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Editor's Notes Cheryl Lacey Donovan
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Bouncing Back from Setback Cheryl Lacey Donovan
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Jessica A. Robinson Elissa Gabrielle
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Do It Scared Jessica A. Robinson Reprimt Peace in the Storm Publishing 2/14
MAY ISSUE 2019
REAL LIFE REAL FAITH
Editor in Chief Cheryl Lacey Donovan Publisher Elissa Gabrielle Senior Editors Hurley Morgan Cee Cee H. Caldwell Columnists Cheryl Lacey Donovan Contributors Kathy Robbins Maqsood P Lorraine Wigglesworth Gail Leino Adrian T Cheng Syed Alli Zain-UlAbideen Jon Allo Designer Cheryl Lacey Donovan
EDITORIAL OFFICES P.O. Box 450121 Houston, Texas 77245 832-827-4438
SUBSCRIPTIONS (832) 827-4438
. realliferealfaithmagazine.net
Your circumstances don't determine your destiny
Editor's Note
Greetings This month has been surreal, The Peace in the Storm literary family lost our beloved colleague, sister, and friend, Jessica Ann Robinson. Lovingly we referred to her as "Baby Girl." Many of us watched her mature into the wonderful woman that she was. As was evident during her home going service, Jessica touched many lives as an author, nurse, entertainer, and so much more. She was one that lived life to the fullest. As Publisher Elissa Gabrielle said, "Jess left this world empty." Jessica will be greatly missed and this edition of Real Life Real Faith is dedicated to her memory Much Love! Cheryl Lacey Donovan Editor-In-ChiefÂ
BOUNCING BACK FROM SETBACK Cheryl Lacey Donovan There is nothing worse than feeling like a failure. Some people simply cannot stomach the thought of being unable to live up to their own expectations or the expectations of others. One setback can sometimes send a sensitive person reeling for days, even years, and sink them into a deep depression. However, there is nothing more defeating than allowing yourself to stay stuck in the mindset of believing that a plan didn’t work out because you or your planning process was inherently flawed. When we circle the blame onto ourselves again and again, it can take us years to recover from the abuse we are heaping onto our psyche. You are not worthless because a plan you attempted to put into action hasn’t succeeded yet. You are courageous for putting in the effort at all. Just because something didn’t work out taking one course of action, that doesn’t mean that you are doomed to fail eternally. It simply means that it is time to regroup and fall back on plan B. Or C. Or D. You could go through as many variations of your plan as many times as you need to. The important thing is that you never give up. You could go through the entire alphabet again and again until you figure out what works to make your dream a reality. If it means enough to you, then don’t stop believing that success is possible.
This can be easier said than done. Bouncing back after a setback can seem impossible at first, but the first thing you need to do is to remember to breathe. If you panic, nothing good will come of it. Your best course of action is to approach the situation with a cool and level head, and although that may be hard to do at first, you are more than capable of it! Next, give yourself a little bit of time to regroup and process what has happened. Why did your plan fail? What was it that got in the way? How could those issues have been avoided? What could you do better in the future when making a more foolproof plan B? Finally, take some time to consider just what you have learned from the process of failing. Failure is not permanent. It is simply a stage that we go through during the evolution of a plan or an idea. Failure means that there are more complications than we anticipated, and we are learning more and more with every little mistake that we make. By the time we succeed, we are so steeled against setbacks that the next goal we attempt to accomplish may seem to come much easier to us, because the setbacks are not so devastating. We can turn our setbacks into gems of truth and a will of steel, or we can let it defeat us. But nobody has ever mastered their destiny by giving up. To become a great achiever, you keep going until you have achieved your goal at all costs!
BECOME A TRUE ADVENTURER AND
CONQUER THE WILD!
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A Light Gone Too Soon
JESSICA A. ROBINSON
Jessica A.Robinson has always had an affinity for reading and creatively expressing herself through written word. Imaginative thoughts soon found a home in her personal journals and and those journal entries evolved into short stories. Her short stories gave birth to her debut novel Holy Seduction which released in 2009. Since the publication of her first novel she’s gone on to pen multiple series with her most recent series The Pastor’s Ex’s establishing her as a unique and entertaining voice in African American literature. Some of her work has been featured on the Black Expressions Top 100 Bestseller list as well as garnered her an AALAS nomination. Jessica is currently hard at work on her next series that will surely be her best work to date.
