What is a Spiritual Inheritance ?

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It is the belief of every Christian that people are comprised of three parts, body, soul and spirit. The body is what houses our soul, which is what gives us life. Our soul is our mind, our will and our emotions.

According to Genesis 2:7 NIV  

Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

The spirit of any person makes up the core of their being. It is our core that is born again into the image of God. The image of God is righteousness and true holiness. Our spirit is the part of us that is born again once we are saved.

When we are not saved (born again believer – John 3:5) we walk around spiritually dead. The spirit of a person can only, truly be alive in Christ. People can give birth to other people but a human spirit can ONLY be ALIVE in Christ and by the Holy Spirit.

John 1: 12-13 NLT

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

John 3: 6 -7 NLT (Jesus Speaking)

Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’

Spiritual Inheritance

Definitions:

Spiritual:

adjective

1.
relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things.

2. 
relating to religion or religious belief.

Inheritance:

1. Something that is or may be inherited; property passing at the owner’s death to the heir or those entitled to succeed; legacy.

2. the genetic characters transmitted from parent to offspring, taken collectively.

something, as a quality, characteristic, or other immaterial possession, received from progenitors or predecessors as if by succession:

3. the act or fact of inheriting by succession, as if by succession, or genetically:

4. to receive property by inheritance.

portion; birthright; heritage:

5. Absolute rule was considered the inheritance of kings.

6. Obsolete . right of possession; ownership.

I felt the need to provide the definition of both words.

A spiritual inheritance is something passed down from one’s religious beliefs, practices and ones own relational outline and healthy relationship with God.

A great example of a spiritual inheritance was Joseph. Jesus’ earthly father made sure that Jesus had good spiritual training in Nazareth and instilled in Jesus the practice that he continued into adulthood of a yearly trip to Jerusalem to observe the Passover. He also taught Jesus a trade and was a great example to Him of what it looked like to follow the will of God and Gods guidance for his life.

The things we believe, practice and structure of our lives determine the position of our souls before God. As parents we must display a spiritual relationship that is pleasing to God in order for our little ones to be able to mimic them. We were created with a yearning, a desire for an intimate, long lasting and healthy relationship with God. When we are unfulfilled after having had everything our heart desires we know that what we have obtained cannot satisfy our hunger/longing for something more. This place or part of us was designed for only God to fill. We can try to fill it with different sorts of things and always fail because we were designed to be complete in God. We were designed to be filled with His presence and then find purpose in Him.

I want to give three examples of what a Spiritual Inheritance looks like:

Jesus’s earthly dad was Joseph. The Bible tells us in the gospel of Matthew that Joseph was a righteous man. Not that he was a perfect man but that he was a righteous man. Joseph acting quietly when he heard about Mary being pregnant spoke about Joseph’s character. When the angel visited him and told him the truth about Mary and the baby inside of her, Joseph listened and his heart was not hardened but softened. Joseph’s obedience to God spoke on his loyalty, commitment to and respect for God. Joseph was kind to Mary in spite of his previous assumption of her. When he received instructions from God in how to deal with Mary’s pregnancy he obeyed. By his actions and words you knew the type of man he was.

Joseph can be found:

Matthew 1:19, Matthew 1:24, Matthew 2:13, Matthew 2:19-22, Luke 2:33, Luke 2:39, Luke 2:50

Not only was Joseph character impeccable, he also set examples for Jesus of the way he should live on this earth. To me it is such a beautiful thing to think that even though God the Father was Jesus’ father He still made sure to assign an earthly father to Him as well. It’s awesome to think that God has so much confidence in us being examples to others, not examples of perfection of course but examples of righteousness, true holiness and faith.

The next person in the Bible that came to mind when explaining Spiritual Inheritance was Noah. Whether you know the Bible from cover to cover or you know of a few stories in it I’m pretty sure you know who Noah is. The Bible says that Noah was a righteous man and that in his time he was the only blameless person living on earth. It also says that he lived a life in close fellowship with God (Genesis 6:9). The earth was corrupt and filled with violence at this time and it made God repent about ever having made humans. God decided to destroy everything on earth and start again with Noah and his family. God gave Noah instructions about building a boat and told him things that He would do in the time to come

Genesis 6:17-18 NLT

Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die. But I will confirm my covenant with you. So enter the boat – you and your wife and your sons and their wives.

