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FASHION TRENDS

MOMS WINNING

hey GIRL

Welcome to our first publication of Kingdom Moms Win Magazine! I am so excited that you have joined us in this way. We started this edition as a versatile magazine to encourage moms to WIN through Wisdom, Influence, and Nurture! Kingdom Moms WIN exists to provide support, strategies, inspiration, and affirmation in your role as moms. We desire to not only help meet the needs of women as Kingdom Moms but to strengthen the whole woman! We are Kingdom Moms who understand the assignment and responsibility of raising chosen children, and we are here to connect with other Kingdom Moms. Our children are called to not only reach but IMPACT this generation. Through the pages, you will find a vast range of insight and expertise from a variety of Influencers. We will hear from a wise counsel of women who have traveled the road of a Kingdom Mom well beyond where we might be. We will learn fashion and self-care insight from experts who want to help us stay as current as we want to be. Moms, we want you to hear from mentors, experts, counselors, moms who are brand new, married moms, divorced moms, single moms, adoptive moms, step-moms, moms who have lost children; you name it, we want you to hear from moms who WIN! Above all, Kingdom Moms WIN wants you to know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God! We pray that you will be drawn to the heart of the Father through the testimony and stories of His faithfulness to moms throughout the pages of this magazine. Kingdom Mom, let’s WIN together! Be blessed, dear mom,

Shalena Dudley EDITOR AND CHEIF

table

CONTENTS OF

O1F

fashion & beauty GET THE TEA ON THE LATEST FASHION AND BEAUTY TRENDS.

health & wellness BE THE BEST MOM YOU CAN BE BY KEEPING IT HEALTHY!

education HELP YOUR CHILD LEARN!

herWISDOM GET ADVICE FROM WOMEN OF WISDOM!

mom in the mirror AFFIRMATIONS FOR THE KINGDOM MOM.

my story LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EDITOR & HER STORY!

dear mom

GET ANSWERS TO YOUR MOM QUESTIONS!

quick mom meals COOKING WITH CHEF JAS

O1F

mom grace

O1F

black sons matter

fashion

CONTRIBUTOR

&BEAUTY

headbandHAVEN

TENISHA

Don’t be afraid of headbands— Headbands are PERFECT during this quarantine time. While teleworking, they’re great for taking your Zoom calls or running to the store quickly to find dinner. It exemplifies your personal style while remaining chic and comfortable.

KYLER

Until it’s safe to be in large crowds at your local malls, find yourself a Target, or even a Walmart, and you’d be surprised at how fun prints or neutral color headbands snatch your look together. Every woman knows when your hair looks good, you’re confident and ready for an effortless SLAY!

R H I N E S T O N E

beret 2 BEAUTY

Where is your beret? (If you aren’t sure what a beret is, they are Parisian-style hats)

H E A D B A N D F O R E V E R

I personally love berets. Here’s a secret: With a beret, no one knows the state of your edges or roots (one less thing to worry about). Like headbands, berets also contribute to an effortless look without compromising a stylish presentation. And, they elevate an entire outfit. Berets are iconic, and they display an international “look” that has been worn on many runways and covered in countless magazines. They can be ordered on Amazon, and can also be found in many boutiques. Though they have accessorized some of our world’s most fashionable public figures, they can also be styled casually with t-shirts and denim. The best part is, I’ve seen berets rocked amazingly with short, long, and curly hair. So, don’t for a second think your hairstyle is excluded! ;)

2 1 FELT BERET - BOOHOO $6.00

$ 6 . 9 9

Statement earrings or Studs? — Whether hair is up or down, one of the luxuries of being a woman is the ability to wear fashionable jewelry. Don’t leave your ears naked. I promise it will add layers to your look when it is accessorized properly. Let’s keep our ear lobes dressed, whether we’re in the house or dancing around the town. I love a statement earring (chandelier, tassel, etc.), but a pearl stud or a classic hoop earring will fit almost any occasion, even lounge-time with family. “When considering studs, check out this amazing company: Fab Earrings. It was founded by one of our very own Kingdom Moms: Mikka Harris! Fab Earrings are button styles that come in diverse prints and sizes, and can be worn dressed up or in comfy leggings. Fab Earrings are in high demand, and they are guaranteed to have heads turning everywhere! Kingdom Moms, let's support this company by following (and purchasing) on Instagram: @Fab.earrings and Facebook: Fab Earrings. Remember, remain accessorized!

