AZA Means Strength

Book Review: Beyond the Pews

2017-09-04T20:35:00.002-07:00

In the book, Beyond the Pews, by Amy Ekwegh, you will feel compelled, convicted, motivated and remorseful. It takes the reader from a place of contentment and allows one to have a self-check on where he/she stand in the church ministry. From start to finish, I saw myself in each scenario mentioned in this book. Beyond the Pews is an easy and quick read. Once you start, you will not want to put the book down and can be read in a day. Ekwegh used biblical reference to prove the Christian's purpose goes beyond attending a church service. I do feel that there were some parts where the book became redundant. There were many mentions of “not leaning on others and having the will to go into prayer for yourself” and “having the faith to continue the Christian walk”. It would have been nice to see a chapter on Prayer and one on Faith to sum up those thoughts. For this reason, I would rate the book a 3 out of 5. No matter your position in the church, you will feel motivated to do more for the Kingdom! This was overall an enjoyable book and would be great for those who are new to the church and trying to understand ministry.

This book can be purchased:
https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Pews-Amy-Ekwegh/dp/0993461107

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free in agreement to write a review on my blog. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Motivational Corner

2017-04-01T15:51:00.004-07:00

We all need to be reminded every now and then that we can do whatever we put our minds to, however, we have to put the thoughts and dreams to action. Don't sit on your gift. Go and do what you have been purposed to do. Believe in yourself and make it happen!

To my husband

2017-02-12T06:51:00.002-08:00

I know we never do this or express ourselves publicly, but I wanted to make sure that my words captured my heart's words. I want you to know that you mean the world to me. You are exactly who I need in this cold and hateful world. You keep me balanced, you keep me mellow, with your cool and calming demeanor. You make me feel that everything will be alright in the world. You are the epitome of what love is. Despite our ups and downs, you love me. We basically grew up together and we are thick as thieves. When things are bad, they're bad but they could always be worse. We always seem to make it through. You are an awesome father to our sons. They admire you so much. You make them so proud and they're so happy to call you daddy! You are everything I prayed for. God reminded me of this. When I was at the point of giving up on us. God sat me down and listed everything I asked for in a husband and more and the list pointed out all of your attributes and characteristics. God had to remind me the importance of forgiveness, the importance of endurance and he importance of Love! I love you now, I love you more, I love you forever and a day. I thank God for you everyday and I pray God's hand over you in every way. Be blessed my love with all that God has for you. I am your biggest cheer leader and your biggest fan and I know that with God all things are possible!

Allowing Time with God

2016-05-11T15:10:00.002-07:00

Has there ever been a time in your life where everything felt routine? Going to work, church, taking care of your family, paying bills, it just seems like everything is on autopilot. You know you need a break in routine, but you just don’t know how to do it. I have been feeling like this lately, especially in ministry. I just want to tell everyone, my pastor, church friends, my family, that I need a break from all of them. I just want to take some Sundays off and get way and find some time to reflect. The problem is, when I get back from reflecting, the routine begins again. So I begin to ask myself, what does this mean? What do I need to do differently to break this routine. Something came to me so clearly, I need to take a break from everything else and allow time with God. I have felt like this before, and the one thing that I remember doing to get out of this rut was getting closer to God. Getting rid of the distractions and just allowing God to speak to me and I for once listen. We get so caught up in everything that is going on around us and in our lives, we get so consumed with our minor problems, that we forget to spend time with God. We forget to say a simple thank you when he wakes us up in the morning. We allow ourselves to get swept up in everyone and everything that we forget to put on our full armor and prepare ourselves for all that is thrown at us. How many of us can say that we read our bible everyday? We forget about the simple things or do we take our God for granted? Prayer is our way to communicate with God. It is our way of having open dialogue. When I find myself going through the motions of routine, I take that as a sign of not spending enough time with God. It forces me to go to him in prayer and read my bible and allow it and God to minister to me. 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 instructs us to pray, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. So if we have been charged to do this simple task, why is it so difficult for us to do or be consistent in it? I have found that when I pray, I am forced to deal with the issues of my heart. I have to face the very thing that is causing me to not want to pray because it means I have to accept it and acknowledge it. I believe that sometimes God allows us to deal with certain situations to get our attention. He knows that allowing certain circumstances to come our way will push us to him and spend time with him. One thing that God tells us to do is leave our issues at the altar. I have to remind myself even though I am facing my issues, I do not have to deal with them alone. Matthew 11: 28 – 30 says it so eloquently, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give your rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” I can give it to God and he will work it all out for me, all I have to do is spend time with him and allow him to handle whatever issue that may come my way and spending time in his presence is better than feeling stuck in a rut and going through the motions of life.

