Turn Down for What? Why I Chose Not To Club Anymore

NOW this post is not intended to judge or bash anyone who goes to the club. This is just my personal conviction as a Christian for why I stopped going. Yesterday, I attended the Magic City Classic in Birmingham, AL. (Alabama State alum..whoop whoop!) I mean this is the annual "turn up" weekend and it's a weekend that all students and alumni look forward to every year.

      Now back when I was college student, I looked forward to going to the classic, not for the game, but for the club. I loved a good party. That is one thing I can say I enjoyed doing during college (but I did have my work done). During the week of the classic, we would hit the mall and pick out the perfect dress. Then we would make sure that the hair and nails was done. All to impress other people of course. I would pick out the one party I wanted to attend and make sure the cover charge was cool or that tickets were purchased beforehand. Boom! We were set.

       This year was different for me. I was going to the classic solely for the purpose of tailgating and watching the game. I guess you can say some good ol' family fun. But what was it that got me to this point? Let's rewind to a few months back, around April-May. I was in a club called Harlem Nights celebrating an old friend's birthday. I wore a dress classier than what I usually wear to a club. I wasn't really feeling it that night though. I knew I was growing out of the club scene but it wasn't confirmed until later that night. When I tell you everything that could have went wrong did. First, the person I was with left which meant I had to drive home by myself at 2am. Then, I make it to the parking lot where I find my car with a boot on it. I call the number to the truck and it sends me to voicemail. Feeling abandoned, I start to feel panic in my heart. After 15 minutes, the tow truck is reached and I'm given the amount to pay but where's my debit card? Are you kidding me? It was a blessing to have my other friend there to pay. Thinking that this horrible night has ended, nope, it had just begun. My car starts to overheat and breakdown on the way home. Mind you, it's almost 4am. I stopped my car on the side of the road every 10 seconds to let it rest. The situation was starting to become dangerous because here I am, a female out at 4am by herself in a dress. Anything could have happened. I prayed for God to please let me get to the exit closest to my home and He did. The most difficult thing I had to do was call my parents to pick me up because I knew they would be disappointed in me and indeed I was right.


       The next morning, I did a lot of thinking. I wondered if going out that night was EVEN WORTH IT? Absolutely not! A lot of people were saying, "Girl, you just had a bad night" or "don't think too deep into it". No, that was more than a bad night. That was my conviction. See, God was trying to pull me away from the club scene for the longest but I knew I wasn't ready to do that. I was enjoying myself. So, He had to let me hit rock bottom. God had bigger plans for my life and I had to let some things go in order to fully step into my purpose. When God is ready to take you somewhere, you have to step out of some things. I remember standing in the middle of the dance floor at Harlem Nights and for the first time, just feeling like I didn't belong there. I couldn't for the life of me understand what was the point anymore. What am I really getting out of going to the club besides guys touching on you or trying to get your number for a one-night stand, second hand weed smoke infecting my lungs and becoming the new scent of my hair, loud music that keeps my ears ringing through the night, grinding and dancing promiscuously with different guys, getting so drunk where you can't remember the night, dodging a fight or possibly a bullet, or better yet hearing the DJ ask if your private parts are clean.

        As a Christian, I just feel there are some places where you shouldn't be and a nightclub is definitely one of those places. The club wasn't bringing me closer to God. It was planting seeds in my heart that it was ok to dress promiscuously, have a couple of drinks, grind on different guys, listen to certain types of music with lyrics that wasn't glorifying God, or better yet, conform to the world standards (I was convicted on music back in July).  I got tired off being the "turn up on Saturday, then worship on Sunday" type do girl. It didn't feel right. We are suppose to be ambassadors for Christ. So with that being said, are we representing God by going to these types of places? We as Christians have to be mindful of what we do. People are looking at us ESPECIALLY the unbelievers. The world doesn't need to read the bible when they can read Christians. They are trying to figure out what's so special about this thing called "Christianity." What's the difference? If you're not showing them a difference then you're killing your testimony. They're just going to be like "oh..well...if they do the same things that we do, then what's the point of getting saved or going to church?" We have to be very careful in our walk and lifestyle because someone somewhere is looking at you. We don't want to lose a soul that could have came to Christ but, all of a sudden, decided not to because we are killing our testimony.