After God gave all of His instructions to Noah the Bible says something about Noah that is worth mentioning

Genesis 6:22 NLT

So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.

Not only was Noah righteous and not only did he have fellowship with God but he also did as God commanded him. Some of these words are bold in my heart because it highlights similarities that I have noticed throughout the Bible of people that God was pleased with.

Noah went on to board the boat and because of his life his entire family was saved. Because of the way he lived before God his generations and godly legacy were preserved. This speaks about the kind of inheritance that is crucial in the lives of families today.

Noah can be found:

Genesis 6:9, Genesis 6:15, Genesis 7:16, Genesis 8:6-16, Genesis 9:8-17, Genesis 9:20-27

The third person that came to mind when I wanted to explain the topic of spiritual inheritance was Timothy. Not much is mentioned in the Bible about his upbringing but he was a young believer and was being mentored by Paul. Although Timothy was young he held a great reputation as a devout Christian (Acts 16:1-2). What stood out to me most about Timothy was that he first saw the genuine ‘trust in God’ in his grandmother Lois, which was passed on to her daughter Eunice, who then passed it on to Timothy. This is another ingredient that should be found in believers.

2 Timothy 1:5 NLT

I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.

Timothy can be found:

Acts 16:1-3, Romans 16:21, 1 Corinthians 4:17, 2 Corinthians 1:1, 1 Timothy 4:10 -12, 2 Timothy 1:6-7, 2 Timothy 3:15

Letters to Timothy: First Timothy & Second Timothy

As I spoke about the way we are designed in the beginning of this blog I’d like to go back to it. I want you to know that there is a part of us that was made to look like God and from this part of us our life is formed. What we do and how we think should constantly be conformed to this part of us and by this we then become more like God and more like who he’s designed us to be. If we do not pass on to our kids and our children’s children the true essence of righteousness (not perfection), fellowship with God, obedience to God’s Word and commands, sincere trust in God and doing things God’s way they will never live to the full extent of who they were created to be. They will have a house, businesses to inherit, land etc. but not have the most important thing there is to have, their soul!

Mark 8:36 NLT

And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your soul?

It is important for each parent to not only leave an inheritance of material things behind for their children but also leave a godly legacy and spiritual inheritance behind for them as well. May we know the importance of this type of inheritance and may we take steps to achieve it.

Read my next blog to find out why I believe a Spiritual Inheritance is so important … Keep Reading

Trials

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The Bible teaches us to guard our hearts because everything we do flows from it (NIV Version).

Proverbs 4:23 NLT

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

I wanted to start out by listing a few emotions that can arise when facing hard times. These emotions can feel and be very real but are also emotions that we MUST guard our hearts from. 

HARDS TIMES MAY LEAVE YOU WITH THE FEELING OF :

REJECTION – While experiencing the feeling of rejection we may handle this rejection the wrong way. There are also times where we think we are being rejected when in reality we are not. Thoughts like, you are and will always be a person that others reject, that there is something wrong with you, that you are the reason you are going through this hard time are all thoughts that can be a possibility when faced with life’s trials.

Here’s what the Bible says about trials:

John 16:33 NLT

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

SELF-PITY – Self-pity can occur when we begin feeling sorry for ourselves, so much so that we reach a point of not being able to move past what we are facing. 

HURT – When facing a trial we can feel hurt by things that wouldn’t normally bother or hurt us.

JEALOUSY – When going through trials the feeling of jealousy towards those that currently have the breakthrough you are believing for can occur.

ANGER – At times this feeling arises because of the length of time you’ve been going through your trial, or because of the reason behind the trial itself. 

FRUSTRATION – You may feel frustrated because your present trial is not what you planned for and it has thrown you for a loop. 

FEELING LOST – Everything can be going smoothly and as soon as difficulty hits, you may feel like you were left to face that difficulty without direction. 