Loving past the hurt

2016-05-10T08:18:00.004-07:00

We all have experienced hurt or will be hurt by someone we love, whether it be our parents, close friends, boyfriend/girlfriend, spouse sibling. Someone will hurt us. The true test comes after the pain. How do you move on? How can you still love someone who has hurt you to your core?

I used to talk with others about my problems, but I realized early on that most of those people either talked about my problems to someone else or they just needed some entertainment in their boring lives. Now, I pray. I know, how cliche huh? But prayer is the one thing that brings me peace. It's the only thing that can calm my heart and help me to forgive.

Life is too short to relive old hurts. When I find myself going down that path of reminiscing on the past, I remember Hebrews 10: 35-36, "Do not lose the courage you had in the past, which has a great reward. You must hold on, so you can do what God wants and receive what he has promised.

In repairing a relationship, it's essential to realize that no friendship is perfect, no marriage is perfect, no person is perfect. With the resolve that you are going to make a relationship work, you can develop peace treaties of love and tolerance and harmony to transform a difficult situation into something beautiful.

An open letter to my family

2016-05-07T07:28:00.000-07:00

For those who really know me, you know that I am a very private person. I do not share personal things about myself. If I share anything on Facebook it will, pictures of my family, things about my children's silly behavior, etc., but nothing really personal. This time I am doing things a little different. I have found that it's best to give people their roses while they are still alive. I want my family to know who they are to me. I do not want to have to express this at a funeral or I pass away and never have the opportunity to tell them any of these things. I want to talk with my family and express myself to them in this open letter.

I know many of you reading this will wonder why would I put anything concerning the family on the internet? I know you will ask, why didn't you just tell us this over the phone? I am doing it this way because I want to express myself to you in a way that you all have never seen me before. First off, I want to say that I love you all. In one way or another you all have molded me to be who I am. I have taken bits and pieces from each of you and became the woman you all know today. Everything said to me, good or bad, I have applied it to my life one way or another.

Kori - my oldest brother. I love you more than you will ever know. You have always been there for me even when you didn't agree with all of my decisions, like me moving to Arizona for my boyfriend at the time. I will never forget the advice that you gave me on my graduation day. "Don't let that "dude" (for lack of better words) get you caught up in no "mess". My young naive self had no idea what you were talking about, but I took those words with me and they turned out to be great advice in the end. You have always been the big brother "father" figure that I admire you so much. You have such a pure and honest heart and I am truly thankful for you. Although we do not talk as much as we should. I just want you to know that I thank you for who you are and love you so much!

Cynthia - my dad's youngest sister. One of the quirkiest people I know. I know that you love and you love hard. I also know you can be tough. You have been through so much in your life. I often wondered how you made it. You have a strength that so many people are jealous of, which is why you bump heads with people a lot. You are bold, you are out spoken and gentle at the same time. You may not remember this, but I remember as a child, staying the night at your house and you would be alone, crying and praying asking God to give you strength to raise your children by yourself. You were a young single mother, by no fault of your own. Regardless of what people thought of you, you still kept your head up and you still managed to put a smile on your face. I thank you for being you and I love you so much!

