What is in a name: My Confusion Made Clear

Beloved, grace and peace be with you, in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, awakening you through wisdom and revelation, that is through truly knowing Him intimately and personally beyond a shadow of a doubt, His immeasurable love for you. Amen. With that being said, I now invite you, into my HEART...

An Inspired Post: Just An F.Y.I.

My Little Brother Chasen Crooks

Beloved, just moments ago I was greatly blessed to receive a text from someone I had the privilege and honor to know and work alongside with.

This young man I met a few years ago was full of life, energy and may I add, “Swag.” He and I shared a fondness for sneakers, but he had a greater passion... Racing and fixing up cars. He may not be considered big in stature by any means, but I believe his GOD POTENTIAL surpasses all the mountains of this big blue earth.

Always displaying his Swag

His name is...

Where is God at?!

I have thought such a thought, and asked such a question. Where is God at?! We all have. Today’s post speaks just to that.

Thank You Pink Ladies

"In your words, I come to know you. 

In your words, the love of God is seen. 

In your words there's a transparency. 

In your words, your families know you as a blessing. 

In your words, this world will find healing and love... as in your words God is healing and they will know; He is Love. " – F. Lugo

Hello Pink Ladies Pink Ladies. I knew Sandy for a short time when I volunteered in the children's ministry in 2010 at then at then Flamingo Road Church (now Potential Church), and Sandy was one of the leaders there. I can certainly attest to Sandy being a Pink Mama! Her desk, and area was always pinked out. She wrote with a fuzzy pink pen, and she made it clear that pink was her fav color. Sandy was cool, and kind to me. I was sad to hear that she left, but as I have come to know, with God, we all have seasons and it's where God leads us that matters over where an emotion may want to keep us.

Today, I saw on my blog list that there was a new post from Sandy, so of course I had to read it, as Sandy's post are simple and filled with goodness. "A Tale of Two Shopping Trips," although I am not a parent was very hope-filled for me as I am a child to a mother.

I am known as someone who is very transparent and in my comment to encourage one of my fellow bloggers, sister in Christ and former leader, I shared with Sandy that her post was hope filled and I, being someone who hasn't really experience such open and effective future building conversations with my mom, I was glad to know they're mom's out there that invest such quality time into their children. Praise God for all of you.

And behold! I decide to further read other areas of Sandy's blog and come across the Pink Ladies section, and it's filled with amazing stories, from amazing moms that are eager to share that they are human, they make mistakes, yet God is faithful. You are all an inspiration to the many women out there who have strained relationships with their children but hope for change. With these following words, Pink Ladies... I honor and encourage you. 

From your many backgrounds, accomplishments and travels, I thank God I INVESTED my time today to read each of the above stories. Every post was amazing, and filled with God's love. From the verses in scripture I read that are dear to your hearts, to the topics and titles of your posts. I am so thankful to God that you are all blessed by Him, and continue to live your lives and support your families, that not only will they be blessed in return, but God is praised and glorified through it all. Amen.

God bless you- (Ansley Summerville), and thank you for your post "Choose Joy" where you share your struggle to God's triumph in blessing you with a child and the thrills of answered faith-filled prayer in wanting to become a parent. God is faithful. God's grace to you, your husband, and your newborn daughter (Adeleigh Raine Summerville).

God bless you- (Mercy Viana Schlapp), and thank you for your post "What verse did he learn?" Showing us that although life can get the best of us through the many obstacles of activities, the priority and greatest blessing is teaching children about the Lord in which will cultivate a love for the Lord. God's grace and peace be with you, your family and all your God-given endeavors.

God bless you- (Gina Fernandez), and thank you for sharing your post "Decisions, Decisions, Decisions" with us on the fears, doubts and joys of homeschooling children. I haven't thought too much of such a topic, but I'm not a parent also. Nevertheless, I thank you for your transparency and hope for those who are parents and are giving thought to such a direction in the education and truly the foundation of early life leading to future success. It's amazing how God worked all things out for your good, and it's even greater that He appointed you your position on the board, and now you have that greater sense of purpose in reaching out to others to be that "Lisa" in the lives of many couples to come. God's grace and peace be with you, your family and all your God-given endeavors.

