VOLUME 1, ISSUE 12
A BETTER ME December 2012
KERRYKAY PUBLICATIONS
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IN THIS ISSUE: Running on Empty...Pg3 What’s on the Inside? ...Pg4 Kerrykay Publication this Year...Pg5 Kerrykay Publication this Year...P6 Kerrykay Publication next Year...Pg7
Thanks for the SUPPORT! It has been a wonderful twelve months sharing my articles and writing with you. This newsletter was just a dream in 2009. But look what the Lord has done? I have received many encouraging testimonies from readers which is one of the main reasons the newsletter will be expanded next year, fully online, in the form of an electronic magazine. This new approach will seek to give users access to the testimonies of successful and happy singles, couples and those operating in Ministry. We will still offer encouraging articles and key doctrinal beliefs. However, this new format will also allow readers to comment on articles and feel a part of the encouragement process. I’m so excited about 2013. God is doing great things among His people.
looked up to. To ShellieAnn Anderson who reviewed my first newsletter and for her support as a photographer a million thanks for giving your honest opinion and encouragement. Special thanks to everyone that downloaded a newsletter. I know you were blessed and pray that the New Whispers of Hope magazine will be even more empowering. At present, readers can access free e-copies of While I’m Waiting and For the Discouraged on iTunes and www.Barnesandnobles.com all printed copies are at a price. The final project for the year My God, My Friend has been released on Smashwords. I hope you continue to give your support throughout 2013 and beyond.
Special thanks to the Holiness Born Again Church family for your support especially for Special thanks to those individuals who helped Youth Camp 2011. I was really empowered to to make this dream possible: do what I’m doing now through this ministry. To my sister and best friend Khadine Dennis for Special thanks to the National Youth Departaiding in the design layout and in article contri- ment- they are doing a great work. My Born Again United family in New Rochelle, New York bution, I send a heartfelt thank you. To Loi Perry, who has faithfully submitted her articles - I love you and am grateful for your continued monthly, I just want to say it was really appre- support over the years. Again a heartfelt thank ciated because she has always been someone I you to you all, I could not have done this without you.
The A Better Me Newsletter is a KerryKay Publications production, sponsored and marketed by the same.
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December 2012
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 12
The Focus Message
Photo Credits: Shellie-Ann Anderson
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28
Contributors this Issue: Writers: Kerry-Ann Barrett Design and Layout: Khadine Dennis Editor: Kerry-Ann Barrett
Many times we get discouraged by our situations, and it becomes hard for us to see the good that God is doing for us. The Bible gives us numerous examples, but when faced with the challenges of life, it just seems like all we have learned is just a fantasy and not applicable to us. Today I want to declare to you this is not so. God loves you. Your situation is a molder to get you to your finished product. We only need to trust God and maintain our integrity, as He always comes through for His people. We should take on the attitude of the three Hebrew boys, who believed that God would save them and even if He didn’t, that He was still God. We all have purposes; however we are not exempt from harsh situations. Christ Himself had to endure hardship to fulfill His purpose: “…Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again…” (Acts 17:3). Some of us, will suffer more than others, but be assured your latter shall be greater. Use the lessons that you learn from your negative situations, to make yourself, your environment and those around you better. We are all a work in progress. Everyday is a new day to be better. The Focus of the A Better Me Newsletter is to do just that, encourage through our bad times. Bad times will come as there is a season to everything, but we were born with the ability to overcome such. Be strong and know that God is with you. Kerry-Ann A. Barrett
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Search for Kerry-Ann Barrett and the different titles will become available: While I’m Waiting FREE RESOURCES!
For the Discouraged
Our ebooks are free! Please visit:
My God, My Friend
Smashwords.com BarnesandNobles.com Lulu.com iTunes
Planning My Money (This ebook is not free) All proceeds goes toward the BAUC Youth Department and Church Fund.
The A Better Me Newsletter is a KerryKay Publications production, sponsored and marketed by the same.