Joann - dad's third oldest sisters. You have always had been reserved, so beautiful, smart, fashion forward and educated. You were my role model. You are the one who took me under your wings and created a mini you...lol! One thing that I have always loved about you was your grace. You always did everything like a lady, even when you argued. I know that life threw a lot of curve balls your way and those curve balls took their toll on you, but you never gave up. I know lately, things do not seem as they should and you may feel a sense of loneliness, but God is with you always. He will never leave you. Even if you feel that he has left you, he has not. The only thing I ask of you is to not let this life get you down. Don't quit and don't give up. Whether you believe it or not, God still has some things he needs you to do and you cannot quit now. I know the woman of God you are and remember that God has his hand on you! I love you always!

Aunt Shakira - my dad's oldest sister. My fashionably, poised aunt. You are one who can read someone their rights and then tell them, you'll get over it, now come back here and have some fun with us...lol! Never bite your tongue, always keep it real and never dealt with the mess. I love you for all of that. I know I took a little bit of this fire cracker with me. I also love you for your love for black people. Always educating us on the truth, even when we don't listen, you will still make sure you do your part. I always called you a little "Madea". You got that fire in your soul the way she does and although everyone doesn't always see eye to eye with your tactics, I know that your intentions are in the right place. Thank you for being there for me on my wedding day, one of the most important days of my life. I am forever grateful to you and uncle Halif. Love you!

Aunt Barb - my dad's second oldest sister. I love your wittiness about you. People would always say that you are the sensitive one, but I say it's because you have a big heart! Even though we all knew Christopher was your favorite, you always treated us (your nieces and nephews) fair and with love! You always looked way younger than your age. I remember the girls in the neighborhood would ask me where you got your clothes because they wanted your outfits...lol! You were always the life of the party, know how to have fun and enjoy life. You used to always say, "life is too short to be fussing and fighting all the time" and I live by this motto. Love you aunt Barb and keep living life like it Golden!

Madea - my dad's mom. I saved the best for last. (Not that you all aren't the best, but you know what I mean). You are my second mom. You took me and Kyle in, when no one else was able to. You loved us like your own and did everything you could for us. I thank you for your resilience, your strength, your boldness and toughness. You raised me to take no mess from any one, to always be a lady, how to be submissive and to walk with my head up. You encouraged me to go to school and get an education and to not trust no one or anything but God. You made sure that we had the foundation we needed to make it through this life. Even though you had a tough love approach, you taught me how to survive. For everything that you have done, I appreciate you. I love you with all of me and everyday, I thank God that you opened your heart to us. There are not enough thank yous in the world to show my gratitude.

I cannot mention all of my family, there are too many of you to thank, but I do want to make honorable mentions. My family in Texas! Uncle Freddy for having the heart to take me and my brothers to Texas after our dad left. Even though you weren't able to, I know in your heart you wanted to raise us as your own children and I will forever love and thank you for that!

My cousins Nita and Vette for always making sure Kyle and I looked presentable with the latest styles. You always took us shopping to make sure we didn't look "homely" lol! I thank y'all for looking out. Nicky, thank you for always being there. You were our first baby sitter, even though you never got paid for it! You still did it and made sure that we were ok.

You all and many more had a hand in who I am today and for all of that I thank you and I love you from the bottom of my heart.

A Servant's Gift

2016-05-06T10:30:00.001-07:00

If there are poor among you, in one of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be selfish or greedy toward them. But give freely to them, and freely lend them whatever they need.

