Stand Firm

“You can’t change a negative situation with bad feelings, if you keep reacting negatively your bad feelings with magnify and multiply the negativity.” How many times can you recall falling into traps that causes us to react instead of responding responsibly? many times and more often when someone is on a spiritual and personal growth journey, we are tested more than ever before. Our job and focus should be to pray that God strengthens us spiritually and open our eyes to pay attention to the signs that we are given. God is a provider and a protector, but we are responsible for doing our part God can’t give us what we want if we are not praying and asking for it, and he cannot protect if we aren’t present and paying attention to His signs. Most times we forget to pray first instead we act first which only leads us right back to the first step. Daily we are tested and everyday there is new lessons to be learned the question we should always ask ourselves is “are we open to learning and receiving what God has in store for us each day?” Are you setting intentions daily to be the best version of yourself, to be open to receive what we need?

One of the biggest ironies I have seen and personally experienced is asking God for a blessing, sign, or a favor but missed it because I was too busy expecting it to happen my way. God works in unique and very mysterious ways that requires you to be fully present to hear His voice and see his signs clearly. This weekend I was invited to an event twenty-fours before the event was to  happen, on that same day I had a meeting to attend at 1 :00 and the event was from 8am-4pm. Naturally my desire to be in control kicked in and I began to give myself every logical reason why I could not make it. I fought back and forth in my head even up until the morning of, I prayed about it and I asked God to open my mind and my heart to receive what is for me and revel to my why I needed to be there. Once I gave it to God my energy shifted and today, I am so grateful that I did not allow me to stand in my own way, I was there for 41/2 hours and I got exactly what I needed. I share this to say God is always working we are the ones that is not always listening and prepared to receive what we have been asking for.  Faith without work is dead and prayers without trust and expectancy cannot be answered. We are not in control of how and when God shows up for us what we are responsible for is that we get ready and do the work.

In conclusion I want to encourage everyone reading today to think about how many times have we stood in our own way?  How many times have you missed your blessing or an opportunity because we were looking for God to show up small; so small that we are blinded by doubt when he does reveal and puts us in a position to win. Today I want to urge everyone reading to be open and present, ready and expecting all that we have prayed for. God has no limits and we have to learn to think big and think possibility when we are operating under God’s govern. Our life is a gift that we did not earn and so is our purpose and how we fulfill God’s plans is by being obedient, selfless and in service. Life is always happening and even when things are not making sense today, we must always remember that God ‘s work is far from predictable but every bit of extraordinary. We all are on a journey and we all have an assignment to complete, setting our intentions daily on getting one step closer to God and fulfilling your purpose daily is necessary. I challenge you to show up in every moment of your life as the moment you have been waiting for.

“Stop Putting Limits On What God Is Capable Of Doing .”

Choose To Thrive

When I think about my life and all that I have experienced in my twenty-five years of living I honestly cannot imagine being where I am today without each lesson that was learned. I will admit that some were more painful than others, some were confusing, and some just did not seem fair at all. I will also admit that there days, months, and even years that I questioned it all and could not make sense of it. What I do know today is that if my perspective and way of thinking was different, I would have made changes In my life much sooner, but I also understand that everything happened in God’s order and timing.  Each and every experience I had also molded me to into the woman I am today in a good way. How?  it helped to mold me into a woman of strength, compassion, and very determined, they helped me to identify with what I did not want for my life. Many times, we believe it is only good to learn what to do but it is also very important to learn what not to do. I am grateful that at a very early age and through out my entire life growing up I was always big on not only learning the good but learning and understanding the bad experiences. I learned to be mindful of the choices I made and the consequences that would come after, this does not mean that I never made mistakes growing up, but they too also taught me more lessons.

Life is filled with a lot of surprises, a lot of ups and downs but what is most important and the one thing we miss is that even in the midst of our darkest moments we are not alone. God still loves us He still has a plan for us, that is why it is extremely important for us to trust Him at all times. It is easy to pray when things are great, and we should remain consistent in prayer when things are down. When we are down the only way to go from there is up but in order to rise, we have to d o the work. Questioning God and being upset about circumstances distracts us from our assignment and the lesson we were meant to learn to master self and who we are created to be and teach others how to overcome their struggles and master self. The problem is we get so caught up in self and our own instant gratification that we lose sight of the true meaning of life and what it means to live in purpose.  Everything we are blessed with in our life is not because we have always been deserving of it, but it is by God’s grace and love. It is important that when we begin to explore life to finding our purpose that we remember two things, the first being that our purpose is a gift from God. Secondly, we must always commit all of our plans on to Him, and be obedient. 

