New Year New Habits

Hi ladies it's me again and hope y'all are doing well. I'm going to "switch gears" a bit on my blog today. The title I have for this blog is "Honoring Dr King Jrs Legacy". This man Dr Martin Luther King Jr was actually born Michael King on January 15th 1929 to associate pastor Michael King Sr and his wife Alberta. (I believe that Mrs King died in 1974 and Reverend King Sr died in 1984.) Dr King Jr had two other siblings one older sister named Willie Christine born in 1927 and died in 2023 in her nineties and his younger brother AD born in 1930 and died in 1969. Dr King Jr's dad Reverend King Sr came from a family lineage of sharecroppers while his mom Alberta came from a family lineage of pastors! Simply put his mom was a pastors kid, granddaughter of a preacher, and many men before her grandfather were preachers too! It wasn't until his dad went to a theology school for blacks called "Morehouse College" after becoming a Christian and standing up for racial equality and decided to become a minister. Dr King Jr grew up attending "Ebenezer Baptist Church" and when he was a young boy his grandfather Alberta's Dad Reverend Adam Williams died and King Sr took over as senior pastor and pastored for four decades or more! The other thing about Dr King Jr is he and his siblings grew up during the "Great Depression" but his parents by the grace of God got by. Dr King Sr attended a trip in Germany and learned about Protestant Reformation leader Martin Luther and when King Sr came back to the States he changed his name from Michael King Sr to Martin Luther King Sr. He would change his son's name from Michael King Jr to Martin Luther King Jr. King Jr was sometimes called "ML" after that. In addition to Dr King Jr growing up in a godly home he was very smart. He was so smart and did well in high school that he skipped his freshman and senior years in high school. He in his junior year passed college entrance exams to the point he skipped his senior year! Dr King Jr graduated from high school in 1944 and headed to college early. He in 1948 graduated from "Morehouse College" with a bachelor's degree in sociology. He earned a degree in "Crozier Theological Seminary" and later enrolled in "Boston University" to gain a doctorate and PHD! That's unusual for people to skip two grades black or white much less getting a doctorate and PHD! But most of all he was humble and loved the Lord and knew he was called to preach and became a minister. Dr King Jr would eventually meet and fall in love with his wife Coretta Scott who was set up by a mutual friend. Coretta didn't like dating other ministers but because she was "persuaded by a friend" and on their first date Dr King Jr knew he wanted to marry her! After a year and four months they married in 1953 until his death in 1968. They had four kids Yolanda nicknamed "Yoki" born 1955 died 2007, Martin Luther King 3 born 1957, Dexter born 1961 died in 2024, and Bernice King born 1963. Dr King Jr was known for giving many speeches and winning a crowd over. He also was known for doing the "Montgomery Bus Boycott" that lasted for 385 days because Rosa Parks got arrested for giving up her seat to a white man on the bus. The bus boycott would lead to Dr King Jr fighting for racial justice among blacks and whites and did many marches since that time. But it wasn't easy. Because of his racial stance for racial justice Dr King Jr got arrested a number of times, fire fighters would use water hose to stop other protesters, and Dr King Jrs house even got bombed! (But his family thankfully was okay.) But despite that Dr King Jr pressed on and gave his speech in Washington DC in 1963 called "I Have A Dream" that lasted 17 minutes and he shared he dreams that blacks and whites to hold hands and for folks to be free at last! Dr King Jr in 1964 Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent struggle for justice. Dr King Jr unfortunately got assassinated in 1968 but his legacy lives on and there has been a "King Museum" done in his honor started by Coretta his widow who later died in 2006. I want to encourage y'all to be racial diverse not only because of Dr King Jr but because our King Jesus is about racial diversity and let's carry on Dr King Jrs legacy and our Heavenly Kings legacy. Blessings to y'all and have a blessed week everyone.