I John 1:6 (KJV) says, "If we say that we have fellowship with him (GOD), and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth."

When I read that, it made me understand why I didn't have a desire to go to the club anymore. I didn't want to walk in darkness. God is light and there is no darkness in him. I didn't want to be associated with the sins that go on in the clubs. I knew that going to the club wasn't growing my relationship with Christ. In order for me to gain a closer relationship and step into my purpose, I had to leave it alone.

I John 2:15 (KJV) says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Now this is not saying that we shouldn't love ALL of God's people. We are suppose to love everyone and bring them to Christ. This is simply saying that we should not love the sins that the world has to offer.

So people now wonder, how do I "turn up"? What do Christians do to have fun? Since I've stopped going to the club, I've learned that there are so many more activities that can be done and still I can enjoy myself:
1.) Visit a museum
2.) Go see a play production
3.) Grab a Redbox and have a night in with your friends
4.) Dinner parties
5.) Church events that are usually held on Friday and Saturday nights
6.) Try a Christian club (There's one in Jonesboro, GA called C-Note if you're in the ATL area)
7.) Movies
8.) Bowling
9.) Sporting event 
10.) Poetry Slam

This is my testimony of why I gave up the club. Something I loved doing so much, but found that there's a better way. Am I saying I'm better than anyone else? Absolutely not! I've been there but when you get sick and tired of the same thing and don't see any fruit producing, you start to change your ways. One thing I knew for sure....I was NOT going to find my future husband in the club. I'm praying that my testimony helps someone.

I WON'T GO BACK
2009

2012

Apr 2014

Harlem Nights: THE LAST TIME I STEPPED FOOT INSIDE OF A CLUB #glory 

Acknowledge. Fix. Keep it Moving...

So You Hate Your Job..

    

        Do you ever get up and just really dread going to work? Believe it or not, more than half of Americans wake up daily dreading to go to their jobs. They see it as a burden. But what is it that causes us to not to like going to work. Some say it is their managers and unfair treatment. Others will say it is trying to get along and work cohesively with their co-workers. Maybe it is the poor attitudes of the customers. Many say they just do not make enough to deal with the daily stress. Whatever the cause may be, it is putting a damper on the job that you PRAYED SO HARD TO GET. Yes, I said it.


       Think back to when you were unemployed and the application process you had to go through on a daily basis. Yes, that wasn't a fun time at all. You were going through a really dry season of empty pockets and no call backs. You stayed on your knees praying and crying out for God to bless you with a job. Finally, you receive a phone call about an interview. After the interview, you are hired for the position you have applied for. You immediately start thanking God and you are super excited. You start making promises that you will be so happy to go to work everyday and at any hours. I'm going to go above and beyond the tasks at hand. I'm going to give awesome customer service. I'm going to be on time. I mean everything you can think of.


        Now fast forward a couple of months. You start to hate the hours that you work. You're tired of the rude customers so you start lacking in customer service as well. You feel like you are being mistreated. You start to no longer care about your job and doing your best, so you usually don't show up on time. Better yet, you decide to call off several of times. You start writing negative Facebook statuses about how you hate your job and wish you had another one. You find yourself ALWAYS complaining about your job.


So where is that fire you had when you first got hired? You let all of the circumstances turn your attitude and way of thinking about the job that God has blessed you with. YES GOD BLESSED YOU WITH YOUR JOB. THE JOB YOU PRAYED SO HARD FOR. You cannot let the circumstances around you steal your joy. You being at the job you are at now is not a mistake. God has placed you exactly where He wants you. God has a purpose that He wants you to fulfill. So let's turn a negative unto a positive:


       It all starts with your thinking. We have to transform and renew our minds as mentioned in Ephesians 4:23. When you wake up in the morning, instead of holding on to that dreading attitude, wake up with gratitude for being able to be employed. There are so many people who are looking for a job. They are wishing they were in the position you were in. They are wishing they can have your income so they can be able to supply their everyday needs. Be grateful that you have a job. It doesn't matter what type of job you are working. You have some type of income that is coming to your pockets. Find the positive in every situation.


