DREAM RIGHT! 😎

Have you ever had to go on and on and on because you have a goal in mind? But somehow, the more you try, the farther it seems to become. You became your life coach, you became your motivational speaker, you read other people's success stories. So what is going wrong? Why aren't you there yet?

I'll tell you what I did when I was in your shoes. I broke down. The engine of the car quit the Job. So I had to go look for a mechanic. I talked to Jesus.

Often, when it seems like our own strength ain't enough. It's because we ain't doing it the right way. Our strength was never going to be enough for anything in this world. It is always up to us to go to Jesus to tap strength from him. 

Every step of the way, he wants to know what you are using his strength for.

Carry him along, and you'll never have to break down.

Do not be afraid to plan big. Make exceedingly big plans, and go and get strength from God. Do not map it out in your head and decide on your own 

A wise man once said, "Write your purpose down in Permanent Marker, but write the steps to get there in Pencil."   That's right. 

You decide the steps, take it to God, have to fine-tune, then when you make mistakes, you come back for more fine-tuning.

Remember, Dream Big, Use God's strength.

That's the Key.

You serve a God who creates Rivers in the Dessert.

Love,

MaryA.

CHILDHOOD IS A SCAM!!!🥺

Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

Ecclesiastes 11:9‭-‬10 KJV

I found this verse yesterday, and it is a summary of how today's youths are living. We are Woke. Aren't we?

Well, I don't really think so. There may not have existed all this technologies at the time of Solomon, but their youths were definitely Woke.

I like Solomon. He didn't tell you to be careful. He infact encouraged us. Go have all the fun, and all the freedom you want, no one is holding you back,  as long as you aren't doing it in ignorance!

Because to every action, there is a consequence. Be it good or bad. Know that for Slaying, or partying hard, or drugs, or singing, or eating. God will bring you to judgement.

There is good Judgement, and there is the other kind of judgement I am determined not to ever experience. You have a choice in this matter. To either follow a world that has an end, or a God that has no end.

There is consequence for your action. Do not let peer pressure or what is trending fool you. There is nothing new under the sun. Not fashion, and definitely not money. A Christian song writer said "when the world begins to see you change, don't expect them to applaud. Just keep your eyes on God and tell yourself that you've become the work of God."

You will lose some friends if you choose God, but you would have challenged them to be better than they realize they could be.

Remember the rounding verse of Solomon. Childhood and Youth are vanity.

Yet, that is where we think the real deal is. Remember, not every child or youth makes it into adulthood. Do not let vanity lead you to hell.

Take charge of your life.

Love,

MaryA.

THE FORGOTTEN VOICE 2!!!🗣️

At this point, Bella was starting to wish she had stayed back home longer. The sermon doesn't seem like it would end anytime soon and Bella was getting irritated because it felt like its been forever since the pastor started preaching. She noticed that some of the congregation had dozed off. She stretched a little and kept her attention to the front and tried to listen to what the pastor was saying.

            The pastor was now talking about receiving the Holy Spirit and how it was a permanent gift. The pastor then went on to say, no matter how terrible things can be, the Holy Spirit is our comforter and he won't ever fail us. He'll never leave us and He's always ready to listen to everything we all have to say to make us feel comfort, peace, and love.

Bella snorted. 

What was the pastor saying? The Holy Spirit does not leave? He's always ready to listen to us? Indeed. He had left her at her most crucial moment. She had needed Him the most but He had deserted her for no reason and what? Does the Holy Spirit listen to everything we have to say to give us comfort? It was the wall of her bedroom that does that for her not the Holy Spirit.

The pastor continued talking about how Man often let themselves be blinded by their grief forgetting about their comforter who is supposed to give them comfort. He said the Holy Spirit is still comforting them but they've chosen to let their situation overcome the relationship they have with the Holy Spirit. He said they have now pushed Him to a corner where all the life situations they've taken into their hands alone have drowned out the voice of their comforter who at times like that was supposed to be their best friend and comforter.

Bella sat up. What was the Pastor saying? The Holy Spirit doesn't leave? Has he's been pushed to a corner? How? If He had spoken to her then she would have known wouldn't she? She hadn't felt His presence after the funeral of her sister and she knew she never asked him to leave or pushed him to a corner so what was the pastor saying? Has she let the situation take control over all the areas of her life that she had drowned out God in everything? 

