Travel Gems-GG Felice
Food Gems-GG Felice
Beauty Gems-Joann Aguayo
Restoration Gems-Reginal Lyerly
Fashion Gems-Anita Ford
Self Care Gems-Alvin Ford, SR
Photography Gems- Aerospace Engineer,
Professional Photographer-Alvin Ford,Jr
Many thanks to all the creators who give of their time and talents to the magazine every month. You are appreciated!
Willneverstop providingcontent thatisfaithfilled, insightful,inspiring andChristcentered. Withallthatisgoing oninourworld,we wanttobeavoice thatpointsyoutothe crossandmotivates toachieveyour dreams.Thismonth wearetalkingabout thegiftoflife.
Inthisissue,wespeakspecifically aboutthegiftlifebringsourway throughallofthetalentsGodhas givenus.Webindselfdoubtand idleness.Aspeople,wehaveto realizethatthereissomuchpower foundinknowingourworthinChrist.
Godgivesusgiftsforareasonand it’suptoustotakethetimeto recognizethem.
Eachcreatoris sharingabouthow Godhasmovedin theirlivesthrough changingtheir perspectives.Ina worldthat continuously encouragespeople tofilltheirschedule, weencourageyouto sitback,relaxand stayawhile.
Editor-in-Chief
amount of days and it’s up to us to savor our days, trust in Him and walk in faith.
We are so grateful for the gorgeous views Alvin Ford Photography has provided us. Time is of the essence in our world and it’s so important for us to take the time to slow down, rest, relax and make memories.Life is meant to be savored.
an article by GG Felice.
Imagine living in a place where the views are beautiful and the food is abundant. Whether you ’ re looking for comfort food on a rainy day or you ’ re wanting to partake in your favorite food, great food not only changes our mood but it also allows us to arrive at a familiar place.
After a long day, it’s nice to sit back, relax and enjoy dessert. Whether it be ice cream or cheesecake, every now and then our hearts and minds need to enjoy the decadence of a food that not only soothes the heart but it also soothes the soul. So, tell me… What is your favorite dessert?
Surround yourself with people who want to help you make your dreams a reality.
Faith opens door that doubt will always close. Believe in yourself and allow God to do the rest.
“1
If
Corinthians 13 1
I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Muhammad Ali said it best “Even the greatest was once a beginner Don’t be afraid to take that step” We have entered a new year with brand-new possibilities Many of us have reached a point in our lives where change is needed and required What does this look like?
Let’s look at the word genesis Genesis is the origin or mode of formation of something Why does mean a new beginning to us? It is borrowed from Latin and from the Ancient Greek languages Similar meanings are source, nativity, generation or production
How do we in our lives start over again? For some, this will be an actual start to a situation or a circumstance For others, this will be nothing more than a change in mindset Will we retain our old habits and thoughts? Do we make this new change to make something great count?
Muhammad Ali was also quoted as saying “don’t count the days-make the days count” As we start this beginning, Let us look at the core message of this quote This is a new chance to live life to the greatest extent, to achieve one’s highest ambitions and seek one’s heart desires
After we’ve seen the ball drop and Auld Lang Syne has been played, what do you wish to begin again? What will make your life complete? What will make your future generation benefit by the steps taken in this new beginning? We shall exclaim from the rooftops “Let’s Begin Again, Let’s Win Again and Let’s create a legacy that will surpass all we could ever imagine
No one is immune to struggles, tribulations, hurtful situations or disappointments. Which is why God wanted us to walk in freedom and not bondage to the past. I believe forgiveness is the fibre in our being that transforms us from brokenness to wholeness. Yet, often times we hold on to a situation that we should’ve given to God a long time ago. We are given a limited amount of time on this earth and it’s important for us to savor our days. Worrying often makes us captives to fear and offense. Often times, we don’t realize that there is so much freedom found in knowing when to let go. Forgive yourself for accepting less than you deserve. Forgive those who couldn’t see your value. And, most of all, forgive those who took you for granted.