Overall, it is my belief that emotions (good and bad) are heightened due to a trial or the trials we face. It is ok to have these feelings but what is not ok is for us to act, speak or be driven by them. The best way to avoid these feelings is to guard our hearts from them all together. Most of the time this is not the case and we must seek guidance and help to rid ourselves from them. 

The Bible teaches on a few things we should meditate and focus on: 

Philippians 4:8 NLT

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

I HAVE LEARNED THAT :

The things you do or what you surround yourself with can either bring you down in the presence of difficulty or help you out of that difficulty. When we are faced with hard times the right thing to do and the right surroundings can easily be confused with the wrong. Here’s a few things I’ve come to learn to AVOID, BE MINDFUL OF and ways I begin to POUR INTO MYSELF when faced with trials. 

AVOID

Specific Settings & People 

Type of People: 

  • People that don’t think the best of you.
  • Those that don’t want the best for you.
  • Those that try to provoke the wrong emotions out of you.
  • Those that try to bring you down.
  • Those that have the wrong perception of you.

I know that it’s just natural (Genesis 3:9-13) for us not to want anyone to think bad of us and for some of us, we will try really hard to get others to think good things about us, no matter the cost.

Frankly, in the moment of your difficulty or trial, finding the time or energy to try to prove them wrong will exhaust you. The hard time you are facing at the moment can be a make or break situation and being around those that are convinced about viewing you the wrong way can break you and your confidence to get through that hard time. 

Please Note: 

I don’t mean people that KNOW you, like really know you and challenge you to be a better you. This is a different group of people all together, this is a person that I would refer to as iron in our life. 

Proverbs 9:8 NLT

So don’t bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you.

Who I am referring to are those that you know don’t have your best interest at heart, or those that think they know the details of your life but couldn’t be more wrong or those that judge you based off of their assumptions of you, and those that won’t defend you or represent you well when a conversation is brought up about you. 

Type of Setting:

1 Corinthians 15:33 NLT

Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”

Don’t feel bad about excusing yourself from a group setting that you know is just not helpful for you to be apart of at the present moment.

  • Go to the bathroom (Bathroom Breaks are great if you are at a place you can’t leave, go there to regroup your thoughts, pray, count to 10 and wash your face if needed.)
  • If you can leave a place that is not helpful for you and the direction you are going, leave. (don’t feel obligated to make an appearance) 
  • Be wise about the invitations you say “yes” to. Places that lead you to do the wrong thing, make you doubt the plan of God for your life, or bring you down are not where you should be at the moment. Say “NO” to the invitation. 

BE MINDFUL

Be Mindful of What You Are Taking In

Proverbs 23:7 NKJV

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…

  • If you’re upset don’t listen to music that makes you more upset. If you are angry don’t listen to music that makes you more angry. 
  • Don’t watch things that you are sure will provoke the wrong emotions in you. If you are an emotional wreck at the moment you don’t want to watch a movie that makes you even more of this.
  • Read, watch and listen to the things that encourage you to have a greater mindset or things that help you renew your mind and thoughts all together. 
  • For Example: I am constantly listening to books that encourage me in the Word of God. When a scripture comes to mind I look it up right away and let that speak to me/my heart instead of what will feed the wrong emotions and thoughts in me. 
  • Listen to sermons.
  • Listen to music that encourages you to do the right thing.
  • Watch movies that are encouraging Ex. Documentary on someone’s life that went from bad to good.
  • You want to “take in” what makes you hopeful!
  • Not negativity, not judgement, not the side eye, not the “welp, do you!” mentality
  • Be mindful of a “DO YOU!” mentality. A “DO YOU!” mentality should probably be avoided when facing trials are when experiencing heightened emotions. The reason I say this is that we’ll be “doing us” from places like self-pity, hurt, jealousy, anger and feeling lost. Rather than doing the things we are SURE we need to be doing in order to GROW through our trial.

  POUR INTO 

Pour Into Yourself

  • Ways that we can pour into ourselves is by being 100% honest with ourself about where we are and what we are facing. 
  • Assessing your own thoughts is another way to help you gain a balanced mindset towards what you are facing as well as how you can move past it. 

