Under Construction

Hi, faithful followers and newcomers!!

I should have posted this before now, but please excuse the absence of the Monday, Wednesday, Friday posts.  I am currently changing some things up, and working on a new blog home.  The Lord gave me a greater vision for the blog some months ago, and finally I am submitting to doing all things His way, and not my own.

Please pray with me as I strive to follow God's path for the writing ministry He has entrusted to me, and I look forward to sharing more Divine Words with you soon.  In the meantime, you can get encouraging words from me on Facebook, and follow my column in EEW Magazine.

Be encouraged!  Who knows, I may still post here 'til things are complete with the new blog site...I'm unpredictable like that!

Til we meet again...live, laugh, love!

Peace & Blessings,
Keisha

It's the Little Things

Tomorrow's my birthday! Yaaay!! I'm really excited, although I don't plan to do much of anything.  I don't have a birthday list; neither am I expecting a lavish celebration.  I'm just looking forward to spending some alone time with my husband Jeremy, who has been working like crazy for the past few weeks.

My son, Joey, asked me last night, "Ma, what do you want for your birthday?"

I replied, "Nothing."

He looked at me like I was crazy, and said, "Everybody wants something for their birthday." But that's because he always has quite the extensive list when his big day rolls around.

I told him, "Well not mommy.  I'm happy just spending it with you guys."

It's the simple things in life that really make me happy.  Sure, it's nice to get gifts...especially diamonds (LOL!)...but in essence, that's not where real happiness lies. At least not for me.

Well, wait a minute.  There is one thing that would make me the happiest woman in the world...cheesecake with strawberry topping! Yummy!!

But really, quality time with the man I love most (And some cheesecake!) is the best gift I could ask for for my special day.  It's the little things...

I used to base my happiness upon how much money I had, what type of car I drove, how many friends I had...but then I realized that once I didn't have an abundance of those things, my happiness went right out of the window.  And once I matured both naturally and spiritually, I learned that there's no greater joy than that that is found in Christ, and the simple things that many people take for granted...family, life, health.

This week-end I encourage you to not focus on the material things in your life that bring external, temporary happiness, but rather take a close look at those things that should really matter most to you...your husband; your children; your life; your health.  Spend some time giving thanks for the things that are often deemed simple, but are really most important.

Til we meet again...live, laugh, love!

Peace & Blessings,
Keisha

Don't Throw Away Your Plate

About an hour ago, my son Jaxon and I were having lunch.  I dirifted off into my own little world, and though I could see him, he really didn't have my full attention.  Then suddenly my daze was broken when I heard the sound of liquid being poured.  Jaxon was pouring his blue juice on top of his french fries as if it were ketchup.

"Noooo, don't do that!" I exclaimed as I jumped up from my chair.

 "Now your fries are all nasty. Ewwww!"  I laughed with my little buddy who seemed unphased by what he'd just done. 

When I picked up his plate to throw his food away, he had a fit. "Nooooo! Miiiiiine! Mommyyyyyy!" He yelled while kicking his feet.

"Ok, ok. Fine, but I wouldn't eat that if I were you." He looked at me as if he were thinking Well you're not me, so give me my food and let me eat it. 

He proceeded to pick up a fry after I poured the juice off and returned his plate, and I looked at him and said, "That's so nasty, Jaxon."  He took a bite of his blue juiced fry, shook his head from side to side and said, "Mmmmm!"

I cracked up laughing! And he ate every piece of food that was on his plate.

He was convinced that despite my opinion about his food, he was going forth in completing his meal.

As I sat finishing up my lunch, and continued laughing at my hilarious son, I thought about a lesson we could all learn from him.

When it comes to carrying out assignments that we know the Lord has given us and walking in His purpose for our lives, we should not allow the opinion of others to deter us and cause us to throw away what the Lord has placed in our hearts.

If you are confident in what's on your plate, no matter how crazy or unappealing it may appear to others, then go forth in completing your assignment.  There will be those who will say, "Girl, I wouldn't do that if I were you."  But guess what?  They aren't you. 

Your God-ordained purpose is specifically seasoned just for you.  It matters not what the next man thinks, but only what God has given you to do.

Don't let anyone convince you to walk away from or second guess your purpose.  Instead, stay connected to the Father and stick to your own convictions.  Your plate isn't supposed to be to the liking of others, but for the glory of God.

Til we meet again...live, laugh, love!

Peace & Blessings,
Keisha

God Can Fix It

Pictured to the left is a picture of my husband, Jeremy, and I, eleven years ago at my high school prom. I was only 17 at the time, and we'd only been dating a couple of months, but deep in my heart I knew that someday he would be my husband. In exactly two weeks we will celebrate 5 years of marriage! 

