Blessed Magazine

No-Money Home Makeover Ideas

February/March, 2015

Why People Are Really Leaving The Church Slim Your Legs with These Simple Exercises Spiritual Diabetes: 3 Ways to Reconnect with Your Soul

M A G A Z I N E

Free E-book Downloads Throughout This Issue

You Are A Healer – And May Not Even Know It! Moving Away From Fear

7 Reasons You're Not Living The Life Of Your Dreams

„Single and Striving‟

Personal Testimonies Of Women Who Have Overcome US $16.99

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6 Ways Get Rid of Flabby Arms 8 S m a l l B a t h r o o m D e s i g n s Yo u S h o u l d C o p y

God's Promises JULIAN HINDSON As believers, we are spiritually wealthy because of the exceedingly great promises we have in Jesus, our Savior. There are some wonderful guarantees we have been given in Scripture ‗God is our refuge and our strength, an ever present help in trouble‘ - Psalms 46:1

“Thank you for pulling together these Bible verses which are the basis of our Christian faith. God of compassion, redemption, encouragement and hope fill these passages with promises of His love toward mankind and each of us personally. God through His word speaks to the need of his people today each of us personally what ever our situation. We need to share daily, with the strength of the Holy Spirit , these words of strength, hope, forgiveness with others and share his Love with those we meet what ever their need.” - Angela “Thank You This is So Beautiful!!!” - JM “This message is a blessing and very timely. We read God's promises to our disabled daughter every day. God bless you.” - Diane

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JANUARY / FEBRUARY Contents Why People Are Really Leaving the Church?

8 It is unavoidable.

People will leave your church, sometimes for valid reasons, sometimes, not

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You Are A Healer – And May Not Even Know It! Everyone is able to send love.

Therefore, everyone is a healer.

No-Money Home Makeover Ideas There‘s no reason to buy new stuff; you already have everything you need.

Slim Your Legs with These Simple Exercises

35 Photo Credit: Housedecorin.com

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In this article, discover 4 Leg Slimming Exercises that will tone your calves, thighs, hips and hamstrings

22 „Single and Striving‟ Personal Testimonies of Women Who Have Overcome

BLESSED MAGAZINE Ordinary People Living Extraordinary Lives Through the Love and Power of Jesus Christ Spiritual Diabetes: 3 Ways to Reconnect with Your Soul

Moving Away From Fear

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46

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All of us want to be happy but can we trust being happy when so much of life is serious 8 Small Bathroom Designs You Should Copy

Sometimes fear keeps us from enjoying what God has promised. We want so badly to have faith in what the Lord says.

7 Reasons You're Not Living The Life Of Your Dreams Life is short, and we‘re all in an endless pursuit of feeling ―happy.‖ If you‘re reading this, and you DON‘T feel happy, you may be unknowingly sabotaging yourself.

6 Ways Get Rid of Flabby Arms

49 Don‘t let your small bathroom limit your dreams or creativity.

There have been plenty of homeowners and designers who have done amazing transformations with spaces most Americans would consider a small bathroom.

Free E-book Downloads Throughout This Issue

42 Have you stopped wearing sleeveless tops just because you have heavy arms? Here are 6 ways to tone those arms

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In Every Issue Letter from the Editor 7 Meet the Contributors 64 Health Matters 58

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Recognizing the Signs of HIV

28 “In the early stages of HIV infection, the most common symptoms are none,�

BLESSED MAGAZINE

Letter From the Editor

Praise the Lord My Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

Happy New Year!!!

First giving all glory and honor unto the Lord Jesus Christ for without Him in my life, nothing I could ever do would amount to anything!

I am so excited to bring you another issue of Blessed Magazine filled with articles to spark your interest as well as provide insight for your walk with the Lord!

God is the center of our lives and with this ministry of producing Blessed Magazine, we encourage you to seek the Lord with your whole heart, mind and soul and allow Him to be your everything

As with every issue, I encourage you to read each article with an open mind, open heart and if at any time you have questions or need to contact the author, please reach out to us here I also want to thank our many subscribers and readers of Blessed Magazine as well as our contributors.

Again, please enjoy this issue of Blessed Magazine and if you are not a subscriber, subscribe today by visiting www.blessedmagazine.org Yours in Christ,

Laraine Turner Editor in Chief

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Why People Are Really Leaving The Church

By John Pavlovitz

Being on the other side of the Exodus sucks, donâ€&#x;t it?

I see the panic on your face, Church.

I know the internal terror as you see the statistics and hear the stories and scan the exit polls.

I see you desperately scrambling to do damage control for the fence-sitters, and manufacture passion from the shrinking faithful, and I want to help you.

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You may think you know why people are leaving you, but I‟m not sure you do.

You think it‘s because ―the culture‖ is so lost, so perverse, so beyond help that they are all walking away.

You believe that they‘ve turned a deaf ear to the voice of God; chasing money, and sex, and material things.

You think that the gays and the Muslims and the Atheists and the pop stars have so screwed-up the morality of the world, that everyone is abandoning faith in droves.

But those aren‟t the reasons people are leaving you.

They aren‘t the problem, Church.

You are the problem.

Let me elaborate in 5 ways…

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BLESSED MAGAZINE 1) Your Sunday Productions Have Worn Thin.

3) Your Vision Can‟t See Past Your Building.

The stage, and the lights, and the bands, and the video screens, have all just become white noise to those really seeking to encounter God. They‘re ear and eye candy for an hour, but they have so little relevance in people‘s daily lives, that more and more of them are taking a pass.

The coffee bar, the cushy couches, the high tech lights, the funky Children‘s wing and the supercool Teen Center are all top-notch… and costly.

In fact, most of your time, money, and energy seems to be about luring people to where you are, instead of reaching people where they already are.

Yeah the songs are cool and the show is great, but ultimately Sunday morning isn‘t really making a difference on Tuesday afternoon or Thursday evening, when people are wrestling with the awkward, messy, painful stuff in the trenches of life; the places where rock shows don‘t help.

We can be entertained anywhere. Until you can give us something more than a Christian-themed performance piece; something that allows us space and breath and conversation and relationship, many of us are going to sleep-in and stay away.

Rather than simply stepping out into the neighborhoods around you and partnering with the amazing things already happening, and the beautiful stuff God is already doing, you seem content to franchise out your particular brand of Jesus-stuff, and wait for the sinful world to beat down your door.

Your greatest mission field is just a few miles, (or a few feet) off your campus and you don‘t even realize it. You wanna reach the people you‘re missing?

2) You Speak In A Foreign Tongue.

Leave the building.

Church, you talk and talk and talk, but you do so using a dead language. You‘re holding on to dusty words that have no resonance in people‘s ears, not realizing that just saying those words louder isn‘t the answer. All the religious buzzwords that used to work 20 years ago, no longer do.

4) You Choose Lousy Battles.

We know you like to fight, Church. That‘s obvious.

This spiritualized insider-language may give you some comfort in an outside world that is changing, but that stuff‘s just lazy religious shorthand, and it keeps regular people at a distance. They need you to speak in a language that they can understand.

There‘s a message there worth sharing, but it‘s hard to hear above your verbal pyrotechnics.

When you want to, you can go to war with the best of them. The problem is, your battles are too darn small. Fast food protests, hobby store outrage, and duck-calling Reality TV show campaigns may manufacture some urgency and Twitter activity on the inside for the alreadyconvinced, but they‘re paper tigers to people out here with bloody boots on the ground.

People don‘t need to be dazzled with big, churchy words and about eschatological frameworks and theological systems. Talk to them plainly about love, and joy, and forgiveness, and death, and peace, and God, and they‘ll be all ears. Keep up the church-speak, and you‘ll be talking to an empty room soon.

Every day we see a world suffocated by poverty, and racism, and violence, and bigotry, and hunger; and in the face of that stuff, you get awfully, frighteningly quiet. We wish you were as courageous in those fights, because then we‘d feel like coming alongside you; then we‘d feel like going to war with you.

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BLESSED MAGAZINE Church, we need you to stop being warmongers with the trivial, and pacifists in the face of the terrible.

they‘re right or wrong, they‘re real to us, and that‘s the whole point.

We‘re the ones walking away.

5) Your Love Doesn‟t Look Like Love.

We want to matter to you.

