Zakar Magazine Issue 7

The Life Empowerment Issue

Discover a New You

Thebe Attitude

GPS Your Career Gotta Get My SHIFT Together

6ofPrinciples Prayer

How to Master Your

Emotions

www.jenniferkeitt.com | Issue 7

empower| educate|equip|encourage

Give to women’s empowerment and change the world!

The Keitt Institute needs your help in order to change the lives of women everywhere. Gillian R. Howell, Managing Director, Philathropic Solutions group, U.S. Trust says, “Improving the life of a female creates benefits and opportunities for her extended family, future generations and even the larger community in which she lives. That, almost by definition, is high-imapct philanthropy.” Donate Today!

jenniferkeitt.com for more information

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Mission Our mission as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization is to empower, educate, equip, and encourage women to think differently about themselves and their lives so that they can live brilliantly! We focus on the seven core areas of a woman’s life: her spirituality, her emotions, her physical body, her relationships, her finances, her sexuality, and her career.

Programs Leadership Intensive

This program is designed to assist and facilitate empowerment in the lives of each participant in order for them to be able to: define their personal mission statement, define their sense of purpose, and define their sense of direction for their lives.

This program will also cultivate self-awareness inside each participant, and assist each participant in identifying their life story.

Ambassador Program

The Jennifer Keitt Ambassador program is a leadership development initiative aimed at women who already have a sphere of influence. These leaders help spread The Keitt Institute Inc.’s message of women’s empowerment across the country. Women in this program are constantly learning about themselves and about how they can continue to encourage and empower others.

SisterConnect™ Empowerment Groups

The SisterConnect™ Empowerment Group program is designed for intimate, explosive change in a woman’s life. Built on the small group model, this program is made up of groups of women who come together under the facilitation of a trained Jennifer Keitt SisterConnect™ Leader for the purpose of connection, encouragement, wisdom, growth and transformation. The SisterConnect™ Groups come together to strategically mobilize women in seven core areas of their lives.

For more information on any and all programs or to donate contact The Keitt Institute Inc. Phone: 404.697.0104 | Email: thekeittinstitute@gmail.com | Website: jenniferkeitt.com

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Editor In Chief Jennifer Keitt Creative Director Morgan Keitt Copy Editor Maisha R. Carter Writers Nina Borum, Wendy Capland, Lakeisha Dixon, Leela Francis, Dan Nguyen, Roz Gee, Melissa Nixon, Lisa Tanker-Potts, Doug Vermeeren Publisher T.J. Communications Inc. Customer Service For 24/7 information and service, please visit our website: www.jenniferkeitt.com.

Or write to: Zakar Magazine, T.J. Communications 1720 Mars Hill Rd., Ste. 8-253, Acworth, GA 30101.

Zakar Magazine June 2014 Copyright Information: Print ISSN: 1946-6420; E-ISSN: 1946-6420; Zakar Magazine is published by T.J. Communications Inc. (1720 Mars Hill Road Ste. 8-253 Acworth, GA 30101) www.jenniferkeitt.com Š 2013, T.J. Communications Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable; however, the information provided is not meant to replace licensed professionals but is to be used alongside. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher. Printed in the U.S.A All rights reserved.

Contents Letter From The Editor Motivation

Power Principles Gotta Get My Shift Together Play Big

Sexuality & Self-Esteem

The “Be” Attitude A New Found Freedom Awaits

Career

GPS Your Career I’m Doing A Great Work!

Relationships & Finances Wealth & Happiness Mastering Your Emotions

Spirituality

The Six Principles of Prayer

Physical Body

Discover A New You! Living a Healthy Life

11 16 20 24 33 36 41 50 55 59 62 66

letter the editor from

Jennifer Keitt

Your Chief Empowerment Officer

We are shaking lives up and taking empowerment to the next level in this “keepsake” issue of Zakar Magazine! I’ve always dreamed of Zakar being more like a “book” than a magazine, and finally, with the talented work of our Creative Director, I know we’ve accomplished my dream.

coaching moment or a motivation infusion. Be sure to email us with your successes and victories at zakarmagazine@gmail.com. Be sure to encourage all of your friends to grab their own issue at www.jenniferkeitt.com.

God Bless You Always!

Jennifer Keitt, It is time to “Get Your Shift Together!”

Your Chief Empowerment Officer From the very first article to the prayer call ad on the back cover, this issue of Zakar is designed to challenge you and to be your personal cheerleader, coach, concerned parent and mentor.

This issue is second-to-none as we help you take your lives to the next level spiritually, sexually, in your career and even with your physical body (be sure to check out page 66 to discover one secret for making workouts more effective)!

I know that you will enjoy this issue for years to come, as you refer back to it time and time again when you need a personal

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March 7, 2015

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motivation

power principles

the change Melissa Nixon

that

game

What we consistently do determines where we’re going

E

very woman goes through a season (or two) where she feels like life could be more fulfilling….more purposeful. And most importantly, that SHE could be more!

The great news is that we can jump start change at any time in every aspect of our lives, whether it’s our careers, finances, relationships or even weight.

Staying stuck does not have to be an option but it will take work. While the journey may not be the easiest, you can create transformation in your life with these 5 POWER PRINCIPLES:

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motivation | power principles

1. Power of Belief

In order to attain the results of any goal we must first believe that it can happen.

The most important thing you can do to create change in your life is start BELIEVING it can happen. Here is where most people fall short. Doubt and fear is the #1 pitfall of all dreams deferred. The change you desire does not have to be an unfulfilled vision. But it will not occur with an old mindset that constantly replays what CAN’T happen, what you CAN’T do, or what you DON’T have! Enhance your belief system by infusing positive speaking and thinking into your daily life, create a vision board (and keep it visible) as well as a journal.

Power Question: What negative thought do you have about your goals that you can replace with a daily affirmation?

2. Power of Consistency

What we do day after day determines where we’re going.

There are no overnight successes.

Every successful person had to work at it….DAILY. There is something that they chose to do in small increments over time to achieve that level of success. I know.