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BEING CENTERED FOR SUCCESS Meditation has been a hot topic for quite a while now, although many people still blow it off as something people should only do when they are extremely stressed out. What most of us don’t realize is that being centered isn’t something that needs to wait until we are uncentered. In fact, it is more beneficial than one might expect to use meditation as a way to maintain a centered state rather than to simply rediscover it. When we are off balance, everything in our lives is affected by it. From our career to our relationships, whether personal or professional, an uncentered life can be extremely challenging. We may not realize that half of our problems are stemming from a lack of balance and stresses that are hard for us to process during the busy toils of daily living. A lot of people make the mistake in thinking that mediation is simply a tool to reclaim a happy and balanced state of mind when all else fails. In fact, meditation actually serves a much greater purpose. When we meditate, we are not only helping our bodies to become more relaxed, but we are also improving our concentration, increasing our self-awareness, and allowing a chance for quiet contemplation of situations that might otherwise pass us by without the examination they deserve. Life is hectic and rarely allows for enough quiet time to truly reflect on the experiences and
emotions that we are going through. With meditation in our lives, we create a balanced state that provides our bodies and minds the optimal opportunities to grow and expand in knowledge. When we aren’t balanced, we find ourselves doing things out of integrity with ourselves and our personal goals, and those things can sometimes lead to disaster. In the worst-case scenarios, being off-center can even lead to failure. Fortunately, it is easy for us to carve out just a few moments every day to focus on ourselves. Meditation may seem like a new-aged trend, but it has been utilized for thousands of years as a way for humans to become more aligned with their own personal truths and follow a path that will lead to greater personal satisfaction. Each of us define success differently, but by taking the time out of your day to meditate, you are giving your mind the chance it needs to become aligned with what is truly important to you. It will help you to accept the things that are happening in your life and give you an empowered perspective. When you are centered, not even the most terrifying and powerful storms can bring you down! Taking the time to get centered and stay that way is essential in becoming successful. You are clearing the clutter of your busy life to focus on the things that matter the most to you, priming your mind to carve out the path of least resistance in achieving your goals. By centering yourself, you are putting yourself on the fast track to success and mastering your destiny!
REMEMBERING JESSICA
Hi, I wasn’t sure what to say but you are free to reword as you see fit: The sweetest songs are sung by those who have been deeply touched by the lyrics of a beautiful life. Though I did not have the opportunity to meet you the melodies of your brilliance, genius, and realness can be heard by each one who breathes your name. Jessica Robinson I pray God’s comfort to all those who were blessed by your life. Sincerely Your PITS Sister, Sherabim Joy
"JESSICA, I DID NOT HAVE THE PLEASURE OF MEETING YOU, BUT YOUR NAME HAS ALWAYS BEEN SPOKEN IN SUCH HIGH REGARD AND LOVE. PLEASE KNOW THAT YOUR PASSING HAS AFFECTED US ALL. MY PRAYERS ARE WITH THE FAMILY OF JESSICA A. ROBINSON DURING THIS TIME." A.J. LOVE
Jessica, Although I never got the chance to meet you personally, it felt like I did. You inspired and encouraged me through your writings and kind words spoken to others. It was an honor and a pleasure to be on the same publishing team as you. The pictures I've seen of you portrayed peace, happiness, compassion as well as inner and outer beauty. You left so soon, and that I don't understand, but I realize that God had a better plan He said "Babygirl" your work here is done, you've reached the finish line and Victory you've won. I love you and you will be missed! Veronica Rivers - Beck After The Storm Publishing
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DO IT SCARED Jessica A. Robinson As seen in the PITS Blog Feburary 3, 2014
Have you always wanted to do something but have been literally too scared to try it? Have you been too afraid to step out and try to do something that you’ve never done before to the point that you never attempt it at all? Well the days of not being productive are long gone…do it scared! That’s right I said it! Do what you’ve always wanted to do even if you’re afraid. It doesn’t matter if you want to start a new business, write a book, enroll in college, or lose a significant amount of weight now is the time to do it. Let me enlighten you on some things: ~There will never be enough money to do what you want to do ~There will never be a perfect time to start ~There will never be enough time in the day What I am trying to say is if you are waiting on a perfect time to do what you’ve always wanted to do you will be literally waiting forever. There is no better time than right now! Don’t put off your dreams another day. Start today! “God has not given us a spirit of fear but of love, power, and a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7 It is a natural, human emotion to feel fear or be afraid. It is okay to feel these things but don’t allow these emotions to paralyze you from moving forward. Let the fact that you’re scared motivate you like never before and move forward. So if you have something in your heart that you’ve always wanted to do my advice is to simply do it! Even if you are afraid…Do it scared!