     We have to stop complaining! Complaining will put you in the most negative mood. You have a problem with everything...I MEAN EVERYTHING. You can't stand who you work with. You think you don't make enough money. You can't stand the work load. You can't stand the hours. I mean I could go on and on. Like I said before, put it in your mind to be grateful no matter what the circumstances are. You have to humble and die to yourselves daily (that means your feelings). God exalts those who are humble in His sight.
    Make your job your full time ministry. If you have to be at this job and you feel there is no escape (meaning you don't have a backup job), ask God what is your purpose while you are at this job. God gets the glory out of every aspect of our lives, so what makes us think He can't get the glory while we're on our jobs?
I work at a pharmacy so I like to find ways to encourage the customers and minister to them. Many of the customers come in sick and others may come in frustrated due to being in a hospital or doctor's office all day. Being at the drop-off window gives me a chance to talk to customers and encourage them with a word and let them know that everything is going to be ok or God is going to work their situation out. I even had to pray for one customer mid-way through taking her prescription. When I can make a customer's prescription cost cheaper than what it is, I praise God for it. It's times like these where I feel like my job is worth it and that God gets the glory through everything. The reason I decided to work in the heath alliance field was because I knew I would be able to help people. So I am doing the purpose that God wants me to do.



Now of course like everyone, I deal with difficult circumstances and situations that can easily pull anyone out of their character. Everyone deals with the stress of their workload, managers and co-workers, difficult customers, etc. How you choose to deal with these situations will determine your mood and attitude. I like to look at going to work from a different and bigger perspective.

Colossians 3:22-24 (KJV) says, "Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God; (23) And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily; as to the Lord, and not unto men; (24) Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Work as if you are working for God. It changes things when you think of it that way.

Here are some ways to transform your mind at work

1.) Spend time with God each morning. Pray and meditate on scriptures related to your situation.
2.) Give thanks! Let God know that you are grateful for being employed despite your circumstances. Take a minute and remember how hard it was when you were unemployed and searching.
3.) Always have a song on your heart that ministers to you in a difficult time. I always find humming as a way to remain calm in a stressful situation.
4.) Keep your mind stayed Jesus. How can you step out of character when Jesus is on your mind?
5.) Know that God takes care of His children.
6.) Pray for others. Instead of talking about someone or speaking negativity against them, speak life into them. I find praying for others more fulfilling and it takes away the negativity that seeps into my mind or heart towards them.

So, in the morning, when you feel that dreading spirit come over you, SHUT IT DOWN! You have to understand that God works according to His timing. Life is divided into different seasons.

Eccles 3:1 (KJV) says, "To every thing there is a time to every purpose under the heaven".
Eccles 3:11 (KJV) says, "He hath made every thing beautiful in his time; also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from beginning to end."

Greater is coming! When God decides it is time for you to move on, He will do it in His timing. Be grateful where you are now. Running won't do any good. You are going to run into the same situations everywhere you go, maybe even worse. Then you'll regret leaving your current job. He has you exactly where He wants you to be for a certain purpose. Go to your job and work your very hardest without complaining. That is what is pleasing to God. He appreciates those who are grateful. So you hate your job? Change your mindset and I'm sure it won't seem that bad as you thought before.

Acknowledge. Fix. Keep it Moving...

 Reference Scriptures

Jeremiah 29:11 (For I know the plans for you)
I Peter 5:6-7 (Humble yourselves)
2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 (My grace is sufficient for thee)
Romans 12:14 (Pray for those who persecute you)
Romans 12:18 (Working with others)
Romans 12:21 (Be not overcome with evil, but good)
Philippians 4:19 (God shall supply all of your needs)
I Thessalonians 4:11 (Mind your business)
I Thessalonians 5:18 (Give thanks)
Psalm 37 (Evildoers can't get away with it)
Ephesians 6:5-9 (Work with fear for God)

But I Don't Feel Saved..

As a child, I never considered myself as a church girl. I didn't grow up in the church. I mean I went to different churches from time to time but it wasn't an every Sunday thing. My family was military so we moved around a lot. It wasn't until July 2004 that we decided to join a church and I received salvation at the age of 17. My family was stationed in Atlanta during the summer of 2002. It seemed like Georgia would be our permanent residence and it has. We have been living here for 12 years, the longest that I've ever lived anywhere.
During high school, I linked up with a friend and she invited us to attend her church one Sunday. I passed the message along to my parents and we were headed to church that following Sunday. That Sunday sparked us to attending more often until we decided to join the church in July of 2004. During the joining, me and my brother also decided to receive salvation. After we went to the altar, 2 of the associate ministers sat us down and talked to us about what is salvation and how to obtain it. The key point question was "Do you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and rose in 3 days?" Of course I did! I may not have been raised in the church but I did know that much.