~Deuteronomy 15: 7-8

Serving others is one of the best ways a Christian can walk like Christ. The book of Ephesians 2:10 states “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” God knew before we were born that we were created to serve. Our very purpose is to serve in one capacity or another. What area you are to serve in is a question you need to ask God. Maybe you already know, but you are just scared to take that leap of faith. Our word also tells us that God has not given us the spirit of fear…your service to others may spark your true calling. Maybe you are assisting with the Children’s Ministry, although you are only there to assist, you find that your true passion is in teaching or training/creating curriculum. You may be volunteering to assist with the elderly, but from you that you find your true calling as a Nurse. One pastor that I follow is Pastor Rick Warren, Best Selling Author of Purpose Driven Life, stated, “We weren’t created to consume resources – to eat, breath, and take up space. God designed you to make a difference with your life. You were created to add to life on Earth not to just take from it.” There are times when we are called to love and expect nothing in return or give money to people who will never say thank you. Whenever you serve others, you are serving God and fulfilling one of your purposes. Knowing that I am serving God just makes my heart smile! One of the accomplishes that I strive for in this life is for God to see me on Judgment Day and say, “well done, my good and faithful servant.” Everything that I do in this life is to make sure that it is to please God. Am I perfect? No. Do I make mistakes? All the time, but one thing I do know is that I am a servant of the Lord and I will do whatever it is in the realm of servant hood to make sure that I am serving God and his people and I do it with a willing heart. One scripture that I use to remind me of my duty as a servant is James 2: 15-16, which reads “a brother or sister in Christ might need clothes or food. If you say to that person, “God be with you! I hope you stay warm and get plenty to eat,” but you do not give what that person needs; your words are worth nothing. We all know the saying “actions speak louder than words.” Allow your actions to show in your service to people. For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ~Galatians 5: 13-14.

The Heart of Worship

2016-05-05T08:08:00.002-07:00

I wanted to share my published article on www.logospost.com. I hope you enjoy!

The Heart of Worship

When you think of worship, what is the first thing that comes to mind?

I used to think that worship was just listening to a Christian song and feeling good inside afterwards. As a mature Christian, I understand that worship is much deeper than that. The Merriam-Webster dictionary describes worship as [the act of showing respect and love for a god especially by praying with other people who believe in the same god: the act of worshipping God or a god]. According to John 4: 23-24; “The time is coming when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, and that time is here today. You see, the Father too is actively seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

True worship is surrendering everything to God. Well what does that mean? I’m glad you asked!

Surrendering everything means giving God your problems, all of your struggles, all of your addictions, all of your hurt, giving your heart to God and showing him gratitude for all that he has done for you. When things are great you worship, and when life knocks you down, you still give God the honor. Worship is a sign of gratitude and reverence for God. As it was stated by Max Lucado, the author of God’s Inspirational Promise Book, “Worship is the thank you that refuses to be silent.”

The book of Psalms is a great place to start when it comes to offering God our worship. Psalms is about praising and worshiping God, through the good bad and in between. Every chapter in the Book of Psalms is dedicated to worshipping God. I know you may not think that you can worship, perhaps you feel as though you have nothing to worship about and that’s okay. When I am challenged with a tough decision, I go to Psalms 121 which states “I lift my eyes to the hills; my help comes from the Lord. He who keeps you will not slumber. The Lord will keep you from all evil.”

There are other times when I go to Psalms 138, which reads, “I give thanks, O Lord! All the kings of the earth will praise you. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life.” This is my go to Scripture when I know I need to worship God during a rough time, but do not have the words to say.

Sometimes worship is just saying thank you or I love you, with an honest heart. God knows the issues of your heart and he knows when you are down and do not have it in you to pray and worship, but he also sees when you do those things even when your emotions do not want you to. God understands that we are human, we will make mistakes and regardless of all of this, he loves us anyway. That is enough to worship God and thank him for his love!

A Simple Sunday Message

2016-05-01T16:58:00.003-07:00

I hope you had an awesome day and start to your week!

Got Motivation?

2016-04-30T23:30:00.000-07:00

mo·ti·va·tion

ˌmōdəˈvāSH(ə)n/

noun

the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way.

"escape can be a strong motivation for travel"

synonyms: motive, motivating force, incentive, stimulus, stimulation, inspiration,inducement, incitement, spur, reason;

informalcarrot

"his motivation was financial"
- the general desire or willingness of someone to do something.
  
  "keep staff up to date and maintain interest and motivation"
  
  synonyms: enthusiasm, drive, ambition, initiative, determination, enterprise;
  
  informalget-up-and-go
  
  "keep up the staff's motivation"
  
  What is your
  
  Remember the following and you will go far...
  