CALYPSO DANGEL EARRRINGS - STELLA + RUBY $48

earring 3 ENVY

BUTTON EARRINGS - FAB EARRINGS $3-$8

Mule me, Please! — What better shoe to keep by the door than a mule? Slide in—slide out. Though it’s simple, it provides a layer of fashion vs. being in a casual flip flop. The other benefit of wearing a mule during quarantine is that they cover our toes. With our cities being shut down, we are all in desperate need of a pedicure. So with a mule, the rule is simple. Whatever your toes look like inside of the shoe, is none of my business! Whatever your quarantine looks are, rock them with confidence. Remember, it is everything! You don’t have to dress like you’re on a red carpet to carry yourself as such. Whether going to the gas station, grocery store, or catching your church’s virtual worship services — Do it in confidence. Do it in fashion! METAL BEE FLATS - SHEIN $27

health + wellness

What Should I Eat? When I welcome a woman into my community, the first question I most often answer is ... What should I eat? As a medical doctor and a coach, I love educating you about nutrition and metabolism. There are so many misleading, confusing messages on the internet; so, allow me to offer some clarity. When you know better, you do better. Before going deeper, you should know that all foods naturally contain more than one nutrient. Only water is pure. By that, I mean water is just water. It doesn’t contain carbohydrates, protein or fat. But that’s not true for foods. No food is purely a carbohydrate, or purely a protein, or purely a fat. When a food contains only one nutrient, that means it was extracted or separated from a whole food. For example, think of olive oil. Olive oil is pure fat but it’s extracted from an olive which isn’t. So, typically, foods are categorized by their most plentiful nutrient. I teach my clients how to nourish their bodies using what I call The Core 4. And here they are:

Water

Believe it or not - water is more vital to your survival than food. The wilderness survival rules of 3 sum it up nicely. Here they are:

The Wilderness Survival Rules of 3 •You can survive for 3 minutes without air (oxygen). •You can survive for 3 hours without shelter in a harsh environment (unless in icy water). •You can survive for 3 days without water (if sheltered from a harsh environment). •You can survive for 3 weeks without food (if you have water and shelter). Water is so important because you’re mostly made of water. By weight, your body is approximately 60% water. 60%! More than that, there are a bunch of body parts and systems that are mostly water. For example, your blood is about 90% water. Your muscles contain more than 70% water and your skin contains over 60%. You’re really very … watery!

Fiber Carbohydrates, affectionately known as carbs, make up the majority of many meals. Your body most likely burns carbs as its primary energy. When it comes to carbs, so much attention is given to grains like pasta, rice or bread. But carbs are more than that. Fruits are also carbs. So are veggies! When you eat carbs - grains, fruits, or veggies - your body separates them into sugar and fiber. Sugar provides the energy. Fiber doesn’t get digested, but it’s so important to keep your gut healthy. Fiber also helps keep your energy level steady. There’s very little fiber in grains … so that leaves just sugar. When you eat a green, leafy veggie, it’s pretty much the opposite. There’s essentially very little sugar in green leafies; there is mostly fiber. And fruit falls somewhere in the middle. Fruit contains plenty of sugar; some more than others. But it also contains fiber. In general, low-sugar, high-fiber carbs will serve you best. Think greens over grains when you’re building a meal so that you can optimize the fiber.

Protein The protein you eat is broken down into the building blocks of your body. These are the building blocks of your skin, muscles, gut and more! Protein is like the scaffolding around which your body builds and rebuilds itself. But protein is a really terrible source of energy. By that, I mean it costs you more energy to break down protein than the energy that you’ll make in the process. You actually lose energy by trying to make energy out of protein; so, your body would prefer to burn carbs or fat. So, another benefit of having lots of protein in your diet is increased fat burning. Here’s why: as the percentage of protein in your meals goes up, the percentage of carbohydrate naturally goes down. Remember: it’s too hard for your body to make energy from protein. So, it doesn’t. It relies more on fat. That means more fat burning! More fat loss! Meat and seafood offer you the highest percentage of protein per serving. Not a meat-eater or a pescaterian? Eggs are also a good source. If you’re open to dairy, cottage cheese is a great source of protein. And Greek yogurt is too! You don’t eat animal products at all? Hmm … do you like legumes? Chick peas, black beans, lentils are plant-based proteins! Hemp is also a great source. Soy is mostly protein too, but it’s a controversial choice these days.

Fat For decades, fat has had such a bad reputation, but it’s incredibly important. Fat is in most healthy foods. Let’s call this dietary fat. There’s also fat in very important parts of you. You have body fat. It’s normal and necessary to have fat right under your skin! But you’ve got fat in your organs and as necessary parts of your body’s systems too. And you need it! You need to eat fat and you need to have fat. Here are a few reasons why: 1.Your brain is mostly fat (and water). 2.Fat is the key building block of hormones including estrogen and testosterone. (Estrogen and testosterone are mandatory for both women and men.) 3.Your body needs fat to absorb several key vitamins: vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K. When it comes to fat, there are unsaturated fats and saturated fats. Among unsaturated fats, there are monounsaturated fats (found in foods like olives) and polyunsaturated fats (like Omega-3 fatty acids which are mandatory for brain health).