Hi ladies it's me again and happy Lord's day! I hope and pray that each of you ladies and your families are doing well. I'm happy to present another blog and it's called "New Year New Courage". As y'all can see Peter and Jesus walking on the water. I know most of us who've known the Lord know this story and we can find it in Matthew 14:22-36 after the feeding of the five thousand that the disciples got in the boat while Christ dismissed the crowd and went alone to pray. But when the disciples were in the boat a storm broke out right? Well there are different gospel accounts that talk about our Lord getting in the boat to calm the storm but in this account Christ walked on the water to walk towards the disciples! They thought it was a ghost but told them it's Him and Peter walked on the water! Walking on water apart from Jesus and from Peter had never been done before or since! But I'm glad that it didn't stop neither one of them for taking a chance despite it never being done. Also don't forget that both Peter and Jesus walked on water during a storm not a sunny day or a starry calm night! What's my point? The point is that Peter and our Lord were willing to risk walking on water while everyone else watched and walked on water during the storm. What ways is God challenging you this new year? What ways can you "get out of the boat" of you will? The truth is sometimes God may call you to do something that's "way beyond you" or call you to do something that has never been done on your family, community, or church. Just because something is scary,risky, or hasn't been done before doesn't mean you shouldn't go for it. Think about Abraham in Genesis 12:1 when God told Abraham to leave his father's house and go to a place where he knew not where he was going! We know the story and you know what? Abraham and his wife Sarah and others left Urr out of obedience to God right then and there! In 2024 I was ready to write my first and second books "Strength For Enduring Adversity" and "20 Day Christmas Devotional". The truth is no one in my family lineage that I know of has become an author! I don't say that in pride but I took the risk and did it anyway. (I plan to release two new books this year. I'll let y'all know when it's official!) Another example is when I started my online women's group "Women's Warriors Academy" with the Bible study (most Sunday nights) and prayer meeting Tuesday nights (occasionally Monday nights) the website and even the blog you're reading! I had no idea what I was doing but trusted God to figure it out as I went along! (I started the Bible study in 2021, prayer meeting, and website in 2022.) Ladies God didn't call us to live comfortable. He called us to a life of adventure. I pray as the year 2025 progresses that you'll be willing to take risks that require you to press into the Lord and to walk a step closer to the lives of your dreams. People around you may think you're crazy but know that you stepping out in faith will be someone's inspiration and perhaps encourage them to "walk on water" too. That's what I wanted to share with you ladies. Blessings, happy Lord's day, and have a blessed week everyone!

Hi ladies it's me again and happy Tuesday! I hope and pray that each of you ladies and your families are doing well. I'm happy to present another blog and it's called "New Year Don't Procrastinate". Let's be honest most of us have procrastinated doing something haven't we? Maybe we should have called a loved one but didn't. Maybe we should have resolved an argument or stopped it from getting out of control but didn't. Perhaps we got offered different opportunities like for work, starting a business, or going to college for the first time or going back to college but we put if off. Even worse maybe some of us before we became Christians maybe procrastinated giving our lives to Christ and perhaps prodigals (ones who once knew Christ as Lord and Savior but drifted away from the Lord) procrastinated in coming back to Christ. Perhaps you know Christ as Lord and Savior but He wants your walk with Him to get deeper but you're putting that off. Here's the important truth. Procrastinating is not a good thing. Another thing to remember is that God doesn't waste time. Procrastination is a time waster. The Bible mentions often the importance of redeeming the time and Jesus mentioned in John 9:4 when He was about to heal the blind man to "Work while it's day for night is coming when no man can work." The Bible mentions in Matthew 25:14-30 in "The Parable Of The Talents" that Jesus told a story about the Master hiring three men to have a certain amount of talents one man 5 talents, another man two talents, and a third man one talent. The Master would leave in a long journey and expected the three men to put their talents to use. What happened? Well the Bible says that the first and second man put their talents to use right away and didn't waste time. But the third man unfortunately didn't put to use his one talent and was careless, lazy, and perhaps procrastinated when he could have put it to use. It's important to pray ladies what things have we put off in previous years that God wants or needs for us to do? Well we know that God doesn't want us procrastinating in us getting deeper into Him I can tell y'all that for sure. God doesn't want us procrastinating in growing in godly character. He doesn't want us procrastinating in getting the gospel message out either.(The Bible mentions a lot in those areas and you can look up those Scriptures in your own time.) I know those three things for sure are things we God's people shouldn't procrastinate in. But what are other areas that you've been procrastinating in that you need to do? I'm sure it won't take long to think about that so write down whatever comes to mind, pray about it, and seek what actions to take to see to it those things get done this year. Of course the Lord will enable us to do them but we must do our part too. Be prayerful, productive and don't procrastinate. That's what I wanted to share with y'all. Blessings to y'all and have a blessed week everyone.