  "You are confined by the walls you build yourself"

Weekend Inspiration

2016-04-29T21:16:00.002-07:00

You made my whole being; you informed me in my mother's body. I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well.

~Psalms 139: 13-14

Two sparrows cost only a penny, but not even one of them can die without your Father's knowing it. God even knows how many hairs are on your head. So don't be afraid. You are worth much more than many sparrows.

~Matthew 10: 29-31

You are God's children whom he loves, so try to be like him. Live a life of love just like Christ loved us and gave himself for us as a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God.

~Ephesians 5: 1-2

Rejection

2016-04-26T10:44:00.001-07:00

People are always concerned about what others think, what others are doing. If the next person is doing better than them. They want to know if their cars are better, job is better, if the next person makes more money, marriage is better, children are better, etc. Why? Why do these things matter? Why do people try so hard to be accepted? You want to know the answer...It's because of the Spirit of Rejection.

What is the Spirit of Rejection....you ask? Well let me tell you.

Rejection is something that steals life. It keeps people from moving forward. Rejection says, "I'm not good enough, so why do I even try". It can also say, "I just want to be accepted, so I will do whatever to fit it." Rejection will break you down and make you feel worthless. Rejection will cause you to walk out of your purpose. Rejection is a Liar!

Why give into rejection?

Because when someone has been told something for so long, they believe it. It becomes apart of their DNA. It molds this person's thinking, breathing, everyday life and consumes them.

The devil wants you to experience and be rejected, for it is the main thing that will separate you from love, both from God and from others, and also be able to accept and love yourself (when I say, love yourself, it does not mean being selfish).

How to break rejection?

There is really only one answer to this: See that your Father in heaven accepts you totally, and that you are loved unconditionally!

Because God is love, he cannot stop loving you!

If God is love, he needs someone to love.

Only what God says about you is true, not what you think and feel, and what others have said about you!

So let what God tells about you be true, and every other words and thoughts, or what someone else have said about you be a lie!
Rom 3:4

1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

If rejection were not a problem for you, what would you feel? Well you would feel loved, accepted and happy. And that is how God wants you to feel!

Sometimes You Gotta Faith It Til You Make It

2016-04-18T11:03:00.001-07:00

I have gone through so much from the last time I wrote a post! I opened and closed a boutique, I have a second child who is now 1, who was diagnosed with double hearing loss, I attend a new church (been there since 2013) and I am quitting my job so that my husband and I can start our business together. In the midst of all of these transitions, my faith has definitely been tested. But I can honestly say that through each transition, I have grown so much. I know more about myself and I have learned to appreciate my experiences (the good and the bad). I know that with the next chapter I write, I will have endured and grown so much and it's with my faith that I know I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength to get through! I know that someone reading this right now maybe wondering, why you are going through your trials. Or maybe you're wondering when will you to catch a break? I am here to tell you that it is your faith during the tough times that will make you stronger through every test. As a matter of fact, try to look at it with the glass half full...You're going through all this hell because God is getting ready to bless you. The enemy will throw you off into believing that you are failing, but God is getting ready to set you up for your come up! You have to go through this because your testimony of overcoming will be the word someone will need in the future. So in this season, be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger and watch God work it all out for you. Be encouraged, be blessed and continue to Faith it Til You Make It!

YOU are what YOU think!