Then, there are saturated fats. These are the fats that are a bit controversial. But there isn’t just one saturated fat. There are at least 30 different, individual ones! Several that we eat are lauric, myristic, palmitic and stearic acids. Real-life examples are butter and coconut oil. When you eat fat, it satisfies you! So, you’ll be less likely to hunt for a snack soon after. Fat will also give you energy! When you burn fat, it turns into energy! Eating food with fat doesn’t add body fat. If anything, it helps you burn it. And healthy fats nourish your body. So, when I get the question what should I eat?, I offer the above, totally long-winded answer. Just kidding! I don’t. But I do start with education. I want you to know what you’re eating and why. So, to recap, your body needs the following: 1.Water 2.Fiber 3.Protein 4.Fat

If you’d like some support in learning how to include each of these 4 nutrients every day and more, join Dr. Brittany’a free Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/587420505129982/ or www.drbrittany.com

education //

you survived homeschool …ANDNOWYOU’REDONE! BUT ARE YOU REALLY?

CONTRIBUTOR // AYANNA KILGORE

I know the kids (and the mommies) are tired of school, Zoom, and anything that resembles learning, but to be honest, learning shouldn’t stop for the summer. At east fifteen to thirty minutes a day for younger learners, and sixty-minutes a day for older learners this summer will help you avoid the summertime academic loss, and prevent having to close that gap later this fall. Due to school closures, experts estimate that students will return this fall, having made a 50% lower gain in math skills, and even less in reading. What can you do to stop the summer loss for your child and make sure they are prepared this fall? A daily academic practice schedule during summer can help your students beat the summer learning loss and save you weeks’ worth of reteaching time and effort.

read all about it… Most local libraries offer Summer Reading Programs. Some bookstores like Barnes and Noble also offer reading programs for children and teens. They often offer prizes and even free books in exchange for reading throughout the summer. Check your local area for availability. Make sure they are reading daily; it can be whatever interests them and is on their current reading level. This can include comic books, magazines, newspapers, chapter books, picture books, or audible books (if they are reading along and looking at the words). Restart reading to your children (yes, even the older children). It will not only help you bond with your child, but it will give them examples in voice intonation, sentence phrasing, fluency, and listening comprehension (ask questions as you go). These are all very important skills used in reading. I actually read to my children into their teen years, nightly. We started with a chapter book series, The Boxcar Children, and, to my surprise, they looked forward to it and were unhappy when we had to miss our time. Try it!

resources

To help students get this much-needed daily practice, Lumos Learning (www.LumosLearning.com) is offering a free daily practice worksheet to help them have a productive summer. There are also resources available on Amazon.com. For those entering high school, consider ACT and SAT preparation. It’s never too early to begin practicing. If your child needs more specific academic help, solicit the assistance of an educational specialist or educator to complete a specific plan of action or tutoring for the summer, to help them be on top or ahead in the fall.hny6/

let’s have fun

Consider activities that will make learning fun without the stress and tears of “MORE WORK”!!

Here are a few ideas:

pen pal

In the age of social media, we are all connected to family, friends, and even strangers from all over the world. Why not find your child a pen pal and encourage them to send handwritten or emailed letters to each other for the summer? Simply request it in one of your network groups, and I assure you someone will respond with interest. Hey, you can even start in the Kingdom Moms Group. It will not only increase writing skills, but it will work on communication and socialization skills as well, not to mention throwing a little geography and cultural diversity (social studies) into the mix, without the tension and stress to study or meet assignment deadlines.

field trips

Practice and rehearse math skills, science skills, history skills, and geography skills with trips to art museums, science museums, NASA, aquariums, etc. Many museums are still offering free virtual tours and visits. Check out your local museums and cultural arts exhibits for details in your area.

cook

Cooking together not only teaches and reinforces measurements and fractions, but it adds all of those math skills to some great cooking instruction. Use a traditional cookbook or even a printed recipe from Google to bake your favorite dessert or cook your family’s favorite entrée.