There’s the demanding job, the crazy family schedule, household responsibilities

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among other things. And with the exhaustion that follows, it seems there’s nothing left to even attempt to focus on our personal goals. All very valid “issues”, but I encourage you to no longer give yourself any excuses. You have the power and capacity to make the changes you need.

Power Question: What is one thing you will commit to doing consistently over the next 30 days for 30 minutes a day in order to reach your goals?

3. Power of Your Inner Circle

Who we connect with and dream with will determine our success.

You cannot get anywhere in life alone. You need a strategic team of people who not only understand your goals, but will help you to achieve them. Change happens when we connect with others who are visionaries, goal setters, and know how to help us get from point A to point B. Sometimes, these people may be different than our best set of girlfriends. We have to be willing to assess, acknowledge, and change who we connect with at any time.

Power Question: What shifts do you need to make in your inner circle to achieve your goals?

motivation | power principles

Sometimes we have to quit doing everything to focus on the one thing that matters most…you!

As women we sacrifice…a lot! For our families, children, and friends. We give of ourselves until we have nothing else to give. But what is the price you will pay to fulfill your own God-given purpose? Will you set aside time for you? To invest in yourself and start on the dream that’s been in your heart? You’re worth it, but it won’t happen until you put YOU on your schedule.

Power Question: What changes do you need to make in your schedule to pursue the things you are passionate about or called to do?

5. Power of Love

When we truly develop a love of self, our decisions and actions will change.

When we truly develop a love of self, our decisions and actions will change because it provides a filter for how we think about ourselves.

There is no worse feeling than walking into a room feeling like you don’t measure up.

Especially when on the outside the people you interact with think you are the most beautiful fun-loving person they could

ever meet. Self-love helps us to align how we feel on the inside with how we look on the outside. It is a value we can take with us no matter what anyone else says or thinks about us.

Power Question: What is one thing you will commit to doing more of to demonstrate your true value?

Change can happen! One day at a time…one step at a time! Make the rest of this year the year of transformation you’ve been seeking!

“

You cannot get anywhere in life alone

“

4. Power of Sacrifice

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motivation

gotta get my

shift

Roz A. Gee

together

Cut the crap. Grab a shovel. Scoop up that pile. Discard now.

P

erhaps a time will come in life when you instinctively know if you don’t do something differently, nothing will inevitably change. This instinct shall declare “no more” to wasteful, non-productive seasons and sitting on the sidelines watching everyone else’s success.

You ask yourself isn’t it time to set sensible and sizable goals and be accountable to them for real? To make actionable decisions to at least give your dreams, hopes and aspirations a chance?

When we talk about shifting, we’re simply referring to making moves. It is all about movement…movement activates progress and progress opens doors for success.

Here are a few MOVE motivators to start your SHIFT transformation:

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motivation | get my shift together

Move Your Mindset

All progress first begins in the mind, the breeding place for concepts, ideas, aspirations and dreams. The first order of business requires a SHIFT in the way that we think and what we think on. Thus it’s important to clean up any “stinking” thinking that may be lurking around.

Scripture reminds us in Proverbs that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. In other words, as WE think, so are WE! Let’s keep the mind CLEAR of unnecessary clutter such as perpetual negativity, doubt, and limiting debilitating beliefs.

Move Your Mission

A healthy and sanitized mind is the foundation to establish a clear and concise mission. Your mission is critical—it’s the lifeline to your purpose or calling. Your life’s purpose involves who you’re called to serve, transform, and impact for the greater good! It addresses questions like, who am I really? What was I born to do? Who am I called to serve or collaborate with to bring change to the world?

Move Your Money

Once your mission has been clarified and established—you want to ensure that it’s optimized to reach as many people as possible. Each of us have been blessed

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with gifts, talents, and skill sets so that we can package and offer quality services and products in the marketplace, gaining financial rewards to fuel our mission. There’s nothing more powerful than money that has a purpose…that’s tied and assigned to a mission!

Move Your Mess

This involves spotting that “pile of BullSHIFT”! Immediately recognizing and eradicating common excuses that keep you stuck, literally. Give yourself permission to move that pile of: “I’m not good enough.”

“I’m not smart enough.”

“I don’t have the resources right now.”

“I don’t have enough education.”

“I come from the wrong side of the tracks.”

“I would but I just have so much going on in my life.”

Stop! Cut the crap, grab a shovel, scoop up that pile and discard NOW!

Move & Make SHIFT Happen!

Create a habit of setting small, “right now” goals and practice acting on them quickly! Forward action spawns forward traction. Whether you’re writing your 1st or 5th book, starting a new business, thinking about starting a nonprofit, planning

So, what will be your new story?

Constantly remind yourself that if it’s going to be, then it’s up to me. Each of us is responsible for our life’s SHIFT. Don’t ignore it. If not you, then who? If not now, then when? It’s your time. It’s your season.

You have every good reason. Now, get it together, go out and make SHIFT happen!

“

Movement activates progress and progress opens the door for success

“

your first event, or going back to school.

MOVE! Write the first chapter, apply for the business license, visit the event venue or meet with a university counselor.

Remember, any progress is still progress.

And every step is one power move closer to your goal.

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motivation

play

big

Talisa Beasley

ACT: Acknowledge, Commit, and Turn Up!

H

ave you ever said to yourself, “How did I get here?” or “Is this all there is to life?” If your answer is YES, you are not alone. Feelings like these arise when we are no longer comfortable in our current location! In life, you may have struggled with experiences that have made you question who you are and what you can do. But what I know for sure is as women we have so much to offer the world! We are STRONG, BEAUTIFUL, INSIGHTFUL, TENACIOUS and RESOURCEFUL! Am I right??????? So why are we playing at such low levels? Perhaps we started believing the untruths of this world. Well, that stops today! We are PLAYING BIG going forward! Who is with me????

Now in order to play big you must identify what kind of tools you have that

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will allow you to operate at that level.

Please note God has blessed you with BIG gifts! That is B(Bodacious) I(Insurmountable) G(Gifts)! He blesses in a BIG way because He expects you to maximize on them and bring in a BIG return on His investment! Here are 3 keys that will get you moving in the right direction!

