Remembering Jermaine ...

5 months living, loving this life with loc's.

Today is the 28th and marks my fifth month living with sisterlocks.

Unfortunately it coincides with the recent death of a close friend and colleague who at 27 years old died suddenly last Thursday in his sleep.

I may not have much to say for a while but will keep up posting pics when I can. Thanks again for your interest and support.

Daily devotional ... Without Faith

Streaming Faith Daily Devotional

Tuesday, October 27, 2009
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Milan Ford
The conversation began around 11:30pm.
And it ended around 4:15am.

I was sharing with my wife the other night how for the past few weeks, something rather unusual has been going on inside me. While I could not adequately describe to her what it was, I told her that it felt like it was a combination of extreme restlessness and interestingly enough, a sense of peace.

And then, after hours of emotional rambling, I said these words to my wife:

"I feel like I have gone as far as I can possibly go...WITHOUT FAITH."

I sincerely believe that where many of us are in life today is not actually a testament of our faith in God, but rather a testament of our individual skills and talents. And there (for many of us) lies the problem.

As believers, we tend to exercise our faith only in areas that we have seen God move before.

But when it comes to the unknown, our faith remains still.

Which as Hebrews 11:6 indicates, is not faith at all.

"But without faith it is impossible to Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

Sometimes I wonder if we find more security in knowing who we are or have been in times past, than we do in believing who God is. As we enter this final stretch of the year, many of us have come to the end of some rather long roads in our lives that now require faith to move forward.

As we examine our hearts and lives today, many of us must come to the realization that the skills and talents we so heavily relied on in the past can no longer move us forward.

Neither can the resumes (and perhaps associations) we worked so hard to build.

What lies before many of us now is a faith in what seems to be impossible.

A faith that fosters a sense of restlessness, yet at the same time, a sense of peace.

May you and I lean hard into that peace today.

Selection of hair shots, after 5th retightening.

After Retightening.

After washing ...

To all my followers and fellow bloggers, thank you for the interest you show in my loc progress.
I have been quiet due to 3 major events in the past week.

As you can all see there has been a growth spurt over the last 4 weeks or so, the growth is very noticable. In fact I think it is due to twisting at night as opposed to just leaving it free. My hair coils naturally and in the past had a lot of shrinkage when washed. Last night I noticed that the shrinkage was minimal, in fact one stray lock is just doing its own thing, hanging down the right side, coming from the nape of my neck. It is straight and I believe it is quietly locking all by itself ... hmmm.

Well so much for being a freestyler, I do not braid but twist (after shower) and sleep on it. It gives a subtle curl effect.

My consultant is pleased with my hair so far, I told her that sisterlocks was the best thing that ever happened to my hair! My retight is taking a little bit longer tho, or maybe I was tired.
Still only washing once a month, however, I have no dry scalp or itchy scalp conditions so not a problem.

Twist out ...

Out of the Pit.

Out of the Pit

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

"He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and mire. He set my feet on the solid ground and steadied me as I walked along"(Psalm 40:2, NLT)

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Do you feel like you are in a pit today? That pit can be frustration or disappointment or a feeling of discouragement, despair, or hopelessness. And maybe you can?t see a way out, but you?ve got to know that God is still with you, and He will make a way where there seems to be no way.Remember, God will never waste anything you go through in life. If you?ll keep the right attitude, He?ll turn that situation around for your good. It doesn?t matter how you got there, whether it was by your own poor choices or maybe someone else treated you unfairly, God wants to use that situation to do a work in you. He?ll take that evil and turn it around for your good. You may be uncomfortable at times, but you?ve got to know you are growing, and God is building your character.Today, make the decision to shake off any negative, self-defeating mindsets. Choose to cooperate with God. Trust that He is preparing you for promotion. As you keep an attitude of faith, expectancy, and thanksgiving, He will lift you up and set you on the solid path of victory He has in store for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

"Father God, today I lift my eyes to You, for my help comes from You. Thank You for doing a work in my life. Thank You for using every situation in my life for my good. I bless You today no matter what is going on around me, knowing that You have a good plan for me. In Jesus? Name. Amen."

