Setting the Atmosphere

I would like to invite you to visit Proverbs 31 Mama Ministries Blog to read a post I wrote earlier on Setting the Atmosphere. 

The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands. Proverbs 14:1

Please share some ways you set the atmosphere in your home. 


Also, please join us over at our sister blog A Wife's Heart.


The Direct Links:

Setting the Atmosphere
http://proverbs31mama2010.blogspot.com/2012/03/setting-atmosphere.html

A Wife's Heart Blog

http://awifesheart.blogspot.com/

 

6 Survival Tips for College

1. Experiencing college can be the most joyful yet difficult opportunity you may encounter. You must go into it with your number one priority which is an education. There will be parties, drinking, drugs, and other enticing things going on but you must remember what you came there for. Peer pressure is one of the top things you will experience your entire college career. Some of your “friends” will want you to stay out until the sun comes up when they know you have a 9am class the next morning. It is up to you to make the right decision. Remember just because it sounds good doesn’t mean it is good for you. You must have a yearning inside of you to achieve your goals that you came there for. You must also have a determination so high that anything that hinders you from reaching your dreams will be detached from you.

2. There will be some people there who will not be fond of you because of your walk with Christ, but remember who it will be that will save you, comfort you, and lead you into the right direction. You can NEVER go wrong when you’re walking with Jesus. Trust me…it may seem fun and exciting at first when you’re distancing yourself from Jesus but after a while you will learn your mistake. Having a strong relationship with Jesus will allow you to stay focused on what His plans are for you and will bring you so much joy. Being a Christian in college is not boring. Matters of fact, a lot of my friends know I am a Christian and respect that but that does not mean we cannot have fun with one another.

3. One of the things I have learned from being in college is to get to know your professors. They will help you understand the material better than they did during lecture. Building a relationship with your professors will also come in handy when you need letter of recommendations, advice, and other outstanding opportunities. They also can help you with calculating the grades you need to achieve the grade you want in the class.

4. Another crucial thing you must know in college is the courses you need to take. In my freshman year they had me as undecided when I had chosen my major as biology. I had to go through a long grueling process of declaring a major I had thought was already stated. They had put me in unnecessary classes that were not needed for my major so that had set me back a semester. When you go for advisement, have a list of the classes you want to take the next semester. Allow your advisor to choose the ones from that list that would be the best options for you to take. Do not take a heavy load because it will cause you to burnout during the middle of the semester. But you MUST know the courses you need to take because the longer they can keep you enrolled the more money they will make and we all know you do not want to stay in college longer than you have to.

5. Take time out for yourself. I always made time for some “me time”…although I realized after a while that I was taking entirely too much “me time” ha ha. However, I did choose Fridays and Saturday mornings as my “me time” days. I did not look at the material for my classes none on those days or time-frames, but depending on your workload you may have to choose only one day or half a day. I do not recommend Sundays as one being that you have classes the next day.

6. Another important thing is study now play later. Study the material after the lecture you will be able to retain the information better. Trust me I know after you have set in lecture for an hour or more you do not want to look at those notes or book anymore. If you study your material and do well on the test those headaches and annoying feelings about the class will soon vanish. I’m sure seeing an A or B in the course will put a smile on your face.



Those are my 6 most important tips on having a successful college career. If you have any questions do not hesitate to comment below :)


God's grace,
Likyla

Review: Decision to Love by Michelle Sutton

Have you ever been faced with adultery?  

Have you been through the process of having hopes and dreams for your child to have them instantly change due to your child having something completely opposite in mind?

Have you ever thought all hope is lost for someone or when a crisis arises?

If you answered yes to any of the above, you are not alone.

Decision to Love by Michelle Sutton is a book which deals with topics on adultery, sexuality, faith and forgiveness. Although the story is fiction, the messages and storylines are realistic in many families. This book is not for the conservative and uptight. It is for those who do not mind speaking on today’s issues and confronting them head on. I must warn you if you are insensitive to the truth with absolutely no sugar coating, or speaking on sexual content this book is most definitely not for you.

The story begins eight years after Tony and Hope had an affair. He was arrested for the murder of his ex-wife Brenda with whom he has a ten year old son after she called him to come over to her house. He married a woman named Kristy after Brenda so his son could have a mother figure only to find her in bed with a woman. He did not know Christ and had no intentions of learning about Him until he found himself in a horrifying situation. Tony is reunited with his daughter for the first time and gets a surprise.