December 2012
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 12
Running On Empty? Run to the SOURCE nies. We have to also be wise with our substance. We can’t squander it as the prodigal’s so did and then go to look for help from another source. After coming to the realization that he was now living like an animal and not a man he went back to the source of his substance (inheritance)- his father. Who embraced him and blessed him again. If you surround yourself with empty vessels you will soon become one. No one will have a problem with you being empty because that would be the norm. Your environment has a way of changing you when you lose connection from the source. Go back to the Source it’s the only way out! Running on Empty? Run to the SOURCE
Christians can’t afford to run on empty. We have to continue in the word and prayer doing the will of God that we can stay fortified and filled. An empty Christian is not efHave you ever felt as if your next breath would be your fective and will cause more harm to the body than good. last, that the next trial would break you or just feel so Let’s put away “the lust of the flesh, hopeless you don’t even have the strength to continue and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” for these are fighting? Are you in that frame of mind today? I beg of you not of God. (1John 2:16) These three are deep rooted in to run to the Source. The Source is where we get our sub- all that is contrary to God’s will. Their end work is destrucstance from. Every resource (money, time, abilities.etc) is a tion of your walk and relationship with God. Stay consecrated. Don’t wait until you are empty and stalled to run to byproduct of the Source. the source. Run now! No one knows what tomorrow, the We have to realize that when we are on empty, we have to next hour or even the next minute will bring, so we must go back to the source. It makes sense to also have extra in be like the five wise virgins were. storage that you will have back-up until you can get a refilling. Don’t be like the five foolish virgins that waited until they were on empty to walk back to the source. I have been told many stories of individuals that had their gas needle on empty and made it to a gas station before the vehicle stalled. But there are many more stories of those that went on empty and stalled. Similar to what happen to the five foolish virgins you run the risk of missing your targeted goal when you run on empty. Therefore as Christians, we must have a praise deep down even when everything seem dim. I remember a period in my life where everything just seemed to have caved in— all I had was my testimony of how God delivered in the past. That was what I held on to– until He gave me newer and greater testimo-
The A Better Me Newsletter is a KerryKay Publications production, sponsored and marketed by the same.
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VOLUME 1, ISSUE 12
December 2012
What’s on the Inside? As I took a early morning walk on my complex, I was drawn back to a memory of when I just moved there three years before. Based on strata requirements, the exteriors of the buildings were the same giving a sense of uniformity. What drew be back to this memory was the fact that I initially thought that inside all the apartments were the same. I later found out that this was not so and everyone basically did whatever they wanted inside. There was no internal uniformity.
Prior custom and laws demanded many ordinances and physical practices such as rending one’s garments and wearing ash to display mourning. Another is circumcision, which is used to be identified as a Jew. But now through the anointing we know how to abide in Him. “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” The commandments are The thought that then came to me was we can all not written on stone anymore but on our hearts. If appear one way on the outside but--but within our we get the internal things right we won’t have any hearts, are far from being uniformed. Mt 23:27: issues with conforming to what is external. We “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! miss the mark when we try to change from the for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which inoutside creating a false conformity. deed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.” It is Remember: “ For as many as have sinned without easy to conform to external appearances because law shall also perish without law: and as many as that is what shows. For example I can easily iden- have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; tify a Rastafarian or a Muslim believer because of (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For how they are attired. Similarly I can identify an when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by Apostolic Believer by their appearance and demeanor. We know how we are expected to look. nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which However, when it comes to matters of the heart, these are not easily discerned by others and some- shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their times this becomes the downfall of many Christians. Because that which is internal is most times thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the not seen people are more relaxed with the matsecrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my ters of the heart causing many things to hide gospel.” Romans 2:12-16 there. Unwanted things like envy, wrath, lust, fear and pride to name a few. This should not be, because the Lord wants to have all of us. If He has our hearts, our everything will follow. The word of So what is on your inside? Are you fashioned in the Lord declares in Jeremiah 31:33, “But this shall Christ? Are you centered on HIM? be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
The A Better Me Newsletter is a KerryKay Publications production, sponsored and marketed by the same.