2012-07-08T09:21:00.002-07:00

Do you know that feeling you get when you have done something right? You feel that every decision that you've made was correct or you gave some needed advice? It's a great feeling huh? Living up to your own expectations and standards is the best thing that anyone can do. All decisions that you've made were based off of previous experiences of your self or something you've seen someone else go through. You smile to yourself and pat yourself on the back! But what do you do when you do not make all of the right decisions or you gave the wrong advice? How do you treat yourself then? We all have the tendency to be harder on ourselves than anyone else, and often times do not think that we are worthy of anything. Or even worst, we allow others perception of us dictate who we are and who we will become. I have learned through the years that when others are not happy with who they are, they try to put their perception of themselves on you. Often times, their perceptions and our attitudes of ourselves will shape us into the people we become. There is a way to not allow the negative energy to flow your way. When you find your self in a situation, you need to do like one of my favorite artist, Ledsi, you need to tell them to SHUT UP, you're moving up, no time for the haters, you are out to be greater! Of all of the songs that I have heard, all of the lyrics, all the performers, I must say that this is one of the best songs that I have heard in a long time. How often is it that you get to hear music that is uplifting and encouraging? She was right on target by saying that you are going to be surrounded by people who will try to block you from being the best that you can be. There will be people who will talk about you, around you, behind you and through you, but YOU have the power to LOVE you. If no one else thinks that you are great, SO WHAT, tell them to SHUT UP... and keep it moving because you are more than what you are perceived to be! You can do ALL things through CHRIST! And last but not least...You are kind, you are smart and you are important!!!!

You have the AZA (strength) within to be the person you want to become!

Until next time my LOVELIES,
Peace and Blessings to you and yours!

Is it time to change direction?

2012-06-10T08:02:00.003-07:00

Employ the power of positive quitting. Most of us view quitting as something negative, but it’s not. ‘Winners never quit,’ we’re told, when, in reality, winners quit all the time: choosing to stop doing things that aren’t creating the results they desire. When you quit all the things that aren’t working for you, when you quit tolerating all the negative things that hold you back, you’ll create a positive ‘charge’ in your life as well as create the space in your life for more positive experiences.

"I like thinking of possibilities. At any time, an entirely new possibility is liable to come along and spin you off in an entirely new direction. The trick, I've learned, is to be awake to the moment."
-- Doug Hall

Persons and societies do not submit passively to surroundings and events. They make choices as to the places where they live and the activities in which they engage -- choices based on what they want to be, to do and to become. Furthermore, persons and societies often change their goals and ways; they can even retrace their steps and start in a new direction if they believe they are on a wrong course. Thus, whereas animal life is prisoner of biological evolution which is essentially irreversible, human life has the wonderful freedom of social evolution which is rapidly reversible and creative. Wherever human beings are concerned, trend is not destiny.

Break Out of Routine

2012-04-18T06:41:00.000-07:00

"One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star."
-- Nietzsche

Where do you need to do some ‘out of the box’ thinking and living? We are creatures of habit, of patterns. While initially the habits may have served us, they may now be limiting our ability to experience more of life. What aspect of your life has become routine? How might you bring new life to it? Do some outrageous dreaming! Then do something completely different today.

"When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world." -- George Washington Carver

When the going gets tough, you keep your head up and keep going!

2012-04-16T18:40:00.001-07:00

There have been so many people who have lost their jobs, with losing their jobs, they have lost their homes, their cars and so many other things that they have worked hard for. Losing everything is hard to accept and at times some are not able to move on because they become depressed about the situation and feel that there is no hope. I know that this may seem easier said than done, but moving on is needed. I have said often times in the past that God allows one door to close for another one to open and with every experience there is a lesson learned. We learn about ourselves, the situation and what we are capable of. When I made the decision to start my own business, I knew that it would take a lot of work, patience and understanding of myself and others. I made this decision to work for myself when I worked for an employer that mandated overtime and gave me hours that took me away from my family. I made the decision that I wanted to have the flexibility and freedom to set my own hours and do something that I love. I also knew that I would not allow the economy to dictate whether or not I was employed and fast forward to 2 years later my vision of being a business owner is becoming a reality. Yes the road to get here was tough and there were times when I did not think I could keep going, but my faith in God and determination would not let me give up, when the going got tough, I kept going! So I say all of that to say when things go wrong as they sometimes will and the road you're trudging seems all up hill, when funds are low and debts are high, and you want to smile but you have to sigh. When care is pressing you down a bit, rest if you must but DON'T QUIT!

Until next time,

Peace and Blessings!

