Express Me, Express You, Embrace We Cover Story Married To Ministry 9 with Prophetess Moore Featured & Savory Creations 15 Sweet with Veah & Samara Publishing Dreams
18 with Author Katara Patton
Voices of LASUMXP & Guests The Weight of my weight 66 Karmen Booth 8 Heel-Toe-Step Ms Mo’ 16 Natural Nailz GlamHer and More Shana Sanders
21 Be the new thing Crystal Willingham 24 Whispers of the heart Shartia Divine To share your story or advertise with us, send an email to: mzmoministry@gmail.com
When I first started this magazine, I was excited to see where it would go. Even though the Bible tells us to be anxious for nothing, I anxiously awaited each submission. Anticipating the great journeys they would reveal. It was created to be a platform for women from all walks of life, to share their stories, to release their sound in the earth. Interestingly enough, in its 7th month and only 4th issue, it has been a challenge to get women to share their stories. Staying on top of every aspect of the magazine from writers, features, editing, design, layout and so on, has kept me busy. I was a bit nervous with my first round of feedback. But I had to strap up my big girls heels and walk on through it. It went well with almost everyone. With everyone accept that one, it challenged and stretched them in their writings. Encouraged them to do that and more. Yep! There are some books being birthed in many of these women. There has been great feedback on the magazine and we have a great audience of readers with each issue. There has been a change in voices and we keep growing. I want to expand our reach at LASUMXP that takes time, patience, work and assistance. I am hoping to link up with those who can see the vision of LASUMXP and see themselves as a vital part of the mission to bring it to pass. People make memes out of any picture nowadays. But I am looking for those who capture some of life’s still and greatest moments with their lenses and tell brilliant stories, without words. The visual and performing arts are no longer in our local schools, but still very alive within many. I want to stain our pages with the exploration of their creativity. Dance, drama, songstress, fine arts, sculptures, poetry and so much more. Who knows them? Who follows them? Who can be our tour guide through their creative artistic minds and hearts? I want to connect a team of individuals who can take pieces of LASUMXP and bring together the big picture. A place for women to rebuild a sisterhood through our experiences, triumphs, trials and ability to stand even when we don’t feel our best. It is not about support. Support is fickle and fleeting at best. It is like a form of bondage, in which whatever someone does for you, you now owe them. The Bible says that we are to owe no man nothing but love. I show up where I show up because I feel led to be there. Love is powerful, but it is not a form of bondage in which we exchange debts to one another. Today friends become frenemies over social sharing, likes or the lack thereof. How many audiences we are or are not a part of. Forgiveness is one sided and reserved for a select few. Faith and hope seem to fade in the face of today’s gross darkness. But there is light at the end of the tunnel and LASUMXP is not the only ray of it shinning. We are one amongst many and as we come together it shines brighter and brighter and leads more and more to a greater hope. God is still God and prayer still works. We must reposition ourselves in the true will of God for our lives. We must stand firm on truth and not buckle to spare feelings. But there is a way to share harsh truths in gentle effective ways, that don’t compromise it. We must own who we are and work at being our best selves. Not being enslaved to show up as carbon copies of others. But authentic unique measures of Christ serving at our full capacity. If we want to change the world, it starts within us. Show up always in your best shoe. The shoe of love. Always walk in love. Carry your best bag. Your bag of forgiveness. It is small, yet eye catching and light to carry. Don’t forget that new shade of eyeshadow called righteousness. It makes viewing life a whole lot sweeter and you won’t have to fear the naysayers. For you’ll know that His truth is already sealed within you. Make sure those lips are always poppin’ with that lip stain of truth. Lies can’t stand in the face of it, so it will shut it down immediately. Remember
to smile for it is like your own set of lenses. It captures the hearts and thoughts of those it encounters. You are light, love and fabulous. Never forget that and never forfeit that. Some of us have been in a self-placed time out for long enough. It is time to step up to the mic and release your sound. The whole creation groans and awaits it. To sit on the sidelines of your life in silence is beneath you. You are far from a peasant passing through life. You are a royal priesthood, a chosen people and apart of a holy nation. Live out loud and make our Father proud. When I think about forgiveness, faith and friends I imagine three things that are constant and consistent. Reliable and rich. Unfortunately today they seem fickle and fleeting. But we have the power to change that. To learn from each other and be better than we ever have been. We see what we see in the world because at some point love stopped being freely shared, explored and embraced. In order to spread love, forgiveness must take place and we must have faith that God’s way still works. He still heals and delivers. Let Him be the balm for your wounds and let us all grow forward together. In This Issue… Thank you to the ladies who tell your stories, issue after issue. Shana and Karmen, thank you both so much. You’ve hung in there and met the demands. I love you two dearly. Karmen, you’ll hit that goal and you’ve inspired me to start on my own. Shana, I am already a germophobe and your piece this month makes me feel good about it. To our two new content writers, Crystal and Shartia, thanks for joining the family. We’ll be accomplishing some great things together and I am looking forward to it. Prophetess Ayana, I bugged you and you were super busy, but you managed to share your journey and teach us as well. Thank you, thank you, thank you woman of God, for allowing us in. To both of my home-girls at Two Sisters Catering, thanks for letting us in your kitchen. It makes me want to cook. To our featured author, I pray your book release exceeds your expectation. I think both books and the 3rd edition makes for awesome teaching tools and a great resource for a group study. Ladies get your copies, start a study group and keep me posted on how well it goes. Never be shy of sharing your feedback about the magazine. Just don’t be rude and fleshy. Respect goes a long way and spares a lot. Step forward and share your stories, take out an ad in the magazine, become a content writer or blogger for the site. I need an editor immediately as I know I may miss some things. Become the team that will assist in keeping this machine moving. I know you’re reading this, so email me when you’ve finished enjoying the entire July issue. Love, hugs and fabulous blessings queens!