We have all made mistakes and we have all fallen short before and the beauty about that is God already knows and has forgiven us he is waiting for us to forgive ourselves and put Him first in our life. Will life be easy? no, but it is filled with lots of signs and wonders of how amazing God is being present to that reminds me that no matter what we go through there is purpose. I have chosen to live an unapologetic lifestyle by being committed to be the best version of myself daily loving myself back to life so that I can love others back to life. I am thriving to live for God and accepting a mission that is bigger than me to be in service to others. Life is all about making choices and in making choices we must be willing to accept responsibility for what comes after weather good or bad and take action. Becoming a solution-oriented person is how we pick ourselves up when we fall understanding that yes this has happened but, in this moment, I have to keep pressing forward. We must make an investment in developing in spirit, our mind, and body in order to survive the storms and rise in our seasons. Living everyday with purpose and setting your intentions on seeing the good in everything and being grateful for everything and everyone is key

“Every Great Design Begins With An Amazing Story Behind It.”

Your Life Is A Gift To Be A Gift To Others

“Connection does not care abut the laws of the land; your soul will be pulled to the place it belongs.’ When I read this quote It was a reminder and confirmation of God’s divine timing. How many times have you felt a connection with someone and dismissed it based on a physical appearance or social status? The truth is no matter how hard we try to live up to the standards and way of life that we have been taught there is something on the inside that yearns for more. We can fight it; we can avoid and resist it but only for a short time. I am one that believe we were born with the tools and a mystical level of consciousness that we lose as we grow older and adapt to learned behaviors. These habits have an effect on the way we think the way we communicate and most importantly the way we connect with others. The question I asked myself  was how important is connecting with people on a deeper level to me? what that did for me was; it   held me accountable to be mindful of how I was connecting with others and being  more open to learning something new about myself through connecting with others on higher level. The most important and very difficult part of making those necessary connections is being vulnerable and comfortable with being our true self without shame or fear.

The sad truth is that many of us go through life carrying a lot of burdens and past hurt with us and we began to cast them on others. We are afraid to be our authentic self because some of the first thoughts we have are centered around what will people think of you, will they like you, will they judge etc. In the midst of going through all the negative thoughts we now have given ourselves justified reasons to put on an act to protect our truth. The reality is there are people dying to get to know the real you, there are people that their healing is depended on your story. Everyone that we are blessed to experience there is purpose for it, even the connections that are only for a season they too have great purpose. Identifying who we are and setting ourselves free from trauma and fear is important not only for us to thrive but for us to be in service to others. In every relationship there must be an even exchange there is a give and take you add value to them and In return they add value to you, but that can only be possible when we are brave enough to be transparent and live in our truth. Energy does not lie we can make up the greatest stories and put on a world class act, but the truth will be told, and the truth is what will set us free. These past two years and especially these last three months I have been intentional about being free and vulnerable and in return I have build some amazing connections with people in some of the most random places. This was possible only because I allowed myself to be open and set my intentions on being present and available no matter where I am.

We are all here for a short time but while we are here it is our responsibility to spread love, be a light, and make a difference in the world and everyone you connect with. Long after we are gone it is our spirit that will live on forever our presence will always be felt because of the work we did while we were living.  One thing I want you guys to take from today’s blog is to learn to be selfish with your peace, your time, and your happiness, so that you can grow in your purpose selflessly. Our life has already been written and the experiences we have been through were all apart of the amazing being God created us to be. God did not bring us through them for us to remain a victim or defeated, we are victorious. It is time to be brave, it is time to be free, it is time to walk into your destiny living an abundant life is our birth right. It is time to stop thinking small, stop asking scared, and get ready for an overflow in your life, the first step is to choose to trust and obey God. I am on a mission to please my father up above by spreading love and being an example of what is possible no matter what my past looked like or the mistakes that I have made. Who are you committed to being and what is your mission while you are living?

“Do Not Waste Time Regretting Your Past,
Invest Time Into
Changing The Narrative.

-Shanett Mcneill ”

The Assignment Is Yours

Have you ever been caught in the middle of having a vision and being paralyzed by doubt? Without thinking twice, we go through the disqualification process. Checking off all the reasons why we are not worthy or able to carry out the mission. I have learned that our value and the assignments God has planned for us is not based on our mistakes, past experiences, or failures. Until we learn to free ourselves and rise above the limits, we have placed on ourselves we rob ourselves of the opportunity to thrive. How many times in your life can you recall having a vision that was so clear but allowed you to be the reason you did not commit to making it happen.  The only thing that stands in the way of discovering our purpose and living in it is our mind, we are and, in most cases, will always be our biggest critics.  Have you ever taken a moment to reflect on the actions, or words we use to kill an idea before ever taking a chance to explore it? The reality is if we are willing to be honest with ourselves most have us have done this at least once. The best part about identifying the areas in which we struggle is key to creating a solution, being proactive in actions that add value to your life and helps us to eliminate doubt and fear.