Suddenly Bella closed her eyes recalling some events that had happened to start from the funeral of her sister. She had in the arms of Paulina in the funeral crying and feeling like life as she knows it was over for her without her sister when a poster hung up in the church had caught her eyes. It had the scripture passage, 

 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make   your paths straight." 

Proverbs3:5-6(NIV)

Slowly, Bella started recalling other events where her eyes caught some words that gave her hope when she needed it, some songs that would play, words that people would say that would completely relate to what she was going through then and also that one time when Bella had gone to visit Rose's grave after her last conversation with her brother Tyler.

 Bella had sat on the floor crying and telling Rose everything Tyler had said and how empty life felt. When she was leaving the cemetery she had looked up at the sky to see a rainbow and when she got home, her mom was playing a hymn titled all will be well. Looking back now, Bella felt tears streaming down her face, looks like the Holy Spirit never left her at all, she was the one who had felt she could handle all her problems on her own and didn't need anyone. 

The Holy Spirit had been communicating to her all this while but she had forgotten completely about Him. She has let her sorrow, anger, and grief drown out His voice. She had forgotten His voice.

Just then, the pastor rounded up the sermon and started a prayer of re-dedication and forgiveness.

 Bella went down on her knees and for the first time in a long time, she bowed her head and prayed tears rolling down her cheeks telling the Holy Spirit how sorry she is after the last amen Bella felt somewhat better and had a little peace within but despite all this Bella still felt something was missing. She didn't know what it was but she felt like she had most of the answers she needed and felt no need to stay back anymore after the service. After the benediction, Bella waved bye to Summer and headed home feeling better than she had in a while.

With Love,

Grazie.

AN IMPROVED YOU!😎

Tips To Improve your Life

1) Meditate - 

A lot of people do not have time to catch their breath, and when they do, they think about the day's activities and what they could have done better.

There is a reason for that proverb that said no use crying over split milk. In a local conversation, it is noted that most people do not reflect so that they could handle situations better, but instead focus on how incompetent or pathetic they think that must have looked.

Meditation frees the mind of toxic thoughts and reminds you of all the things around you, that you should be grateful for. It's a mental Power Up for the day.

2) Diligence - To improve your life, you have to be focused and hardworking. There is no way for you to make progress without diligence. A lot of people keep mentioning how they feel their life has been going in circles, and they are waiting for an opportunity to pluck themselves out. Even when you try something entirely new, you are still doing something that you used to do alongside. Do it deliberately and with a goal in mind.

3) After You Fail  -    A lot of people skip this step in the Improving Your Life Tips. However, failure is a part of life. There are so many lessons embedded in failure, that we really do not want to have to learn, but sometimes, it is a privilege to have failed. Many today, fail once and tell themselves "at least, I tried."

What that means is that the dream you were chasing was never too important for your ego to take a beating. What you do after you fail matters a lot, and will affect how you live your life, and relate to others. 

4) Eating Habit -   This may come as a surprise to you, but you can tell a lot about a man by the way he eats. I'm not here to preach eat healthy, because you know that already. I am talking about portions of Food. Being a Foodie is a thing now, but do you know some people cannot sacrifice their food to share with their friends when everyone else is hungry? 

Often, They come off as self-involved and self-centered. Such people find it difficult to see the bigger picture unless they are the stars along every step of the way. However, their eating habit says about them, that they would find it difficult to pay the price of diligence and discipline to attain their dreams.

5)  God -     I am Going to Stop here. If you Believe in God, then you know he has a lot of amazing facts for you. One of my favorites is 

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Now, why won't I want to do all things, when I am using someone else's strength? 

Have a great day!

And an improved life.

Love,

MaryA.

BEFORE YOU DIE.

My days are like a shadow that declineth; And I am withered like grass. But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; And thy remembrance unto all generations.

Psalm 102:11‭-‬12 KJV

I was reading this last night, when it occured to me that in reality, We all live for just a moment.

We weren't made to last, just like all this new phones. We weren't made to last on this side of eternity. There is an ageless side of eternity where the toll of the years won't etch itself on our skins. We will be just as we are.

But before then, how do I live? That is the question that plagued my mind. we do not need an oracle to tell is that we are not here for the fashion, foods or politics. We are here for each other.

What would you do differently if you knew what time, hour and seconds you would die?

I'll give you two possible answers.

You live life like the "YOLO" (You only live once) gang and show up at every club, party and fights.

And when you are close to your death bed, you completely repent.

or..

You find out what your purpose really is, and you go ahead and make God Proud.

As it is now, we do not know our expiring date.