WRITTEN BY: CAROLYNFORD
At the end of the day, we all have a limited amount of time of this earth. You can spend your time getting better or being bitter... Ultimately, the choice is yours. Choose to live in freedom. Choose to walk in love. Choose to dream big. Choose to speak confidently and reclaim what is yours. Your days are meant to be filled with goodness from above not pain from the past.
Love without limits or strings. This is definitely one of our favorite things. Let’s talk about Unconditional Love. The love is designed to be no strings attached. It is love offered freely. We think about the compassionate love known as agape. A familial love is made through healthy bonds between a parent to a child. We often look for someone to love us and accept us for us. We look at movies and scripted scenes for examples. These visuals often shape our ideas about what love is. We usually view unconditional love as one of the most selfless acts that we can ever do.
There are such wide ranges of benefits. There are such positive feelings that come from unconditional love. In many respects, our brain’s reward center is often activated in the same way as it is with romantic love. It has been proven this kind of love has a proven impact on emotional and psychological health. Our sense of emotional security or lack thereof often stems from the kind of unconditional love that we experienced as a child. We develop a lot of our own identities and our needs as an adult from this kind of love. The absence of appropriate examples can have a lasting impact on a person in their formative years.
Without the proper outlet to voice and address healthy needs and concerns can lead to so many negative issues. Security and Safety are important needs for all of us.
Unconditional love plays a vital role in ensuring we can have true emotional functionality in our lives.
As a Mental Health Therapist, one of the biggest things I stress in life is taking time to relax and hear from God. So, take a minute and go with me on a journey. Picture yourself on a week vacation to Hawaii...When you arrive, you are offered a complimentary upgrade to your stay.. You now have the choice between a condominium with an expansive view of the water or a condominium with a limited view of the water.. Which would you choose? When you ' re on vacation, you want to relax and take in everything your destination has to offer. So, why would you want to limit yourself when an upgrade is already available? At the same time, God is taking you through situations that give you an expansive view of this journey called life.. You no longer have to be stuck in a rut or limited by your own thoughts.
God wants us to dream big, yet we continue to put God in a box. We serve a God who is working behind the scenes. While our natural eyes can't see all that is happening. In the supernatural, God is getting ready to do something big in our lives. It doesn't matter who doesn't like you or thinks you ' re not qualified, God has the final say. It is time to stop being limited by opinions and your own doubts because God is the final authority. I pray you take time this week to ignore the noise of the world and have quiet time with God. There is so much beauty and clarity found in connecting with the Father.- Anita @savedclassyandchic
grow until it becomes a reality. Your dreams are given to you because you are wise enough to work hard to obtain your dreams. Often times, the devil wants to fill your mind with fear so that you will not work towards your goals, but there is freedom and solice in Christ.
Growth is essential in this life because you are not destined to stay the same. You are meant to flourish and change the world around you. The pressure you feel around you is meant to catapult you to greatness. Don’t give up!
Writer:Carolyn Ford
You can not assume you know what other people are going through. Some of the brightest, life-speaking souls are people who walk through many difficult situations alone. These people pour into the lives of others, but when life comes their way they often go through without the help others.
Just because someone isn’t vocal about their story doesn’t mean they aren’t walking through something life altering. At the end of the day, it’s our job to be a blessing to other people on a daily basis. If you can’t spread kindness, keep your words to yourself. If you look for ways to judge and belittle others, look in the mirror and figure out why the need to be mean to others overpowers your life.
God gives us daily opportunities to love people right where they are. We are failing as a society when people can’t be authentic and share their hearts. No one should feel judged for seeking help. When you know better, you do better.
~Savedclassyandchic TherapistYou have a purpose in this life, and your purpose isn't to be distracted by the voices of people who are against you. Your purpose is to shine inspite of adversity.Your purpose is to show the world what a true warrior looks like. You've fought to get where you are in life and no one can take away your strength. The enemy has a way of distracting people on the brink of their miracle, but you must always remember to keep your eyes on the prize. The pain you are feeling today is nothing compared to the joy that's coming! Don't give up!