Acknowledge

Webster’s Dictionary defines acknowledgment as the ability to recognize the existence of or to pay attention to. When was the last time you recognized your ability to do something well?

You have the ability to multi-task, you have the ability to make someone feel really good, and you have the ability to lead. These God-given gifts were given to you to affect the world. Ladies, recognize that you were gifted so that you can live in authority. A famous woman once said,

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“What you acknowledge grows!” Start identifying your gifts and watch your life begin to grow!

gift and living your life as big as God will allow.

Commit

My son says “Turn Up” means to Take Action! Turn it all the way up!

Have fun with it! When you turn something up, you are looking for maximum power! What would happen if you turned up your gift to its maximum power? You could be running corporations or starting businesses! We as women have to stand in our own power and turn up our gifts to the highest level!

Remember that in order to PLAY BIG, you must ACT! Acknowledge, Commit, and Turn UP! Ladies, your circumstances don’t matter. You were created to live a BIG life in a BIG way. The world is waiting for YOU!

When you commit to something, you become connected to it! The Bible says women are Life Givers, and as a Life Giver you breathe life into anything that connects to you! Now ladies, I have to admit, over the years I have committed myself to some crazy things and crazy people (am I alone in this?). But what if you would commit to mastering the GIFT God gave you? Madame CJ Walker created and connected to a product that we continue to use today. Her commitment led to an increase in her cash flow and her influence on the world. You have to commit to GOING ALL IN on mastering your

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y husband and I took an amazing trip to Italy! In Milan, in particular I was fascinated with all of the LUXURY BRANDS and how they came to be. You may have heard the names before FERRARI, DUCATTI, ARMANI, GUCCI and PRADA . . . just to name a few.

Now what really didn’t sink in for me until this recent trip is that FAMILIES started all of these multimillion-dollar “brands.” These names are no more than FAMILY names.

An Italian luxury fashion house, specializing in ready-to-wear leather and fashion accessories, shoes, luggage, perfumes, watches, etc., founded in 1913 by Mario Prada. The company was started in 1913 by Mario Prada and his brother Martino as a leathergoods shop in Milan, Italy; initially, the shop sold leather goods and imported English steamer trunks and handbags.

Mario’s daughter Luisa Prada took the helm of Prada as his successor, and ran it for almost twenty years. Then her own daughter, Miuccia Prada, joined the company in 1970, eventually taking over for her mother in 1978.

With her and her husband’s steadfast guidance… Miuccia Prada is worth an estimated 11.1 BILLION dollars! And her fortune started with her GRANDFATHER’S leathergoods shop.

A family business is a commercial organization in which decision-making is in

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sexuality & self-esteem | the “be” attitude

fluenced by MULTIPLE GENERATIONS of a family, related by blood or marriage, who are closely identified with the firm through leadership or ownership. Prada is a family business, and you and I belong to a family business. We are part of the greatest family-run business of all time— THE KINGDOM OF GOD! Don’t you know, didn’t you realize that as believers we have the privilege of being called sons and daughters of the King of kings and Lord of lords! We are part of God’s family, and He has a part for each of us to play in His Kingdom so that we too can experience being beautiful, bountiful and blessed! The New King James version of John 1:12 says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name,” and the same version of Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ . . .”

You and I play a very important part in God’s family business, and His expectation is that we will live up to our design. God has done all of the heavy lifting in order to ensure our success.

He’s already decreed and established the protocol that we’re to follow. We’ve got to

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learn to BE. Be the way He’s designed us to be. Let’s take a closer look.

On day three of creation God said, “Let earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after their kind with seed in them; and it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good.” - Genesis 1:11-12. Trees, plants, and vegetation have the built in capacity to produce seed and fruit by design, and so do we! It was AFTER trees, vegetation and plants were created that God created the perfect conditions to help them achieve their purpose, and we are much more valuable than the trees and plants.

According to Matthew 6:28a-30, “ . . .

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, Oh you of little faith?”

As we fast forward to day six of creation we find that man (and woman) was divinely and deliberately designed. In Genesis 1:26-31 “God said, ‘Let Us make

sexuality & self-esteem | the “be” attitude

man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ God created man in his own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth’ . . .God saw that all he had made and behold, it was very good.” Being made in the image of God confers on us, dignity, entrusts us with responsibility and implants in us a certain POTENTIAL, namely, the capacity to mirror our Creator!

There were only 3 things that God blessed directly during Creation: 1. God blessed the birds of the air/sea creatures (Gen 1:22) 2. God blessed man/woman (Gen 1:28) 3. God blessed the seventh day (Gen 2:2-3) God has already blessed you, empowering you to prosper. He said, “Be (1) fruitful and (2) multiply and (3) fill the earth

and (4) subdue it; and (5) rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” - Genesis 1:28. People are created with functions and purpose. God’s blessing empowers you to: 1. Be fruitful: abundantly productive 2. Multiply: increase in number 3. Fill: to make something full 4. Subdue: to conquer and bring into subjection 5. Rule: to exercise authority or control

Let’s look at the FIRST thing that God blessed man to do in Genesis 1:28.

He blessed us to be fruitful, abundantly productive. Adam is our example of what God’s expectations are as members of his family. In Genesis 2: 19-20 we find that, “Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field...but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him.”

Let’s get a rough idea of what Adam’s imagination did for him: While doing some research on how many animals there are in the world I found that

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sexuality & self-esteem | the “be” attitude

there are 5, 490 categories of mammals, 5, 998 categories of birds, 9,084 categories of reptiles, 1,000,000 categories of insects, and 102, 248 categories of spiders and scorpions. Adam used his imagination, just like God used His, and named all of the animals and cultivated (or subdued) the garden of Eden that he was placed in.

He walked in God’s 5-fold blessing: (1) he was fruitful; (2) he multiplied; (3) he filled

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the garden; (4) he subdued all creatures within the garden and (5) he ruled over the work of God’s hands. We MUST do the exact same thing in our lives!

There are three things we must do if we want to be abundantly productive which will automatically make us beautiful, bountiful and blessed!