Making a commitment to growing spiritually and increasing my faith has been the most effective plan of action. The more time I committed to studying how amazing God is I grew amazed and very present to the fact that He is able to do the impossible. The problem is we allow our mind and worldly limitations to block our vision which decreases our faith. I have learned that when it comes to living in your purpose, we must have faith if even the size of a mustard seed, practical thinking and worldly beliefs kills dreams. Recently I launched a women empowerment workshop which was vision I received in the summer of 2018. When I initially got the idea, I was not excited about it for two reasons. One of the reasons where I did not believe that true sisterhood really existed, and I believed that some people were just lucky to have that. The second reason was due to my past experiences in friendships with women I did not believe I was the right person for this assignment. I delayed and I procrastinated, the summer came to an end I did not go forward with it. I was disappointed in myself but what I am most grateful for is that during that period I began to really learn a lot about myself and who I was being in my friendships. I learned that in order for me to heal and create I took responsibility for my role and knowing how to move forward in being mindful of the season that others are In. This year the vision was still present in my heart and my mind but this time I was not afraid, and I trusted that God did not only give me this vision but that he would give me exactly what I needed to succeed. I was tested, I was hurt, and lied to during the process but God Stepped in and created a space for me to experience true sisterhood and love.

“Everything You Have Been Through Has Been Preparation For You To Walk Into Your Destiny.”

In conclusion I shared this today to encourage everyone that has had experiences that may have left them closed off to forgiveness as a reminder. Letting go of the past and forgiving others is not about their actions being dismissed or accepted it is about us setting ourselves free. In order for us to take off we must unload some of the heavy burdens that have been keeping us stuck for so long. It is time to take flight and in order to elevate we must be free and have an open mind trusting that God will provide, protect, and restore what has been broken. I chose to be obedient and in return I was blessed with sisters a circle of women that understood what it means to love, uplift, and support your sister fully. The next time you are In a season of choosing between what you know based on your experiences and being obedient and trusting God to show up for you, choose to be obedient. God gives us all visions and a purpose that is bigger than us regardless of our past   and what the world thinks of you always remember that we are worthy and able to do all things through Christ that strengthens us. I urge you all to be committed to being set free from the past and allow God to do new amazing things in your life. “I am grateful that through all of my experiences, trials and errors that God was preparing me for my assignment”. I take a stand for myself so I can take a stand for others and inspire them to take a stand.

Building Trust In Sisterhood

How important is building trust and having confidence in sisterhood to you? Do you believe it is possible to have trust and confidence? Developing trust and having confidence in your friendship is very important and possible to have. The work has to be put in by both individuals and all parties if we are referencing a group. For many years’ women have been known to endure many painful situations that contributed to increased insecurity, fear, and doubt which creates a strain in relationships. There are many factors and issues that each individual struggle with internally and until they are willing and ready to face them and create a solution, they will come up short on the ladder of success in relationships. In every relationship it is important that we not only grow to love each other but we must learn to respect and develop a level of understanding for who we are as two separate individuals coming together. Relationships are a two-way street and a give and take each person should be able to add value to the other and learn from each other. There are many important factors that makes a big difference on who we are being in our relationships. The two key points that I believe are important is a person upbringing and an individual knowing who they are and staying true to them.

Last Friday I had the privilege of doing live conversation with my good friend who is more like a sister to me for the last thirteen years speaking about trust and confidence in sisterhood. One major point that was touched on was about the benefit of having a stable and healthy upbringing. She shared that her ability to love fully in all of her relationships was because of the example in her household. She has the ability to be confident in herself and being considerate at the same, to be honest but loving at the same time. I consider that a true gift that not many people are able to do and still maintain a level of peace and trust in their relationships. Life comes with a lot of unexpected challenges that are out of our control and can sometimes alter our thoughts, and attitude towards others. The responsibility is ours to take, and getting proactive in healing and growing through our hurt. It is easy to place blame, it is easy to remain a victim, but the reality Is both options only rewards us with more pain while letting go and forgiving sets us free. Forgiving others does not cost us anything in fact it is more of a benefit to our life, once we understand that forgiving is not about the other person’s wrongs being accepted but it is about us being free. The question I have Is are you ready and to be free to live fearless, and abundant in love and purpose? If your yes, then you are responsible for taking consistent action.

In conclusion I want to remind you all of how important it is to maintain a level of trust to build confidence in every relationship. Sisterhoods are often tested and discredited but, it is one of those relationships that are very important and adds value to women’s life. The foundation on which a relationship is built determines the nature of your relationship has to be more than just for personal gain.  When you bring two different people with their past stories and hurt it is important to know the space that your sister is in without making judgement.  We have the power to choose to change, grow, let go, and love again nothing is permanent not even pain. There will many seasons that will change and not everyone will be able to weather the storms with you, but there will also be meaning connections in new seasons in our life.  Learning to embrace new after all that we have experienced in the past can be difficult if we allow it to be and it is as easy as knowing you deserve more. The plans for our life have to be in aligned with the plans God has in store for us, as we work on forgiving and moving forward let us never forget to be in gratitude.

““When Women Rise We All Rise “”