Hope and James are a Christian Married Couple with a son name Jimmy who is in college and does not get along too well with his father. James had given Hope his approval to write a book regarding her affair with Tony and the sexual problems which led her to the turning point in their marriage. Hope has to deal with the tension between her husband and her son. Her son confides in her and pleads with her not to tell his father.

Jimmy is tired of being pressured and teased by his father about why he is not dating girls. He is confused about his faith, life and love. He makes some decisions out of anger he later regrets. He is also the one to link Hope and Tony back together.

Decision to Love had my attention from the very beginning.As you go through each scenario, you can literally envision each scene as if it were a movie. Michelle discussed topics which are desperately in need of and also I feel others are afraid to speak on. Although there were moments when the grammatical errors in the kindle edition were a bit frustrating, it did not take away from the story. There were also moments when things were a little too explicit and I felt the point could have been made without some of the obscene expressions. The goal is to show you are to never give up on someone and to never stop praying for them. You are to love and forgive them just as God loves and forgives us. During the course of all the trials, Michelle’s objective was to bring it all back to Christ.

Prayerfully, Decision to Love will be an inspiration to those who may find themselves in this sort of circumstance to keep on praying and loving those who are being misled.

Decision to Love is available for purchase online at  Amazon, CBD, Barnes and Noble or directly from her page.

About the Author:

Michelle Sutton is a social worker (and now supervisor) who has been writing romantic fiction with an inspirational message for over nine years. Southeastern Arizona is where Michelle calls home. She loves being surrounded by mountains and fresh air, which inspires many of her novels. She and her husband are approaching twenty-two years of marriage and their two sons will begin their third year of college in August. She is the author of well over a dozen novels in print and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, as well as an avid book reviewer and blogger on a variety of sites. She founded Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers social networking site which has nearly 1200 members. Crafting new stories and reading/reviewing great books is her idea of a fun time.

Learn more about Michelle at: http://www.michellesutton.net/pb/wp_f320c606/wp_f320c606.html

Michelle's website:  http://www.michellesutton.net

Michelle on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/MichelleSuttonAuthor

Michelle's Facebook Fan Page:http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMichelleSutton

Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers social media network:  http:/edgychristianfictionlovers.ning.com

Youtube book video trailer:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIkUf6b8lr8

 

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book/Ebook/Product to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

Thank God I'm a Woman with Guest Poster: Osayi Osar-Emokpae

Today's Guest is Osayi Osar-Emokpae. I'm sure you will enjoy what she has to share!

“The special gift and ability of each creature defines its special limitations. And as the bird easily comes to terms with the necessity of bearing wings when it finds that it is, in fact, the wings that bear the bird -- up, away from the world, into the sky, into freedom -- so the woman who accepts the limitations of womanhood finds in those very limitations her gifts, her special calling -- wings, in fact, which bear her up into perfect freedom, into the will of God.” ~ Elisabeth Elliot (Let me be a Woman)

I’m emotional every day of the month, but there are some days that I am more emotional than others. I used to get really upset with myself when I would have emotional outbursts. I used to get so frustrated when I would be bothered by what people said or what people felt about me. I would wonder why I couldn’t be more like my brothers and my other friends. Why oh why did I always have to take things so personally?

There was the day when I got upset at my best friend because he said he “understood” what I was going through. “Really? Do you really? Could you really?” Was my response. Poor guy, he didn’t even see it coming. Or the day that just about everything everyone said sounded like such an insult or a stupid idea. Or the day I felt like everything (and I mean everything) was just a complete waste of time and that my life had been a complete waste so far.

I could see how easy it was for men to get along with each other, and how easy it was for them to compartmentalize the challenges at work. While I took every heartache and every challenge personally and carried the emotions with me everywhere I went. I disliked being a woman because it meant I attached an emotion to everything. I disliked being a woman because I often felt my male peers did not take me seriously. I disliked being a woman because I hated how weak I felt in certain situations, and how mechanics and car salesmen always took advantage of me. I disliked being a woman because I thought about how I would have to give up my last name, give up my figure, give up my career, and give up my life for my family. I disliked being a woman because I focused constantly on everything I would be losing, instead of everything I would be gaining.

But lately I’ve been learning about what a beautiful thing it is to be a woman. Because I feel so deeply it means I can appreciate more deeply. I am empathetic, which makes it easier for me to make friends and cherish my friends. And when I am discounted purely because I am a woman, I find ways to excel regardless. And when people try to take advantage of me because I am a woman, God always finds a way to protect me, because I am His woman.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that all women have these characteristics. What I am saying is that the things I saw as the weakness of my womanhood have become strengths. And because I am thankful for my womanhood, I am able to appreciate more and more about myself and cherish the time that God has given me.