1. Tap into our imagination

sexuality & self-esteem | the “be” attitude

While writing the book of Ephesians, Paul puts it this way, “ . . . that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.”

- Ephesians 1:17-18 (NKJV)

There are two types of imagination, synthetic and creative imagination.

By using synthetic imagination one may arrange old concepts, ideas, or plans into new combinations. This faculty creates nothing. It merely works with the material of experience, education, and observation with which it is fed. Conversely, when someone uses creative imagination, his or her finite mind has direct communication with the infinite intelligence of GOD. It is the faculty through which “hunches” and “inspirations” are received.

It is by this faculty that all basic, or new ideas are handed over to us.

2. Bloom where we are planted

When plants are blooming they are in a state or time of high development or achievement. “Blessed is the man (or woman) who walks not in the counsel

of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he (or she) does shall prosper” - Psalm 1:1-3 (NKJV) In order for trees to get produce bountiful fruit harvests, experts say they must be in a site that receives adequate sun. Many types of fruit trees will tolerate less than perfect soil, but few will produce without appropriate sunshine. In the case of Christians, the tree of our life must have the SON shining on and in our lives every moment of every day! It doesn’t matter what “soil” you’re in right now. As long as you have the SON shining in and on your life, you will produce fruit! Jesus said it this way in John 15: 4-5, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

- John 15:4-5 (NKJV)

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sexuality & self-esteem | the “be” attitude

To enlarge means to make larger; to set free; to grow larger. Isaiah said, “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. For you shall expand to the right and to the left, and your descendants will inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities inhabited.” - Isaiah 54:2-3 (NKJV). Proverbs 18:16 goes on to say, “A man’s (or woman’s) gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.”

- Proverbs 18:16 (NKJV)

In an excerpt from the book Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill relays The Warrior’s Story: A long while ago, a great warrior faced a situation which made it necessary for him to make a decision which insured his success on the battlefield. He was about to send his armies against a powerful foe, whose men outnumbered his own. He loaded his soldiers into boats, sailed to the enemy’s country, unloaded soldiers and equipment, then gave the order to burn the ships that had carried them.

Addressing his men before the first battle, he said, “You see the boats going up in smoke. That means that we cannot leave these shores alive unless

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we win!” We now have no choice--we win--or we perish!”

THEY WON.

Ladies and Gentlemen, God says there is no turning back now…It’s time to SHAKE THINGS UP in your life so that you can live up to your full potential as one created in the image of God. I want you to be beautiful, bountiful and blessed!

You can you can walk in the B.E. attitude, of being beautiful, bountiful and blessed by: 1. Tapping into your God-given imagination and letting Him take you to places and give you answers and creativity you’ve not yet experienced as part of His family!

2. Blooming wherever He has planted you! Stop making excuses for not being in the “right environment” BLOOM even in difficult soil!

3. Enlarging your perspective and your reach. If you’re already blooming or once you start blooming, EXPECT God to ENLARGE your perspective, influence, and reach

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sexuality & self-esteem

a new found

freedom awaits Lakeisha Dixon

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sexuality & self-esteem | a new found freedom

Purity ~ freedom from guilt or evil; chastity, clean, virgin and free from dirt or spotless.

As you can see, this definition has multiple meanings. It all depends on your perception of purity. Ladies, it’s never too late to live a life free from guilt and shame. Many of us regret the day we gave ourselves to someone we were not married to, only to receive nothing in return but brokenness, heartache and pain. Forgive yourself! You were not created to live in condemnation. That’s why I love Jesus!

He is a mender of broken hearts. There is no pain that God can’t heal.

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Yes, freedom awaits you today!

Living a lifestyle of purity starts in your heart before it starts with what’s between your legs. When you make a decision that sexual purity is what you really want, pray for strength and get busy dealing with those unresolved issues of your past, before they deal with you!

Understand that whatever you plant in your heart will manifest in your thoughts and grow in your actions. That’s why we should guard our hearts with all diligence, for out of it flows the issues of life.

“

What you plant in your heart will manifest in your thoughts and grow in your actions

“

W

hat’s between my legs is mine and it’s not up for negotiation. Although, you’re fine but between these legs is where I draw the line.

Ladies, I know what you are thinking. “I gave up my purity a long time ago”… or “My purity was taken without my consent and THAT word no longer defines who I am”. Guess what? It’s time for you to take your power back and reclaim your purity! There is freedom in knowing that God has given us a second chance.

Yes, freedom awaits you today!

Now, this is not to say, that you won’t ever become “horny”. Every natural and healthy human being has these feelings. So it’s not so much about the FEELING coming but the ACTION after the feeling. As a 34-year-old virgin, I am often asked, “Lakeisha, do you get horny?”

The answer is plain and simple….YES! I am NOT exempt. It’s in those moments

I speak to God bluntly. I ask Him to keep me and save me from acting on a temporary thought that can, in ONE decision, cause me long term pain and frustration.

God created sex to be a pleasurable experience with our husbands. Sex was never created to keep us entangled and stuck.

Just be honest with yourself and believe that God cares about every area of your life.

Yes, freedom awaits you today!

By now you are probably screaming‌Yes! Lakeisha, I want to take my power back and live a lifestyle of purity.

In order for this to happen you must first present your plan to God. Ask Him for strength as you begin this amazing journey. Then you must believe that you can

do all things through Christ Who gives you strength. I would also suggest that you find a few spiritually mature female accountability partners who can hold you accountable to your plan. Faith, without works is dead. You must engage others in what you are doing. Lastly, you must set boundaries. You know your pressure points. You know what you can handle and what you cannot. Be clear and bold at the beginning of any relationship about your expectations and whatever you do, don’t compromise on your non-negotiables.

You are a masterpiece created by the Master of Peace. You are more valuable than you think.

Embrace your freedom today!

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career

GPS your

Wendy Capland

career

Work ON your career and [don’t] just be IN it

W

e all know how important it is to navigate and manage our own careers. However, it’s not always easy to know what to do or even when the best timing is to do it. Personal circumstances, boss’s opinions of us, and corporate restructurings all play a pivotal part in impacting the success of our leadership and career trajectory.