Love seems to be a pretty big deal to you, but we‘re not getting that when the rubber meets the road. In fact, more and more, your brand of love seems incredibly selective and decidedly narrow; filtering out all the spiritual riff-raff, which sadly includes far too many of us.

We want you to hear us before you debate us.

Show us that your love and your God are real.

Church, give us a reason to stay.

It feels like a big bait-and-switch, sucker-deal; advertising a ―Come As You Are‖ party, but letting us know once we‘re in the door that we can‘t really come as we are. We see a Jesus in the Bible, who hung out with lowlifes and prostitutes and outcasts, and loved them right there, but that doesn‘t seem to be your cup of tea.

Church, can you love us if we don‘t check all the doctrinal boxes and don‘t have our theology all figured out?

It doesn‘t seem so.

Can you love us if we cuss and drink and get tattoos, and God forbid, vote Democrat? We‘re doubtful.

Can you love us if we‘re not sure how we define love, and marriage, and Heaven, and Hell? It sure doesn‘t feel that way.

From what we know about Jesus, we think he looks like love. The unfortunate thing is, you don‘t look much like him.

That‘s part of the reason people are leaving you, Church.

These words may get you really, really angry, and you may want to jump in a knee-jerk move to defend yourself or attack these positions line-byline, but we hope that you won‘t.

We hope that you‘ll just sit in stillness with these words for a while, because whether you believe

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Moving Awa Fear, Real Or Imagined Sometimes when I listen to my mind chatter, I am reminded of Chicken Little. One little acorn fell on his head and off he went to tell the king that the sky was falling. In most versions, his story does not end well. We‘re often driven by our worries and fears, and then we too are taken off our best path.

Fear comes from many places: fear of the unknown, fear of something new, fear of loss, or fear of failure. At times there may be wisdom in our fear, and we need to listen and act appropriately to keep ourselves safe and make our best decisions.

Most of the time, however, what we fear is in our imagination. The dictionary actually defines fear as anxiety that is caused by real or possible danger or pain. The key word here is possible. It is often our imagination that creates the worst possible stories of doom and gloom, most of which will never happen.

You Can Overcome It About fifteen years ago, I decided to be brave and try something new and challenging. Growing up I‘d always loved to sing but was so extremely shy that whenever I had solo parts, I would sing so quietly that I couldn‘t be heard. After many years away from singing, I decided to take a singing class at the local college. Every couple of weeks we were required to perform a song solo while our classmates listened and our teacher critiqued. What was I thinking? The stage fright crippled me just as it had when I was a child, but I wasn‘t going to quit.

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y From Fear Our final at the end of the semester was a recital. All the week before my mind negatively chattered away at me. I decided my only chance of survival was to shift my thinking. Instead of thinking that I was going to make a fool out of myself and that everyone would be laughing at me for weeks to come, I began saying to myself, ―It‘s only three minutes of your entire life. There will be another singer right after you, so the audience‘s attention will not remain on you. By dinner time they will not even remember your performance. Only three minutes, three minutes…‖ While not quite a positive affirmation, it was a beginning.

By Allyn Giddens

On the day of the recital as I stood in the hallway waiting to be called in to perform, I continued my positive self-talk and breathed deeply willing the tension to leave my body. It was my turn. The music began, I sang, and the three minutes

were over. I had survived. Miraculously the audience was applauding, and when I was brave enough to look out at their faces, I could see that they were smiling…not laughing. My fellow performers who had watched me struggle all semester were stunned! It had been my finest three minutes of singing. After the recital, my classmates did talk about me, but it was with sheer pleasure at seeing me be able to break away from the fear that had prevented me from doing my best. All it took was a shift in my thinking.

To Shift Your Thinking Sometimes what we fear cannot be avoided, or at least we know it would not be in our best interest to avoid it. A trip to the dentist, a job interview, a challenging task for school or work, a difficult talk with a family

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BLESSED MAGAZINE member or friend are all a part of life. In these situations we are often anxious, fearful, and uncomfortable, but we know we must move forward. Our choices are then to move forward with the full potency of fear as our partner or to shift our thinking away from the fear of the event, and thereby change our experience of the event. So take a deep breath and step away from the fear. Channel your thoughts in a positive direction and create a plan of action that can lead you forward.

Not all fear, however, is based in the reality of our circumstances. Often our worries and concerns are simply creations of our imagination about future events that may never even happen. In these instances you need to come away from the spiraling effects of your negative thinking and move towards a better use of your time. If an action plan will help, make one. Otherwise, take a walk, clean your house, read a book, call a friend, hug your dog, or pet your cat.

It‘s important to recognize that some disequilibrium and anxiety is natural when we are faced with new and challenging circumstances. These can be important times of growth and learning. Acknowledge the discomfort, find the value in it, but don‘t let the fear spiral out of control and away from the true reality of the moment. Remember that the words we think and speak create our reality. Either our words can hold us hostage, or they can set us free.

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Get the compelling book that sheds light on the lies, feelings and truths about being single as a Christian

―There is a peace in knowing that when I think I am alone, God reminds me He is always near‖ - Laraine Turner

“With God, you are capable of existing as a whole person without anyone else’s help” - Anonymous

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You Are A Healer – And May Not Even Know It! Written by Marla Steele

The Essence of Love Heals Remember when you were a child and fell down and scraped or bruised yourself? Your mom probably kissed it or cupped it with her hand and made it feel all better.

Well, there was really something to that gesture beyond getting you to stop crying. Her intention plus the vibrational frequency of love energy had a powerful healing influence on the body. That combination of love and intention is the very essence of Reiki and many alternative healing modalities.

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BLESSED MAGAZINE The one in need or resonating at a lower frequency will draw in energy from a higher vibrational source. In that moment, your mom was the source. Surrounded by her love, your cells were able to relax and feel peace. The heart chakra opened to receive a greater depth of her love and endorphins were released. You then experienced an all is well feeling, and that is where all healing truly begins.

Reiki draws on the pure unconditional love of the Universe like the ultimate Mother. This is the source of creation and vitality from which we all came. A Reiki practitioner goes through training to open her body to be able to carry a greater amount of this high vibrational energy frequency. However, just like your mother‘s love, anyone can do their own version of Reiki without being officially attuned.

Generate Your Own Healing Love Try it on yourself. First release any doubts or performance anxiety because this ability is a part of your cellular memory just waiting to be recalled. Know that you have already done this, and you cannot fail. Think of a happy memory that makes your heart swell. Allow that feeling to build and emanate from you. Then take a couple of deep, conscious breaths and imagine sending the love from your breath, hands and aura to an area in need. This could be a tight, painful spot in your physical body or to an emotional state that you wish to harmonize.

Within a few moments you should notice your body start to soften. At first there could be a few disconcerting sensations as you wake up this area bringing more light and love to a spot that was cut off. You may experience heat, tingles or gentle pulses as the energy is received and circulated in the body. Before you know it, you will likely be sinking more deeply into the surface that is supporting you while breathing more effortlessly. As your physical body unwinds and fills with the love, you might notice an immediate lessening of discomfort or receive insight that would help you further transform that pain or emotional imbalance. Positive ideas and inspiration will spring forth from the love.

Share the Healing Now try consciously sending this love experience out to a friend, animal or stressful situation. Use that bliss-filled memory and conscious breathing process to create an allencompassing love feeling to project to the desired receiver.

You might even imagine a specific color to visualize as a blanket of love wrapping around the recipient. Hold this focused feeling for as long as desired. You might be amazed at how time moves when you are in this altered state. Then notice what is new and different the next time you interact with your friend or experience that situation. It may not sound like much, but the healing power of a few moments of love can do wonders.

I practiced this recently, and within 24-48 hours I received some beautiful, spontaneous, heartfelt messages from the friends and clients I focused on. They just wanted to let me know how much I was loved and appreciated, and a complex situation which had plagued me was resolved like nothing ever happened.

Everyone is able to send love. Therefore, everyone is a healer. Who can you help heal today?

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BLESSED MAGAZINE

No-Money Home Makeover Ideas Article by Kendell Cronstrom and Nicole Sforza

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There‘s no reason to buy new stuff; you already have everything you need.

Turn a Quilt into a Headboard Got a plain-Jane bed? Give it character―and warm it up, too―by draping a quilt over the frame.

Cover Boxes with Wrapping Paper You can do better than those ho-hum bins from the officesupply store. Turn plain boxes (such as shoe or checkbook boxes) into pretty storage containers with excess wrapping paper, then label them with old gift tags. You can use them as gift boxes, too.