Would you say those who died at the end sars protest signed a death warrant before going? Or an innocent man who slumped in his room and died? Or a woman in labor who never lived to see her child?

Death is all around us, and we all must Expire at one point.

What would you do differently?

Love,

MaryA.

BROKEN HEARTS! 💔

Say to those who are broken hearted, do not be afraid. The lord your God is strong, and with his mighty hands, when you call on his name, will come and save you.

~ Bob fitts

The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; And saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Psalm 34:18 KJV

Heartbreak! It is low-key a dreaded word. So many things tend to want to break our hearts each day. To crown it all, Jesus promised that we will suffer such things similar to heartbreaks. It is a part of life. ugh.

We associate heart break with Relationships, but heartbreak is wider than that. That feeling you get about yourself as if you are a waste of space? Yep. Heartbreak.

Sometimes, it's because we have failed and we watch all our dreams, plans and labors come crashing down in rubble's around us. That's heartbreak.

When people in your life choose to believe a lie about you instead of having faith in you. It's heartbreak.

When you start feeling guilty about something you did wrong, or something you should have done and failed to do. Heartbreak.

Death of a loved one? Heart break.

The list goes on and on, and you find that heartbreak lurks at every corner, and you just have to be careful that it doesn't jump on you.

But really, we do not have control over this circumstances.

Heartbreak comes in various shapes and sizes, but you have got to believe that God is closest to you in that moment.

If you have a child, that suddenly screams your name in agony, no matter where you are, or who is in front of you, you would leave whatever it is you are doing and go to that child. The child will still feel the pain, but there is a sense of assurance that his/her parent will take care of it.

Sometimes we call on God in our heartbreaks and grief, but when he comes, we push him away and tell him the pain is greater than he could fix.

It's difficult, but God can and will heal you if you let him. He will never leave you in that position alone. He's here for you.

Close your eyes, take a deep, deep breath and let him have it all. Your anger, your pains, your heartbreaks, and let him comfort you.

Love,

MaryA.

MONDAY MONEY! 💰

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: But those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

Psalm 37:7‭-‬9 KJV

Happy New Week!

I know most of us aren't exactly excited about Mondays, but you should be today because I have a secret to share with you.

I was watching an American movie. (non-christian), and the main actor said something that latched on to me.

 She said "I am not like everyone else, who lives everyday to make money, that's a waste of time. I have a purpose and a dream.'

Money is a poor replacement for purpose or dreams. An extremely poor replacement. If you ask an average man, what his purpose is, it involves being stupidly rich. Now, I am not one to preach against money, but that lady in the movie? She was right.

Lately, I find so many courses teaching you how to make money in this and that. One of the common ones is affiliate marketing. I found myself discussing with several smart and amazing minds one day, and they pointed out that affiliate marketing isn't within everybody's skill set, but because it promises money, they go for it. Lately, being tech savvy is the thing to do, and even though you know your strength doesn't lie in tech, because it brings money, you ignore your strength and go for it.

What I am trying to say is this. I get how difficult it is to stand aside and try to forge your own path, when it seems like the smartest thing to do is to do what everyone else is doing because of the success rate.

Lastly, do you know God designed you for a purpose?  When people think about God's purpose, they immediately picture a life of poverty (let me tell you now, that is insulting God, who owns every riches. You basically just called him stingy)

Anyway, Because God designed a unique purpose for man, Satan designed a catchy distracting one for man... Two guesses what?

(money)

Does that make money evil? Not necessarily.

 Money is a distraction from your actual purpose. Do you think your parents who weren't rich didn't want to be? Yet they survived. Not everyone chasing convenience and riches will ever be... but when you seek first the kingdom of God, You can never go wrong.

Now, you are armed with this truth. What are you going to do about it?

Love,

MaryA 

THE FORGOTTEN VOICE.🗣️

Bella flipped the pages of the book in front of her but she wasn't seeing any of the words before her. Her mind was far away, the way it had been since that day she heard a voice in the park. Bella didn't know what to make of it nor did she understand what the voice meant. Closing the book, Bella sat back in her chair and closed her eyes trying to recur the event. Bella knew fully well enough that the voice was from God but the question is why? The Holy Ghost had left her so why would God reach out and talk to her not like what He said helped anything but why did God bother at all.

It was Thursday which meant there was a revival service in the church. Bella got up, took a shower, and for the first time in months, she got dressed for church. She needed answers to all these questions and confusions that she has been dealing with since the park event and if she was going to get answers there was only one sure place she could go which was church.

