just pray to God everything falls into place for once.
 

Maracujá

November 2020 --> 14 years natural!!!
There is a lady who used to be a member of our church, but who left in order to attend her husband's all White church.

I spent the last three years tutoring her, so that she could obtain a degree to get a better job and she succeeded in that. But now she's going through all kinds of trouble with her supervisor, co-workers and clients and she wants to quit. I tried pleading with her that she should not do this, but she's already had me write a letter of resignation just in case.

Bishop TD Jakes once spoke about this: he said that if you go to the streets of New York, you'll find tons of drug addicts and homeless people. Yet, nothing ever happens to them, you'll find them right where they are, day in and day out. But if you ever try to put on a suit, to go apply for a job at Wall Street, best believe all hell will break loose and all kinds of situations will try to impede your move. What he meant was: new levels, new devils. I tried explaining all this to her, but it fell on deaf ears imo.

So many women around her/my mother's age/generation are not living their best life, because of this reason: they either never stick it out or they just see each other as competition instead of nurturing each other's dreams. My mom is a brilliant woman, who is fluent in 2 African languages and 2 European languages, but she never honed/amplified/leveraged her gift.

So I would like to encourage you @mz.rae : you know the saying 'no matter what, dress up and show up'? That's all it boils down to at the end of the day. Don't settle for less than the life you actually want, truly visioneer your life. One of the first things I often tell women, when they ask me how to grow their hair long is: be prepared for setbacks. That's all life is at the end of the day: in total it will have taken me 10 years just to decorate my studio apartment to my liking and I'm still not done. But everyone who comes here is in awe and immediately feels at home. I put in time, sweat and tears.

The alternative really is no option: it's a life of doom&gloom, constantly complaining and thinking about 'what ifs' :nono:.
 

Shimmie

"God is the Only Truth -- Period"
Staff member
There is a lady who used to be a member of our church, but who left in order to attend her husband's all White church.

I spent the last three years tutoring her, so that she could obtain a degree to get a better job and she succeeded in that. But now she's going through all kinds of trouble with her supervisor, co-workers and clients and she wants to quit. I tried pleading with her that she should not do this, but she's already had me write a letter of resignation just in case.

Bishop TD Jakes once spoke about this: he said that if you go to the streets of New York, you'll find tons of drug addicts and homeless people. Yet, nothing ever happens to them, you'll find them right where they are, day in and day out. But if you ever try to put on a suit, to go apply for a job at Wall Street, best believe all hell will break loose and all kinds of situations will try to impede your move. What he meant was: new levels, new devils. I tried explaining all this to her, but it fell on deaf ears imo.

So many women around her/my mother's age/generation are not living their best life, because of this reason: they either never stick it out or they just see each other as competition instead of nurturing each other's dreams. My mom is a brilliant woman, who is fluent in 2 African languages and 2 European languages, but she never honed/amplified/leveraged her gift.

So I would like to encourage you @mz.rae : you know the saying 'no matter what, dress up and show up'? That's all it boils down to at the end of the day. Don't settle for less than the life you actually want, truly visioneer your life. One of the first things I often tell women, when they ask me how to grow their hair long is: be prepared for setbacks. That's all life is at the end of the day: in total it will have taken me 10 years just to decorate my studio apartment to my liking and I'm still not done. But everyone who comes here is in awe and immediately feels at home. I put in time, sweat and tears.

The alternative really is no option: it's a life of doom&gloom, constantly complaining and thinking about 'what ifs' :nono:.

Love this... "no matter what, dress up and show up...". :amen: and :amen:
 

Laela

Sidestepping the "lynch mob"
2 Corin 10

16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.

17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.


18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
 

Shimmie

"God is the Only Truth -- Period"
Staff member
2 Corin 10

16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.

17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.


18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
:amen:
 

momi

Well-Known Member

FACTS - thanks for sharing.

..of all the rocks upon which we build our lives... family is the most important. And we are called to recognize and honor how critical every father is to that foundation.

...in a world of wickedness, weak men are nothing more than enablers of wicked men.
 

Maracujá

November 2020 --> 14 years natural!!!
^^^You can leave out the perhaps.

In other news: I miss my goddaughter so much. She has moved to Holland with my sister, her mom, who went there to live with the father of both her children. I'm very happy that they're united now, it's what my mom truly prayed for. But I miss her so much! She is such a happy go lucky child who loves saying her prayers before each meal :lol:. Talking to her was so easygoing, I tried having conversations today with adults and it was just so exhausting: the backstabbing, the backbiting and overall meanness was just too much for me to take:nono:
 

mz.rae

Well-Known Member
I’m in the process of finding a church home, I started back visiting a church who’s services I would watch live on YouTube. The sermons really do speak to me. They just wrapped up a Bible study segment about depression and anxiety. Now they are spending the next few weeks discussing inner healing. I went in person for the first class and can’t wait to see what I learn. I only wish this church wasn’t so far away from where I live it’s about 36 minutes away.

I did visit another church that is closer, I enjoy their worship. The sermons do resonate with me some what but I always go back and watch the first churches sermons. Also I like how the Pastor of the first church doesn’t do all that turning to your neighbor and say this, or smack and high five them. It’s just like why does it have to be so faaarrr!
 
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Laela

Sidestepping the "lynch mob"
The mental health epidemic in America is Astounding... keeping those in the mental health profession and the mentally ill, esp the young ones, in prayer.. Where are the church folks?

Check out the facts..
Key Findings
  • 1 in 5 Adults have a mental health condition. That's over 40 million Americans; more than the populations of New York and Florida combined.
  • Youth mental health is worsening. Rates of youth with severe depression increased from 5.9% in 2012 to 8.2% in 2015. Even with severe depression, 76% of youth are left with no or insufficient treatment
  • More Americans have access to services... Access to insurance and treatment increased, as healthcare reform has reduced the rates of uninsured adults. The greatest decrease in uninsured Adults with mental illnesses was seen in states that expanded Medicaid.
  • ...But most Americans still lack access to care. 56% of American adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment. Even in Maine, the state with the best access, 41.4% of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment.
  • There is a serious mental health workforce shortage. In states with the lowest workforce, there is up 6 times the individuals to only 1 mental health professional. This includes psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, counselors, and psychiatric nurses combined.
 

Maracujá

November 2020 --> 14 years natural!!!
^^^Been living with a mental illness for a decade now. Luckily, I have access to the best possible care I could've possibly have imagined. It's not always so black and white, often times the people who are suffering from a mental illness, do not accept the care that is offered to them. That's what I'm dealing with in my family.

Healing from these ailments has to be a multidisciplinary affair and it started for me by reading Natasha McBride's book on the GAPS diet. Fasting and praying works miracles, taking one's medications, seeing a psychiatrist/therapist, being physically active and getting deep into The Word.

Personally I believe this is due to a number of spiritual things we do, for me it developed right after I was sexually active outside of marriage and our home life was deteriorating. It takes years to heal, but it's not impossible. Looking forward to helping others who are dealing with this monster in the near future.
 

Maracujá

November 2020 --> 14 years natural!!!
Now, on something completely different: we often hear that (Black) women nowadays are not very marriage minded. But what does this really mean? Those of you who agree, care to give some examples of this?
 
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