Test

So, I’ve been doing some serious planning and thinking. I stay looking at my money making sure I don’t go below a certain amount. I’m a cheerful giver to the kingdom (my church, other ministries, and people). I’ve not seen myself broke in a while. It just gets tight! lol

Since I’ve applied some techniques that my grandfather and father has taught me I’ve been saving pretty good to fund certain parts of my business. I’m paying my mortgage, clothing line, car note, phone bill, my staff, gym membership, monthly bills at the office, etc. I’m still an independent artist. So, some sacrifices I have to make like sending myself to studio which can add up.

Being in a city for weeks, needing to eat, flights, hotels, and more can all add up. I’ve been telling God, "I don’t want the life of an unwise hustler." I don’t want to run through money like water. I’ve also not wanted to have to prostitute my gift or businesses. MAKE SURE YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY…I don’t want to PROSTITUTE MY GIFT. Lol I promise I’m not considering selling my body. LMBO!

I’m ready for the millions and I’ll soon be a millionaire. I remember when I first saved enough money to buy my first home. I needed to do it again. LOL So I did it! Whenever it had gotten tight I wasn’t afraid to ask for money LOL.

I would always run to mommy and say "Momma I’m broooookke!!" She, and daddy would say, "It’s alright to have a broke moment, just don’t stay broke!" Or my mommy would say "Keep working, you’ll get it back!" From this one moment, I realized that when you’re building something in hopes to have full ownership, it’ll take sacrifices. But while you’re building, you still have to have some to live.

So, here are some tips that I’ve learned from reading and listening:

⁃ Popoo said, "If you get a dollar, keep a quarter! Don’t spend all of what you’ve worked for." ⁃ Open an account that you can pay a day, weekly, or monthly. It can be $.50, $1, $10, $20, $200, etc. whatever you can afford. Pay it like you’re paying a bill. I have it on my calendar as "pay yourself" and eventually this’ll add up. ⁃ Try the cash envelope system! When you go out, put cash in your envelope, leave the debit/credit cards at home. Only spend what’s in the envelope. If you have nothing left in the envelope, then it’s time to go home and watch TV. LOL! ⁃ Tell people NO! ⁃ Tell yourself NO! ⁃ Be a faithful tither. In what ways are you giving God back 10%?

What techniques do you plan on applying in the new year? Will you run through money like water? When is the last time you’ve paid yourself or gone on a vacation or a “staycation”?

Food stamps may be apart of the plan. But have some of us become okay with step 1 of the plan; Because the timeline for this one step is a little lengthy? Learn His plans!

Scriptures to Consider:

Ecc. 5:18-20

18 I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate course of action for people: to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all their hard work on earth during the few days of their life which God has given them, for this is their reward. 19 To every man whom God has given wealth, and possessions, he has also given him the ability to eat from them, to receive his reward and to find enjoyment in his toil; these things are the gift of God.

20 For he does not think much about the fleeting days of his life because God keeps him preoccupied with the joy he derives from his activity. Proverbs 13:11 Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow. Proverbs 10:4 Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.

How many times have I fallen in love with a Ghost? Texting and having a time space of an hour in the middle of conversations. Making plans and not hearing from them. How many times have I fallen in love with what’s not really there? How many times have I fallen in love with the idea of loving, and receiving from, this person but it never really happens? Seeing their name on social media but letting days go by of not hearing from them. They’re active but not reachable. Making their presence known to others but not you. It hurts, and it’s disappointing. Apologies with next day actions of what they’ve apologized for.

Excuses that make sense for the moment but don’t add up. How many people have we loved who go ghost on us? We have the tendency to want those who doesn’t want us and disregard those who actually do. How dysfunctional are we? We turned our backs on God to chase those who makes it clear with their actions that they simply don’t want us. They’re like ghosts. They’re often there but they’re like a mist that appears but will soon vanish. We lower our expectations and say that love hurts. When it’s not love that hurts, it’s the person you’re choosing to love, who hurts.