Monique Strong
LASUMXP Editor In Chief
mzmoministry@gmail.com
www.moniquestrong.org
The Weight of My Weight By Karmen Booth
A piece of advice that has been repeatedly given to me as a semi-newly married woman has been to keep it together for my husband and not let myself go. I met my husband in my prime (or was it), my twenties. Though I’m not THAT much older now, let’s be honest, some time has passed and some parts that once faced north, are wanting to face south, and things that were once straight now have curves (and hills, and mountains).
out someone bigger than me, slower than me, ANYONE, whom I thought was struggling more than I was in this gym. There were even times that I would leave the gym with my head in my husband’s arms crying because I felt defeated.
Without seeing any drastic changes, I began to change my routine. I would now make excuses to not go to the gym. Bribing my husband about when I would go, We (my husband and I) were planning a getaway and what I would do when I would go. All because I had to California, and I thought that it would be a good idea not been seeing the results I wanted. Then, I had an to start shedding some pounds before we left. I wanted to epiphany, and realized I did not get here over night. Not have at least a quarter of a bombshell body for the beach. only did I not get here over night, I was not going to lose And If I’m totally honest, I didn’t want my legs hanging it overnight either. over in someone else’s seat on the airplane. I lost a lot of me, in my weight gain. The outgoing person that I once was is now fighting to get out, but I I’d begun researching some ways of clean eating and lifestyle changes, I joined a gym, bought gym clothing didn’t know how to get the traction I needed to start seeing a change in me. Now this change was not and performance shoes, and started grocery shopping necessarily a drop in weight, but a drop in the ideas I’d differently. I was determined and ready! There I was hitting the gym. I decided that I liked classes better than begun to form about myself and how I feel others working out alone. It felt more like a team effort, than an perceive me because of my weight. individual one, and there was comfort in that for me. I reluctantly tell you today that I haven’t reached my goal. In fact, I’m nowhere near my goal. However, I’ve The classes are held in a room saturated with began to shift my way of thinking. I can tell you with mirrors. In class, we all face the mirrors, and there is no hiding from yourself. There however, is a “safe” place in much gratification that I have learned I’m much more than what I had started to tell myself. I literally quote the room. On my first day, I found myself scrambling to scriptures to keep moving in the gym, (“They shall run that most coveted spot in the room, the rear corner. Away from the sight of anyone passing by wanting to look and not be weary…..”), I think about my long term goals, but I make smaller goals for myself that are reasonable in and difficult for those in the room to see. I found that and obtainable. Instead of saying I want to lose 50lbs, I this had become my favorite spot. I would get to class tell myself, “Let’s start with 10lbs”. earlier so that I wouldn’t have to be challenged for this spot, in the rear. I can’t believe that I have opened up enough to talk to y’all about this. However, that just shows me how After a while, I began to think, when did I stop far I have come. Do you know how much energy it takes to wanting to see myself? I started to think, if this behavior hide who you really are, because you’ve morphed into was happening in the gym, what other areas of my life someone whom is a shell of yourself? My weight loss had this low self-esteem crept into? Different situations journey has been and will be more than just losing began to come to mind. weight. There are perceptions and beliefs, and a lifestyle that will have to change for this to work for me, and I now When I was younger, about however many pounds understand that. With that, I’m headed to reformation ago (catch it), I was really outgoing. So much so that in center (gym). Won’t you join me? my work life, people would call me a social butterfly. I befriended, or at least associated with many people, comfortably. Now, when I speak to people in public, I get red in the face, sometimes my face and hands get sweaty. I just become really anxious. AND now, here I am cowering in a corner in the gym. I had been going to the gym for a couple weeks, not really seeing any results. I was getting discouraged. Sometimes I would look around the gym trying to search
Heel-Toe-Step With Ms. Mo’