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BLESSED MAGAZINE

There‘s no reason to buy new stuff; you already have everything you need.

Hang Photos and Artwork on One Wall Your family pictures have more impact when they‘re grouped together. A word to the wise: Before you do any hanging, arrange the pieces on the floor to get a sense of how they‘ll look on the wall.

And never mind if the frames don‘t match.

Turn Salt and Pepper Shakers into Bud Vases Screw off the caps of spare salt and pepper shakers (or empty jam jars or perfume bottles) and use the receptacles to display flowers on a bedroom night table or a guest-bathroom sink.

You can also put potpourri inside.

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BLESSED MAGAZINE

There‘s no reason to buy new stuff; you already have everything you need.

Stick a Plant Inside a (Non-Working) Fireplace Brighten up that black hole with one of your indoor or outdoor plants. Choose a type that doesn‘t require a lot of sunlight, like a fern or the Song of India dracaena pictured here.

Dress Up a Dresser with Ribbons Don‘t let all those scraps you‘ve been saving from holidays and birthday parties go to waste. Transform a child‘s bedroom by tying colorful ribbons around the knobs on a chest of drawers―or the stem of a lamp or the legs of a table.

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BLESSED MAGAZINE

‗Single and Striving‘ Personal Testimonies of Women Who Have Overcome

Emlynn Jones As I ponder the story of my life, I would not change a thing that has happened in my life. God has used the circumstances of my life to His Glory, and made me the blessed and courageous woman I am today.

My story, however, is a familiar one. Like most women I longed to find that one true Knight in shining armor and be married forever. What I found underneath that armor was total deception and darkness. In my early 20‘s I was carefree and life was good. I was blessed to have a wonderful God-fearing family and we lived a very comfortable life. We never went without as our parents provided well for us.

One night while out with the girls I met a Latin man that was just so handsome and debonair. He asked me to dance and I felt giddy inside. I mean, I simply could not believe a man of this caliber asking me ―little old skinny Emlynn‖ to dance. I accepted his invitation and this began my journey. I fell in love pretty fast because this man was the ―cat‘s meow‖ in my eyes. He was learned in many things and taught me so much being 5 years my senior.. Things moved quickly for us and we went from dating to being married in the span of 3 months. I became pregnant early in our marriage, and soon found out this man was emotionally and physically abusive. You know they say hind sight is 20/20 because looking back, there were signs while we were dating but being the mesmerized young girl I was I overlooked all the signs.

Recalling a time in the hospital with our first child he was attempting to change her diaper with very little success. I crawled out of my hospital to help, but he viewed this as me taking over, and in a fit of anger slapped me right across my face. Talk about an awakening. I was shocked and in disbelief that this man could hit me after just having his child.. This was all over changing a diaper. Geez!! Nevertheless, I overlooked it and fell back into his charms and forgave him.

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BLESSED MAGAZINE back into his charms and forgave him. Strangely enough, this was something out of character for me because I have always been the type of person that had a word to say about everything. My nickname was ―Mouth‖ because I was the ―in your face‖ kind of girl. Having that type of personality definitely did not fly with my new husband. His abuse included him not wanting me to talk back to him, and not wanting me to spend time with family and friends. __________________________________________

I finally broke away from man when I saw he was creating the same type of fear in my daughter. __________________________________________ Over time his controlling ways really broke my spirit. I became like a zombie with my time being consumed with doing everything he said to avoid any negative consequences from him. This turmoil in my life continued off and on for 7 years. I would leave for a while, we would reconcile, I would leave again…and this pattern repeated. His abuse and infidelity caused me to spiral into a depression. All the while wanting to leave the marriage but not knowing how.

I finally broke away from man when I saw he was creating the same type of fear in my daughter. While helping her with her school work one day, I noticed terror in my child being caused by his stern and aggressive manner. That did it. I confronted him like never before because something rose up in me in protection of my child. I threatened to leave, but this time I planned how I would leave. With the help of a close friend I packed myself and my children, with $200 in my pocket. I realized I had to change my environment and heal from the years of abuse I allowed myself to endure.

God brought me through that difficult time in my life and I was blessed to rebuild my life. It did not come without heartaches though. We had to live with my parents, lived off of one income, and survive the best way we could. I had many ups and downs from financial and relationship troubles, emotional baggage and other disappointments, but I

have pressed on. Small and passing relationships did not work out because I was spending time looking for affirmation from a man.

In 2004, I was praying earnestly for a husband and my prayer was ―Lord, send me a husband that even if he is not totally fixed, as a long as you have a plan for his life I‘ll take him.‖ Shortly after that prayer, a man comes along and we seemed to hit it off well. He was in-between jobs, not much put together in the way of career, but he was good to me and my kids. Plus, he was a new Christian and I could work with him to help him grow in the Lord. I thought I hit the jackpot in the relationship department, and short order I married him.

As time went I noticed my new husband started acting strangely. He was staying out late and not accounting for his time, and I came to find out this man was living a double life. Something told me he was being unfaithful to me, and after a bit of investigating, my suspicions had been proved. This crushed me because I thought I had found this Godly man. I of course forgave him and we moved on. But, once again, the pattern of infidelity continued numerous times and eventually I could not allow my children and I to be subjected to such pain and disrespect. He left the home, and I learned a valuable lesson about praying selfish and misguided prayers causing such pain to my children losing another father.

After this I ran to God like never before and I have not left Him since. I cannot say I have been perfect in my walk with Him, but God saw me through each and every trial I endured. Today I thank Him for His loving, gracious Spirit as He has covered me and my children. Because of what I have learned in both relationships I pay it forward and tell other women going through the same things I endured is that God is your perfect Husband. He will never leave nor forsake you.

I have since started my own business and will be enrolling in school soon to become a Counselor to help other women. When God has a purpose and plan for your life it may not come easy. We have to go through a season of pruning so that we may produce more fruit, and in the end God receives the Glory. My motto to other women: If He can do it for me…He can definitely do it for you. Choose Him today!!!

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‗Single and Striving‘ Personal Testimonies of Women Who Have Overcome

Marisa Mcclinton My story starts at the tender age of 18 when I was pregnant with my first child. I grew up in the church, but the roots fell on thorny ground and I strayed. From 18 until about 26 years old, I led a life of promiscuity, struggle, depression, suicidal tendencies, homelessness, abuse, drugs, alcohol, stripping and clubbing, and self-hatred. Since the Lord had a purpose for me, his call was always there but my ears where less than receptive.

At 26 years old, I got pregnant with my second child, out of wedlock of course; still a high school dropout, still homeless and still fighting the call of the Lord. When I found out I was pregnant, I was in the midst of an abusive relationship with a controlling racist. The abuse was subtle, but the control was evident. I found the strength and money to leave his house after 3 months of being together. I ended up making my way from Massachusetts

back to New York by bus and moving into my aunt‘s house. There I discovered I was pregnant and ended up leaving her house because of the condition of her living situation. In the midst of this confusing time, I reached the end of my rope, I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I had horrible morning sickness and for the first 4 months of my pregnancy didn‘t eat anything but crackers.

It was this point that I heard God louder than ever. I was unctioned to call my cousin who was the Bishop of the family church that I grew up in. That part of my testimony starts here ―I got saved one night while sitting on the floor in a bathroom throwing up for the fourth hour straight, three months pregnant with my second child. No home, no money, and an emotionally and verbally abusive ex-boyfriend calling and harassing me every chance he got. I made the choice to leave but regretted ever meeting him in the first place. I hadn‘t eaten, couldn‘t drink,

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BLESSED MAGAZINE couldn‘t drink, and wasn‘t strong enough to kill myself but I knew the pain and the exhaustion had to end. The only thing I could hear was ―call Bishop‖. The woman I haven‘t spoken to in years and wasn‘t sure if she would even remember who I was or even care. I battled with it for a few minutes and then after throwing up for the last time, I pulled my head out of the toilet and called.

I, to this day, can‘t remember what we talked about or how I got to the Lord‘s Prayer but the last thing I heard was ―your saved baby‖. It felt like a blanket was thrown over my body. I was throwing up every hour of every day for two months and it was in that exact moment that I hung up the phone that I finally felt peace in the pit of my stomach.