The Power Of The Tongue

Jothany Blackwood

"The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary..." (Isaiah 50:4).
It is amazing that God would empower regular folks like us with the ability to impact people around us in meaningful ways. That he would recognize that we would need access to his power to endure the perils of this journey and use us to speak a relevant Word so his people might be changed.
We have all been given the very real power of uplifting and encouraging our brothers and sisters in Christ through the Word of God. That means that we have access to the Spirit and power that resides in His Word, and it can manifest itself in our lives. When we speak over our situations, then we must also believe that the things God said will come to pass, especially when there is no evidence of it in present times.
God rarely blesses us just for ourselves, but we are conduits for him to bless his people. He understands that sometimes we need to receive understanding, a renewing word, and a timely prayer from folks whose lives reflect ours in more tangible ways. We can then appreciate that what God places in us is bigger than us and that the gift is to be used to uplift and encourage so that they may also walk in their purpose.
The experiences we have come through, though weary, have made us stronger and we can then translate that knowledge into a pathway for others to find their way.
God sent you ahead in that struggle so you could then return to his people and tell them how to survive it. And more importantly, to survive it whole. God is saying rather than ask why you went through it, recognize that he finally raised his hand to say enough. And to understand that the pain and weariness you are feeling is nothing compared to what the devil had planned for you if God had not stepped in.
See there are others who could not have handled what you went through, who would have given up facing those conditions, who wanted to die from the pain, but because of the Word God planted in you, they were able to continue the journey.
The wisdom that God has given you from your testimony was not just for you, but he trusts us to speak that into people's lives. This is so they may know his power, his love, his grace, and his presence, even when it seems we are alone. We never are alone and he needs you to remind someone of that simple truth.
And though weary from our struggles, it will be our sharing of the life changing power of God in our lives that will make the difference in these uncertain times

Whose Report Will You Believe?

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

'I have heard a report from the Lord…'
(Jeremiah 49:14, AMP)

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Every day we get 'reports' from the news, our experiences, our friends and family, and many other sources. We also get reports from the Word of God, which oftentimes, contradicts what others are saying. That's when we have a choice: do we believe what we hear in the natural, or do we believe the report of the Lord?
Friend, we serve a supernatural God! Just because we don't see a way doesn't mean that He doesn't have a way. God can bring one opportunity across your path that will thrust you to a new level. He has explosive blessings that can blast you out of debt and into abundance. 'Well, I don't think I'll ever get well. You should see what the medical report says about me.' No, that may be true according to medical science, but we have another report and it says, 'You will live and not die. God is restoring health unto you.' With men it may be impossible, but with God all things are possible.
Choose today to believe the report of the Lord. Stand strong no matter what is going on around you knowing that He is leading you into victory in every area of your life!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
'Father in heaven, I choose to believe Your Word above all else. I know that You are working behind the scenes on my behalf, and You will cause me to triumph. Help me to tune out the negative voices of the world so that I can focus on Your goodness all the days of my life. In Jesus' Name. Amen"

Watch Your Mouth

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Pastor Marquis Boone

James 3:2-11 (NIV) "We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?"

Today the text shows us that the tongue is small but POWERFUL. The author of James begins chapter 3 by speaking on the power of the tongue. He says that if you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true; if you could find someone who knew how to control his or her tongue at all times; who never said anything wrong; then you'd have a perfect person who's in perfect control of their life.

The havoc that the tongue can wreak is monumental! It is the tongue as we'll learn today that can either build people up or tear them down. It is a beast that is frequently out of control. As Christians, we are warned to tame that beast rather than inflicting wounds, and use it to build the Kingdom of God.

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the two fallen frogs that they were as good as dead.

The two fallen frogs ignored their comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all of their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were not getting out. Finally, one of the fallen frogs took heed to what they were saying and gave up. The other fallen frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped harder and harder and finally made it out. - Author Unknown

When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

In this season, of your life let every word that is spoken to you, encourage you even if it's bad. The tongue has so much authority that many of us have to learn how to be mindful of what we say; how we say it; and who we say it to in this season of our life. I don't think any of us would deny that we have problems with our tongues.