Hi ladies it's me again and happy Lord's day! I hope and pray that each of you ladies and your families are doing well. The title of my blog is called "New Year New Challenges". What are some challenges you may deal with this year? Perhaps there have been things you've put off such as your salvation or a loved ones been putting off their salvation, (that means giving their lives to Christ) going back to school or finishing school, helping others more, maybe moving to a new house, moving out of state or out of the country, building relationships or letting go of toxic relationships, most of all growing deeper in the Lord. There will be challenges in that. I think about in the Bible in Joshua 1 and 3 Moses had died and went to heaven and Joshua became the new leader. Joshua was to do what Moses left off and that was to enter the Promised Land their country of Israel. (I shared that in Bible study last week Sunday) But there were obstacles they had to deal with before getting into Israel. First they had to crossover the Jordan River (note Naaman in the Bible dipped into the Jordan River seven times before he got healed and our Lord in the New Testament got baptized by His cousin John the Baptist in the Jordan River among other people!) and we know later in the book of Joshua the walls of Jericho came tumbling down before possessing the land. But Joshua and the Jews overcame those challenges and would inherit the Promised Land. The Bible in the New Testament talks about spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6 wearing the armor of God to overcome the enemy. What additional challenges will you have to overcome this year? Maybe letting go of past pain, overcoming certain habits, saying no to temptation? Or maybe the other things I mentioned above like doing better goals. You and I will need the help of God to do those things I mentioned above and will need help "and crossing over the Jordan" to get to the promises God has for us . That's what I wanted to share with you ladies. Blessings, happy Lord's day, and have a blessed week everyone.

Hi ladies it's me again and happy Tuesday! I can't believe we're in day 7 of the year 2025! I know right? I hope and pray that each of you ladies and your families are doing well. Well this blog is going to be a bit dark and the title I have for this blog is called "Pray For New Orleans". Why? I didn't find this out until New Year's Day when I was about to eat dinner and head towards the last day of my godfather's conference that I read an article about a shooting that took place in Louisiana! As most of us know the people of New Orleans have suffered a lot in rescent years and have suffered two hurricanes one last year called 'Hurricane Francine" and the most known is 2005's "Hurricane Katrina!" To make matters worse the shooting took place on New Year's Eve! As I've done more research the person who shot i believe was an Arab American with a black Isis flag leading some including the FBI to believe it was a terrorist attack! Sound familiar? We had a terrorist attack about 24 years ago during 9/11 2001! It's believed that this man shot and killed about 15 people while many other precious people have been severely injured. It is so sad for any of this to happen at anytime of the year but it's especially true when it has to be close to a holiday. It seems like when one is at the brink of something new that's always when an attack occurs. Ladies I believe that this act is not only tragic but also a demonic attack just because we're at the brink of something new. Gospel artist and pastor Marvin Sapp had that in his song "Close" in 2017. Ladies let's pray over this situation. Pray for those who lost loved ones during the shooting that God will comfort them and if they don't know Christ as Lord and Savior that they'll come to Christ in the midst of tragedy. Pray for those who are injured for God to heal them and preserve them. If the suspect is still living to pray he'll turn himself in, take responsibility for his actions, and perhaps repent to God and humanity for this wicked thing he has done. Pray he'll think about what he has done and pray that God will change his heart. We also need to pleat the blood of Jesus and pray Psalm 91 over ourselves and loved ones especially with so much shootings going on. Let's also pray that the demonic stronghold of murder to stop in our country. As many of you ladies know that we've encountered many mass shootings over the years and I believe that America needs to repent for murder! That's what I wanted to share with you ladies. Blessings, have a blessed week, let's not only pray for the people of New Orleans but pray that the murder stronghold to be broken from our country too!