The tears didn‘t stop flowing, but the vomit sure did. For the first time in a few years I actually felt a bit of peace and serenity. I don‘t remember at what point I picked up that bible but there came appoint where I was so indulged in the message that no matter how many texts I received, no matter many names I was called, no matter how much money I needed, I felt in my heart that I was going to be okay.

________________________________________

A lifetime of mistakes and pain has led me down a road of repentance, deliverance, and yearning for healing.

dedicate myself and my unborn to the Lord along with the promise of making up for lost time with my eldest child. I couldn‘t see it then, but I look back on the series of events now and see how the kingdom set up my pain and tears for the ultimate good that I am seeing today.

I have no regrets because I look back and see how I would not be where I am today without those mistakes, tears, hurts, and bad choices. This story begins on the night I got saved, but my anointed set up was prevalent far before I even knew that I was being called for service.

A lifetime of mistakes and pain has led me down a road of repentance, deliverance, and yearning for healing. As I sit here on this second day of May, I examine my walk and I see how Gods hand was steadying me for this exact moment. I have been writing my entire life; in fact I have a suitcase full of marble notebooks and journals that have 30 years‘ worth of tears, happiness, smiles, questions, wonderment, betrayals, and threats. My entire life fits into one single suitcase etched in black and white ink.

The interesting part is that I dare not to go back to those words because it‘s in those closets that I locked away my greatest pains, my best memories, my biggest embarrassments, and my tallest mistakes. It‘s not out of shamefulness but more out of closure and forward seeing. So back at the point of being in the shelter, I stood the test of time and then discovered the joy of Gods mercy.

________________________________________ What it didn‘t seem like then, I can look back on it now and say that it was but a breath. Still homeless and uncertain, God placed me in a pregnancy shelter where the beginning of my life will be found. I spent the remainder of my pregnancy in this shelter, where I spent many nights learning what prayer was and discovering that that I was, was more than the mistakes I have made. The entire experience taught me that despite how many times I gave up on myself, God was there and loved me enough to give me one more chance at life, in the spiritual sense. I began to return to church and see the miracles that the kingdom designated from the altar. I began to

In the cusp of the shelter closing, the Lord placed me and my child in the midst of favor for the first time.

From there I knew that not only was God in control of my life, but I was surrendered to his will. Over the next four years, I cannot confess that every day was peaches and sunshine. I battled many demons from within, demons sent toward my side, and demons I let right into my own house. I fought in the middle of the night with legions of spirits, gaggles of forces, and handfuls of influences. I fought spirits that dwelled within my household even before I arrived and I fought demons that I carried through my childhood that refused to let me go. I faced a period that I was required to learn how to fight on my own.

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BLESSED MAGAZINE I faced a desolate time where nobody could help, nobody understood, and nobody could know. In my sleep the Lord prepared me to battle; he girded me in truth and honor, he robed me in strength and fire. The Lord set my soul ablaze and then sent me forth. One night I knew that it was time to rise up. The door to hell opened and released every force that the devil had assigned to me and my path; this was it, either I was going to make it or break it. It was then that I saw myself the way that I was created. It was then that I saw through the eyes of the Lord and through the mind of the devil. It was then at 3 a.m. that was alone in complete chaos to fight against the forces of evil.

I fought a fight that some Bishops won‘t even see in twenty five years of service. I fought a fight that at only 2 years of sanctification that many Apostles have only heard about on YouTube.

It was up to me, this was it, this was the moment that I was told that I had a calling so loud on my head that the entire kingdom of hell was angry at me. God called me for such a time as this; I was Esther in the flesh and I was only a ―baby Christian‖. I fought, and fought and fought until the sun rose. I was covered in oil and the pages of my Bible singed with the fury of hells wrath. I stood my ground and fought against forces that have never encountered a soul like mine. I had no idea what I was doing nor did I have any idea who I was. To this day, I can still smell the death of the pit in my nose, I can still feel the fire upon my face, and I can still hear the battle cries of the prayers of the Arch angels of mercy. Posted at my door, was the assigned guardsman of my father, by my side was the son of man; I wasn‘t expected to do anything else but to work the power that was intertwined into my DNA since the day I was conceived.

No fear came over me and no harm ever came to me. From that night, I never felt the ordinary girl that I had experienced for the first half of my life.

From that day I was no longer a mistake to the world, but a warrior of the kingdom. The devil had it out for me ever since that night but today I have grown into a woman of prayer, a woman of

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strength, and a force to be reckoned with.

I have endured the pangs of suicide and have grown a heart to discern and travail the pain of the world. I‘ve wrestled in the middle of the night with spiritual birthing pains for the delivering of the manifestation of the Lords mighty prophecy. I‘ve heard the voice of the devil tell me to end my life; I have felt his breath on my ears as he placed the bottle of pills in my hand. I have seen his face as he poured the bags of cocaine up my nose, I have felt his hand on my throat as he poured the alcohol down my kidneys, and I have looked into his eyes as he beat the life out of me with the hands of many ex- boyfriends. I saw the devil face to face one night as I travailed in the spirit over my own soul, as the organized church didn‘t have the answers and nobody understood the voices that I was hearing was the voice of God instructing me towards the final fight of the seven churches I was given a new chance at life in 2014. The word on New Year‘s Eve came that the coming year was to be a year of opened doors and atmospheric shifts. In January I began to participate with a ministry that turned out to prove that God is over our every step.

After being away from my family church for over a year, I was directed towards a ministry that embraced me and introduced me to God in a way that I have never known him before. The woman that I now call my God mother, was there that first day to deliver a message from God that changed my entire life and ushered me into a journey that would shift my entire purpose. In a short time I began to discover the power that God had birthed within at the day of my birth. I began to hear things and see things from the spirit realm that I only heard ministers talk about. I began to experience things that I only heard televangelists preach about. I began to know God as more than the man that worshipped on Sunday mornings, but the love of my life that I could rely on and trust with every fiber of my being. The healer that soothed my wounds and the father that corrected years‘ worth of selfdestructive behavior. It was here that I truly found God and I allowed him into my heart.

From a mistake, to a girl, to a woman of God who has fallen short, who has cussed in the spirit, who has threatened God to take my life, who has come close to

BLESSED MAGAZINE selling my soul to the devil, who has stood on the mid-Hudson bridge ready to jump to my watery death. It was then that I became the suicidal Christian; like Elijah I was lonely and depressed in the middle of my purpose. The woman who was given mighty revelation about the end times like the Apostle John, the woman who has fought the mighty warriors of hell with only the word of the king and a hand of mercy on my head. The woman of prayer who would pray for the man who beat her up and then raped her while stealing money out her purse when the rent was late. I was the woman that the kingdom made from the hurt of a lonely child hood and the fear of many abandoned relationships. I was that woman that God kept telling to keep going when she only wanted to quit. The woman who could take over thirty pills in one sitting and wake up the next day like I was just pulled from the womb. ________________________________________

On this journey it took trust, consecration, and deep fervent prayer ________________________________________ That woman, who saw her husband in her dreams and held her newborn son in her arms, the sun rose and the moon slept on my insanity. I was battered, beaten, raped, left behind, and hindered by my own fear. My insecurity ran me directly into the storm of fornication and grief. My depression walked me to the altar of unplanned pregnancy and procrastination. What took some folks a lifetime to realize, I discovered in one night with the devil. I sit here today and ask God what it means to be a woman of God, and all I hear is ―look in the mirror‖.

I hear about the church and how we behave and I mourn. I look at the members and wonder how we can pretend like God doesn‘t see us with our miniskirts and high school lunchroom cliques. I hear the prayers of the righteous, although they are few, and beg God to separate us by our birth right and not by our clothing or our false

declaration. I sit here today and type this ―testimony‖ and wonder how far these words will go. The last time I let the Holy Spirit type using my fingers, I told the world about how many pills I ingested the day before.

Today I stand as a woman of many faces, many hats, and many reaches. Today I am a woman who just wants to be a wife, a son‘s mother, and Gods best earthly example. On this journey it took trust, consecration, and deep fervent prayer. Often times I wept in the parking lot of my job, many times I wanted to walk away and never look back; but my spirit never laid itself down. I had to trust God with everything that I had. It took me a few times and a few lonely nights; but I knew that I had to do it. I knew that I had to push forward and push towards the freedom that God wanted for me. It took trust for me to write my first book and submit it to the writing contest that won me a full publishing package. It took trust, the unmerited and unobvious trust in order for me to walk away from the man that wanted to marry me. It took trust and faith for me to get to the woman that I am today.