God bless you- (Mandi O'Rourke), thank you for sharing your post "Hungry? Past the Preserves" with us. Your post was very insightful to me. Written very eloquently, and precise to the point. Great analogies with fruit preserves, mounted fish and how it pertains to God's love for us, and our lives in being a blessing to this world through God's grace. God's grace and peace be with you, your family and all your God-given endeavors.

God bless you- (Roslyn Rice), and thank you for sharing your post "Once Upon A Time..." with us. It's so true how easily fables, Hollywood, magazines, tv, and those to whom we surround ourselves with, can influence us to believing something that isn't realistic.

I'm reminded of a pastor who has a gentle soul with a loving heart yet fierce in her desire to share God's unconditional love with others, sharing these words in a leadership meeting: 'Surround yourselves with elevator friends.' Her name is Lilibeth, and what she meant by those words were to surround ourselves with those who would encourage us, protect us, hold us accountable and through it all elevate us past where we think we can go. Great advice, yet not easily done for many, but God is faithful.

Thank you for your transparency, and your prayer. It was so touching and it overwhelmed me to tears. I have such a hurt but our God is faithful and He is healing permanently those wounds. God's grace and peace to you, your family and all your God-given endeavors.

God bless you- (Melissa Mashburn), and thank you for sharing your post "Setting the TherMOMeter for the Home" with us. I found your post speaking directly to a situation I know. I know of a mother who is not a believer, and she has had a hard life. No matter what kindness someone shows to her, she is always upset, angry, cranky and filled with hate and discontent. It's a sight and sound that breaks my heart. Her household is very cold in the sense of lack of love, and also very hot in the sense of combativeness towards all others. She needs to know the love of God, and it's something I need to leave before the throne of God, as He knows I've tried what He can only accomplish.

The picture I paint is not a hopeful one, and I have shared my faith with her, honored her, encouraged her, invited her to church, bought her a study bible, asked for much prayer for her, and continue to pray for her myself, and it seems to no resolve, but God is faithful. Such negativity has infected her son and what the Lord is doing in his life, yet God is faithful. Sadly, this is a mother I know and as you already know, anyone who is close to us in any manner, we want them to know the Lord and His immense love for us. Please pray for her.

Melissa, I appreciate your willingness to be open about this time of struggle you had with setting a peaceful environment, but I thank God revelation of what was going on and how to gently, respectfully and peacefully correct it came to you. God is good. God's grace and peace be with you, your family and all your God-given endeavors.

My sister's you are all encouragement to me, although I am not a parent, but as a human being living in a tough world, your words ring out hope, joy, peace, love, faith, kindness, gentleness, patience and as Mandi shared, these are all Fruits of the Spirit, and you all display it in your lives, your commitments, your families and in your writing. Thank you all for your willingness to share.

God continue to expand your platform and territory, and give you courage to continue reaching out to those who can benefit from the calling and path God has you on as mothers, parents, sisters, ministry leaders, professionals and beautiful women who love the Lord. YOU ARE ALL LOVED.

Your brother in Christ,
Flavio.

A Thankful Post: Reading Is FUNdaMENTAL

Beloved, I wanted to share with you this very thought I had moments ago. As I was reading Joel Osteen’s Every Day A Friday, I was so unbelievably thankful to God that although many areas of my life are an ongoing process as I certainly don’t have it all together, I have the extreme pleasure of knowing how to read and knowing how to write.

Yup! For me, reading and writing are escapes to a world where there is peace, there is continual encouragement and there is a bridge that closes the gap from me to you, where we are the closest of friends and we are a loving family that I can share my thoughts, feelings, dreams, desires and fears with. I can let you know what makes me laugh and cry, and we don’t need to worry about any of us looking at each other with a critical and judgmental spirit, but with all the compassion, understanding and love we accept each other for who we are. Amen.

Reading to me is FUN and if we choose wisely and allow what we read to sink into everything we are, it will not only stimulate us MENTALLY, but a part of us will FOREVER change and the treasury of our HEART will have grown dramatically. Amen! Don’t you agree?

So as I return back to Chapter 19 “Seeing Through Eyes of Love” from Joel Osteen’s Every Day A Friday, I hope this thankful post will have in some way encouraged you as it was placed into my heart to reach out and LOVE YOU.

God’s blessings of peace, joy and love be with you, in Jesus name. Amen.