 Bella looked at the time, she was already an hour late which left just two hours more for the service to be over. That was okay with her since all she wanted to do was see the pastor after service to tell him what happened so he can give her the answers she needed.

Some minutes later, Bella walked into the church making some of the congregation turn their heads, Bella heard some of them begin to whisper to each other. She sighted her parent, her mother was in the front seat while her father was seated on the podium looking as shocked as some of the congregation. Mrs. Wilson turned around just then to see what had caught her husband's attention and her mouth dropped open just as her eyes grew wide as she watched her daughter make her way into the church.

Bella felt a small hand tug at her hand and looked down. It was Summer signaling her to take the space beside her. Bella dropped down on the seat and patted Summer's head smiling at her.

"I prayed for this" Summer spoke

"Prayed for what?" Bella asked in a whisper. The last thing she wanted was to gain more attention from the congregation.

"This. You come to church." Summer replied also dropping her voice to a whisper.

"Oh," Bella said and turned her attention to the front. 

The pastor was saying something about the gifts of the Spirit. Bella listened with rapt attention. Maybe she would start getting some answers from here. It had been forty minutes but Bella hadn't gotten what she wanted. Sliding back on her seat, Bella closed her eyes preparing to doze off when she felt a cool tap and a voice in her ear saying   

" If you shall seek the LORD your God, you will find him, if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul."

Bella sat upright and opened her eyes.

"Did you tap me?" Bella asked Summer.

"No. I didn't" the child replied

"Did you say something then?" Bella continued.

"No I didn't..wait Bella were you sleeping?" Summer asked 

" I didn't get to" Bella muttered under her breath.

This just added more to her need to get answers and what was it with the voice speaking to her in riddles? She wanted answers only nothing more. It had nothing to do with God so why did the voice say she is seeking God? Bella couldn't wait for the service to be over so she can finally get to ask the pastor all her questions and get the answers she needed but for now, she had to listen to the rest of the sermon.

With Love,

Grazie.

LIKE A BUTTERFLY!!! 🦋

Bella stood in front of her house. The school was over for that day and Bella couldn't be more glad. She didn't think she could take any more condolences or bear to be surrounded by the numerous picture of Rose the school still had hung up everywhere and she sure is not looking forward to the memorial service the school is hosting in honor of Rose either in two. Bella shuffled her feet and looked up at the sky, the sun was very bright today and Bella thought of taking a walk. 

  No one was home anyway. Her dad had taken up one of the volunteer jobs he often did and her mom was attending a prayer meeting with some other church members and none of them was bound to come home early until much later in the evening. She turned around and started to walk. She kept walking occasionally giving an acknowledging nod when greetings were thrown her way in response. And just as she reached a nearby park and sunk into a chair, she had a flashback.

     Bella and Rose were talking about the success of that week's evangelism and they had been walking home when a butterfly had caught Bella's attention. Bella had always viewed the Holy Spirit as a butterfly that is as something that once you catch just a sight of it you become very unwilling to let it go but it's just as easy to lose it. Then Bella had told Rose of her thoughts and Rose had agreed to say she had never thought of the Holy Spirit that way but she loved Bella's view of it.

To encourage her more, Rose had told her that they should follow the butterfly since they had some time to kill before they were expected back home. The two sisters had held hands and followed the butterfly until they came to a park where the butterfly had stopped at a tree. 

   Rose had looked at her sister smiling at her and asked how she felt. Bella had told her that she wanted to be able to call the butterfly her own and have it as her possession forever. Two weeks later when Bella became baptized with the Holy Spirit in a church service, Rose had told her "looks like you got your butterfly After all now remember to keep it jealously because it's very easy to lose. Mind your words, thoughts, and action." Bella was five years old then and Rose was seven years old when that happened.

  

   It was that same park that Bella is currently in now. Bella watched the butterfly get ready to take off from the tree into the air again and she wondered about when the Holy Spirit left her. She missed the overwhelming peace and happiness she felt when she had the Holy Spirit. She missed the way she could feel his presence and the way she often talked to him. Bella tried to remember the exact moment the Holy Spirit left her but she couldn't tell. All she knows was that every happiness she use to feel left her after Rose's death. She hadn't expected the Holy Spirit who was her best friend to leave her also.