Our tolerance for these external factors and how they impact our lives varies from time to time, but ultimately I believe we are the only ones who know what’s best; even if we have moments of being unsure of what move to make next.

Years ago when I was a corporate employee and ready to come back to work after maternity leave, I decided coming back part-time might be a good option to help me transition after having a baby. My boss saw my entrance back into the work force differently than I did. She actually told me that she did not think it possible to be both a serious career woman AND be a mother and suggested that I think about choosing which one of these was more important to me. After getting over the shock (and the potential unlawfulness of her comment), my tolerance for her navigating my career in this

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career | gps your career

way was, as you might imagine, ZERO! So, I quit. I had no job, a 3 month old, an 18 month old, and was determined my career would resemble something I wanted and NOT something someone else wanted for me.

After managing through this unfortunate set of circumstances myself (ultimately not as unfortunate, as this conversation was the catalyst for starting my own business!), I learned many things. Here are three that helped me, and might help you as well, as you think about how to navigate your wants and your circumstances most effectively.

Pay Attention

Even though we believe our careers are ours to manage, if we work for someone else, we often find ourselves at the affect of our boss’s idea as to what career move is available to us or not. Pay attention to the feedback you receive from your boss and your boss’s boss. You need to start reading between the lines, even if you don’t like what you see. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard an executive tell me they gave one of their employees some pretty tough feedback, but when I check in with the employee, they say that nothing unusual or critical in nature was

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discussed. My conclusion is that most of us really do believe we have spoken straight and clear when giving feedback, but in reality what was said isn’t necessarily heard as we intended. As a result, we have to get better at reading between the lines and asking lots of questions to obtain clarity so we can better plot a course for our next move.

Navigate

Map out the path to the promotion, job, or title you desire and feel you deserve. No one wants what you want more than you do and no one will take the wheel for you. You are in the driver’s seat, but beware; this journey is not for weenies. You will need to stay alert, read the signs, and stay focused on your destination. It’s OK to take a detour or two as no career progression is traveled in a straight line. Keep your eyes on your destination otherwise it becomes easy to take too many side streets just waiting for “them” to change their minds and see just how talented you really are.

Re-calculate

To be fully satisfied in your work, you first have to decide what it is that you want, and then commit to having it in a

career | gps your career

singularly focused kind of way. It does happen, although rarely, that the Universe just guides and glides us along without effort towards our dreams and goals. Most of the time however, we actually have to do stuff to make what we want become a reality. It takes persistence, commitment and acting outside your comfort zone to obtain the brass ring you have your sights on. Have conversations with key stakeholders (bosses, mentors and a coach) as to what’s required to readjust your actions, recalculate a misguided direction you may have made, and to understand clearly the gap between where you are and where you want to ultimately be.

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be IN it. It is a smart thing to do and will pay off by putting you in the drivers seat over and over again.

Believe we are the only ones who know what’s best

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As you navigate your career, no matter how old or young you are, you will either head towards something you want or escape from something that’s not working for you, like in my case with my boss. Giving yourself time to think about your career progression actually allows you to work ON your career and not just

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i’m doing a great

career

work!

Jennifer Keitt

...and I can’t stop now! Distractions can slowly kill vision “ . . . I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped and had survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem. They said to me, “The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire. . . . When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days . . .”

- Nehemiah 1: 2b-4a NASB

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career | i’m doing a great work

Y

ou are doing great things in your life, but time and time again you get caught in traps designed to keep you from doing greater things.

In this inspiring and practical session I tell you the three tactics used against you and what you can do to fight as you declare, “I’m doing a great work in my life and I can’t stop now!”

We all can relate to having a “wall” in our lives that must be repaired! Maybe you’re weeping on the inside because your marriage is broken, or your finances are broken…or right now your career is broken. It could be the kids . . . or you’re under emotional pressure. Everyday in our lives, we have the opportunity to fix and repair the broken areas. We, like Nehemiah can be touched so deeply by the broken areas in our lives or in the lives of others that we can use that pain and weeping as a call to action!

Dr. Dennis Waitley, author of the book, The Winner’s Edge says, “Winners take full responsibility for determining their actions in their own lives. Each person,” he goes on to say, “must accept the card life deals them. But once they are in hand, we must decide HOW to play the cards in order to win the game.” Nehemiah

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was winner, and so are you! So here’s what Nehemiah did.

“I said to the king, ‘If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my father’s tombs, that I may rebuild it.’ Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, ‘How long will your journey be, and when will you return?’ So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time.”

- Nehemiah 2:5-6 NASB Nehemiah was moved, stirred, and compelled to rebuild the wall, and he was given the opportunity to fulfill his vision.

We too have the opportunity to look at the broken walls in our lives and in the lives of others and help fix it! But like Nehemiah, we’ve got to be motivated, compelled, and drawn to repair the broken walls. But how do we successfully see the completion of those goals and visions that we start? What can we expect when we set out to repair the broken walls in our lives or the lives of others? Let’s continue with Nehemiah’s story . . .

“Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.” . . . “Then they said, “Let us arise and build.” . . . “But

career | i’m doing a great work

when Sanballat, the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard it, they mocked us and despised us and said, “What is this thing you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”

- Nehemiah 2: 17-19 NASB Nehemiah did what we all do. He rallied a team of supporters, put tools in their hands, and cast the vision, then they went forward to complete the assignment. In our lives this looks like, calling our prayer warriors to pray for our marriage or our finances. It looks like visiting our children’s teachers in school, talking with our teens about their behavior in an attempt to get them to “buy in” to doing better. We pray and ask God for help! We go to the doctor and promise to eat better and exercise… we try to build momentum and motivation to fix the broken walls in our lives. We call our colleagues and co-workers together, we make an appointment with the boss to discuss how we want to do more for the company—our list is endless in rallying support for our cause. We put the tools in everyone’s hands, we pray and we start working!

But Nehemiah soon discovered something to which we all can relate.