her wisdom

Greetings Kingdom Moms , I want you to know that because you said “yes” to parenting, you are a winner. Parenting is one of the most important responsibilities God gave to mankind. Whether your entry into it was planned by you or not, it was not an accident. You were deliberately chosen by God because He deemed you worthy and capable of fulfilling your assignment. Just as God has certain pastors for specific “people”, he has certain mothers for specific children. Before the foundations of the world were established, God selected you for the child(ren) you now have. So, Kingdom Moms, you have been called to a mission. You are "Mothers with a Mission”. Your mission is to instruct the child(ren) specifically assigned to you. Your children are gifts that God has given to you. You are the mother, deliberately chosen by God to groom them for greatness and prepare them so they can fulfill their destiny. Be confident in your mission, knowing that God is able to bring it to completion. He can do abundantly and exceed all we could ask or think. Don’t doubt your capabilities and abilities. You were chosen by him because of your strengths. Trust God for and in all things. Enjoy the journey. It goes by very quickly. - Mother Cook

CONTRIBUTOR // MINERVA DUDLEY COOK

Mom MIRROR

AFFIRMATIONS

I’ve got this! Everything I need to be successful today is inside of me. I’ve got this! I am strong, I am beautiful, I am bold! I’ve got this! For the events that I will encounter today and I have no clue how to handle it, I’ve got this! I specialize in handling moments that have no cookie cutter response! I will not be stressed, strained, or sabotaged by anything or anyone, not even myself! I’ve got this! I have the secret weapon.... Mom Power!! So for everything headed my way, I will not fear because.... I’ve got this!

STORY SHALENA

DUDLEY

The shame, embarrassment, and physical pain are all that I felt this particular summer day in 1999. Here’s where it REALLY began. I was nineteen years old, a freshman at a community college in my hometown, and in a relationship (not really, but I thought I was). He was ten years older than me, in the military, and had three children with three different women!! I was sneaking around and “playing house” in this relationship that my parents knew nothing about. I had a full scholarship to the college that I was attending, but I had withdrawn from most of my classes. I was so caught up in this relationship that I was leaving every day for school, but I was not going to school, I was “playing house” with my “boyfriend.” School was not a priority at that time. Well, my sneaking eventually got me EXPOSED. I was at work one day and began having terrible pain. I called my “boyfriend” and told him what was going on. He, being experienced with women, told me to take a pregnancy test, so I did, and it was POSITIVE.

WHAT IN THE WORLD!!! OMG, MY PARENTS ARE GOING TO FREAK OUT, and MY DAD is going to KILL YOU! I was terrified. Since I was having so much pain, he decided I needed to tell my parents. Ummmm, sir, you don’t know my parents, that’s a BAD idea. Sooooo,he did the responsible thing and told them himself. I mean, I am nineteen years old, you are almost thirty, so you won’t get in trouble, but I will. THE FEAR I HAD WAS UNEXPLAINABLE! My Dad hung up the phone and looked at me and said … “GET IN THE CAR.” I could have tripped over my feet, trying to get there quickly. My parents and I are in the car headed to the hospital, and my dad decides to make a stop before we go. He said, “Shalena, give me his address.” I’m in the back seat of the car thinking, “ARE YOU FREAKING SERIOUS?” I quietly said, “Ummm, Daddy, I don’t know his address.” I know, I know. You’re thinking, Sis, you’ve been “playing house,” remember. RIGHT, but I was terrified. My Daddy is NO JOKE! Well, we made it to the house, and my Dad bangs on the door. My parents and I are standing there, and my “boyfriend” opens the door. I’ll stop that part of this shameful story right here. I know you want to know what happened. I’ll tell it one day. I’m just glad everyone made it out...ALIVE. After leaving his house, we were in the car headed to the hospital. I will NEVER forget the car ride to the hospital; the disappointment and anger in my parents’ eyes made me sick to my stomach. We checked in, and I was there the entire night. What we found out was that I was in the middle of a miscarriage. I was close to ten weeks pregnant and was miscarrying this little baby. I had to have a Dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure done to remove all of the tissue from the miscarriage and prevent any complications or infections. It was the longest night EVER! My parents were there the entire time, with concern and disappointment in their eyes, but they never left my side. I was preparing to go away to college in Virginia after my first year of community college, although, I had withdrawn from many of my classes. I should have been entering college as a sophomore, but I was coming in as a freshman with only two transferred classes, because I was “playing house.” Now, I had proven to my parents that I couldn’t be trusted. They were not in agreement with allowing me to go away to school. I didn’t blame them; I messed up. BUT, God opened the door for me to begin at Norfolk State University that fall. I went into college, ready to prove to my parents that I was prepared. I was always an honor roll student, and I planned on making the Dean’s list EVERY SEMESTER, and I DID! I wanted to make my parents proud! During my first semester, I remember mourning the fact that I had been pregnant and miscarried. I wasn’t ready to be a teenage mom by any means, but everything happened so quickly. I was focused on prepairing to leave to go away to college, and I wanted nothing more than to get away from that toxic relationship and find myself again. My relationship with God became stronger than it’s ever been. Healing from that relationship and miscarriage took place, and I felt a peace that I had not experienced before. I found a church home near my school and began to serve in ministry there. I didn’t know that this ministry would save my life. I was grateful to God for showing His favor and mercy to me. I made a few decisions in college that were not optimal, but overall I had a great four-year experience at Norfolk State University.