People, if you believe that, you are saved! You don't have to jump through any hoops. You don't have to recite anything, then spin around 3 times, then hop on one foot. The bible says in Romans 10:9 (KJV) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

It's that easy? Yes it's that easy.

So, I'm a new creature in Christ but I didn't feel like it. I knew some type of change had come over me and my family as well. I knew I had everlasting life and I wasn't going to hell when I died. We starting going to church regularly as well as Sunday school and bible study. I joined the choir and started going to choir practice. Child, I was in church practically every day seems like it. Even though I had this new change over my life, I still found myself doing the same things I was doing before. Things got a little worse once I started attending college.

My college years made it really hard for me to feel saved. I was doing everything thing that typical college students were doing. I was going to the club, drinking, dressing promiscuous when I went out, cussing, hanging out with the wrong people, not honoring God in my relationships, etc. I hardly went to church. I mean I really did not feel saved. It was easy for me to feel saved when I went back home because I didn't do that type of stuff when I was there and I attended church as well. But in college, it was different. I felt like God was disappointed in me and didn't really like me very much. So that made me really not like myself very much either.

One thing I didn't do was doubt if I was saved or not. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I was saved. But many people, who may not feel like they are saved, will start to doubt their salvation and then it becomes a ball of confusion. They may go back into the world, decide to quit church and start living any kind of way and have to face the consequences. Did you know you can have everlasting life but still have to face the consequences (some permanent) for your sins?

SALVATION IS NOT BASED ON HOW YOU FEEL. IT IS BASED ON YOUR FAITH.

Ephesians 2:8 (KJV) says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God."
So we can't base our salvation on how we feel. Our salvation is based on our faith. It is based on what we believe. This is why it is so hard for people to come to Christ in the first place because they "feel" like they have to be perfect when they come to Christ. Christ wants you as you are. It doesn't matter who you are or what you have done...JESUS WANTS TO SAVE YOU AND GIVE YOU EVERLASTING LIFE.


God loves people so much that He sent His ONLY, BEGOTTEN son to die on the cross for OUR SINS (OUR PAST SINS. OUR FUTURE SINS. OUR PRESENT SINS) so that we could have everlasting life. (John 3:16) Sin was conquered through what Jesus did on the cross. See, we were all destined to go to hell but now we have a chance to gain everlasting life by accepting Jesus into our lives and making Him our personal savior.

During a church service while I was in college, I decided to rededicate my life to Christ and get back on the right road. I graduated in the fall of 2010 and moved back home. Once back home, I attended church regularly and became very active. Did I say I was perfect? No? Ok, just making sure because I wasn't. As of this year, I have been saved for 10 years. Looking back from 2004 until now, it has been a roller coaster ride! Ups, downs, life flipped completely upside down but turned back around. If you only knew my story. Through what I've been through, I decide to start the Princess Tea Purity Ring Ceremony at my church. Never did I imagine that God wanted to use someone like me. I'm like "God, me? After all that I've done. You still want to use me?" It doesn't matter what your past looks like. When God has appointed you to a job, He chose the right person. He isn't looking for you to be equipped. He's looking for you to be obedient. 

We have to stop getting in our feelings when it comes to salvation because our feelings will sway us in different directions just like the wind. Our foundation is God and the truth. Get into His word. Meditate on scriptures about salvation and forgiveness. Ephesians 4:30 says you are sealed unto the day of redemption. Once you have accepted Jesus Christ, you are covered by His blood and your name is written in the lamb's book of life whether you feel it or not. Don't let anyone tell you different. Once saved. Always saved.


Acknowledge. Fix. Keep It Moving...