1 Peter 5:8-14 ESV

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Your trials won’t last forever!

  • Give yourself HOPE by reminding yourself of the things you have to be hopeful about. Your future is bright regardless of the things you are facing at the moment.

Genesis 1:31 NLT

Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!

Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

2 Peter 3:9 NLT

The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

  • Remind yourself about the truth about you! It is true no matter what you are facing! (what God says, the promises He’s made to you, how far you’ve come etc.) 

Genesis 1:26 NLT

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

  • Take time to regain your focus, the renewed mindset, goals, who you are, things you need to do to get where you are going.

Romans 12:2 NLT

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

  • Be around those that lift you up, encourage you and challenge you to be the best version of you that you can be. Iron sharpens iron – People that believe and practice the same faith as you. Same world views etc.

Proverbs 27:17 NLT

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

Proverbs 18:24 NLT

There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.

  • Take advice from those you’d be happy to trade lives with. Those that are excelling the right way in the areas you’d like to excel in. 
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help, from the right sources, of course. Call out to God for help, wisdom and guidance. 

Psalm 20:1

In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry. May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm.

  • As you are lead ask people that have been through what you are going through and have come out better because or in-spite of it. Find those that can mentor you into the best version of you and don’t forget to be a person who is teachable. Seek advice from someone that knows more than you in the area of your trial and that is successful in it (according to the standards you live by). Above all else consult God before doing and saying anything when faced with trials.

Proverbs 16:9 NLT

We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps

Many times we look at the trials we face as something meant to end us. We look at them like they were sent to destroy every part of us. It is my belief that our trials are meant to get rid of the things in us that stop our progression. I also believe that they are meant to help us mature in our faith and in life, in general.

Romans 5:3-5 NLT

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Ultimately I believe that we are meant to grow through the trials we face and develop the things needed in order to face them each time they arise.

The Greatest Gift – Spiritual Inheritance

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Some may think I am crazy…


I heard a saying and could not agree with it more “A spiritual inheritance is the greatest gift you could ever give your child”. I believe this to be breathtakingly true.

I’ve seen so many things passed down from generation to generation. This being, in my family and in the families of others. From good things to the not so good, we all have the ability and power to pass something on to our generations to come. Some things are hereditary like our features and those we may not have control over passing down, but there are other things we can pass on that may make a huge difference in our families lineage.

I mentioned others thinking I am crazy because so many times we strive to leave earthly possessions (homes, money, investments, stocks, assets, wealth etc.) for the generations to come. In my opinion there is no point of having these things without having an inheritance that is not spoken of as often, a Spiritual Inheritance. When I think about the statement I just made the following scripture is one that comes to mind, “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” Mark 8:36 (NLT) . Today many of us have gained the habit of leaving the entire world for our children to inherit while neglecting the spiritual aspect of their inheritance.

I’ve seen wealth be passed down by either being obtained from an individual lifetime, or continuously passed down from generation to generation; and be completely lost by the acts of one careless life. I’ve seen lives taken prematurely, which resulted in that loss being the end of a family bloodline.

There are so many things that can affect the outcome of one’s life:

What are things that you can do to prepare your children or children’s children for their future? Take some time to think about the management skills they’d need to maintain the life that has been prepared for them? How do you suppose they’ll maintain the things passed down to them? 

Read my next Kingdom Kids blog to learn more about what a Spiritual Inheritance is! Keep Reading…

How to Clean Kids Toys Without Breaking the Bank

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So, I am pretty sure that I’m not the only mom that has ever spent a ridiculous amount of money on Baby Safe cleaning products for Eli’s Baby Toys (as well as other hard surface items, his high chair etc).

When I found wipes that I could use to wipe down his toys I was ecstatic! They had no harsh chemical residue, were phthalate free, dye free and were also non toxic. These wipes were perfect for an easy clean up. The one problem I had was that there were only 15 wipes in the container and I cleaned Eli’s things every five minutes. Fifteen wipes lasted me less than a week and the container was about six dollars a pack. So after doing the math I would spend about or over $36 a month on a cleaning product that would only be used for Eli’s items. Needless to say I needed a more cost effective way to clean his high chair, play pen, toys and books.