I’m thankful that God made me a woman, I’m thankful that my parents continually remind me that womanhood is a privilege. What a privilege it is to be the woman that will help my future husband to do all that he could never accomplish without me. What a privilege it is to bring life to another and provide a supporting foundation for them. What a privilege it is to be loved by a God who has chosen to bless me with so many privileges.

So how about you? What are you most thankful for about your womanhood?

Bio: Osayi Osar-Emokpae is the author of Impossible is Stupid (http://impossibleisstupid.com) a book that encourages Christians singles to thrive. She is one of the “anonymous” co-hosts of the “I am seriously single” podcast. You can learn more about appreciating womanhood on her blog http://iyasostuff.com

Thank you so much for taking time to share with our readers on today. I look forward to you partaking in our blog again. May God continue to bless you abundantly!

August SIS (Sister In The Spotlight): LaShonda Crawford

Elder LaShonda Crawford

 

Here is a little background information to help you get a little familiar with Elder LaShonda.

Elder LaShonda Crawford is an accomplished speaker, motivator, and teacher.  Her passion and vision are to share the gospel of Jesus Christ to all that she can reach.  LaShonda Crawford was ordained as an elder in 2006 by The UCCI School of Divinity. Elder Crawford married her husband, Maurio, in 2003.  Together they are raising three children, Danielle, Hannah and Chancellor.
 
Elder Crawford currently oversees the ministerial staff at Emmanuel Baptist Church in the city of Thomasville, NC. and presently serves as the Vice President of Marketing at B2L, a marketing & technology focused company.  She is a woman of passion, determination, and motivation.  She is not only a preacher and teacher but she is also a Spiritual, Life, & Business Coach, Motivational Speaker, Workshop Facilitator, & Mom-preneur. 

Desiring to enrich and empower the whole woman and with the ever expanding need of mentorship for women in business, her ministry, “Rizen” has established “The Prosp-Her Summit”. The inaugural event is scheduled for Fall of 2013. Bringing together students, local businesswomen, and aspiring business owners for networking and professional development. The summit’s primary objective is to provide tactical skills and knowledge that will enable women to build or continue strong careers in a weakened or strong economy.

As the Editor-N-Chief of “One E-Magazine” she fosters growth and positive thinking among the body of Christ. As the founder of The Trayon Marsh Child Abuse Awareness Foundation, she focuses on raising the awareness & further preventing child abuse within our communities. This foundation was established in memory of her own son, Trayon Marsh who became a victim of child abuse and died in 1999.

           
 LaShonda is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Phoenix. As she normally says, “Through God we can do anything! Nothing is too hard for the God we serve.” With Him, Elder LaShonda Crawford will continue moving forward & doing great things in His name.

Please share some information regarding your ministry (when and why you decided to begin). 

RiZen, formally known as Women of Seasons was established in 2003. I can recall sitting in front of my television watching Bishop TD Jakes’ Maximize the Moment.  I had just lost my home, I was a single mother and I had to move back in my parents’ home for the first time. I had just got over the emotionalism of everything and began to look at my situation in a positive way. This gave me the opportunity to gain a closer walk with God. I had to loose my freedom in order to gain freedom. I had to loose my independence in order to learn to be dependent on Him.  My mind was focused and my spirit was hungry and that night Bishop TD Jakes spoke to me through his seminar. I sat there and heard God through him encourage the people and I heard God say in the midst of that message, “Women of Seasons”. 

You recently launched your own magazine. Is it available in print and online? Could you share with us what one could look forward to in each edition? How often it is released and how can they make sure they don’t miss a copy?

The One eMagazine was established in 2012. Currently this magazine can be found at http://issuu.com/oneemagazine.  This subscription is currently free in order to bless the readers with positive information that will edify individuals through education, relationship, spiritual and life principals.  One eMagazine is released bimonthly and eventually be available for print in the near future. In this issue you will find articles covering the subjects of divorced women, college students, financial education, politics and more.

Tell the readers something you would like for them to leave with.

Along with One eMagazine, we also offer “Ministry-N-Minutes”, as the media counterpart of the ministry.  Daily video posts are shared to empower and motivate viewers throughout their walk with Christ.  You can visit us on You Tube (username: Women of Seasons) to subscribe to our channel and be notified when new videos are loaded. Also, anyone can visit our website at www.MinistryNMinutes.com

Please share your favorite scripture or quote.

My favorite scripture is Romans 8:28, “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”, as well as Proverbs 31:30, “Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.”