Flash forward. I was now a senior in college in 2003, I am engaged to be married to my amazing husband and childhood best friend, Lewis, and I received the scariest news ever. It was a Thursday afternoon, and I made a trip to the local clinic. My conversation went a little like this, “Ummm, hi, (clears throat) my name is Shalena, and I am here to umm, (whispers) take a pregnancy test.” I then said, “I’m not sure why I am here, because I know I’m not pregnant. I mean, I haven’t even missed my period.” “So, never mind, thanks anyway.” At that point, the nurse encouraged me to speak with one of the counselors, and I agreed. I later decided to take a pregnancy test because, remember, I’m not pregnant. I went home to visit family over spring break, and my fiancé and I had an intimate moment that we worked so diligently on not having before marriage. We were intentional about our dates, so we did not put ourselves in compromising situations. Our relationship with each other was solid because we kept God first. Well, the results were in, and the doctor says, “Shalena, it’s a great thing you came in today because you are definitely pregnant.” OMG girl, I passed out - literally. I woke up to cold washcloths on my face and a bottle of water. I continued to rehearse the doctor saying, “You are definitely pregnant,” and then I began to weep terribly. The spring break moment was a mistake! I repented, we repented! God, this cannot be real. At that moment, I was flooded with a plethora of thoughts an emotions. Shalena, WHY? I came into college as an incoming freshman with a miscarriage, and now I’m a senior and pregnant again! How will I finish school? What will my parents say? How can I disappoint God like this AGAIN? I’m not even married. This was an act of sin; I’m so ashamed. This will ruin my fiancé’s life. This cannot be real. I am the daughter of pastors, AND I BROKE THEIR HEART ALREADY! Although we never talked about the miscarriage again, my parents were there and walked through it with me. I am serving in ministry at my church; there is so much that is wrong with this picture! This just cannot be real. I immediately decided to schedule an appointment to have an abortion. I wiped my tears and said, “I’ll see you all next Friday.” That was the longest week ever! The Wednesday before my scheduled appointment, I decided I’d better tell my family what was going on in case something happens to me. I was afraid for so many reasons, but I believed this was the best move. I decided to tell my mother that night, and the conversation went a little like this. “Hi Mom, I am so sorry, but I am pregnant and will be having an abortion in two days.” My mother didn’t express any disappointment; instead, she expressed how much she loved me and how much she was against me having an abortion. I felt ike my mind was made up at that point, although I respected what she was saying. The next morning, I was on my way to my Spanish class, and my phone rang. OMG, it’s my dad! Now disappointing my mom was one thing, but I hated ever disappointing my dad. He said, “Hi, baby girl! Mommy told me to give you a call. What’s going on?” I’m thinking to myself, “Ummm, I don’t know why she wanted you to call ME; all is well!” Instead, I replied, “I’m so sorry. Daddy. I’m pregnant, and I’ll be having an abortion tomorrow.” My Dad immediately said, “Baby girl, we’ll get through this, and we will not abort this baby.” I remember being in the stairwell at Norfolk State University, almost to my Spanish class, and I began to cry. I felt terrible, feeling that I had shamed my parents AGAIN, and I felt relieved for having told them. You may be wondering what the input of my then fiancé was. He was never in agreement with me having an abortion, but we both were dealing with so much fear. Well, here we are, almost seventeen years later, and I made the best decision of my life by missing the appointment that Friday afternoon. I spent the rest of the semester, with ALL DAY SICKNESS and hiding that I was pregnant because I was still living on campus, and I was so close to finishing school. Although I had the support of my family, I still dealt with so much condemnation. I was upset with myself for disappointing God. I couldn’t shake it, but I knew the spirit of rejection was trying to take root in my unborn child. I was rejecting myself, so rejecting my unborn child was inevitable. My fiancé was very much a part of all of the essentials while I was pregnant; however, we decided to take a little break to work on some things spiritually in our individual lives. That was extremely hard. Although he was right, we needed a break, but it felt like rejection. I wanted to get married privately before others knew I was pregnant without a husband. He said, “Shalena, I want nothing more than to marry you, but we have work to do individually.” Ugghh. That answer was not what I wanted to hear, but he was right. It was at about eight months pregnant that I decided I did not want to be bound by my past any longer. I couldn’t keep living this way. I forgave myself and began to walk in complete victory, deliverance, and healing. God freed me, and it was the best feeling that I had experienced in a long time. Here’s the thing; the entire pregnancy, God was dealing with me concerning areas in my life that needed my attention before I became a mother. It was definitely a time of reflection, repenting, rebuilding, and re-establishing. I was now ready. On a chilly Sunday morning, November 30, 2003, my fiancé called me at 3:00 am and said, “Shalena, I have to marry you TODAY!!” He then called my dad, who gave his blessing, and we were married that afternoon. Here I am, big and pregnant, with all black on because I couldn’t fit into anything, standing at the altar, getting married. I’m still amazed at how God turned what was once a messy situation into a beautiful story. I understood then more than ever how God will exchange His beauty for my ashes and His joy for my tears. Seventeen years later, I am still in awe of His faithfulness toward me. I had never had a contraction, and after we were married, they began. Our baby was not due for a few weeks, so I was not alarmed. Well, to our surprise, we spent our honeymoon night in labor, and our baby girl was born a few hours later. Y’all, I became a wife and a mom all in twenty-four hours!!! Wheew! We’ll talk about that transition another time. I wanted to give you a little background about my journey to motherhood. It may not be the typical pregnancy story, but the beautiful thing is God knows our end before our beginning, and He knew this would be my story. I am still humbled by God choosing me to birth, not just one chosen child, but we have been blessed with three beautiful children. Stewarding my children and handling them according to their God-given gifts and personalities has been such an honor. Our children will be seventeen, fourteen, and eleven this year, and I have spent years trying to figure this mothering thing out. What I have come to learn is that I could never do this without the help of our Heavenly Father, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and a support system!! I have made several mistakes along the way, and I’ve had several winning moments in this phase of life called motherhood. One thing I know is that God has equipped me with discernment and effective parenting strategies to share with other moms who are raising Chosen Children as well. I was charged by the Holy Spirit a few years ago to establish a support group for moms. It was then that God gave me Kingdom Moms WIN. Our role as mothers and women is to provide WISDOM to our children, to be the positive INFLUENCE that they need, and to NURTURE our children as they grow, develop, and find their unique gifts. The goal of Kingdom Moms WIN is to provide support, inspiration, resources, and events that not only meet the needs of women as Kingdom Moms but strengthen the whole woman. I believe that God has allowed our paths to cross, and I’m certain that He will continue to get the glory out of our lives as mothers. We are a community of moms that desire to WIN in every area of our lives. I am so excited about what’s ahead for us, and I look forward to journeying with each of you.