The Smile Virus

2012-04-15T07:44:00.003-07:00

Smiling is infectious,

you catch it like the flu,

When someone smiled at me today,

I started smiling too.

I passed around the corner

and someone saw my grin

When he smiled I realized

I'd passed it on to him .

I thought about that smile

then I realized its worth,

A single smile, just like mine

could travel round the earth.

So, if you feel a smile begin,

don't leave it undetected

Let's start an epidemic quick,

and get the world infected!

What are you procrastinating?

2012-03-18T22:51:00.002-07:00

Procrastination seriously drains our energy and our morale. What remains undone nags at us. What are you avoiding? Make a list of items and then review each one. Does it really need to be done? After you've reviewed your list, prioritize it and start one task today. Please do not procrastinate taking one minute to write down your answer to this question. Capture it on paper and this will help build awareness, commitment and discipline.

"The greatest amount of wasted time is the time not getting started."

-- Dawson Trotman

The Gift of Giving

2012-03-17T17:01:00.001-07:00

“Smile at each other, smile at your wife, smile at your husband, smile at your children, smile at each other -- it doesn't matter who it is -- and that will help you to grow up in greater love for each other.”

~ Mother Teresa

We live in a time where people do not see the value in others. There are so many people who are concerned with the needs of self that they turn away from the needs of others. There is a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr that stands out to me, "Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love." Giving back does not require much, all you have to do is remember one thing, No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.

Beautiful Faces of Beautiful In Your Skin

2012-03-04T15:54:00.000-08:00

No matter what race or color, every woman has the right to feel "Beautiful"

In the Spotlight: Beautiful In Your Skin - Shonda Story

2012-03-01T18:48:00.001-08:00

One of the goals of AZA Means Strength is to acknowledge individuals who make positive contributions in the life of others. Today's Spotlight is about Shonda Story and Beautiful in Your Skin. "Beautiful In Your Skin was designed to be the encouragement a woman needs to get to her journey of a more happy place".

AZA: According to Your Facebook page, Beautiful in Your Skin was created to show your personal journey in becoming a better you, what was your journey that led you to inspiring others?

BIYS: My entire life, I have been active. In elementary school leading up to college, I was either on Cheer leading or the dance team. College is where my love for working out and teaching aerobics began. After I graduated, I didn’t hit the gym that often and ate with no restriction. I kept gaining weight and the only thing that took the weight off was regular trips to the Diet Doctor. Taking diet pills helped me lose weight but when I stopped taking them, I would gain back the pounds lost and then some. Finally after tipping the scale at 218, I said enough was enough and my journey began with a trainer at Bally’s Total Fitness by the name of Darryl Norwood and he is excellent!! He showed me the proper way to exercise and eat.

AZA: What makes you so passionate about inspiring others?

BIYS: I know what it feels like to look in the mirror and hate what you see. Also, when you go through a bad break-up and in your mind the new girlfriend looks better and you begin to ponder those questions: What is wrong with me?? Am I not good enough? Am I too fat?? I know personally how it is because that is what happened to me!! It takes much more for a woman to look her best. Some women don’t know how to pick the proper undergarments, know the proper way to eat to lose weight or workout. Although a lot of women think they don’t need make-up, I feel every woman should apply bronzer to give their skin a gorgeous glow. I believe my soul purpose is to be the self-esteem builder that every women need. I’m here to tell all women yes you are good enough and I love making people feel good about themselves.

AZA: Who is the one person who inspires you?

BIYS: Wow… that is hard to answer because my inspirations come from my mom, my four older sisters, and my sorority sisters and my journey on this earth! Well, my savior inspires me every day when I’m given a new day to correct my wrong doings.

AZA: What message do you have for young girls and women who are struggling with self-esteem?

BIYS: It starts with looking in the mirror and loving yourself!! When you don’t love yourself, you accept less than what you deserve. Also, I think it’s ok to enhance your beauty but make sure it’s safe and do it for you. I always tell people to be the driver of their own happiness because if you let someone else get behind the wheel, your heart will be broke once they crash when their time in your life is over.