I don‘t want a card in my wallet letting me into the coolest church functions and backstage at the biggest concerts, I don‘t want a collar that lets me stand on a soap box and tell others how wrong they are, I don‘t want to carry just the book of God but I want to live that book; I want to be the woman at the well, the woman who‘s blood was dried up by just on touch. I want to be the woman who was sent to the king to risk her life for her people. I want to be the woman who led her mother in law back to her people. I want to a woman in the lion‘s den without a scratch, I want to be a woman in the fire without a burn, and a woman on the arc that everyone thought was crazy. Look how far God has brought me, look how long this road has been and this only talk about the past five years (give or take a few months). Look at God on my face when you see me, listen to God in my voice when I speak because this is a woman who was not meant to be breath today, a woman who was not meant to type or to think in her right mind‖ Currently, I see myself the way that God sees me. I started my story with being a high school dropout, but GOD! I am currently a college graduate in the midst of Continued on page 33

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Within a month or two of HIV entering the body, 40% to 90% of people experience flulike symptoms known as acute retroviral syndrome (ARS).

But sometimes HIV symptoms don‘t appear for years, sometimes even a decade, after infection.

“In the early stages of HIV infection, the most common symptoms are none,” says Michael Horberg, MD, director of HIV/AIDS for Kaiser Permanente, in Oakland, Calif. One in five people in the United States with HIV doesn‘t know they have it, which is why it‘s so important to get tested, especially if you have unprotected sex with more than one partner or use intravenous drugs.

Here are some signs that you may be HIV-positive.

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Recognizing the Signs of HIV ―It could never happen to me because I can look at a woman and tell if she‘s infected‖

I know I don‘t have the virus. I only sleep with people I know‖

―Most people who have it will have sores on their lips‖ Fever One of the first signs of ARS can be a mild fever, up to about 102 degrees F. The fever, if it occurs at all, is often accompanied by other usually mild symptoms, such as fatigue, swollen lymph glands, and a sore throat.

“At this point the virus is moving into the blood stream and starting to replicate in large numbers,” says Carlos Malvestutto, MD, instructor of infectious diseases and immunology in the department of medicine at NYU School of Medicine in New York City. “As that happens, there is an inflammatory reaction by the immune system.”

Continued on page 50

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Fatigue The inflammatory response generated by your besieged immune system also can cause you to feel tired and lethargic. Fatigue can be both an early and later sign of HIV. Ron, 54, a public relations executive in the Midwest, started to worry about his health when he suddenly got winded just walking. ―Everything I did, I got out of breath,‖ he says. ―Before that I had been walking three miles a day.‖ Ron had tested HIV positive 25 years before feeling so tired; fatigue during acute, or newly contracted, HIV might not be so obvious.

Achy Muscles & Joint Pain ARS is often mistaken for the flu, mononucleosis, or another viral infection, even syphilis or hepatitis. That‘s not surprising: Many of the symptoms are the same, including pain in the joints and muscles and swollen lymph glands. Lymph nodes are part of your body‘s immune system and tend to get inflamed when there‘s an infection. Many of them are located in your armpit, groin, and neck.

Sore Throat & Headache As with other symptoms, sore throat and headache can often be recognized as ARS only in context, Dr. Horberg says. If you‘ve engaged recently in high-risk behavior, an HIV test is a good idea. Get tested for your own sake and for others: HIV is most infectious in the earliest stage. Keep in mind that the body hasn‘t produced antibodies to HIV yet so an antibody test may not pick it up. (It can take a few weeks to a few months for HIV antibodies to show in a blood test). Investigate other test options such as one that detects viral RNA, typically within nine days of infection.

Skin Rashes

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Skin rashes can occur early or late in the course of HIV/AIDS. For Ron, this was another sign that he might not have run-of-the-mill allergies or a cold. ‖They were like boils, with some itchy pink areas on my arms,‖ Ron says. The rashes can also appear on the trunk of the body. ―If [the rashes] aren‘t easily explained or easily treated, you should think about having an HIV test,‖ Dr. Horberg says.

Nausea, Vomiting & Diarrhea Anywhere from 30% to 60% of people have short-term nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea in the early stages of HIV, Dr. Malvestutto says. These symptoms can also appear as a result of antiretroviral therapy and later in the infection, usually as the result of an opportunistic infection. ‖Diarrhea that is unremitting and not responding at all to usual therapy might be an indication,‖ Dr. Horberg says. Or symptoms may be caused by an organism not usually seen in people with healthy immune systems, he adds.

Weight Loss Once called ―AIDS wasting,‖ weight loss is a sign of more advanced illness and could be due in part to severe diarrhea. ‖If you‘re already losing weight, that means the immune system is usually fairly depleted,‖ Dr. Malvestutto says. ―This is the patient who has lost a lot of weight even if they continue to eat as much as possible. This is late presentation. We still see a lot of these.‖ It has become less common, however, thanks to antiretroviral therapy.

A person is considered to have wasting syndrome if they lose 10% or more of their body weight and have had diarrhea or weakness and fever for more than 30 days, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

BLESSED MAGAZINE Dry Cough Have a bad cough that Benadryl, antibiotics, and inhalers don‘t seem to fix? This symptom—an ―insidious cough that could be going on for weeks that doesn‘t seem to resolve,‖ Dr. Malvestutto says—is typical in very ill HIV patients.

Night Sweats About half of people get night sweats during the early stages of HIV infection, Dr. Malvestutto says. These can be even more common later in infection and aren‘t related to exercise or the temperature of the room. Similar to the hot flashes that menopausal women suffer, they‘re also hard to dismiss, given that they soak your bedclothes and sheets.

Nail Changes Another sign of late HIV infection are nail changes, such as clubbing (thickening and curving of the nails), splitting of the nails, or discoloration (black or brown lines going either vertically or horizontally). Often this is due to a fungal infection, such as candida. ―Patients with depleted immune systems will be more susceptible to fungal infections,‖ Dr. Malvestutto says.

Yeast Infections Another fungal infection that‘s common in later stages is thrush, a mouth infection caused by Candida, a type of yeast. ‖It‘s a very common fungus and the one that causes yeast infections in women,‖ Dr. Malvestutto says. ―They tend to appear in the mouth or esophagus, making it difficult to swallow.‖ Ron woke up one day to find white patches on his tongue. He had thrush.

For him, ―It was not bothersome other than I didn‘t like having it.‖ The infection was hard to get rid of, but finally cleared up after Ron started taking drugs to combat HIV.

Confusion or Difficulty Concentrating Cognitive problems could be a sign of HIVrelated dementia, which usually occurs late in the course of the disease. In addition to confusion and difficulty concentrating, AIDS-related dementia might also involve memory problems and behavioral issues such as anger or irritability. It may even include motor changes: becoming clumsy, lack of coordination, and problems with tasks requiring fine motor skills such as writing by hand.

Cold Sores or Genital Herpes Cold sores (oral herpes) and genital herpes can be a sign of both ARS and late-stage HIV infection. Having herpes can also be a risk factor for contracting HIV. This is because genital herpes can cause ulcers that make it easier for HIV to enter the body during sex. And people who have HIV tend to have more severe herpes outbreaks more often because HIV weakens the immune system.

Tingling & Weakness Late HIV can also cause numbness and tingling in the hands and feet. This is called peripheral neuropathy, which also occurs in people with uncontrolled diabetes. ‖This is when the nerves are actually damaged,‖ Dr. Malvestutto says.

These symptoms can be treated with over-thecounter pain relievers and antiseizure medicines such as Neurontin (gabapentin).

Menstrual Irregularities Advanced HIV disease appears to increase the risk of having menstrual irregularities, such as fewer and lighter periods. These changes, however, probably have more to do with the weight loss and poor health of women with late-

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BLESSED MAGAZINE stage infection rather than the infection itself.

Infection with HIV also has been associated with earlier age of menopause (47 to 48 years for infected women compared to 49 to 51 years for uninfected women).