DearMom, Get motherly advice from mature / seasoned mothers.

sources do you use to track budgeting efforts and Q:What create a plan? A:

Whether the plan is to get out of debt or track monthly spending, there are an abundance of free resources on the internet to create a spending plan (I prefer the term spending plan because it sets intention to where money is going and the term “budget” feels too restrictive). Crown Financial and Dave Ramsey are two popular ones. Be careful though. Some websites prompt you for a “free trial” then limit what you can access. The best plan is the one you will use. You will find most are essentially the same. What is important is the discipline to be committed to your spending plan. Whether a free downloaded template or old-fashioned pencil and paper, the commitment is the most important aspect of spending plans. - MaMa Jewell

are some tips for organizing your schedule and Q:What better manage your time for full productivity? A: What a great question. So many moms find it difficult to create a schedule while leading such busy lives. Below are a few tips that I have found to be effective:

Tip #1 - Prioritize prayer and time with the Father. Effective organizational strategies come when the human spirit and soul are surrendered to His authority. Peace follows, and then ideas flow. Tip #2 - Be settled with the fact that your organizational structure and schedule will not look like anyone else’s, so resist comparisons, unless the goal is to gain useful information for improvement. Tip #3 - Pay attention to where your thoughts are and how your body feels. If you are feeling anything other than intentional focus and peace, stop and drink eight ounces of water -not tea or coffee - and BREATHE. Water and breathing help the mind remain creative. Tip #4 - Create a plan for organizing. What do you envision that space or your car or the toy room to look like? How much time will it take for it to be completed? Each plan should be completed before moving to the next. This includes organizing your thoughts. Document them somewhere you can easily access. Most moms have a multitude of things going through their minds, so creating space in our rationally thinking life allows more space for creativity.