Hi ladies it's me again, happy Lord's day, and happy first Sunday of 2025! I know right? Where has this past year gone? I hope and pray that each of you ladies and your families are doing well. I'm happy to present another blog for the new year called "The Old Vs The New". Oh my goodness there's much to write and talk about with that statement. Of course we just came out of the year 2024 and now entered the new year 2025. Here's the thing the year 2024 may have been a good year, a bad year, or somewhere in between but now the new year is here. Here's another thing maybe you or a loved one in the Old Year didn't know Jesus as Lord and Savior or maybe a prodigal that needed to come back to Christ. The Bible talks about the importance of today being the day of salvation and 2 Corinthians 5:17 says "If any man or woman is in Christ he or she is a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come." That Scripture context is about a person transitioning to being lost to being found spiritually. That's one example of the old life to the new life. Another example is Ephesians 4:21-23 says to put off the old self and be renewed in the attitude of our minds as Christian. In other words every Christian whether they just got saved or been walking with Him for some time need the help of the Holy Spirit to put off the old self and to continue to live for Christ in the way we need to. Every Christian needs to know that from the moment we get saved we need to allow the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to mold us and shape us to be Christlike for an entire lifetime until the day we die or Jesus comes in the rapture. That's what it's called sanctification which hopefully in another blog for a different time I'll address that more in depth. That's a second example of the old vs the new. Another example is to ask yourself besides the spiritual stuff (I'm not putting down ones walk with Christ because it's the most important thing of all. But it's okay to have additional goals too.) is ask what things have I intended to do but put them off? Is it a vacation you've been hoping to do but haven't had the chance? Is it getting a better job or starting a business? Is it getting out of toxic relationships (family or friends) or leaving a toxic work and environment and you know it's dragging you down? Could it be in 2025 you take better care of your mental and emotional health as well maybe needing to set boundaries knowing what you will and will not tolerate? Perhaps could it be time to pray about what new relationships you might need at this time in life like make better friends or networking with a "proper tribe" if you will. Perhaps you're divorced or widowed and have considered dating again after grieving the loss of your spouse. Or maybe you've never been married and perhaps may consider dating. I believe if we want the year to be better we have to evaluate what we got out of this past year and seek to make whatever changes necessary so that we can be more productive in the new year. I'd also say as a Christian we need the Lord's help with this as well and ask what He would have us do since He knows best. I'm always seeking to grow more in Christ and grow in other goals as you ladies should as well too. These are things to pray about and get counsel if need be what things you hope to accomplish in the new year 2025 and I'll do the same too. That's what I wanted to share with y'all. Blessings, happy Lord's day, and have a blessed week as well.