Stop Checking On Your Ex

     
      

       Have you found yourself creeping on your ex's social media page from time to time? You find yourself going through their pictures and reading their wall trying to find out what they have been up to lately since the break-up. You snoop trying to find out if he/she is dating someone new and if so, are they happy without you? You try to find out where they are living, what they are doing career-wise, are they miserable without you or better yet, did they get saved yet? You try extra hard not to accidently double tap their picture on Instagram on press the like button on Facebook so that they wouldn't know you were creeping. We've all done it. (I did say WE, right?) I'm here to tell you...STOP CHECKING ON YOUR EX....THEY ARE DOING JUST FINE.



      Usually when you are checking on your ex, that means that they are still residing in your head and also in your heart. You are still harboring some type of feelings towards them whether those feelings are good or bad. Sometimes, we can be checking our ex's page wishing bad on them or hoping they are living miserably because you are feeling hurt and bitter from the break up. Maybe you have picked up the phone or sent an inbox message to them just to say hello. Yes, it is an addictive and unhealthy habit that has to be broken in order for you to heal and move forward. But you're asking well, how is this unhealthy? It isn't hurting anybody for me just to look. You're actually hurting yourself. You're letting the highlight realm of their life steal your joy. Your self-esteem is getting lower and lower. You're keep asking yourself, "How is he/she happy without me?" or "What do they see in him/her that they didn't see in me?" "What could I have done better?" You can't dwell on that. There's a reason why you're not in that relationship anymore. God closes doors for a reason.



     So what is causing you to want to keep this habit up. What is the root to it all?
      It all starts with your heart. What you put in your heart, is what comes out of it. 

Proverbs 23:4 (NLT) says "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of life."

By checking your ex's page, you are planting negative seeds in your heart. Because you were hurt by your ex, you are planting seeds of bitterness and unforgiveness. You may see pictures of them with a new significant other and start to plant the seeds of envy and anger in your heart, which causes you to wish evil on their new relationship. See how this works? So it's very important that you be careful of what you allow to enter your heart.

                                                         How to get over this habit

1.)Take a moment and reflect why your relationship didn't work. For me, I found that we were just not on the same path. We were unequally yoked. God said that relationship had to end. Our relationship was not glorifying God. I was idolizing that relationship. I put it over all of my priorities including going to church. After analyzing the relationship, I understood why the relationship was not meant to be and that God needed to shut that door.

2.) What's planted in heart is the reason for why you are checking on your ex. YOU NEED TO HEAL. In order to start a new chapter, you must close this chapter. If you are feeling any hurt or bitterness in your heart, you are going to have to forgive your ex . I'm not saying that it is going to be an overnight process because it is not. It took me 7 years to forgive one of my ex boyfriends. Once I did forgive, I felt a freedom that I've never felt before. I finally felt like I had closure and I didn't even need to talk to him. Pray for God to purge your heart of any unforgiveness, hurt, bitterness, or envy. God has the power to break any chain or any soul tie you may have with an ex (A spiritual bond that is formed by pre-marital sex). God has the power to heal any broken heart.

3.) Another way to guard your heart is to do some cleaning on your social media. Start by deleting your ex from your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. If that doesn't work and you still find yourself creeping and lurking, you may need to block their page altogether.

4.) Read scriptures that reminds you to put the past behind you and press towards the future.


Your ex is an ex for a reason. Leave them where they are. There's no need to check on them. They are just doing fine.


Acknowledge. Fix. Keep It Moving...

So You're Not Anyone's WCW...

       I've been doing my usual FB and Instagram skim and usually every Wednesday I would see someone post a pic similar to the one above.
For those who aren't hip on this once a week trend glorifying women, WCW stands for Woman Crush Wednesday. It's a really popular trend that started on Instagram rapidly expanded to Facebook and Twitter. Every Wednesday, a guy (or girl) will post a picture of a female, celebrity or not, and usually caption it with a personal message as well as the person's instagram name and hashtag (#wcw). Yes, it seems like a sweet gesture BUT it seems there are some people that become a little down and out that they aren't anyone's so called WCW.


     So with that I ask you...who's your value in? What defines you? Better yet, who defines you?
Are you defined by someone recognizing your beauty? Are you defined by being noticed? Are you defined by the number of followers on your page? Are you defined by the number of likes underneath your picture? Because if you are, I definitely see why you're upset. Your value and worth are put in the wrong thing!




Your worth should not be found in material things or better yet man. You've already set yourself up for disappointment.