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BLESSED MAGAZINE getting a master‘s degree, my two beautiful children are striving in school; one is in the junior honor society and the other is living her dream of becoming a dancer with both of them saved and following the Lord. I no longer view myself as being a desperate single woman, but a wife of the Lord being prepared for the son that the kingdom has made me from. I have learned to love myself, appreciate myself, and honor myself through the Lord Jesus Christ. As a single mother, I have learned to love myself so that I can love my children the way God intended. I structured my household, not on the way I wish mine did when I was a child; but on the way the Lord has structured the household of the proverbs 31 woman. I have learned to put God first and seek him for my light in times of darkness. I am single and expecting, but I pray for the covering of my husband daily. I am a re-dedicated mother and author that shares the transparency the Lord has granted me.

Don‘t get me wrong, there have been many times in which I wanted to walk away, quit, or end my life; but God is faithful to answering his children‘s call. And it‘s only through him that I can stand here and share this testimony today because what the devil meant for my bad, the Lord has made for my good. I encourage anyone who reads this testimony to seek God with all that you have.

Being a single parent, single woman, and single Christian is not easy; but the Lord has promised us that it IS worth it.

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God's Promises JULIAN HINDSON As believers, we are spiritually wealthy because of the exceedingly great promises we have in Jesus, our Savior. There are some wonderful guarantees we have been given in Scripture ‗God is our refuge and our strength, an ever present help in trouble‘ - Psalms 46:1

“Thank you for pulling together these Bible verses which are the basis of our Christian faith. God of compassion, redemption, encouragement and hope fill these passages with promises of His love toward mankind and each of us personally. God through His word speaks to the need of his people today each of us personally what ever our situation. We need to share daily, with the strength of the Holy Spirit , these words of strength, hope, forgiveness with others and share his Love with those we meet what ever their need.” - Angela “Thank You This is So Beautiful!!!” - JM “This message is a blessing and very timely. We read God's promises to our disabled daughter every day. God bless you.” - Diane

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Slim Your Legs with These Simple Exercises Everyone wants great legs! However, toning legs with leg exercises is often overlooked by even fit women. Most women forget the thighs, hips and calves need special attention and would rather focus on the arms and ab areas of the body. However, unless you want leg flab to keep you away from the pool this summer, it‘s important to learn how to tone your legs with a great leg exercises workout. To get strong legs, you will likely want to do several strengthening leg exercises, which can easily be attained during yoga or Pilates classes at your local gym. Getting a great cardio workout in is the easiest and most effective way to burn fat. However, if you want sexy legs you may need to put in a little training with free weights or these easy moves. They can give you cellulite reduction and hot legs for warm weather styles! Believe it or not, there are also exercises you can do at home for toning leg muscles.

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#1: Squeeze Those Quads!

Sit on your bedroom floor with your back straight. Put your hands on the floor at your sides. Extend your right leg out in front of you and bend your left leg at the knee (placing your left foot flat against the floor). While exhaling, tighten you quadriceps (top of the thigh) and press the back of the leg onto the floor. Hold this for 10 seconds, then relax.

Repeat with the other leg. Work on this until you can do 10 reps on each leg. This will tone your quadriceps and leave you with firmer thighs, inner and outer.

#2: Sculpt Those Thighs!

If you want to work on your thigh areas, this is the fitness move for you. Sit on the floor with your back straight, putting your hands at your sides once more. Extend your right leg in front of you and bend your left knee (putting the left foot flat on the floor).

Exhale and flex the right foot while tightening your right quadriceps. Raise your straightened leg off of the ground (about 4-6 inches). Hold the leg in the air for about 10 seconds and then lower it. Repeat with the opposite leg and work on this move until you can do 10 reps per leg.

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#3: Kick Out Those Hamstring Muscles!

To work on your hamstrings, giving you an overall slimming look, try this move. Sit in a chair, spine straight and your feet on the floor.

Grip the sides of your chair, near the hip area.

Exhale and straighten your right leg, flexing your foot at the same time. Raise the foot until the leg is parallel to the floor. Keep the leg in this position for 10 seconds and then lower.

Repeat with the opposite leg. Work on this move until you can do 15 per leg, without problems. Another way to work hamstrings in this manner is to do a simple squat movement, which is often easier for beginners.

#4: Tone the ―Butt Bridge‖!

This move is meant to work the buttocks (glutes) and is often called the butt bridge. No, you don‘t need to join Curves or use Nautilus to get a great rear end. You can do it at home! Just sit on the edge of a chair and rest your hands on the chair (near the hips). Put your feet on the floor and bed your knees. Exhale and lift your hips, using your hands and feet for support. Imagine someone pulling your hips toward the ceiling in this move.

Arch your back until you can make the shape of a bridge. Hold the position for 20 seconds and release slowly until you are sitting as you began the move. Work on this until you can hold the bridge position for up to 60 seconds.

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BLESSED MAGAZINE

BY RACHEL ROFÉ

7 Reasons You're Not Living The Life Of Your Dreams

Life is short, and we‘re all in an endless pursuit of feeling ―happy.‖ If you‘re reading this, and you DON‘T feel happy, you may be unknowingly sabotaging yourself.

Here are some reasons why you currently may NOT be living a life you feel incredible about — and how you can fix them.

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BLESSED MAGAZINE You Haven‟t Made Clear Goals On Where You Want To Be. A lot of people say they don‘t like something about where they are, but they don‘t say what they DO want instead.

Instead of ―I hate my job,‖ try making a goal to be in the job of your dreams 12 months from now.

Instead of "I'm swimming in debt," try, ―I‘m going to find a way to pay off $1,000 of my debt 90 days from now,‖ then brainstorm how you can do it.

If you feel fat, make a goal to lose weight.

Make it a goal to actively change whatever you don‘t like!

If You Do Have A Goal, You‟re Not Taking Focused Action On It. You may have heard the popular quote, ―A goal without a plan is just a wish.‖ Making a goal is Step 1. Next, find a way to make your goal happen.

If, say, you do want to be in your dream job by 12 months from now, create a plan to get there. Plan on making ―x‖ amount of connections in your industry, submitting ―x‖ amount of resumes, or working on a side project that will help you get more noticed.

If you want to lose weight, stick to one eating and exercise plan and commit to it.

You‟re Surrounding Yourself With The Wrong People.

If the people around you are negative, don‘t believe in your dreams, or always behave like victims, their thought patterns are going to seep into your subconscious.

It‘s hard to be positive when everyone around you is miserable.

Your best bet is to set yourself up for success by being around people who can take you higher. Join Facebook groups, forums, meetups, or anywhere where positive people congregate. If you want a better life, you need to be in the mindset that you‘re able to create one.

You‟re Upper Limiting.

When things start to get too good, and we reach a level of success we haven‘t been able to before, a lot of us unknowingly start to sabotage it.

There are a lot of new sensations to handle, and we don‘t know how life will change because of them.

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BLESSED MAGAZINE If things are starting to get really good in your life and you‘re suddenly picking fights or getting sick, realize what might be happening.

You‟re Waiting For The Perfect Conditions.

Many people say they‘ll be happier when something else happens. They‘ll date when they lose weight.

They‘ll calm down once they get the promotion. They‘ll be happier when their health improves.

Instead of waiting for things to happen, try being happy where you are right now. You can still actively try to change things AND appreciate what you have now.

Gratitude blessings.

is the fastest path to multiplying your

You‟re Being Lazy.

The fact is, it‘s easier to complain than to try and improve things.

It‘s a lot easier to let life happen to you, instead of actively trying to do the work to make things better.

If you want to live a life you feel better about, you have to take the time to create goals, surround yourself with positive things, and do whatever it takes for you to feel on track.

You Look For What‟s Wrong In Your Life.

Two people can look at one situation and see completely different things. One person might go into a hotel room and notice a hole in the rug. Another person might be thankful for the roof over their heads.

You‘re going to keep finding evidence of whatever you declare is true — so you can either keep finding things to be good, or bad. It‘s always your choice.

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BLESSED MAGAZINE

By Bipasha Mukherjee

Flabby or big arms can really put you down! They are hard to carry in a slim fit dress and going sleeveless is a huge embarrassment. Both girls and guys have the same problems with their arms. Girls want toned and slim arms, where as guys want huge muscles. No one likes saggy arms as they make your arms look bigger than they actually are. It is never too late to begin your arm workout. It does not just reduce the fat around the area, but it also gives you toned arms. You will start feeling confident about yourself. Many people have fat accumulated only in this region. The whole body is normal, but your arms maybe on the heavier side.

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BLESSED MAGAZINE Just follow these simple exercises and you will be happy you did so. There is no need to become a member of a well known gym. You can perform these exercises in your house itself, using the things available. With these arm toning exercises you can make your flabby arms – fabulous arms in just 2 months. But you need to be determined enough to do so.