Hi ladies it's me again and happy New Year's! Whew! Can y'all believe that the year 2024 just flew by or at least it felt like it? It certainly did for me! Nevertheless I hope and pray that each of you ladies and your families once again had a good Christmas with your families such as did I. The title I have for this blog is called "Goodbye To The Old And Welcome The New 2025". Sounds nice doesn't it? Well for some of you this past year has been the best year ever. Some of you may have taken wonderful vacations, finished high school or college, maybe got married, received a promotion at work, or maybe God has answered prayers that you've been waiting on for so long. If 2024 was like that for you great. But for others of you the year 2024 has been anything but easy. Perhaps in the year 2024 maybe you lost a loved one, lost a job, struggled financially, had relational challenges, (as did I) broken dreams, and dealt with other challenges. (Side note a couple positive things did come out of the year 2024 for me. I got more subscribers by the grace of God on my YouTube channel than I did in the years 2022 and 2023. In 2022 had six subscribers on my new YouTube channel and 2023 I had 7 subscribers which meant only one subscriber in 2023. In 2024 I gained a whole lot more subscribers by the grace of God and I also released two books called "Strength For Enduring Adversity" and "My 20 Day Christmas Devotional".) Regardless if the year 2024 was a good or bad year for you I want y'all to know it's never too late start over. I used to in the past think New Year's was no big deal but actually I now treasure New Year's just as much as Christmas if you can believe that! New Year's is a wonderful time to start all over again and a time of the year to reprioritize. Is Christmas a wonderful time of the year? Of course it is! But I feel that New Year's often gets overlooked. What things are you hoping and praying for for the new year 2025? What habits do you need to change? What goals do you need to set? For some of you it maybe you praying more, being more involved in church, maybe helping others in need. Perhaps it maybe discern what relationships you have which ones are worth keeping or which ones to let go of. Maybe it's looking over what I call a "bucket list" things you said you'd do but never did. Believe me I have several things on my bucket list that's private that I pray to be able to do in the year 2025. What about God's perspective about starting over? Well the Apostle Paul through the Holy Spirit shared in Philippians 3:13 says "Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things that are before". There's an old saying that goes. "The hand that no longer reaches withers". Again what things are you reaching for? Of course the Christians main goal should be to get closer to the Lord, growing more in character, and impacting lives for Him But apart from those goals which additional ones need your attention this year? Also another Scripture in the Bible that talks about the God of the new is the book of Revelations 21:5 that says "Behold I (God) make all things new!" God promises one day to recreate a new heavens and new earth but will you allow God to recreate your life right here right now for the year 2025? I certainly am and I'm happy to get a clean slate and ready to get started! That's what I wanted to share with you ladies. Blessings, happy New Year's, and have a blessed week everyone!

Hi ladies it's me again and happy Lord's day! I hope and pray that each of you ladies and your families are doing well. I hope and pray that each of you ladies and your families had a good Christmas on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day! I got to go to church on Christmas Eve and go to my grandma's house after that. On Christmas Day I got to relax, open gifts, record my second last Christmas music video cover song called "I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day", have guests over for a time, and watch "The Nativity Story" among other fun things. The title I have from this blog is called "After Christmas Mary And Joseph's Departure". Now it seems that this part of the story often doesn't get talked about. We often talk about the angel Gabriel, Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the Magi and the happy event of them celebrating our Lord's birth that we don't mention that there were challenges that occurred after His birth. What challenges occurred after His birth? Well the Bible mentions in Matthew 2:13-19 that the angel Gabriel (same angel appeared to Joseph in a dream appeared to the Virgin Mary and the shepherds while awake) came back again to Joseph in a dream warning him to take his household and get out of town to Egypt! Why? Do you remember me mentioning in the previous blog that the Magi went to Herod the Great's palace about them asking about the King of the Jews and what a threat it was to him? Also remember that Herod the Great told the Magi to find the Child so that he would worship Him only in reality he wanted to destroy Christ? Do y'all recall that God the Father warned the Magi in a dream not to return to Herod the Great and to return home another route? Well that also let's us know how wicked Herod the Great would want to destroy someone after a glorious event after Christ being born! I think it's safe to say that Herod the Great was narcissistic at best and the Bible says in Matthew 2:16 that he was "tricked" by the Magi made him furious and sought to destroy boys two years old and under! How wicked is that? That's what is called the "Massacre Of The Innocent". Thankfully Mary, Joseph, and our Lord escaped just in time and lived in Egypt for a time until Herod the Great died. The "Massacre Of The Innocent" was also a prophecy fulfilled when the prophet Jeremiah prophesied that Rachel weeping for her children refusing to be comforted because they are no more ". After a glorious event tragedy strikes many families in Bethlehem when thankfully our Lord, Mary, and Joseph escaped to safety. I don't know what challenges you ladies have faced during the Christmas season or challenges that await you now that Christmas is over and New Year's is on the way. I don't know if you're dealing with financial challenges, family tension, grief over a loved one or you're single, divorced, or widowed. I want you to remember that God's grace is sufficient and that He promises to walk with you as well as us no matter what challenges that may occur after Christmas. That's what I wanted to share with y'all. Blessings, happy Lord's day, and have a blessed week everyone.