    Bella pulled her legs up to her chest as she wondered why the Holy Spirit left her. She knew all about not grieving the Holy Spirit and all but with the closeness she had with Him, Bella had thought that it would be difficult for the Holy Spirit to leave her. She had lost Rose, her parents often didn't know what to say to her. It mostly felt like they were just housemates and her brother had cut off communication after blaming her for their sister's death and to top it all off the one person she never thought would leave her left also. What happened to the scripture that says the Holy Spirit will always be there to comfort her because right when she needs Him, he had left? And at that moment where Bella cuddled up on the bench, tears falling from her eyes, she felt a cool breeze that blew not only around her but also in every part of her body, and then she heard at that moment in a voice that felt like a gentle whisper that felt like a caress,

"The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you."

With Love,

Grazie.

YOU AND FUTURE YOU!👀

Self - Development

Yeah, it's that Topic.

Firstly, I think we can all agree, that without progress, life will be full of emptiness.

Good.

It is a shame that many assume that, because life seems to progress on its own, they have also progressed along with it.

Those are not quite true. Real progress takes Real and Conscious Effort. Anything that demands progress, demands real and conscious effort.

In five years, do you still want to be where you are right now, doing the same things, with the same sets of skills?

I know the majority are comfortable where they are as long as the pay is good. At least, they are comfortable until someone close to them leaves them behind, then they begin to scramble, trying to catch up.

This is called Self-Development, not Community Development. So if you are not ready to develop yourself without waiting for a partner or friend, this post is not for you.

These are a few Steps to Self-Development

Have a Plan -    I know you have heard this lots of time, but having a plan guides you in your area of development

Learn to say No -  This is very difficult for most people, but usually, when you have a goal/plan, it gives you the courage and a reason to say No. Not every Task is for you. It's not disrespect, it is spending the valuable time, God gave you wisely.

Get Out-  What I mean is, do not stay in your comfort zone. This is not an era where opportunity comes looking for you. You create opportunities. Try something different, and celebrate your little wins

Be Persistent-  This is where the remaining 50%  of your Self-Development lies. It won't matter if you tried all the steps above, and gave up later, you have to continue steadily, consistently, and persistently, especially when you don't feel like it.

See you at the Top.

Love,

MaryA.

NO PEACE, JUST JESUS!

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

John 16:33 KJV

Why are you looking for peace in the wrong place???

Well Hello to you too.

Let's take a trip down memory lane.

Remember SARS??? Remember The protest? Remember COVID-19? Now, it's the War.

Well, this is not a place to find peace exactly. The world Cannot give peace, why?

The world Doesn't Know the Master of Peace, it is not in its nature to Give Peace when it doesn't know what it is.

Jesus' told us that we are not of this world, and if we are not of this world, then we should keep our mind on things above, looking unto Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith.

Spend some time reading your bible, you will find out that the world thrives in chaos. During that period, it feels like a Trade Fair for sin. You find Immorality, Pride, Scorn, Fornication, Lust of the Eye, and more. All this leads to mass Chaos. Covetousness and Greed are not left behind.

Be careful Christian, We tend to be manning the stall selling Self-righteousness, Pride, Covetousness, Power, Fame, and Money.

Stop Justifying it, with the scriptures. Yes, the bible says he wants your soul to prosper, but the guideline says "seek ye first the kingdom of God."

That little sin that you are justifying now, will slam you down soon.

Remember, there is no peace in this world, except in Christ. Everything else you are chasing will only give you an appearance of peace, but never peace itself.

Love, 

MaryA.

BRAVE OR FOOLISH?!!!

The fear of man bringeth a snare: But whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

Proverbs 29:25 KJV

I and my friend have found ourselves in a position where we either have to do what someone else says (an elderly) or risk disappointing them. We have to choose between disappointing our families, and friends or disappointing them. Naturally, we want to disappoint our family and friends because we think. Yh, they will understand.

However, we soon realized we would be that friend or family member they could not rely on because they are always available for someone else but their family.

Now it seems our hands are tied because we work for these elderly people too.

In cases like this, we realized that we had to depend on the wisdom of God. What Would Jesus Want Us To Do?

Maybe your case is just A Tad bit different. Remember that Your family is very important. This weekend, I was ready to stand my ground, and tell this elder what I think of their demands, and why I would like them to miss me with such demands later in life.

The same bible that says we should respect our parents and elders, told us that God is not a respecter of persons.

This is how tricky the situation is. Sometimes, we need God's wisdom e on how to respect our elder's wishes, and other times, he tells us to be brave and put our foot down.

He told us to go in the courage of Elijah.

I pray that God will help us.

Happy New Month!!

Love,

MaryA.