GETTING ORGANIZED Guide
to
a
Perfect
Work
Week
There comes a point in our lives when we not only crave structure and organization, but we need it. Not only do we need it for our own peace of mind and to have security in our lives, but we need the time management skills that will provide us with the most productive work week possible so that we can make progress in our personal and professional lives. A lot of people with an artistic vision may find themselves feeling confined or oppressed by the rigid structure of corporate office styles, but the truth is that a little bit of structure can go a long way in helping you to make your artistic visions into realities. Whether your goals are creativity based or not, organization is a key tool in providing yourself with the structure you need to thrive. But how do we get ourselves organized when so much of our time is already spoken for and life can be a hectic and chaotic journey full of unpredictable events and setbacks? Why bother trying to carve out a routine for ourselves when it is unlikely that we will be able to stick with that routine? Isn’t that more of a waste of time than just trying to do our best moment from moment? No. Organization is never a waste of time. When we sit down to mull over our work week, we are providing ourselves with the structure we need to get into the mindset to achieve our goals, whether they are personal or professional. The term “work week” in this sense is used loosely to refer to whatever it is that you find important to accomplish. The goals that you intend to work toward define the work week that you are planning.
Some people thrive from planning their lives hour by hour, day by day, while others work best with a general guideline to help them through the week. Whatever works best for you, do it. Start out by being as detailed as possible, but leave yourself a little bit of wiggle room. Sometimes things do just pop up that you weren’t counting on. Rather than getting bent out of shape about it, make sure you have some time put aside to account for these moments in your schedule and make up for the time that you missed spending on that particular task. Planning is meant to be a helpful, not a harmful tool. If you feel that you have a daily routine that is already working for you, then great! You can set your goals in a planner or calendar on a daily or weekly basis without having to work around your other obligations. Shifting your work week to meet your goals can be fun if you let it. Think of it this way: you are putting in the time to write the blueprint you need in order to become the master of your destiny. What could be greater than that?
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REMEMBERING JESS Brian Ganges Today, I celebrate the life of my sister,
It doesn’t matter what the reason is for why
Jessica A Robinson.
you are no longer with us. There are so
many things to speculate, questions to ask,
From the many jokes made and dreams
and emotions to process. All I can say is
shared, to the accomplishments achieved
that you added laughter and inspiration to
and the beautiful smile you shared with
my life. Hearing you speak of your many
the world, I thank you for being a friend.
aspirations and dreams always encouraged
God blessed me with your presence and I
me to move forward with my own vision. It
am so thankful to be able to say that I
was always good to speak to a goal setter
personally knew “Jess.”
and a go-getter, like you.
TODAY I CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF MY SISTER JESSICA A. ROBINSON Just recently, you cut off your hair. And
I always joked with you about Youngstown,
while your shorter hairstyle was a very
Ohio, or as you would refer to it (the YO,
becoming look for you, I’ll always
OH), and you always messed with me by
remember your long, silky hair that I’m sure
calling me Eric Roberson. We always had
caused some women to be jealous. I
some little funny thing to pick at about one
always appreciate a woman who takes care
another. It was always in fun, and never
of the feminine details, and I’ll always
mean-spirited. I appreciated that. Anytime
remember how you carried yourself with
I can laugh and have a good time with
femininity. You always had your little
someone, I will treasure moments like
make-up, nails and hair on point. In the
those. Thank you for those fun times, Jess.
age of convenience, thank you for taking
pride in looking like and carrying yourself
Lastly, I light-heartedly, but in all
like a woman.
seriousness, encouraged you to never f
forget the PITS crew when you finally got interviewed by Oprah. I really saw you headed for big things. And while that interview never materialized, may your life and drive inspire those who are still here so that the memory of Jess is never forgotten. Thank God for the life that He gave you and thank you for being willing to share it with us. We are better because we knew you. Rest in Peace and may your memory, accomplishments, and legacy live forever. Peace and love BG
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FAITH
FEATURE
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Brussel Sprouts Macaroni Meat is delicious. But too much in your diet can cause a plethora of health symptoms. But when it comes to fresh produce, you can never eat too much! You don't have to ditch meat altogether, just add more fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily meals. Try these delicious vegetarian recipes - they will make you forget about meat, even for a while!