AZA: You have over 1,000 Likes on Facebook, did you ever expect your blog to grow so fast?

BIYS: October 2011, BIYS was just a thought and I know I was going to get some support but I never imagined it would grow so fast. I was hoping to have 1000 followers by my launch party in May but it's March and I already achieved that goal so I'm humble and thankful to everyone that has decided to take this journey with me.

AZA: Why did you start the BIYS T-Shirt Line?

BIYS: I love dresses but I’m a t-shirt, jean and sexy heel type of woman. I was going to make shirts just for me but I thought why not share it with the world. My entire t-shirt line will consist of phrases that raise the self-esteem in a positive way. A young lady emailed me and asked are you going to make any shirts that say “Thicker than a Snicker”?……NO…LOL

AZA: What is the future of BIYS? Are you thinking of selling more clothing, accessories, etc?

BIYS: Right now, BIYS will consist of me teaching aerobics, producing more t-shirts, a workout line and intimate apparel. Also, I have something in works for the fellas. In the future, I want to open up the BIYS Beauty center. It will be sort of like weight watchers but I will give classes on everything from applying make-up to dressing. I would also like to have my own perfume and a cosmetic line! Can you see I dream big!

AZA: How can one purchase a T-Shirt?

BIYS: Currently I’m taking orders via my PayPal account and all you need is my email address shondastory@sbcglobal.net or they can hit me on FB, place an order with me (shonda captprofound story) and I will send them an invoice. Also, on-line purchasing will be coming real soon!

Logo T - $21 Signature shirt only comes in White

I Am Beautiful Regular $15 Bling $20 - (I don't have the I Am Beautiful bling t-shirt in white but you can order it in black, hot pink or chocolate brown)

Curvy is the new skinny Regular $15 Bling $20 also can order in black

Sizes SM, MED, LG, XL and 1X-3X

Ordering info

You can pay through paypal at www.paypal.com and it will state send money and you will need my email which is shondastory@sbcglobal.net

Week-Ending Inspiration

2012-02-25T09:00:00.001-08:00

We see the brightness of a new page where everything yet can happen.
— Rainer Maria Rilke

Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
— Harold Thurman Whitman

You gain strength, experience and confidence by every experience where you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you cannot do.
— Eleanor Roosevelt

Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.
— Pamela Vaull Starr

I'm not afraid of storms for I'm learning how to sail my ship.
— Louisa May Alcott, Author & Women's Activist (1832-1888)

Change the Way you Think!!!

2012-02-22T18:18:00.000-08:00

Our world is what we make of it. Changing our way of thinking can change the world around us. You are the only person who can decide whether or not you will have a great day or if your day will suck. You are the one who can allow others to make you smile or if they steal your joy. You are the Master of your Fate and you can decide what path you want to go. I remember being told as a young girl that I would end up pregnant at 16, not finish high school and amount to nothing. I defeat the odds. I turned those negative sayings into positive and became the opposite of what others thought I would be. I told myself early in life that I will not allow anyone to dictate my future. I know that it can be hard especially if you are in a negative environment or around people who do not encourage you, but sometimes you have to encourage yourself and speak life into your situations. Remember, there is life and death in the tongue. Be encouraged and know that with God all things are possible!

Weekly Inspiration

2012-02-05T10:27:00.000-08:00

No More Smalling Up Of Me

Jean Wilson

No more meekly saying 'yes'
When my heart is screaming 'no'
No more taming of my feelings
So my power won't show
No more hiding my exuberance
From disapproving eyes
No more watering down myself
So my spirit won't rise

No more 'smalling up' of me
Pretending I am not here
No more running from the music
And the spotlight's glare
No more living in this prison
Barricaded by my fears
No more turning and retreating
In the face of new frontiers

Even as I am speaking
I am taking shape and form
Harnessing my powers
Like a gathering storm
There's no obstacle so bold
As to dare stand in my way
I am taking back my life
And I am doing it today.