Today I challenge you to pray, with me, for God’s supernatural power to overtake us and to be okay with releasing those who don’t want us. A peace and a mature understanding of some inconsistencies, simply being God’s protection. Not wanting what’s bad for them and asking God to keep them safe; but for us to have peace with the fact that we are humans and that we won’t always have answers; and that we can’t make people do what they don’t want to do.

Sometimes they appreciate paper plates while we enjoy the value of fine China. One of these things must be handled with care. Which one are you? If you’re fine china, then take time to heal yourself and find your value. I pray that He gives us the strength to love ourselves enough to not let ghosts play with our minds, time, and hearts. This poor treatment could possibly push us to losing our minds. Sometimes we lose loved ones and create ghosts of them in our minds which often steals our peace. Some people never recover. It often steals our opportunity to experience that fullness of life that Christ offers. (John 10:10…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.)

I also challenge you to stop loving pictures that you’ve painted of what it would be like with these people who are ghosts to you. Allow God to be the master of art, and love, that He is. Let God write your life story, relinquish control, be consistent with yourself. Make a note of those who come, go, and play ghost. Be attentive to those who are really there. Love is a choice. Choose to be in love with who’s there.

Yesterday I was in Whole Foods for a quick lunch. I landed and had traveled for three days. After all of the moving, I get car sick often. So, while being in Whole Foods I thought to myself, “I just need to be still for a second…” I told Jennifer while fixing my to-go plate that “I’d like to eat here rather than going back to our rooms because I’m a bit nauseous.” She said, “You probably should. You’ve been going.”I sat down and realized that I’ve been living in my mind. For a long time I’ve had the feeling of not being where I want to be. A lot of people have come and go from my life this year and some that are still here have been quite frustrating and questionable. So, I evaluated my thoughts of success, thought of a frustrating experience this weekend, reflected on my business, and begin reflecting on every part of my life. I was back and forth on social media and I began to feel cluttered. I put the phone down and started eating. Jennifer noticed a bird by our feet while eating. I asked, “What are you looking at?” She pointed and said, “That bird…” We didn’t jump but I said, “He is absolutely not scared of us.” I followed him with my eyes and noticed that he had gone over to a set of feet with flip flops. The feet were a bit dusty so I brought my eyes up from the feet to the face of this person. There he sat with a paper cup and banana peel on the table. I went back into my mind again. I started to think, “Why is he in Whole Foods with a paper cup and a banana peel?” He was on a phone sitting there peacefully. I felt motivated to give him something. I just didn’t know what to give him. I looked in my wallet and what I had wasn’t enough to give. Or should I say I wanted to give more than what I had? But I questioned if Giving something was even necessary. What if I gave him something and he looked at me like, “Ma’am…what are you doing?” I questioned it all. So, I pushed pass the thoughts and rehearsed the scriptures and lessons of giving in my mind. I went back in line to get a water with my card to get cash from the cashier. Held on to the cash and sat back down. A few minutes went by and I grabbed my things made sure no one saw me and asked him nervously, “May I be a blessing to you?” and put the gift on the table. He began to shake a little and his complexion became a bit pink with a bright smile and he looked at me and looked at it and said, “o my God thank you! Thank you.” I walked away and lived in my mind again. I felt great and started to become a bit teary eyed. I felt accomplished. I felt empowered. I expressed gratitude and said “Thank you Lord for blessing me to be a blessing to someone else.”What did i get out of these moments? That I’ll get sick and cluttered if I’m moving too much and not having a space to just chill and turn my thoughts off. If, all you have is your mind to live in, then you’ll always question yourself. If, I don’t deal with my hurts and frustrations at any moment I’ll express them some other way; and that may not always be a good way. My purpose in life has to do with being of a service to people. My greatest joy comes from seeing people happy, getting answers, and overjoyed.What’s in your hand? Whose around you? What brings you joy? Have you been overthinking? Have you talked yourself out of your purpose in life? Have you reasoned yourself out of a purposeful moment? Are people taking all they can from you and leaving? How are you dealing with that? What are you choosing to give? Give to someone today. How can you make this world a better place in just one moment? What moment have you had that you’ve overlooked?