We have two beautiful sons together, Joseph (8) and Jaxon (22 months), and are expecting our third son, Jorden, this August.  He is my best friend, and I know without a doubt that he loves and adores me. I could not imagine spending my life with any other man. 

The past five years have not at all been peaches and cream.  We have faced many obstacles as husband and wife, and for a while it did not seem that we would survive.  There were times when I wanted to walk away; times when we couldn't stand to look at one another; times when we separated; and times when our anniversary was nothing more than a passing day.  But by the grace of God, the power of prayer, and the amazing transformation that God has performed in our lives, both individually and collectively, today we stand together with a Christ-centered love for one another that we are confident will stand the test of times. 

We don't share a fairy-tale love story, but our story is one that has been tested and tried, and survived.  It is one of perseverance and endurance.  One that proves that love can conquer all, and there is absolutely nothing too broken that God cannot fix. I am so grateful for what God has done, and how He has blessed our union. I am soooo excited for May 18th!!!

In life, we will all encounter situations that seem bleak.  Situations that appear to have no resolve.  But one thing I know with certainty is that God is able to fix anything that is broken in our lives.  He has the power to make all things new.  If we dare not give up, pray and praise our way through, and turn it over to God, He will make everything alright.

Whatever broken situations you may be facing today, be encouraged to know that God will fix up.  No matter what you do, keep holding on and trusting in Him.  He will renew your entire life.

Til we meet again...live, laugh, love.

Peace & Blessings,
Keisha

Somebody's Watching You

My younger son, Jaxon, loves to follow his big brother, Joey, around.  As soon as Joey gets home from school in the afternoons, my little tyke detaches himself from me and becomes his big brother's shadow.  From room to room, every move Joey makes my little guy is right behind him, mimicking everything he says and does.

I often tell Joey, "Be careful of what you do and say because your little brother is watching you, and he is going to copy everything you say and do."  I can already attribute Jaxon's smacking of the lips, and his favorite expression, "Maaaan" to big brother.

My little copycat did something last evening that inspired today's post.  Joey was running into my room when he tripped over a toy and fell.  Seconds later, what do you know? Jaxon comes running and purposely falls on the floor just like his big brother.  Though it was funny, I saw a huge lesson in it.

We each hold the power to positively or negatively influence someone's life by the way we live on a daily basis.  Once we take on the role of a Christian, all eyes are on us.  No matter how inconspicuous you think you may be, trust that someone is watching you.  Not watching you in a way to keep tabs on what you're doing, but in a way that they can model their walk with Christ after yours. 

Very often, our lives are the example that many other Christians look to for an example on how to live for Christ.  This is why it is imperative that we are mindful of how we portray Christianity and holy living, and live daily according to Romans 12:1, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." 

If we are constantly dibbling and dabbling in wordly customs, and openly tripping over ourselves, what type of example are we giving to those who are looking us to us?  We are telling them that it's okay to straddle the fence, when God clearly tells us how he feels about that in Revelation 3:15-16, "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth." 

Now I'm not suggesting that any of us are perfect or incapable of falling, because it is only by the Lord's great mercy that we are not comsumed.  But if we are holy, then we should be that at all times and at all costs.  Whether we want to accept the responsibility or not, our daily lives serve as the platform that many look to for empowerment, encouragement, and example. Titus 2:1-8 (Message Bible) says this:

"Your job is to speak out on the things that make for solid doctrine. Guide older men into lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance. Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don't want anyone looking down on God's Message because of their behavior. Also, guide the young men to live disciplined lives. But mostly, show them all this by doing it yourself, incorruptible in your teaching, your words solid and sane. Then anyone who is dead set against us, when he finds nothing weird or misguided, might eventually come around."

We should never want our lives to be the reason another falls from grace.  Not implying that we can control what others choose to do, but we do have the power of influence, both directly and indirectly.  We are to be examples to one another, especially to those who don't know Christ.  It is our job to draw them to Him by living a Christ-centered life. 

Know that someone is watching you and following your example. If you stay rooted and grounded in Christ, so will they.  Someone is watching to see how you handle tough situations; how you weather the storm; how you handle your anger; how you handle temptation.  So, today I just want to encourage us all to be mindful of the life we live, in secret and in public.  More than upholding a Godly example for our fellow sisters striving to grow in Christ, uphold that same standard when the only person watching is God. 

Just as I tell my son, Joey, I am saying to you today, be careful, prayerful, and mindful of how you live your daily life because your sister is watching you.

Til we meet again...live, laugh, love!

Peace & Blessings,
Keisha