Whenever we try to accomplish something great in our lives—especially something

that we feel God wants us to accomplish— opposition finds us! We all know what is feels like to be shut down before we really start moving forward in our lives.

Today, I want to talk about this opposition that you’re experiencing or have experienced WHEN YOU ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE BROKEN WALLS IN YOUR LIFE . . . trying to fulfill your dreams, your goals and your job daily.

Let’s talk about what it’s going to take for you and I to be able to say loudly and boldly, “I’m Doing A Great Work, And I Can’t Stop Now!”

In his book Visioneering, author Andy Stanley says, “Regardless of the nature of your vision or visions, if you are not careful, you will get distracted. The daily grind of life is hard on visions. Life is now.

Bills are now. Crisis is now. Vision is later.

It is easy to lose sight of the main thing, to sacrifice the best for the sake of the good.

Distractions can slowly kill a vision.”

There are 3 types of distractions that you will have to overcome in order to be able to repair the broken walls in your life and see your vision, your goal or the work that you are doing come to completion.

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“

“

Look at the broken walls in your life and the lives of others and help FIX it

1. Opportunities Every day of our lives, opportunities come along that have the potential to distract us from the main things that God has called us to do. To accomplish the important things you must learn to say no to some good things. Good things have the greatest potential to distract you from the best things, the vision things.

In his book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey states, “Private victories always precede public victories!”

In order to have a private victory you must: 1. Be Proactive - tell yourself that you’re in charge 2. Begin with the end in mind - envision, create, and detect our own uniqueness even if you cannot at present see with your our eyes 3. Put first things first - choose what’s

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best over what’s good It’s the principle of putting first things first that I am talking about when I say don’t sacrifice the best things for the good opportunities that you’ll have in life. When you’re committed to repairing the broken walls in your life and in the lives of others it is imperative that you keep focused on what God’s best is for you. Do not sacrifice His best for good enough! Goethe states this principle another way. “Things which matter most must NEVER be at the mercy of things which matter least.”

• Don’t allow good things to rob your family - busy schedules, over-committed plans, parties and activities…

• Don’t allow good things to rob you emotionally—“relaxing” in front of the TV for hours • Don’t allow good things to rob you physically—eating all the goodies with-

career | i’m doing a great work

2. Criticism & Accusation

Criticism and accusations are part of what you will have to endure when you are focused on completing the task that God has called you to do. There are six things you must know about critics and the accusations they make: 1. Nothing brings out the critics like a vision.

2. Don’t be distracted by criticism. Time will tell who is right.

3. The worse thing you can do is to allow your anger to shift your focus.

4. There are always going to be accusations when you are focused on accomplishing a vision.

5. Men and women with a vision stand out. That makes people uncomfortable. The current of society always moves in the direction of conformity.

6. The best way to silence your critics is to see your vision through to completion!

What is the best way to get past this second distraction? FINISH YOUR VISION. In Section 2 of my new book, Shake Up Your Life, I talk about harnessing the power that resides within. In that section, step number 7 is to have patience with yourself. This is one major key to your success.

Patience is the stabilizing force that allows you to finish strong and on time. Nehemiah didn’t get flustered and jump ahead or lag behind. He stayed the course. He harnessed his power, stayed focused, and had patience with the process, with himself in spite of the many obstacles, and with the criticism and accusation that were being thrown his way.

The best thing you can do to combat the criticism, and accusations that are guaranteed to come your way is to harness your innate power and finish strong - succeed at what you’ve setting out to accomplish. Success is a powerful weapon!

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You must learn to say no to some good things

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out eating healthy or being active • Don’t allow good things to rob you in your career or financially • Don’t allow good things to take you off track sexually

So how do you overcome this first distraction? BE CHOOSEY. Select the best things in your life over the good things.

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career | i’m doing a great work

3. Fear, Deception, & Intimidation Fear is a form of focus. We can get so focused on what might be that we lose sight of what could be and what should be.

Don’t allow fear of the unknown to cause you to miss out on what God wants to do through you. Don’t allow fear to rob you of your vision for your marriage, your finances, your relationships, your career or ministry! In light of what God has called you to do, should a woman in your position retreat? Absolutely not!!! Instead, pray and persevere in order to overcome this final distraction.

Your response should always be, “I am doing a great work and I cannot stop!”

• Don’t get distracted by opportunities, by criticism or by fear! When distractions come up remember: • Be choosey - choose BEST over GOOD ENOUGH • Be successful - complete your vision.

Success will silence your critics • Be prayerful & persevere - continue forward! The significance of your calling RULES OUT the option of retreating!

• You are doing a GREAT work, you don’t have time to come down.

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People with vision stand out - harness your innate power and finish strong! www.jenniferkeitt.com | 47

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relationships & finances

wealth &

happiness Doug Vermeeren

Does How You Feel about Money Affect Your Wealth?

A

lthough we live in the richest and most advanced society the world has ever known, many of us say we need more money in order to be happy, notes best-selling business book author Doug Vermeeren.

“Even some of those in the top percentile of earners often feel like they don’t have enough money,” says Vermeeren, an international speaker who consults with celebrities, business executives and professional athletes.

“The math is simple: More money does not equal more happiness. It’s our attitude toward money, not the amount, that influences our happiness the most.”

Happiness researchers Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton, professors at the Harvard Business School, recently published research indicating that it’s not money that makes people happy, nor the things people buy with it. Rather, it’s the experiences one has that ultimately account for happiness.

“How you experience your money on a day-to-day basis is what matters,” Vermeeren says. “If the software running in your brain is constantly reinforcing the message, ‘it’s not enough,’ then that is likely how you will see yourself and experience your life – as ‘not enough.’ ”

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You’ll be most happy if you continually set goals and relish your journey toward them

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relationships & finances | wealth & happiness

Vermeeren reviews the three fallacies of abundance as it relates to happiness:

Fallacy 1: We are all entitled to a certain amount of wealth

The feeling that we deserve or are owed a certain amount of wealth will always make us unhappy with whatever we have. While we are entitled to certain human rights, those do not include a winning lottery ticket. In reality, we are not owed any amount of abundance and, in fact, should count ourselves lucky if we’re able to meet our basic needs; many in the world are not. More of us, however, would be happier simply appreciating what we have.