In all honesty, life has hardened me more than I’d care to admit or could’ve imagined. My sense of humor isn’t what it once was and my sweetness has become somewhat lemony. But with you I learn more and more about how to be a better me. I have come to understand what matters and to leave things with the Lord as opposed to overly obsessing about that which I cannot change.

When you tell me that God said to read the bible I’m more and more convinced of God’s love toward me. Your brilliance astonishes me daily. You are the funniest person I’ve ever met. Your individuality and natural ability to lead is truly remarkable and I know that I have to mold that “inherited bossy” nature into that of an influential leader.

I know that I have to shape that natural curiosity to sound reasoning and concise arguments. I am aware that I have to turn that tendency to invent your own version of the truth into artistic expression and teach you that the truth carries honor and a lie shame. You changed my priorities kid. I have to teach you what it is to love and show what it is to be loved so you don’t fall into the temporal emotions we all experience in life.

It’s my privilege to encourage but not be overbearing and impose my dreams and failed career aspirations onto you as you exhibit an interest in music and the arts. It is my absolute responsibility to ensure that you know that there is no greater love than that what the Father gave when He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins on that ignominious cross. It is absolutely necessary that you know that his Son now lives, and He lives in you.

It’s my job to be an epistle that you read each day. It is for me to show you virtue and dignity and to teach you how to balance a check book, understand in which commodities to invest and how to read your financial statements. And to ensure that you do not graduate from college in debt. I’m your mama. And I am so grateful to God for blessing me with you after I was told that you could never be without medical intervention. I adore you. You are brilliant. You are beautiful. And you are an amazing woman of God. #Happy Birthday 🎊🎂🎁🎉🎈 #issapartysunday #yourbirthdayisthehappiestdayofmylife

Written by: LaKisha Burns

I had to grow up and learn that every woman who is single isn’t miserable. Some of us are single by choice and not by her not being wanted. The level of focus and freedom that has come with my singleness is quite liberating. Your relationship status doesn’t define your value or level of wisdom. To be without the pressure of feeling the need to have a man, is beyond refreshing. Do we want to walk it alone? Not necessarily. But this level of surrender to God is what gives me peace. Now once he comes, I won’t be lost or feeling imprisoned with the other possibilities of what “I could’ve had”. I’ll be whole and mature enough to be content with my decision. Marriage won’t feel like a prison ,it’ll simply feel like a covenant ,between two humans who are in love. Will you contemplate giving up some times? Maybe! Every single woman isn’t waiting to take another woman’s man or break up a home. Some of us are godly and still believe in marriage. God’s timing will change your perspective if you’re open to it. I used to think that a single woman couldn’t tell a married woman anything. However, it all depends on the kind of single woman that the advice comes from. If she’s godly, she may share better ideas than the married woman to help her marriage survive. Some single women aren’t married because they’re a different breed of woman. As Lady Michelle Obama said, now days our men are being loved but our girls are being raised. As to say, that the women are immediately corrected versus the men being told “It’s Okay”. Singleness has enlightened me of who I am and who I am not. Unfortunately, a lot of women didn’t give themselves time to learn who they are before marriage. Now their marriage feels like a prison. What time do you need to give yourself? Make a commitment to yourself to not play house or focus on whether or not someone is loving you back. Every single woman isn’t miserable and it doesn’t mean that she isn’t desired. Singleness may bring one of the most liberating seasons in your life. There’s a level of peace and maturity that is needed in marriage. Have you been successful in the covenant with yourself? Sometimes we stay stuck loving the first person we fall in love with because we’ve not opened ourselves up to other opportunities. Sometimes we are single because the man of this generation isn’t compatible with this generation’s kind of woman. I do still believe in marriage, compromise, and love. I just don’t think that being single is the worst thing in the world.

Scriptures to consider:

1 Corinthians 7:32-35 ESV / 637 helpful votes“I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.”1 Corinthians 7:8 ESV / 433 helpful votes “To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am.”1 Corinthians 7:26-28 ESV / 150 helpful votes“I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that.”