Lose Arm Fat

kilo. Avoid using something breakable or valuable. It may fall down and break, so be very careful with your choice.

Hold that item with both your hands and lift it over your head. Your arms should be straight, as this is your starting position. Now lower the weight, by taking it behind your back. You need to reach it as low as you can. Make sure that you don‘t hurt yourself. Bring up the weight above your head, again. The slower you move your arms, the more toned your arms will get. It is important to keep your upper arms close to your head and ears. Also try to practice this exercise in front of the mirror if you can, it will help you improve the style. You need to do 3 sets of 20 reps, which means you will move the item 60 items above your head. After every set you can take a rest of one minute. Increasing the weight or time after every week will help you to tone your muscles, effectively.

Chair Dips: The back parts of the arms are called triceps and these are the most affected areas on the arms. They are fat guzzlers, they can get really annoying. You need only a table or chair to tone these. You don‘t need to buy extra pairs of clothes for exercising.

You can do these in your comfort, at your home. So do try these simple exercises to shed the fat in your arms.

Weight Lifting: For this exercise, you need to select an item from your home to use as a weight. You can use a 2 liter cold drink bottle or a water bottle for this exercise. If you have a pair of dumbbells at home it works out just fine. The aim is to reach out for something which weighs around one

For this exercise, you need to choose a bed or chair, which is a little higher to the ground. Anything that will be stable on the ground is a good choice. A soft cushion sofa may not be the best idea; it will make the toning exercise harder to perform.

The furniture should be at least 2 feet higher than the ground. You should have 3 feet of free space in front

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of the item, to perform this exercise with ease.

Face away from the furniture and place your hands on it. Your arms should be shoulder width apart. Move three to four steps away from the furniture; keep your upper body straight. This is your starting position. Bend your knees to match the furniture. Bend your elbows and move your whole body to the ground, the aim is to touch the floor. Come back into your normal position. You need to do 3 sets of 20 reps, everyday.

Push ups:

Counter Push ups:

The normal kind of push ups will help you to strengthen your muscles. It may be a little difficult at first, to gain balance. It is better to practice push ups by balancing on your hands and knees (not hands and toes). First start of with knee push ups and then you can go in for the normal ones. This exercise will strengthen your muscles and tone them to the maximum.

Do 3 sets of 10 reps every day, to get the best results. This is a very effective muscle building exercise, do try it out.

In this exercise you can use a table or kitchen counter, as the focus of this exercise is on stability. You need to face the counter with your arms on the edge of it and your feet touching the base of the counter. Move back from the counter until you feel your body leaning forward on tip toes. You need to be balanced on your feet and your back should be straight. This is your starting position. Bend your elbows and come down till you touch the counter. Now straighten your elbows and come back to your starting position. This is a complete rep and you need to do 3 sets of 20 reps, everyday. This will tone your arms within few weeks.

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Scissors:

BLESSED MAGAZINE This exercise can be really fun to perform and will help you lose arm fat extremely fast. This exercise as mentioned in the name resembles a scissors being opened and closed. You need to begin by standing straight and lifting your arms to shoulder height, in front of you. Stretch your arms to side and bring them back to your front, the right hand should over lap the left. This resembles an open scissors. You need to stretch them to the side again and bring them back to the front. This time your left arm should over lap your right. This is a complete rep and this exercise needs to be done in 3 sets of 10 reps every day.

These are the best arm toning exercises you can try out at home. They are really effective and need to be practiced in a daily basis. You can to try all these exercises to lose arm fat or you can select only one. However to lose arm fat faster, you need to use all these exercises. They are aimed at sculpting your arms, so increasing the count of sets every week is essential. Do not use anything fragile for these exercises. Avoid injuries and catches; enjoy a strengthening and refreshing workout at home. Maintain a good diet and focus on the weight loss. Enjoy the benefits of a healthy and happy body.

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Spiritual Diabetes:

By Nikki Cuthbertson

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BLESSED MAGAZINE Diabetes is a topic that hits close to home for me.

My mother has it. Her mother had it. My aunts had it. Within our culture, it seems to be on the rise.

Physically, it is the starvation of a cell. The cells have sugar outside of themselves within the bloodstream but lack the key, insulin, to have access to what they need most in order to live, let alone thrive. The cells are surrounded by what they need but are unable let it in. There is a physio-chemical reason that this happens, but I believe that it happens energetically and spiritually first.

don‘t have to have a sugar imbalance. We can disconnect from our sense of belonging, health, prosperity, love, our innocence, creative self, voice and Spirit. The good news is that all we need to do is reconnect. To what? Our Selves.

When we believe that happiness, the sweetness, the Amrita, is outside of ourselves, we starve.

We give all of our power away to our circumstances not realizing that the nectar is right here, right now, within us.

We all want to be happy All of us want to be happy but can we trust being happy when so much of life is serious, when there is so much to be afraid of? All of us want to feel connected, important, to be seen, received, and that we matter. All of us are craving the sweet nectar of life. What is the nectar of life, and how do we let it in? __________________________________________

“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” __________________________________________ In Sanskrit there is a word-Amrit, sometimes called Amrita. The word literally translates to immortality.

It is said that in deep states of meditation amrita or nectar drops down from the pituitary gland and feeds us. One drop is said to conquer death. Whether we are looking for the reassurance of immortality or being nourished on a Soul level, giving ourselves the opportunity to connect and feed ourselves in this way is the key, the insulin, to unlocking our true happiness.

Diabetes is simply a disconnection that we have made from our true and authentic source of happiness. We can do this in a number of ways. We

3 Ways to Reconnect to Our Selves and Our Souls Intention is a form of reconnection because it is that act of moving inward to listen to and collaborate with your heart. When we connect with our hearts, we connect with our desires, our truth, our message and wisdom. There is richness and pure, unabashed joy in collaborating with our hearts. What is your intention today?

Gratitude is another way to reconnect to our Selves because it takes us to our Soul‘s perspective. Our Souls know that everything is manifesting for our best and highest good. It

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BLESSED MAGAZINE sees the larger picture. It knows that we are beyond capable of triumphing over our circumstances. It‘s rooting for us as our personal cheerleader begging us to see past the illusion and into the larger picture. Being grateful for all the ways our human-ness and Spirit are being tempered into greatness reconnects us to the truth of who we are.

Meditation is the act of purposefully connecting to and basking in our Soul light.

Meditation is not about having epiphanies or enlightened experiences during our sit. It is for the way it influences all the rest of the time that we are not in meditation. When we bask in our Soul light, we re-member. To re-member is to reconnect. That reconnection influences our day to day thoughts, words, experiences and responses.

In closing, I am leaving you with a quote by Rumi. You could substitute the word happiness for love, but it is all the same. ―Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.‖

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8 Small Bathroom Designs You Should Copy

By Jacob Hurwith

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When dealing with a small bathroom, it‘s usually a smart call to go with brighter or softer colors, as my coworker Alyson Yu pointed. Nonetheless, these homeowners went with a dark brown to match the color of the bedroom. For the bathroom, they added leaf pulls to the mirror, an oil-rubbed bronze faucet, granite counters and small oil paintings.

Despite its darker color, we like the color choice thanks to the sense of continuity with the rest of the bedroom.

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Most small bathrooms are used as guest bathrooms in the hallway. Well, just because it‘s not your primary bathroom, that doesn‘t mean you can‘t design it with the best.

This vintage small bathroom utilized bead board paneling, a light taupe color and something all small bathrooms need; a pedestal sink.

Pedestal sinks were designed and made for small bathrooms. Unlike a bathroom vanity, it doesn‘t take up valuable space at your feet or in one end of the bathroom. You may lose some cabinet space, but you gain valuable square footage, both in looks and feel.

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Who said small bathrooms had to be boring and dull? These homeowners were certainly not afraid to go bold and bright with an entire wall mural dedicated to life under the sea.

Continuing the theme, they added green countertops, green and blue hand towels and other sea-themed furniture items throughout.

Given its size, we love the addition of the dark wood cabinets on the counter. You certainly sacrifice counter space, but oftentimes, homeowners need those cabinets for extra towels, toiletries and other bathroom supplies.