God gives us time and a community to navigate through the trials and tribulations life brings our way. You do not have to walk through life alone. But, one of the hardest parts about developing a sense of community is being vulnerable to someone else. Getting to know someone new may seem hard at first, but you never what God has in store for you by developing new a friendship.
Speaking of faithful friends, one of my favorite stories in the Bible is the story of Jesus Healing and Forgiving the Paralytic. Back in Jesus’ day the people came from all over to hear Jesus preach. Imagine a massive crowd of people who came hungry to receive the word, but they were all inside a one or two room home. Since the architecture of homes was different in Jesus’ day, what a wonderful sight it must’ve been to see many people praising God despite the space of the building in which He was preaching. The news traveled all around and the people had heard of all the miracles Jesus was performing. The people were eager to enter a new phase of their lives and they knew Jesus could help them. Many people came to see Jesus so they could be set free of illnesses they had suffered from for many years. Right there in the middle of these wonderful souls seeking healing,we see a group of faithful friends who want to see their friend healed. What I love most about this story is the friends saw all of the obstacles in their way, and they could’ve given up, but they chose to find a way. The friends knew there was no way they would be able to reach Jesus through the main floor of the building.
But, through faith and determination, the men decided to lower their friend down through the roof. Back in Jesus’ day the roofs were made of mud and leaves. Imagine the men digging their way through to make a hole in the roof so they would be able to lower their friend down to Jesus. In this moment, I can’t fathom how much gratitude the man must’ve possessed for his friends. They could’ve easily given spoke doubt into the situation, but they continued to move forward knowing that Jesus was going to heal their paralyzed friend. I believe it’s one thing to say you have faith, but something wonderful happens when you put faith into action. The rest of the story continues and true paralyzed man is healed and forgiven, but Jesus is also in awe of the faith his friends expressed during this time.
So, what do your friendships look like? Are they surface level? Are they deep? Are they making more deposits than withdrawals? Are you willing to be a listening ear instead of a vessel filled with advice? Dig deep in your relationships. I encourage you to pray for your friends and family. The truth is, a lot of people you ’ re doing life with will not tell you everything they’re going through, and that’s where taking the time listen to the people you love comes into action. We are blessed to do life alongside many amazing people. My prayer is that you always realize every single person on this earth is a gift from God.
One of the greatest examples in the Bible of a man who had life changing faith is David. First, David wasn’t afraid to face Goliath. He was younger and smaller in stature, but Goliath’s intimidation tactics didn’t work on David. Second, David was confident. David’s job as a shepherd equipped him to be confident when facing Goliath. How different would things look in our lives if we entered life altering situations with a confident mindset instead of a negative mindset? Third, David was prepared, He went to fight Goliath with a slingshot and five smooth stones in hand. Turns out, David only needed one stone to defeat Goliath. Fourth, David didn’t trust in his abilities, He trusted in God. When we trust God, we know everything will work out for the good in our lives. Fifth, David turned his victories over to the Lord. He knew the battle wasn’t his. The victory in this battle would soon prove to the people the mighty power God has in our lives. David could’ve thought about all of the reasons why he couldn’t possibly defeat Goliath, but instead, David knew the Lord was with Him. It was David’s time. Nothing in this world could stop David because God had an appointment for him. If David didn’t have faith he would’ve missed his appointment.
I think what a lot of people fail to realize is that God will fight all of our battles; all we have to do is trust in Him. As people, we have situations that seem like giants in our lives. Giants of fear, sickness, condemnation, loneliness, and insecurity, but what a delight it is knowing we serve a God who never fails. God’s faithfulness in the past is the basis for our strength in the present. David remembered God’s faithfulness and it gave him courage. Another passage that comes to mind when facing trials and tribulations is, 1 Peter 5:10-And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. We serve a God, who is our way maker. God is our refuge and strength and our help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1).
In life, we are expected to have a set of priorities. We ask ourselves “What are priorities?”.