I was introduced to a method of cleaning Eli’s non-absorbent items and won’t ever go back to the old way I cleaned his toys and other belongings. This method has cut cost tremendously and I am a happier mom for it. I never knew that I could use what I had, in moderation of course, to clean, sanitize and disinfect things that belonged to Eli as well. This way of cleaning Eli’s toys has definitely helped me and because of it I wanted to share my first cool tip with you all.

Here are cut outs that I have attached for you to refer to when cleaning your child’s non-absorbent hard surface items:

Cut OutsDownload

(You can attach them to your calendar, reminder board or fridge.)

What You’ll Need:
Soap
Bleach
Measuring Spoon/Cup
32oz Spray Bottles
(Do the math for different size bottles 16oz – 1 Gallon)

Here’s information on the difference between Cleaning, Disinfecting and Sanitizing:

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/school/cleaning.htm

Provided by The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention

I have continued to purchase the wipes I found and use them on the go. They are a great product as well, just not feasible for all there is to clean of Eli’s.

Things to Note:
– Solutions should be made fresh each day its used (in order to ensure accurate potency)
– Cleaning always goes before Disinfecting
– Cleaning is done with soapy water, rinsed with clear water and dried with clean paper towels
– Disinfect with a chlorine bleach solution (details above) and lay out toys to air dry. If air drying is not an option let solution remain on non-absorbent toys for two minutes and then wipe dry.
– For Larger Items or Battery Operated Toys:
Can be cleaned with soap and warm water and wipes with a diluted bleach solution using a clean sponge or cloth and let air dry. If air drying is not an option let solution remain on non-absorbent toys for two minutes and then wipe dry.

Always:
– Follow guidelines given by manufacturers when cleaning and disinfecting.
– Clean visible debris prior to sanitizing and disinfecting

I hope this helps a mom, or two, or a dad! Enjoy! 

☺

️

My God

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The God I am referring to in each blog that He (God) is mentioned in is Yahweh (YHWH), Jehovah (Latin), the Lord! (Exodus 3:14) He is my God. He is the true and living God. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah and that over 2,000 years ago He came to earth to redeem my soul and restore not only mine but everyone’s relationship with God the Father. This is why I believe and why I am certain that the only way to God is through Jesus Christ.

The Bible says “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). God is our creator and designed us to have relationship and to commune with Him (Genesis 1:1, Psalm 139:14, Psalm 51:10, Ephesians 2:5). Because of the first encounter of disobedience to God (Genesis 3), sin entered the earth and we are now all born into it (Psalm 51:5).

Over the years there has been many attempts to remove or cover sin. In the past burnt offerings would be offered up to God for forgiveness of sin (Leviticus 4). There was a time where God flooded the world to remove what was sinful from this earth and started over with a man named Noah and his family (Genesis 5:32-10:1), but these attempts all proved to be unsuccessful in maintaining righteousness as well as a clear connection between God and people. So God sent His only begotten Son to this earth to die for the sins of all humanity. The Bible says “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Romans 5:7-10)

I am eternally grateful for the ultimate sacrifice made for you and I by Jesus Christ on that cross over 2,000 years ago. If it wasn’t for His Grace I don’t know where I’d be and for this I give Him praise!

My Credentials

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Hey everyone!

👋

So Kingdom Kids is the portion of my blog that is dedicated to providing resources and encouragement for raising godly children.


I know what you’re probably thinking, you only have one child who is still a toddler! I know, I get it, but here’s a little bit more information about me.


I do not claim to be an expert on parenting, raising children or anything of the sort. For the majority of my adult life I have worked with children and work extremely well with them. After becoming a Christian I realized the importance of teaching all children about God and the Bible. I volunteered with children at the church I was a member of and was committed to the advancement of the children’s department there. Having my son allowed me to switch from teaching gears to parenting gears. Becoming a parent has not only helped me experience what being a parent is all about, but it has helped maximize my hunger to promote the need for God and the teachings of the Bible in the life of children.