By Adrian T. Cheng
What you need: 1/4 kilogram Fusili pasta, cooked 3 cups Brussels sprouts, halved 2 1/2 cups whole milk 1 1/2 cups white cheddar 1 cup fontina, shredded 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup flour 1 tablespoon olive oil Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper
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Arrange Brussels sprouts in a baking sheet brushed with olive oil. Season with kosher salt and ground black pepper then bake in a pre-heated oven (375F) for 30 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and milk to the pan and whisk together. Season with salt and pepper then allow to simmer for 5 minutes, or until mixture has thickened. Remove from heat then stir in white cheddar, fontina and 1/2 cup parmesan. Mix until cheeses are well-incorporated in the mixture. Fold in Brussels sprouts and cooked pasta then transfer everything to a baking dish. Combine bread crumbs and remaining parmesan in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle mixture over mixture over pasta. Bake for 30 minutes in an oven (375F).
Forget meat for a while - try these delicious vegetarian recipes!
Adrian T. Cheng is a food blogger and a BBQ expert. Through years of grill experience, reviewing various grilling accessories and trying delicious and unique recipes, he is sharing his knowledge with everyone through his blog. For more grilling secrets, tips, recipes and more, head over to Adrian's website where he has other interesting grillrelated products and posts.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9967139
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9886735 NOMADIC | 24
THE MANY FACES OF JESSICA A. ROBINSON
AUTHOR RAPPER NURSE PUBLISHER REAL LIFE REAL FAITH MAGAZINE
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My name is Toni Carter , & Jessica published my very first novel. Warm. Welcoming. Kind. Enthusiastic. Eager. Energized. Motivational. Assuring. These are only a few of many words to describe Jessica , & yet , I was never fortunate enough to meet her in person. Because of her, i gained a small fan base that I’m still building, was nominated for multiple awards, and, more importantly, was able to turn a dream into a reality I still have a hard time in believing. I am a published author because of her and Elissa...& for that, I am forever grateful. A light to the PITTS family , Jessica was down for whatever ! Literally! If the saying ‘ride or die’ definition were personified , Jessica would embody it ! A light in the industry, a friend and mentor to other writers, an apparent joy to everyone she met. It was hard for me to try and wrap my mind around the posts about her untimely passing. She had just cut her hair into the beautiful style, the finger waves definitely fit her, was modeling apparel, & truly living her life! I enjoyed her , albeit from a distance, & could not wait to collaborate & ultimately meet her. To the family, my deepest condolences. I cannot imagine what you are going through, and I won’t try to fill this space with words. I offer you my prayers & comfort in the Most High with assurance that He met a faithful servant with open arms. Toni Carter Award Winning Author of Slowly, But Surely Blood, Lust, & Love The Pleasure of the Curve
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UNDERSTANDING ENERGY IN YOUR DIET CHERYL LACEY DONOVAN cherylspeaks.org Understanding Energy In Your Diet
Calories are the units of energy, not carbs. A single
According to the energy balance equation,
calorie is the amount of energy that it takes to raise
your body gains energy when you intake
the temperature of one gram of water by one degree
more energy through your diet than you
Celsius. This is a very small amount of energy, so
expend through physical activity. That’s why the main point of most diets is to limit your energy intake through counting carbs or calories.
when you read the nutrition label on your food, what they call “Calories” (with an upper-case C) is actually the number of kilocalories (that is, one thousand lower-case c calories). That doesn’t mean that the food companies are trying to lie to you and get you to eat more calories.