Psalm 118:8 (KJV) says, "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man."




     The foundation of your value and worth is Jesus. If He's not your foundation, then I completely understand why this is breaking your confidence. Do you understand who you were created by? You were "uniquely" created by the most high God. He put so much thought into creating you. There's no other person out there like you. That should be enough to lift your spirits right there.




Psalm 139:14 (KJV) says, " I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."



       If we truly understood the love of God, none of these trends would matter. God loves you so much that He sent His son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins so that we would be saved (John 3:16). He grants us grace and mercy when we don't deserve it. We mess up and He still loves us. He provides for us when we are in need. He protects us from danger. He heals us when we are sick. I mean I could go on and on. There is not a time I can recall that God has ever failed me. His track record is on point. God is true to His promises and He will never leave you or forsake you.


We have to switch up our way of thinking. Set your eyes to the heavens.

Colossians 3:2 (KJV) says, "Set your affection on the things above, not on things on earth."
Romans 12:2 (KJV) says, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."



      In other words, get out of your feelings! We are not here to be someone's "WCW" or even care if we are or not. We are here to be about our father's business and that's spreading the gospel, saving lives, and praising The Lord. When this world is passed away, child there will not be an Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

With that being said, we have to understand where our value and worth is anchored in. Your value and worth should be in Jesus Christ. He has made you His WCE "Woman Crush Eternally." He loves you more than you can ever imagine. So stop walking around with your head hanging down because some guy didn't make you his "Woman Crush Wednesday." You have purpose. Know who you are and whose you are. You are a Princess of a King.
Acknowledge. Fix. Keep it moving...

Look On The Bright Side

Sometimes things in life go wrong. We can't control it. But we can control how we handle it. It's all about your perspective.




Perspective is defined as a particular attitude towards or way regarding something; a point of view. Your perspective on a situation has the power to effect the outcome of how you decide to handle it. Will you let it ruin your day or will you "look at the bright side" ?

      I can definitely say my day started off crazy. I was getting ready to go to work. Earlier I had put my work clothes in some water that was sitting in the washing machine. I continue getting dressed and 10 minutes before it's time for me to go, I take my clothes out of the dryer and you will never guess what happened! ALL OF MY WORK CLOTHES WERE BLEACHED AND HAD TURNED A WHOLE DIFFERENT COLOR! I'm talking about ruined. Turns out the water that was sitting in the washing machine had bleach in it. I immediately begin to panic because I didn't have anything to wear to work and I had less than 5 minutes before I had to leave. Thank God I had another pharmacy smock and a blue shirt that wasn't in the washing machine.
       While I was in the car, I spent the ride to work thinking about my perspective on the situation. I said I can either have a pity party and let this situation ruin my day or I can look at the BRIGHT SIDE. Things could have definitely been worse. I had the intentions of putting all of my colored clothes in that water BUT GOD! Instead of me whining over a couple of work shirts that were ruined, what if I had to try to replace the majority of my colored clothes?  A lot of my favorite pieces was in that pile. As I prayed on the way to work, I was very thankful that I had a uniform to wear to work and that none of my other clothes were ruined. Suddenly, my attitude had lifted and my perspective was changed.
        When difficult situations arise, it is a must that you stay POSITIVE. You cannot produce positivity with a negative mindset. A negative mindset will cause you to have a very mean and bitter spirit. When you take that spirit around others, it causes them to not want to be around you. What if I would have taken a negative attitude to work? My pharmacist and co-workers would not want to be around me. I probably would not have been very nice to the customers due to me not wanting to be bothered. That would have definitely dropped our customer service score. Due to that, I would probably have to be written up or coached about my attitude. I probably wouldn't be as focused and would have made a mistake on someone's prescription. You see how this became a chain reaction due to my negative perspective on a situation?
         That's why it's very important to keep a positive mindset at all times. We should spend more time with God. When you spend time with God, life is put into perspective. God gives you the strength to deal with certain situations. He will not put more on you than you can bear. When you feel like you're going to lose your mind or you want to give into that negativity:



Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV) says, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

God will give you peace beyond all understanding! You'll be like "Where is this calm coming from in the mist of my situation or storm?" Send your prayers unto the Lord. Tell him to help you see situations like He sees situations. Ask him to change your perspective about the situations in your life. Ask God to keep your mind and to give you peace.