In total I have over nine years of experience of working with children. My experience ranges from caring for children in public school classrooms, day cares, summer camps, being a personal sitter for families, after school programs, Sunday schools, vacation bible school as well as a Free Child Care Service organized at my previous church to, now being a parent. I am committed to spreading awareness of all of humanities need for God as well as providing resources that assist in fostering a Christ centered upbringing for the little ones of our future.


Here are a few honest recommendations that were recently written by two individuals that know me personally and professionally:


I hope what you read eases any possible skepticism you may have and allows you to return to this blog for further encouragement and resources.

(Names and dates have been removed from following photos.)

Philippians 3:8

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ


Here at Truly Arielle A (Kingdom Kids) we are committed to spreading awareness of all humanities need for God as well as assisting in the cultivation of a Christ centered upbringing for the little ones of our future.

My Testimony

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Where B R O O K L Y N @ …

Heeeyyy! It’s the place of my birth. I really believe that everyone born here has Brooklyn Pride and thinks that it is the best place on earth to come from. Hahaha! But that’s besides the point.

I mentioned Brooklyn because that’s where I was born and raised. I am 1 of 2 children for my mom, 1 of 4 for my dad and grew up in a single parent household. My mother had an office job where she would work long hours to care for my younger brother and I. My brother and I have always had and continue to have a close relationship. My mother whose name is Josee Nadine did her absolute best in raising the two of us and I could not of asked God for a better parent. Not having a two parent household definitely affected both my brother and I more than we knew or even chose to acknowledge. I was an A-B student, active in the arts and cheerleading. My working life began at the age of 15. I started drinking alcohol at 16 and partying at 17 (with my older cousins ID of course).

Being a young girl that didn’t have much growing up made me think about a paycheck as something very liberating. Today I can say that I truly had everything I needed but did not have all that I wanted. Once I started working I began blowing my paychecks on clothes, shoes, dinning out, alcohol and parties. That was my life from the age of 17-21. I worked, went to school and lived a night life from Thursday evening until Sunday morning. I lived this life every week and took no breaks. I had boyfriends throughout these years and I didn’t see myself without one. How I looked (hair, nails clothes etc.), my relationship status and friendships are what made me.

I grew up knowing of God, going to church occasionally and saying my prayers at night. My mother is a stickler for good manners and speaking proper English so those were things that she instilled in her children from a very young age. I was the type of person that if another person spoke ill of God, I would defend Him but I wasn’t someone that knew God well or even for myself.

During this time of my life ( ages 17-21) I lived life on my own terms. I was an extremely angry person and no one could tell me anything. The way I lived was normal for most families I knew, really all that was expected of me was for me to get good grades and I did that. I saw my life going down the wrong path. It started with little things like losing my virginity to my high school sweetheart to knowing someone after months of dating them. Having an occasional drink to drinking every single night (a bottle beside my bed became the norm). Asking my mom to go out to not caring if she even knew where I was. Stealing once ever in my life a candy (4th grade) to seriously considering making this something I did for money. Having morals and standards to not really having any at all. From going to parties to enjoy myself to going to parties to pick fights with other girls and feeling like I had to look over my shoulder everywhere I went. Being someone very passionate to being someone filled with anger and rage. I would flip out on anyone at the drop of a dime but was still a sweet person. I felt like I was headed to a place of no return and apparently God did too.

On August 15, 2011 I walked into the doors of what would become my home church for seven years. I know the date because it was my best friends birthday and the night before we stayed up really late planning her birthday beach party scheduled for the following day.

After this first visit I would continue to attend church on Sundays, many times right after coming from the club. A little over a year later I was baptized on October 27, 2012. Leading up to this time I remember entering the church and leaving a little lighter each time I left. It felt as though God would physically remove things (pain, anger, hurt, problems) from me each time I attended which were the events leading to my baptism. Before and after baptism, I volunteered, became a member, served as an usher, served within the children’s ministry and wherever else I could and years after became an employee.

I am writing these blogs to share more about my personal experience and relationship with God along the way, in hopes that someone may find my writings relatable and helpful for their today. Keep Reading …