Tip #5 - What is your most productive time of day? Are you a morning person or that midnight owl? Whenever you are most productive, use that time to accomplish important tasks and utilize your more calm moments for tasks that are less energy-consuming. Remember to be kind to yourself. Some things won’t get done. Sometimes the schedule will get flipped upside down. It’a all ok. Praying for your success. -MaMa Jewell

Q: How do you define a Kingdom Relationship? A:

We must understand that our God is relational, and it is His highest desire that we communicate with Him daily. In hat, we will know Him intimately, understanding His heart, thoughts, and plans for our lives. As we become secure and solidified in our relationship with God, His wisdom enlightens us on how to relate with sensitivity to those currently and futuristically ordained to be connected to our lives. As you seek God first and acknowledge Him in all ways, your pathway of life will be directed. To answer your question, a kingdom relationship should share the morals, ideas, and characteristics of the kingdom to which you are submitted to. Your relationships will glorify God and replicate his love that is pure, undefiled, unconditional, and forgiving. These Kingdom nuggets will assure you of encountering the joy of mental, emotional, and spiritual maturity that will propel you into your kingdom's purpose and fulfillment of destiny. Remember, you are the image of the invisible God here on the Earth. Daily devotions will help to build your Kingdom Relationship with God, which will prepare you for potential relationships with others. Here are a few helpful tips: • • • • •

Set a time - when you will consistently meet with God Pray- begin with five or ten minutes and build. Scripture reading - start with five verses or daily devotional reading. Meditate - on God's love for you. Command - your day to be Kingdom purposed

Continue to trust the process. - MaMa

Sharon

Q: How do you set aside time for self-care when you are a single mom, without feeling like you’re neglecting your child?

Your role as a mother grants you even more of a reason to set aside time for self-care. You MUST balance your needs as well as your child’s needs. You are as important to your child as your child is to you. What you don’t want to do is lose yourself or your purpose in the role of a mom. Understanding self-care is one of the healthiest choices you can make for yourself, and your child becomes a benefactor of a healthy, sound mind mom. Many times, as a single parent, there is a subconscious drive to over-compensate in diverse ways because we do not want our child to lack in any area of their life, but it is at those times where, as a Kingdom Mom, you call upon God’s strength and wisdom. Remind yourself that God is in control, and your child is covered, and that every need he/she has shall be supplied naturally, mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Now, as for you, it is time to realize that it is not selfish or neglectful to take care of you. It’s ok to inhale and exhale and take a breather. You owe it to yourself and your child. Self–care is revitalizing, invigorating, energizing, it refreshes vision, builds stamina, releases stress, anxiety, and frustration. Taking time for yourself gives you time to meditate in doing what makes you happy, and connect with the woman or even the little girl in you. Self-care promotes mental, emotional, and physical health. 3 John 2:2 says “;Beloved, I pray that in every way you may succeed and prosper and be in good health [physically], just as [I know] your soul prospers [spiritually]. “Your health is your wealth. Always Remember as a Kingdom Mom: • • • •

God’s Presence lives within you and will renew your strength daily God’s Peace will keep you in harmony with your body, mind and spirit. God’s Promises to you are “yes and amen” and will bring you to your expected end. God’s Power has given you the ability to make the wise choice to self-care.

- MaMa Sharon

quick

MOM MEALS Chef Jas

WITH

Hey Moms! I’m Chef Jasmin, and I’m here to help you navigate through the seemingly impossible mission of FEEDING THE KIDS!! There are many aspects to consider while making sure that your kids get what they need in the foods they eat! Important factors like allergies, picky-eaters, daily schedules, and school lunches can often become a stressful undertaking. I have some useful tips and tricks that I know you’ll love! A common hassle that parents encounter is making sure their kids are getting the healthiest food choices possible, without having to sacrifice the enjoyment of flavor! A great way to get the best of both worlds is to hide as many fruits; vegetables in their meals as possible! They won’t see it coming! A great example is when making scrambled eggs for breakfast, create a type of spinach and cheese frittata! Another way is making smoothies that have a lot of fruit in them but also contain spinach, beets, carrots, and other nutrient-dense vegetables.

Sneaky Smoothie 1 cup unflavored yogurt 1 small banana ¾ cup fresh berries (of your choice) ½ cup kale or spinach 2 tsp honey 1 tsp chia seeds Ice Add all ingredients and blend.