Some of us struggle more than others, but each of us has to find a way to tame that beast. Let me give you a few steps to consider:

RETHINK YOUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH - just because you can say it does not mean it has to be said.

REFUSE TO TEAR OTHERS DOWN - instead use that same tongue to build them up.

Ask yourself, "ARE MY WORDS FRESH WATER OR SALT WATER" - will the words you speak burn a person or refresh them?

The second most deadly instrument is a loaded gun. The first is the human tongue. The gun merely kills bodies. The tongue kills reputations and often times ruins character. So today as the body of Christ, speak life.

Daily Devotional ... Dream.

See the Whole Picture.

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

'And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.'
(Philippians 1:6, NLT)

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

It's easy for people to let go of their dreams when all they see is what they're lacking or what's not happening for them. But God sees the whole picture when He looks at your dreams. He has equipped you for the victory, even though you sometimes can't see how you will win with what you have to work with right now. Remember that God is always at work in your life. He is giving you favor and opening doors of new opportunities, so keep looking and hoping; the things He has promised and planned for you will happen. As you put your confidence in God, He will continue to work in supernatural ways to guide you into all He has for you.
Are you looking at the whole picture today? Can you see how God is working to bring the right things together for your success? If you're not seeing things happen for you, don't give up on your dreams. Be confident in God's promises; He sees things that you can't see, and He will make sure that His plans for you are fulfilled. Hold on to your dreams today. Have faith in God – He wants to bring you the desires of your heart.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

'Heavenly Father, today I have a renewed confidence in You. Help me to see my life the way You see it – whole and complete. Thank You for not only beginning a good work in me, but also finishing it. In Jesus' Name. Amen.'"

Take Action

"TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

'…faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead'
(James 2:17, NIV)

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Have you ever met a person who prayed one way and spoke another? One minute they’re believing for their dreams to come to pass, and the next minute they're talking about how they're never going to get where they want to be. What they haven't realized is that their actions aren't working together with their faith. This lack of consistency doesn't do our prayers any good. God wants our words, actions and beliefs to work in agreement. Putting the right actions behind our faith gets His attention.
What are you believing for? You can put some action behind your prayers by talking like your situation is going to turn around. When you do, you're not just praying and believing — you're expecting.
If you don't see anything happening, choose today to put some action behind your prayers. Start making some new announcements like, 'I am blessed. Whatever I touch prospers. My best days are in front of me.' Speak your faith with confidence. As you praise God for His faithfulness, your faith will grow stronger. You'll also find peace knowing that you're one day closer to seeing your dreams come to pass.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
'Heavenly Father, search my heart today. Reveal any inconsistencies in my faith and actions. Starting today I choose to fully believe in all You have for me; I will walk by faith in every area of my life. In Jesus' Name. Amen.'"

Daily Devotional

Expect and Prepare

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

'See how the farmer waits expectantly for the precious harvest from the land.'
(James 5:7, AMP)

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria
Too often people passively sit around waiting for their dreams to come true. As time goes by they begin to think things will never change for them, and the longer the wait, the more frustrated they feel. It's important to keep moving toward your dreams in faith and hope. Expecting God's best and making preparations to succeed will help you stay in faith during times of waiting. 'Joel,' you might ask, 'How do I do that?' Have expectant faith. Start talking and acting like your dreams are going to happen. People may think that sounds strange, but don't let it bother you. God has given you a dream, and you may see things they don't see. As you settle it in your heart and mind that God is faithful, you'll get excited about His promises for you.
If you feel like you're in a holding pattern, don't get discouraged; God is working on your behalf. Put your trust in Him. Start making preparations for the dreams God has planned for you so you will be ready when they arrive. Take your faith to a higher level — go from believing to expecting — and God will bring you the desires of your heart at just the right time.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
'Heavenly Father, thank You for what's to come. Help me go beyond believing to expecting my dreams to come to pass. Show me how to prepare for the things You have planned for me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.