                                      10 Benefits Of Looking on The Bright Side

1.) Worry less
2.) Balanced stress level
3.) Increased faith in God

4.) You will ooze positivity

5.) Growth and maturity

6.) You come off more loving because of a positive attitude

7.) You smile more

8.) More productive

9.) You show more gratitude

10.) You will live a more happier and peaceful life.


Remember

2 Corinthians 12:9 (KJV) "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness."
Acknowledge. Fix. Keep it Moving...






Send the Past To the Voicemail

From time to time, I would get a text, call, or Facebook message from people who were a part of my past, mostly males. You may ask well “Why do they still have you number?” or “Why haven’t you changed your number?” Honey, I’ve had my number since 2006 so it’s definitely not going to change. I do this thing called “ignoring” or mentally sending you to the voicemail.

In the literal sense, we send people to voicemail because we don’t feel like talking to them or we are not available to talk to them. For example, bill collectors. Nobody wants to talk to bill collectors.  Just leave it on the voicemail.

Everyone has a past. Everyone has associates, ex- friends, ex-boyfriends/ girlfriends, etc. who played a part of their past lives but in the present, don’t associate with these people anymore.  A lot of the people who I don’t associate with anymore are due to that was a part of my life that I’m not in anymore. I’m not that person that I used to be. If I was to still associate with the people I used to hang out with back then, being the person I am now, it wouldn’t benefit my life in any way.

2 Corinth 6:14a (KJV) says, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness have with unrighteousness?"

So do you get a “sympathetic feeling” when you get a text or Facebook message from someone in your past and you feel “THE NEED” to respond to this person? Or the “well..I don’t want to be rude so…..” How are you being rude when you cut this relationship or friendship off so long ago? Everybody couldn’t go to where you were going.

Isaiah 43:18-19 (KJV) says, “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. (19) Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

How can we expect God to do something new in our lives if we are still holding on to the things and people of the past? How can we expect Him to bless us with our one day future husband/wife if we are still holding on to ex-boyfriends/girlfriends, randoms, boos, baes, or whatever else you have laying around? You have to let go of the past. You can’t move forward if you are still “reconnecting” with the past.  Clip that connection. God is ready to release his best for your life. You have to focus on what’s ahead of you and reach for it.

Sometimes we need to even send our thoughts about people of our past to voicemail.

2 Corinth 10:5 (KJV) says, "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itelf against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of God." 

Why would you constantly think about someone who constantly pressured you to have sex with them? Someone who pushed you towards sin? That's still a connection to the past. That's a thought that goes against the knowledge of God. God said in His word to flee fornication and that your body is a temple (I Corith 18 and I Corith 19-20). Oh but you miss him/her right? Was that relationship glorifying God? Who are you serving? God or them? Send those thoughts to voicemail and let it go.

What we have to understand in life, we have different seasons. Some people will only stick around for a season. Have you noticed that some of the people you hung around back in 2004 are not the same people you have around you now in 2014? Your friends, relationships and acquaintances change due to a change in towns, schools, jobs, churches, etc. Only the people that were meant to stay in your life long term will stick with you through the changes of seasons and circumstances. So understanding this, you can't keep connecting with the ones that "didn't make the cut" for the next season of your life. You can't even feel guilty about it. God puts people in your life where He sees fit. He puts people in your life that are going to build you up and benefit your life. Those are the people that will continually keep making the cut. So stop trying to take people from your past with you. They can't go. Stop responding to the "out of the blue" text messages, calls, Facebook messages, or how ever else they are trying to contact you. So what if they miss you? Let them miss you. Where you are in life now, they can't do anything for you anymore. It's over.  SEND THE PAST STRAIGHT TO VOICEMAIL BECAUSE THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING NEW TO SAY.

"Sometimes there's a GOOD in goodbye"

Acknowledge. Fix. Keep it Moving. 

Other reference scriptures on letting go of the past

Philippians 3:13-14 (Moving toward the mark of Christ)

2 Corinthians 5:17 (You are a new creature)

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (the strength to let go of the past)

Philippians 4:11 (You're content so you don't need to go backwards)

1 John 1:9 (You are forgiven from your past so leave it be)