Chef Jaz

Culinary Instructor Owner, J Dulce Cakes & Pastries LLC jdulcecd Facebook Group: Cooking With Chef Jas Contact: info@jdulce.com www.jdulce.com

#momgrace Something absolutely bizarre happens to the psyche of a woman when she hits one of those magical “zero” ages. You know, 20, 30, 40, 50, etc. It’s like everything we’ve used to build our confidence, ambition, self-esteem, and knowledge the decade before suddenly become null and void, and we find ourselves searching for our identity and purpose all over again. At twenty, you are trying to figure out a career choice. At thirty, you’re trying to balance marriage, family, and financial stability. When you reach forty, you feel the need to reinvent yourself because you’ve devoted so much of your 30s to your family and career. And then, at fifty, you find yourself dealing with the infamous mid-life crisis. What was once solid and consistent now seems questionable. Why does it feel like the clock starts from the beginning again at these pivotal ages? Now, add to that equation the struggles and uncharted territory of every season of motherhood, and we find ourselves grappling with the person in the mirror who has now become a stranger. This narrative has been a fact to many of us, both past and present, but it isn’t your truth. Some of you may be creeping up on one of those zero ages, and you can feel the pressure increasing. I want to reinforce to you that even in uncertainty, there’s grace. So, where does this battle of the ages come from? As with many other conflicts in our life, it is rooted in fear. That’s fear of the unknown, and fear of what’s next. Fear will make you believe in a false narrative. Moses was raised in Pharaoh’s house and mingled amongst the elite for a large portion of his adult life before fleeing Egypt; however, he was convinced he was unqualified to speak to those same people when God instructed him to return. Fear will tell us we can’t succeed in an arena where we are well able and prepared. Often times, we allow fear to make us believe that the sacrifices, training, and building from a previous decade or season won’t be enough to sustain us in the next. This is only true when you’ve built your foundation and understanding of who you are on anything other than who Jesus said you were. First Timothy 6:19 (NASB) says, “… storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.” The treasure of life, progressing in age, and preparing for the future is found in a good foundation. That foundation is Jesus. When we know whose we are and who we belong to, we won’t ever struggle with knowing WHO we are. Being a mom isn’t always the easiest task. We are juggling multiple roles, which comes with numerous assignments, all while trying to maintain our sanity and remain secure in our identity. I remember how I felt when I turned thirty last year. A wave of uncertainty, failure, and fear began to hover over me. I had given birth to two children in less than two years. I was no longer working and no longer in school, pursuing my degree. I started to make a mental list of all the things that I felt like I should have accomplished by thirty that I hadn’t. I replayed missed opportunities from my twenties over and over in my head. In a complete panic mode, I felt like I was drowning with no one able to save me. I loved being a mom, but I knew there was more for me than just raising my children full-time. It wasn’t until the week of my birthday that I received a significant breakthrough in this area, after receiving a message from an old friend. There were several words of encouragement included in the message, but one thing stood out more than anything. They said to me, “In spite of how it appears, you’ve missed nothing. Jesus started at thirty, why can’t you?” Whew! Talk about a wake-up call. It was everything I didn’t know that I needed to hear at that moment. I instantly felt a very heavy weight lifted. Here I was, dreading thirty because it felt like failure when Jesus started the most progressive ministry to ever impact humankind at the same age. Who we are is defined by whose we are. We are not defined by our age, past failures, current struggles, or even societal expectations. God doesn’t change our purpose or give us a new identity every decade; He matures the one He formed before we were even in our mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5). Motherhood is such a major sacrifice, but it is also a part of our assignment. God will not allow us to miss or lose anything while working during our assignment. Not at twenty and not at fifty. Trust the foundation you’ve been built on; it will not fail you.

Dee

Mom Grace devonnaupshaw #MomGrace

SHALENA DUDLEY EDITOR & CHEIF

MIKKA HARRIS

JEWELL JONES

AYANNA KILGORE

CHEF JASMINE NATHAN

#CONTRIBUTORS

MINERVA DUDLEY

TENISHA KYLER

PASTOR SHARON BURNS

DR. BRITTNY HOWELL DEVONNA UPSHAW CAMAYA BAKER

CONTRIBUTOR // CAMAYA BAKER

To My Black Son, I raise you to be strong, But know that you are allowed to be weak I raise you to be wise, So that controversial issues like these, you may see See them not just for what they are Instead, see them as problems you can solve Your black skin Coffee, caramel, or honey dew Your melanin Does not define you Stereotypes embedded in your color they use to hide you But shine through Young King Shine through! I know that you can because I birthed you I did not birth a has been or wannabe I birthed the next change, the solution, your gonna be VICTORIOUS In anything you choose Your black skin Coffee, caramel, or honey dew Your melanin Does not define you It enhances your beauty Your only job is to live for yourself Meeting the standards of society is not your duty Beating the odds will only develop your story Prove the doubters wrong and expose your true glory So.. Shine through Young King

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