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It’s our attitude toward money that influences our happiness the most

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Fallacy 2: The result of our labors is money

Money is a means to an end, not an end in itself. This can be a challenge to keep in mind since so much of our lives are spent in the pursuit of money. We work and go to school to support ourselves and our families. We see things we

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want, and we know we need more money for them. Study after study shows, however, that what really makes us happy is what we do and who we do it with, and not how much money we spend.

Fallacy 3: We’ll be happiest when we finally reach our goal

We are happiest when we are progressing toward a goal. When we lose sight of our goal, veer off the path toward our goal, and even achieve our goal, we’re less happy. Rather than setting one goal and deciding you will be happy when you meet it, you’ll be most happy if you continually set goals and relish your journey toward them.

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relationships & finances

how master your to

emotions Leela Francis

Turning a “liability” into a source of power

E

motional. Sensual. Intuitive. Society tends to treat these “feminine” qualities as liabilities; traits that should be suppressed and discouraged because they make us appear “weak.” “Those characteristics are, in fact, the foundations of our feminine power,” says Leela Francis, author of “Woman’s Way Home,” which includes techniques and tools from her Vividly Woman Embodied Leader Tools and Training.

By resourcing the power within one’s own body, Francis teaches, “a woman can have the life of her dreams.” One of the ways to do that is to master the world of your emotions. “Emotional power is the freedom to feel the truth of your feelings and the ability to harness them so you’re the master of them,” Francis says. “When you can do that, your emotions will expand you rather than consume you.”

Denying, suppressing or expressing emotion to manipulate others all stifle this wellspring of potential for depth and intimacy, which is a source of mental, physical and spiritual joy, Francis says. What can you do to begin reclaiming your own emotional power? Francis offers these suggestions.

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relationships & finances | mastering emotions

When you digest food, your body absorbs the nutritious elements and expels the potentially toxic wastes. Emotions must be digested the same way. It’s important to express your feelings in responsible ways so that you don’t build up emotional toxins and pollutants in your body. This may be why anxiety, depression and panic attacks have become so prevalent in our culture, Francis says.

Some healthy, responsible ways to express emotion include creative endeavors, such as the visual arts – painting, drawing, sculpting; expressive arts such as singing and dancing; and healing arts such as massage.

Don’t demand others witness your emotional expression; and don’t allow others to demand you witness theirs

Using emotional expression to evoke responses from others is manipulative and does not allow you to experience the truth of your feelings. Crying, yelling, even pretending to be happy when you’re not in order to influence someone else’s behavior are abuses of emotional expres-

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Emotional power is the freedom to feel the truth of your feelings

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Indulge your emotions without dumping them on others.

relationships & finances | mastering emotions

Make the time to engage in intimate, authentic verbal sharing.

The honest, spoken expression of our true feelings allows us to tap the deep emotions that facilitate our tender connections to others. These connections trigger a physiological reaction that creates our own, natural brain elixir. When women engage in intimate conversation, it encourages the production of the hormone oxytocin, which creates feelings of euphoria. (It’s the same hormone secreted after childbirth to help our minds and bodies quickly recover from the pain of labor.) It also encourages production of the hormone serotonin, which gives us a feeling of well-being.

Don’t impose your emotional process on others.

We sometimes seek to avoid the discomfort of painful emotions by expressing them outwardly to others, for instance, angrily blaming someone else

for our discomfort. Yelling at others because of the emotion we’re feeling only indicates that we have an inner turmoil, and an inner turmoil can only be resolved self to self. In addition, blaming someone else – or yourself! – for painful emotions causes us to become a victim, which creates suffering.

“These steps will help you begin to master your emotions, and once you do, you will find they will make you richer and more vibrant,” Francis says.

“Our emotions don’t make us weak; they give us the empathy and love that make us care for and nurture our loved ones.

That’s pretty powerful.”

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It’s important to express your feelings in responsible ways so that you don’t build up emotional toxins and pollutants in your body

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sion. Not only are we denied the benefits of expression, we have to live with our own lack of integrity for using them irresponsibly.

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spirituality

6 the

principles

of prayer

Nina Borum

Exercise your right to pray boldly.

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rayer is one of the most beautiful mysteries that we have the pleasure of engaging in. It’s not simply talking to God, it is the vehicle that takes us into the supernatural realm and it is in this realm that our blessings are stored in abundance. The Bible teaches us several principles concerning prayer that we often forget to utilize.

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spirituality | 6 principles of prayer

Pray with Expectation.

“Yahweh, in the morning you shall hear my voice. In the morning I will lay my requests before you, and will watch expectantly.”

Psalm 5:3

When we experience a problem, we often create our own plans and solutions instead of relying on God’s answer to our prayer.

This stems from a deep insecurity that maybe God does not answer our prayers. This erroneous belief is reinforced every time we experience pain or frustration despite our prayers.

Expectation pleases God. God knows our hearts in prayer. When we pray and expect God to do nothing, He often does what we expect: nothing.

Pray with Boldness.

“This is the boldness which we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He listens to us. And if we know that He listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of Him.” 1 John 5:14–15

Many times, our humility in prayer turns into low self-esteem. We forget the way God sees us and think of ourselves as unworthy children covered in filthy rags.

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We don’t feel that we have the right to approach the throne of grace, therefore we do so hesitantly.

This mindset is not from God. God has not only called us His children but covers our sins. True humility is realizing the authority you have in prayer and exercising your right to pray boldly with wisdom and understanding.

Pray with Persistence.

“He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up.” Luke 18:1

Where is the scripture that states that when God says no, we should stop praying? That scripture does not exist, yet we use that principle in our prayer lives.

Part of this is due to spiritual laziness. We don’t always want to get our knees dirty in prayer. After all, we are busy and figure God’s will prevails regardless. We lack patience and therefore lack persistence.

Be reminded that throughout the biblical narrative, prayer often changed how God was planning to respond in certain situations. Don’t give up!