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If you are short on space and want to make a splash in your small bathroom, you better upgrade the color and vanity. These homeowners show that bold colors and ceramic tile can go long way in adding that ―wow‖ factor to any small bathroom.

In this custom bathroom remodel, they incorporated ceramic, gold tile along the wall, marble counters, gold and red accents throughout and an Asian theme. They certainly spent their fair share on this bathroom remodel, but according to our bathroom renovations cost estimator, the average cost to remodel a bathroom is $7,920.

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Arched ceilings are a great way to add the idea of extra square footage to any small bathroom. These homeowners also incorporated a recessed shower shelf, which is a must-have for all small bathrooms. It doesn‘t only make your key toiletries accessible, but it also doesn‘t get in your way.

Other additions that you wouldn‘t normally see in the casual small bathroom include granite counters, pink flowers, a casement window and a purple shower curtain. It‘s small bathroom style at its finest.

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Small bathrooms do not get much more modern than this with the white tile floors and walls, a wood rug, black accents, a dark wood vanity with plenty of storage, recessed lighting and a vessel sink.

At first glance, the bathroom may seem large, but the sleek features, black and white hues, as well as the perfectly placed vanity make it look and feel larger than it really is.

They were also able to add a tub and shower combo

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Just because you have a small bathroom doesn‘t mean you can‘t spend a whole night in your bathtub reading a good book. This Victorian masterpiece utilized a brushed nickel faucet, translucent glass in the window, a bathtub tray to hold the necessities and white tile all around.

With a bathroom like this, you forget all the worries that come from a long day at the office.

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This may be one of the best small bathroom designs we have ever seen. Let‘s first start off with the huge mirror above the vanity. Did you know that mirrors work with the light to create a wider look for any bathroom? Therefore, you should always go as big as possible when it comes to mirrors in a small bathroom.

Now, let‘s move to this open vanity. They have three large shelves/holders for larger bathroom items like towels and four small placeholders for other necessary items like soap or shampoo. You may have to keep it clean, but when you do, your small bathroom can look as radiant and cheerful as this gem.

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Health Matters

Juicing for Weight Loss

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BLESSED MAGAZINE Whether you're looking to shed a few pounds quickly, or jumpstart a bigger weight loss goal, juicing is a great option. It's simple math - to lose weight you must burn more calories than you consume. It can be a challenge to get all of the nutrients you need to perform your daily tasks while keeping your caloric intake at a deficit. Adding some nutrient-rich juices and smoothies will go a long way in helping with that goal.

There are a lot of reasons we gain weight. The most common is from consuming more calories than we burn. Many of these are usually nutrient-poor calories. The effect of poor diet choices is that it starts a domino effect. It goes something like this: Stress, rushing to eat, grab convenience foods that are non-nutritious, still hungry because body didn't actually get any nutrients, eat more. Poor digestion, poor elimination, no time for exercise, poor sleep, hormone imbalance, skin problems, medication, side-effects of medication, diminished capacity (both physically and mentally), and so on. Next thing you know you're getting your gall bladder removed or the lap band procedure or some other extreme management of symptoms, none of which have solved the problem.

There is also the possibility of undiagnosed food intolerance, which could be playing a role. Other signs of this would be new allergies and lowered immunity. Hormonal imbalance is a probability in overweight people, again often due to their diet. Toxic buildup from food, the environment, medicines, personal care products, unfiltered water, and bad habits like soda all contribute to an unbalanced and unhealthy body.

No matter what your situation is juicing is likely a great way to start getting back on track.

What works First you need to decide what your goal for juicing is. That will help you determine how long you need to juice, as well as plan your menu and budget. It is not advisable to go for a juice fast if you are new to detoxing. Cleansing and detoxifying your body is a necessary step in regaining your health and a normal weight. A great documentary to consider watching is Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. Start with small steps such as cleaning up your diet, kicking some bad habits, budgeting in more time and money for fresh, organic vegetables. You can add juicing to these efforts to boost the effect and the results, which will boost your willpower.

By definition, being overweight means your liver is overworked. The liver is where fat is metabolized, but that job gets put on the back burner when it is overworked with more important tasks. So, for any weight loss plan to be successful, you also have to nourish your liver. You do that by 1.) removing toxins it has to process, such as that Sweet'N-Low in your iced tea and that aspartame in your diet soda, and 2) eating nutrient dense food and lots of green leafy vegetables. Some of the foods you should eat are obvious, such as the cruciferous vegetables for liver health. Other things are less obvious, such as olive oil and nuts, both of which have more calories, but since many weight problems include an inability to digest fats, that makes up for fat cravings. By supplying your body with healthy fats, your probability of cheating on your diet goes down.

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Guidelines for juicing to lose weight 1. Use only raw, organic vegetables. You want to avoid toxins and add enzymes. Super foods are key to getting as many nutrients as possible. Examples: carrots, kale, cucumbers, acai berries, etc.

2. While juicing, it is important to stay active. As you lose weight - water weight, toxins, fluid retained due to inflammation, etc., you want to keep moving with some light to moderate exercise. You want to lose fat and toxins, not muscle. Also, your lymph system has no pump to save your feet, so get moving.

3. Maximize your budget. Buy local, organic vegetables and fruits that are in season. They are fresher and cheaper, allowing you to extend the amount of time you can juice.

4. Research recipes. Be sure you are getting more vegetables than fruits so that you don't offset your work by increasing insulin levels. This is where you'll need to add things like avocado, chia or flax seeds, protein powder, banana, nuts. You want to be sure you're eating a balanced diet. Branch out. This is a great time to get your digestive tract some new material. Consider juicing veggies you wouldn't like to eat. Beats, for example, are a powerhouse of nutrition, with lots nutrients you don't find from many other sources. They are delicious juiced or in a smoothie.

5. Be sure all of your avenues of elimination are working properly - sweat daily, move your bowels, drink plenty of water to urinate frequently and flush out those toxins. It's not uncommon for women to experience a shorter cycle after juicing. This usually means you have eliminated some of that stored estrogen, another marker your juicing was a success. Consider taking some baseline readings before and after your adventure, such as weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, measurements, etc.

Be sure your diet includes: cruciferous vegetables, green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, sulfur rich foods, and fiber. Eliminate sugar and all its relatives (including all artificial sweeteners), bad fats such as fried foods, refined carbohydrates, alcohol, and gluten.

Support your efforts. It's a good time to meditate. Consider trying an emotional detox at the same time.

Consider drinking some detox tea, or other herbal tea. Go to a health food store and find some high quality whole food based supplements to support your health. As they say on the airplane - put your own mask on first. You can't take care of others if you don't take care of yourself. Have some fun indulging in better health.

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A Prayer for Every Need A FREE eBook A Prayer for Every Need is yours to download right now. In it, you‘ll find daily prayers that speak to every life situation. Prayers you can say for strength and courage, for hope and faith. Prayers that can heal body and soul, prayers that can heal hearts and relationships In this FREE eBook A Prayer for Every Need, you‘ll find Christian prayers for the different circumstances you may face. You‘ll find prayers that take you from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to sleep. Because the more you pray, the better able you are to hear and recognize God‘s answers to your prayers.

Claim Your Free eBook!

Simply click on the button below to receive your FREE eBook ‗A Prayer for Every Need‘

Does Daily Prayer Make A Difference?

Sometimes people wonder: Does God really cares about the minutiae of our lives? About our hopes and fears, our desires and needs? He does! We know this is true. Matthew 7:7 reminds us to: ―Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.‖ What can we ask for in our daily prayers? Whatever our heart desires, whatever we require in life. This can include: Healing, Security, Sustenance, Guidance, Strength and Reconciliation God is ready to answer your call. When you download your FREE copy of A Prayer for Every Need, you‘ll feel as though you have a phone book that gives you God‘s direct number, with the right ―extension‖ for your needs.

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Meet the Contributors…

Marla Steele Pet Psychic, Intuitive Healer, and Reiki Master

Allyn Giddens Editor-in-Chief of Joyful Life Tools

Jacob Hurwith Content and Marketing Manager at CraftJack

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Kendell Cronstrom Editor-in-Chief of New York Cottages & Gardens (NYC&G) and Hamptons Cottages & Gardens (HC&G)

Rachel Rofé Author

Nicole Sforza Gimmel Freelance Writer / Editor

John Pavlovitz Author

Bipasha Mukherjee Content Writer at TheFitIndian.com

Nikki Cuthbertson Transformational intuitive healer

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