In life, we are expected to have a set of priorities. We ask ourselves “What are priorities?”. In the simplest of terms, priorities are the things or people most important to us. The word In the simplest of terms, priorities are the things or people most important to us. The word priority derives from the Latin word “prioritas” meaning first in rank, order and/or dignity. priority derives from the Latin word “prioritas” meaning first in rank, order and/or dignity. Many prioritize a good decent lifestyle over what would be considered a debaucherous Many prioritize a good decent lifestyle over what would be considered a debaucherous one. We prioritize our loved ones getting a good education or vocation over not making the one. We prioritize our loved ones getting a good education or vocation over not making the most of those opportunities. People of faith prioritize their relationship with their higher most of those opportunities. People of prioritize their relationship with their higher power and the impact of the relationship in everything they do. Men and women prioritize power and the impact of the relationship in everything they do. Men and women prioritize the people in their lives who are the most important to them. Many of us prioritize being able the people in their lives who are the most important to them. Many of us prioritize being able to earn a sufficient financial amount over not being able to do so. to earn a sufficient financial amount over not being able to do so.
Priorities are set by every nation, company, university, political party, group, club or any Priorities are set by every nation, company, university, political party, group, club or any individual. A great example of this is any legislature at every level possible. Those priorities individual. A great example of this is any legislature at every level possible. Those priorities are set on what the populace regards as priorities in their lives. This could be better roads, are set on what the populace regards as priorities in their lives. This could be better roads, better healthcare and so many other things. better healthcare and so many other things.
We talk about priorities. What are options? An option can be best defined as something We talk about priorities. What are options? An option can be best defined as something that one can choose to do in preference to one or more alternatives. Most of us use the word that one can choose to do in preference to one or more alternatives. Most of us use the word
“choices”. We are often taught in life to never make options what should be priorities.
“choices”. We are often taught in life to never make options what should be priorities. In today’s world, we are often faced with competing priorities. For some people, the In today’s world, we are often faced with competing priorities. For some people, the pressure to provide for the household may be compete with an equally important priority of pressure to provide for the household may be compete with an equally important priority of spending time with the loved ones. For others, this may mean considering themoral/ethical spending time with the loved ones. For others, this may mean considering themoral/ethical responsibility to do something as it competes with the legal responsibility to do something responsibility to do something as it competes with the legal responsibility to do something else. else.
We often have the decision making power to keep a priority as it should be and to keep an
We often have the decision making power to keep a priority as it should be and to keep an option as a choice. What we must be careful about in this area is not falling from grace from option as a choice. What we must be careful about in this area is not falling from grace from things that should never happen in the first place. The reality is that we as humans can things that should never happen in the first place. The reality is that we as humans can temporarily lose sight of our priorities. Once we discover that we have lost sight, then we temporarily lose sight of our priorities. Once we discover that we have lost sight, then we shall get back on course in the quickest manner possible. For some things we will not know shall get back on course in the quickest manner possible. For some things we will not know until we learn them. The late Doctor Maya Angelou famously stated “Do the best you can until we learn them. The late Doctor Maya Angelou famously stated “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
WhenI was a little girl, I always loved to singing and practicing speeches. I'd practice my speeches and sing to an audience of all of my stuffed animals, haha! But, little did I know, God was preparing something inside me that was being birthed when I was younger.. I recognized my love for singing and speaking in front of people, but I had no idea what God was going to do with it. My point is, many of our dreams are birthed when we are younger, but when we get older we often lose sight of our dreams.. Today is the day that you start dreaming again.. There is a dream inside of you that's waiting to be fulfilled. You haven't stopped thinking about what you are called to do, but maybe the opinions of others have kept you from working toward your dream.. Or, maybe your own thoughts are hindering you... Today is the day that you realize, You and you alone ar enough.. God has called you to make a difference in this world and it's time for you step out in faith and do what He has called y to do. Our time on earth is short. Don't spen all of your days wondering what you could done.. The time is now to start working toward achieving your greatness!