It seems like a few years ago all of the diets were about counting calories and now they’re
They do it because it would be tedious and useless
all about limiting carbohydrates. But you
to try to count actual lower-case c calories. Don’t
should you limit carbs or calories? And, if
worry about keeping track of whether we’re talking
they’re both units of energy what’s the
about calories or kilocalories in this article though.
difference? This article will discuss the
Because we’re talking about calories as a unit of
difference between carbs and calories, how they impact your diet, and how or why you should watch them. Calories Are Energy, Right? Yes.
energy, it doesn’t really matter which scale we’re talking about, as long as you understand what calories are and why they’re important. Carbs Are Energy, Right? No. As mentioned above, the carbohydrate is not a unit
To set the record straight, carbs and calories
of energy like the calorie is. The carbohydrate is a
are not both units of energy. We’ll start with
class of nutrient, along with proteins, fats, vitamins,
calories and talk about carbohydrates in a
minerals, and water. Carbohydrates, proteins, and
little bit.
fats are all called “energy-yielding nutrients” because the body can break them all down to release calories.
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Of the energy yielding nutrients, proteins and
When you eat whole grains, you’re not just getting
carbohydrates both release one 4 calories per
carbs. You’re getting fiber, vitamins and minerals. All
gram, while fat releases nine calories per
of these nutrients can also be found in other foods
gram.
that don’t have as many calories, like vegetables,
So Why Are Carbs So Special? You might be wondering, if fat contains more than twice the calories per gram, why do all of these diets have us watching carbs? And that’s a good question.
which often have no carbs at all. Fat, on the other hand is far scarcer in our diet and its benefits cannot be found elsewhere. We usually don’t think of fat as being good for us, but it’s in every cell of our bodies, and is very important to the nervous system. While some fats are better than others and you should be careful about how much
The first reason is that the average person has
you get of each kind, carbs are simply more
much more carbohydrates than fat in their
expendable in our diets.
diet. We tend to think of carbohydrates as coming from grains, like pastas and breads. These are sources of carbohydrates, but carbohydrates also come from sugars. Grains are a source of complex carbs, which your body breaks down over time. Sugars are a source of simple carbs that your body doesn’t have to break down. Sugars are naturally occurring in sources like fruits, but they’re also added to just about everything. If you put a store-bought sauce on your pasta, you’re putting carbs on carbs. If you put jam or jelly on your bread, you’re putting carbs on carbs. And don’t even get us started on sources like soda and junk food.
Hopefully, this article has helped you to understand the difference between carbs and calories, as well as why most diets these days have you counting carbs. Remember, however, that a balanced diet and plenty of exercise is better for you than a diet that tries to eliminate fats or carbs or calories and promises a quick solution..
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECTIVE LEADER
Whether you think that leaders are born or made - or a bit of both - there are still some characteristics that distinguish leaders from others. Have you wondered if you or someone you know is a natural leader? Are you interested in learning some characteristics of good leadership? Here are some personality characteristics that tend to go with effective leaders. Task-Oriented Are you the kind of person who likes to get things done? Do people come to you and ask you to do something for them and know you'll do it? Not everyone is task-oriented, but those who are may end up being effective leaders. Being task-oriented means being a "doer," the kind of person who focuses on getting something done and not stopping until the task is finished. Task-oriented people generally follow through. This is important in a leader, because leaders have definite goals to reach and people to lead, and people will stop following you if you don't get things finished. Also, task-oriented leaders do not need "babysitting" to get something done. They can take initiative on their own - the task itself is motivation.
Honest Self-Image Leaders tend to be pretty honest about their weaknesses and strengths, but not to the point of letting either one take over. For instance, a leader can balance between recognizing his weakness and not letting that stop him/her, and a leader can see his/her strengths without getting conceited. Those in leadership positions may find that they garner more respect when they are honest and "transparent" about their flaws than if they pretend to be perfect. People Person A leader tends to be a people person - someone who derives lots of energy from being around people. Such extroverted personalities make great leaders, but introverts are not barred from leadership, either. You can have a love for people and be introverted; you just respond differently to interacting with others.
In other words, you can be a "people person" even if you find yourself tired of leading at the end of a day. Extroverts and introverts can both be motivated by a love for people and their wellbeing.
"Infectious" Joy
Have you ever been around someone who just seems happy with life in general? If a person shares an idea or thought and seems really happy about it, do you feel like joining him or her? Leaders tend to exhibit this kind of infectious joy that draws other people to them. Positive-thinking leaders have a zest for life that compels other people to join them.Â
The general consensus is, characteristics of a good leader can be in-born or learned, or a bit of both. If you don't have all of these traits naturally, you can learn many of them. No two leaders are the same.
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