Speak Up

Everyone who knows me, knows that I am extremely quiet.  You could be sitting in the same room as me and not even know I'm there. If you don't say anything to me, chances are certain that I'm not going to say anything to you.  In the run of a month, I only use about 200 minutes on my cell phone...I am just not a talker.  But I will write, email or text all day, every day.  You don't even wanna know how many text messages I go through in the span of 30 days...let's just say thank goodness for unlimited texts! I have been this way as far back as I can remember.  This has worked for me, but it has also worked against me.

Because I'm such an introvert, people know that they can trust me not to run my mouth when they confide in me.  I'm never the go-to person for all the latest juicy gossip because they already know Keisha's not saying anything! And, I'm never in the center of foolish drama. Being such a quiet person causes me to listen attentively and be very observant of what goes on around me.  In this aspect, my introverted personality works just fine for me; however, it has its downside.  My quietness is often mistaken for weakness and timidity.  And I must admit, I went through a great deal of my life too afraid to speak up for myself.  As a result I suffered pain, disappointment, depression, defeat and serious fear.  I think that had I been confident enough in who God created me to be, I wouldn't have allowed my personality to work against me.  I now know that I can be quiet, yet confident in who I am through Christ.  One lesson I've learned is that there's nothing wrong with being a quiet, soft-spoken person, but there are definitely times when I  must open my mouth and speak up...loud and clear.

Quiet or not, there comes a time in everyone's life when speaking up is very necessary.  Much like when the enemy comes against us.  If we sit back and say nothing, we are giving him liberty to wreak havoc in our lives and destroy us.  It's like having a bully.  As long as they know they can intimidate you and you say nothing, they are going to continue picking on you.  But when you choose to become bold and stand up for yourself, more than likely, they will leave you alone.  We must be this way when it comes to the enemy.  Now, I'm not saying he's going to permanently leave you alone once you stand up to him, but you can guarantee that he will not prevail.

We absolutely cannot be passive with the enemy, because he is relentless and vicious in his efforts to destroy us.  We must tap into that holy boldness which dwells on the inside of us through Christ Jesus and God's word.  It is impossible to quietly fight the enemy, at least not if you want to win.  I dare you to take your stance with that old devil and boldly speak God's word with power and authority.  Don't allow him to bully you!

Til we meet again...

Live more...worry less...laugh often!

Your sister in Christ,
Keisha

A Reflection of You...

I shared this on my Facebook page yesterday and just thought I'd add a little bit to it...

A few days ago, my sons and I took a trip to a Christian bookstore. My 7 year old son, Joseph, loves to read and a new book is like Christmas to him. He also loves to write (my son indeed) and is very good at his craft. Well, I told him that he could pick out one book and one activity. He chose a book entitled "What Will Heaven Be Like?" and couldn't wait to get to the car and crack it open. Being a parent that likes to mix entertainment and education, I told Joey I wanted him to write me a book report once he finished reading his new book. "OK, but you'll have to wait until Sunday" he said. Don't ask me why Sunday...


Well, this evening Joey was so excited to hand me his report he'd worked so diligently on. It was very colorful and illustrated with pictures. It brought a smile to my face as I read it, so I thought I'd share it with you...just as he wrote it:

"Jesus said this house is like a mansion with many rooms and that we'll live in a wonderful place. He's working on it all right now. heaven is sutch a bright and happy place we won't even need the sun. I'm glad Jesus is my very best friend. Jesus won't ever move away because he lives in our heart. God has been planning heaven for a long time...........we need him. Happy Mothers Day!"

How sweet is that?! Maybe I'm a bit biased, but it warmed my heart. The bible tells us to train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6). As a mother, the best thing I can share with my children is my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

As mothers, it is so important that we instill the right values, principles and morals into our children during their impressionable years and not allow society to impress immorality upon our babies.  It's not enough to tell our children right from wrong, but we must be examples.  Children recreate more of what they see than what they hear.  Ask yourself what type of example am I setting for my children?  What do my children see me doing?  What do my children hear me saying? 

As Christians, we are God's children and His spirit dwells within us which makes us a reflection of Him; so are our children a reflection of who we are.  There's no better person than your own child to show you who you really are.

Happy Mother's Day!

Til we meet again...

Live more...worry less...laugh often!

Your sister in Christ,
Keisha

Get In His Presence

There is something about the presence of God. 

In His presence there is joy.
In His presence there is hope.
In His presence there is strength.
In His presence there is peace.
In His presence there is restoration.
In His presence there is deliverance.
In His presence there is comfort.
In His presence there is power.
In His presence there is healing.
In His presence strongholds are lifted.
In His presence yokes are broken.
In His presence you'll find all that you need...

Today, I want to encourage you to take a moment and get in God's presence.  Bask in it.  Dwell in it.  Rest at His feet.  There's no place like it!

Til we meet again...

Live more...worry less...laugh often!

Your sister in Christ,
Keisha