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December 2012
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 12
KerryKay Publication This Year: For the Discouraged ISBN: 9781301672530
New on iTunes, www.barnesandnobles.com and Smashwords.com This project looks at the everyday situations that take away our strength of wanting to live while giving biblical references and explanations of the positive side to periods of suffering. The articles included are a collection of articles from a series of volume 1 of the A Better Me newsletter published by this author. The focus theme is, “All things work together for good." Rom. 8:28
While I’m Waiting ISBN: 9781105689741
Paperback Available on Lulu.com and Amazon.com The focus of this book is centered around sex and single Christians. In looking at the issue, actual life situations of which author is familiar within a story like setting were used to show how sin attacks us subtly and can become strongholds in our lives. The purpose of this project is to have readers see these traps in a practical way and avoid them. As young people and as singles we have to have our eyes open to the wiles of the evil one. He will use seemingly innocent gestures and things to draw us into immorality, but with our eyes opened we will see these things for what they really are. Although the focus of this project is based on sexual immorality the general concepts can be applied to sin in general.
The A Better Me Newsletter is a KerryKay Publications production, sponsored and marketed by the same.
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December 2012
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 12
KerryKay Publication This Year: While I’m Waiting (Ebook Version) ISBN: 9781105732485
New on iTunes, www.barnesandnobles.com and Smashwords.com The focus of this book is centered around sex and single Christians. In looking at the issue, actual life situations of which author is familiar within a story like setting were used to show how sin attacks us subtly and can become strongholds in our lives. The purpose of this project is to have readers see these traps in a practical way and avoid them. As young people and as singles we have to have our eyes open to the wiles of the evil one. He will use seemingly innocent gestures and things to draw us into immorality, but with our eyes opened we will see these things for what they really are. Although the focus of this project is based on sexual immorality the general concepts can be applied to sin in general.
My God, My Friend (Ebook Version) ISBN: 9781301685349
Available on Smashwords.com The purpose of this project is to help others to look beyond Christianity as just a religion and seek a intimate relationship with Christ. It is very personal to me as I share some of my testimonies and experiences with God!
Paperback to be available in January. Stay tuned!
The A Better Me Newsletter is a KerryKay Publications production, sponsored and marketed by the same.
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December 2012
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 12
Kerrykay Publication Next Year...
Current Projects: The initial focus for next year is to get the hard copy of My God, My Friend out and the new website and magazine up and running and having a successful launch of the same. Future projects: Expanding the A Better Me charity arm through the website and magazine. In 2009 we visited the Savanna-la-Mar Infirmary and In 2011 we had the back to school drive– though small contributions– these were appreciated by those who received. In both instance we didn't have enough to give. We will be posting what we plan to do in 2013. Feel
free to participate and or donate. You can also email charity ideas to kerrykay64@hotmail.com Planning an inaugural conference and or retreat. The focus would be around singles and spiritual development. The Lord may add or minus—but as it is right now this is the focus. Please pray for us that God’s will be done in all that we do. Again, thank you for the support over the past year.
The New E-Magazine and Website We are in the process of upgrading the current newsletter to an online magazine (Whispers of Hope) with the following sections:
• Focus on the Ministry- features on different Ministries• Testimonies
• A Better Me- Articles, poems, gems of Encouragement This magazine will also be free and accessible online, • Happily Married (Couples)- Articles and Features on Saved allowing readers to be interactive while also incorporating Couples with the purpose of inspiring other couples to have a digital Media. lasting marriage. If you are interested in writing for any of the sections please send an email to kerrykay64@hotmail.com • The Power of One (Singles)- Articles and Features on sin-
gles that are on fire for the Lord with the purpose of giving hope to other single Christians.
God bless you.
• Mothers of Zion - Advice to young men and women in Christ • Minister’s Pen- Messages, Doctrinal Articles, etc
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The A Better Me Newsletter is a KerryKay Publications production, sponsored and marketed by the same.