Pray for Miracles.

Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, if you have faith, and don’t doubt, you

spirituality | 6 principles of prayer

Does that still happen?

According to Jesus, the one thing that stands between our prayers and a miracle is doubt.

Pray the Scriptures.

“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:17

The Bible clearly states that our battles are not against flesh and blood, and then it gives us the tools to fight those battles.

One of those tools is praying the scriptures. This is best illustrated when Jesus was tempted by Satan in the desert.

Jesus did not try to physically fight Satan or have a loud arguing match. He simply proclaimed and believed the scriptures.

We can do the same.

Pray in the Spirit.

“They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.”

Acts 2:4

Despite various views on speaking in tongues, we can all agree that praying in the Spirit is something that is deeply powerful and is a gift of God. When you pray in tongues, it is your spirit that prays, not your mind. This allows you to pray God’s pure will because your thoughts and ideas are not a part of the equation.

If we are in a burdensome situation and there are no words to pray, we can receive the gift of tongues and watch as God provides supernatural solutions to our earthly problems.

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When we pray and expect God to do nothing, He often does what we expect: Nothing

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will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you told this mountain, be taken up and cast into the sea, it would be done.

All things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Matthew 21:21–22

Do miracles still exist? Not the miracle of life, like babies being born or natural phenomena, but miracles of people being raised from the dead or the sick instantly being healed.

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physical body

discover a new you Lisa Tanker-Potts

If we don’t have our health, fulfilling our dreams becomes insurmountable

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woman’s work can feel like it is never done. Our lives are usually busy with careers, family, errands and a plethora of other tasks thrown our way on a daily basis. In the midst of living life and taking care of others, it’s easy to lose focus on the importance of taking care of ourselves.

I have coached hundreds of women that are busy catering to everything and everyone else, while neglecting their own needs. When we do this, we fail to realize that if we don’t have our health, fulfilling our dreams becomes insurmountable.

You can regain a commitment to yourself and your physical health, while balancing the demands of life. As you make a decision to start an exercise program, it is key that you avoid focusing on how much time you DON’T have but instead on how you will MAKE time to incorporate fitness into your life. Change your focus from how hard you think working out and eating healthy are, to instead opening your mind to the new possibilities of what can happen when you make a decision to improve your health.

Here are four steps to discovering a new you:

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physical body | discover a new you

Acknowledge that you want to be healthier

One common theme I have found among the women I’ve trained is that when we aren’t in the shape we want to be in, we are often dishonest with ourselves.

For example, we may accept that we have high blood pressure and diabetes or attribute being overweight and other health issues to heredity, while continuing the very habits that are actually causing the health challenges. We can only change our lives by first being honest about where we are and where we want to be.

Be vulnerable and open to change

Being vulnerable can be challenging as it means that we have to be open to possibly needing help. It is important that you determine the level of support you need as well as what your short and long term goals are.

Changing your lifestyle can be uncomfortable since it requires a level of discipline that involves you planning to cook healthy meals and following a schedule that incorporates day to day activity, even with your current responsibilities.

Although this sounds challenging, ask yourself, if your employer required you

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to increase your work hours by 2 hours a day to keep your position, would you find the time to fulfill your duties in order to keep your job? Most people would say yes even if this would mean being unhappy about the situation. If something is important to you, you will find time to make it a priority. Fitness and healthy eating need to now be that priority for you.

Understand that it is OK to be nervous

When you start your new journey you may be excited about getting healthier and fit. I have seen some women grow just as nervous as they are excited. Some for fear of failure or of success…while others become nervous because they will now be held accountable. It’s OK to be nervous. The key is to set goals that are so important to you that no fear will paralyze you from taking action

Dedicate yourself to your journey and take action

Make your health so much of a priority that it is now a part of your daily life. Each day be dedicated to your goals and take action steps like eliminating processed foods from your grocery list and setting a weekly workout schedule.

physical body | discover a new you

Just like your other obligations, a healthy lifestyle has to become priority.

What will happen when you decide to focus on your health? You will discover a new you! That new you will be more energetic, more confident, more balanced and have discipline. That new you can translate your new level of discipline with fitness and healthy eating to other areas of your life. I’ve seen that “new you” translate into job promotions, new relationships and confidence in starting new ventures that once were just a dream. It’s truly amazing what happens when we have our physical and mental health. So today, I want you to view fitness differently by understanding that you can and will discover a New You by making fitness and health a lifestyle

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physical body

living a healthy life Dan Nguyen

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physical body | discover a new you

Activity

"Find something you love to do.

For me it is beach volleyball – I love it so doesn't become a chore for me."

Behavior

"Your mental focus guides your behavior. A person can procrastinate because of all the things they are focusing on, why they can't go to the gym. They may focus on how terrible the parking is or how crowded it is or, I hear this many times, 'I hate being sweaty.' When they are focusing on this of course it is going to be hard for them, they are going to procrastinate." Instead, Dan advises, pick a time when the gym is not crowded and see your sweat as a sign your muscles are getting stronger and burning off fat.

Consistency When it comes to diet and exercise, consistency is more important than counting calories. "When I work with my clients, to help them get into that mindset: 'I am a fit and healthy person and I want to exercise.' Changing your mindset is the key to changing your behavior for a healthier lifestyle."

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Combining visualization... with exercise is the key to making workouts more effective

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ummer is on the way and people everywhere are trying to tone up, burn off the winter flab and get fit for swimsuit season. Why is it so many people increase their workouts as the weather warms only to see disappointing results?

"Once we learn how to do something, it becomes unconscious behavior," says LA-based Fitness Behavior Expert Dan Nguyen (pronounced WIN). "We can go to the gym and do the same exercises, but in order to change, whether it is a muscle or a habit, everything must start with the foundation of visualization."

At age 40, Dan, who is a certified trainer, has kept his body fat in the single digits for 20 years by tapping what he calls the "mind-muscle connection."

Combining visualization and medication with exercise is the key to making workouts more effective, burning fat and building muscle for lasting change, Dan says. He shares tips from his "ABCs of health and wellness:"

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