Hi ladies it's me again and happy Tuesday and Merry Christmas Eve! I know right? It just felt like the year has flown by hasn't it? Well sort of. I hope and pray that each of you ladies and your families are doing well. I'm happy to present my last Christmas blog which is based from the chapter of my second book called "The Adoration Of The Magi". Of course we can find the story about the Magi mentioned in Matthew 2:1-12 and I'm sure that many of you know the story or heard about especially during this time of the year. I also like to say this story is a bit controversial too well it can be. For one thing we don't know how many Magi there were. Many people think there were three because of the three gifts (I'll discuss the significance of the gifts in a moment) but the Bible never says how many there were. There could have been two or more than three! Also some people believe they know the names of the Magi (though the Bible doesn't say what their names are.) names like Melchior, Baltazar, and Gasper. Also another interesting thing about these men is that they were astrologer princes. That means they studied the stars and studied the planets! (You know planets like Mercury, Jupiter, and Mars etc.) Also there's the debate how old Jesus was when they met Him. People argue that Jesus was still a baby while others think Jesus was two years old. (I think people bicker over that too much but that's not the point!) But what we do know is that they followed the star to find out Lord. Here's what's interesting about that. The star was likely formed when some planets revolved during the same time around the sun such as Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn! Isn't that something? If you know anything about the Earth and the other planets that revolve around the sun that doesn't happen at the same time not usually! (Mercury revolved around the sun the quickest because it's closest to the sun. Venus is the second closest planet to the sun and the Earth is the third closest planet to the sun. Other planets it takes them longer to revolve around the sun.) Of course we know they went to Herod the Great to ask more about Christ and Herod the Great to put it bluntly wasn't a very nice guy. Historians say that he killed one of his wives and some of his son's though rumor has it some of them didn't like him. (Thankfully his sons Antipas and Arculaius survived and perhaps another son.) Plus Herod the Great didn't want to hear about another King besides himself. How wicked is that? Then Herod the Great tricked the Magi to come back and tell him where the Child is so he can worship Him when in reality He wanted to kill Jesus! The Magi went away and found our Lord and offered Jesus gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. Gold represents Christ's kingship, (see Revelations 19:16 about that) Frankincense represents Christ's priesthood, (see Hebrews 7:24) and Myrrh represents Christ's future sacrifice! (See John 1:29) Now you don't give a baby or toddler birthday presents like that but they gave it to Christ. It's interesting that Mary and Joseph were kind to them because the Magi were Gentiles not Jews! In the Jewish mind Gentiles were considered "dogs" or outsiders and there was racism between the groups! (The Samaritans are a good example of that as well the Jews not liking them!) But despite that God made sure that the gospel got to these men who also knew the Old Testament Scriptures and they bowed and worshipped Him! When you look at a Nativity set and see the Magi remember that God loves all races and whether you're black, white, Hispanic, Arab, or Asian. God wants all cultures to be saved. Remember to worship our King this Christmas and year around and the Bible says John 4:24 that must worship Him in spirit and in truth. We can give Jesus gifts. We can? Well give Jesus our hearts, desires, time, money, and talents to name some this Christmas and year around. We give gifts because the Magi did and the Magi were told in a dream not to return to Herod the Great and to return home in another way. I believe that God left this story on record to promise that one day the gospel would get to the Gentiles (non Jewish people) and after Jesus died on the cross, rose again, and ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit came down and sent messengers (like the Apostle Paul and the Apostle Peter) to share the gospel with Gentiles! That's what I wanted to share with you ladies. Blessings to each of you ladies and your families, check out my second Christmas book my "20 Day Christmas Devotional", and enjoy your Christmas Eve and Christmas Day time with loved ones and remember to keep Christ in the center of it all.