Shoes, shoes and more shoes. I love a good shoe! The problem is that most shoes that catch my eye are disrespectful to my feet. 3 inch or higher, platform or wedge. They all place my feet in the most compromising position. Elevated in one area. I am all for elevation, but when it comes to my feet, I need elevation to partner with comfort and pillow wrap my feet. But good gosh do they make your legs look great. Seriously, have you ever put on a pair of shoes and looked down to see how they fit, took a look in the floor length mirror and was like “Alright now”? Listen a shoe makes the difference. A good heel makes you walk different. If you’ve never noticed it, pay attention to your walk in a flat and a gym shoe. Then put on a heel and watch that shoe change things. Seriously, try it right now, I’ll wait…… While I was in Charlotte, this last time and diligently seeking employment, I noticed how my attire changed. It got real relaxed and eventually lacked effort to impress. Now, being a germophobe I bathed and put on fresh clothes daily. But sugar, I wasn’t all that put together and thought, why should I be, especially if I wasn’t going anywhere. Why care? Shower, throw on some lounging clothes and house shoes was as good as it would get. That was it. Then one day, I noticed how my attitude, mindset and heart had began to reflect in my attire. Things needed to change, because depression is never a shoe that looks well on me. Interestingly enough, I decided to continue in my relaxed, unimpressive attire for the rest of the day. It made sense, since I had already started the day off that way. So the next day, I jumped up, laid out my attire for the day, heels included and honnnnnnTey I strutted on through my apartment on a mission. I felt different. I had a different hip action going, even though I don’t have any real hip appeal. LMWO. Was it the power of the shoe? Or did a glimpse of my appearance, show me my heart? Since I needed and welcomed the elevation in my spirit, it showed in my natural appearance. I took pride in my appearance, usually and my job situation had no right to alter that. I made a decision that day to get up everyday as my best self. Now I may have been lounging, but I looked good doing it. See, just because I didn’t have a job to go to everyday, didn’t mean I didn't have a purpose to prepare for and present myself acceptable daily. If someone were to have called me to go somewhere, I would have had to get ready. But when you raise up daily and make ready for whatever come what may, you don’t have to get ready. Also, I didn’t walk around in those shoes too long though. Because my feet had gotten used to the posture in my house shoes. So don’t wait for the seemingly “perfect” occasion to rock your heels. Break them in and get your feet ready for what’s to come. Dressing up or putting on “ready for whatever” gear keeps you ready to step into your daily destiny. Put those toes in some heels and get to stepping. Heel-Toe-Step...Let’s go!
With Prophetess Ayanna Moore When I think about being married to ministry I immediately think of the song Yes by Shekinah Glory there is a part of the song that goes “If I told you what I really need… Would your heart and soul say yes?” Wow that statement alone is so powerful and something that many of us in ministry do not often think about when we first say “Use me Lord!” I for one did not quite know what I was asking for or what being used by the Lord would entail for me. I was not raised in church and by that I mean growing up I did not attend church every Sunday nor do I remember going to any midweek services other than an occasional vacation Bible school. Sure I attended church every once and a while and on holidays but because my mother worked most weekends we did not go to church often. I had a knowledge or shall I say an awareness of God but not much more. I had no concept of the spiritual world and basically thought being saved meant going to church and trying to live right. I eventually did give my life to Christ when He revealed Himself to me in an amazing undeniable way. I was able to feel the love the Lord had for me and it made me want to love everyone. I wanted everyone to experience this spiritual high that I had discovered because unlike other times I may have felt high from substances (remember I told you I wasn’t always saved) this high seemed to never lift, was free and had no negative side effects, other than being called a Jesus freak or too spiritual. This state of euphoria lasted perhaps for six straight months and within that time I started attending church regularly. I was there as soon as those church doors opened. Being in the presence of God, learning to hear His voice, seeing the gifts of the Holy Spirit in operation, praying and for the first time starting to understand the Bible, was like a gallon of ice cold water going down a dry throat on a hot day. Previously for years I did whatever made Ayanna happy but in actuality I was miserable and depressed but now I had finally found my place and purpose in life and it was in the presence of God! I would love to say that is how the story ends but actually once I gave my life to Christ that was just the beginning. Many people want to talk about the promises of God but barely mention the process of God and wonder why people get weary and backslide to their old ways. Oh man, I went from not knowing anything about spiritual things to finding myself in all kinds of spiritual warfare. One of the first things that I learned is just because your heart is pure and your motives are pure does not mean that those around you have the same heart or motives. As I mentioned, I had such a love for the Lord and His people I just wanted everyone to feel that same love. I wanted to help in ministry and enjoyed helping my pastors and church family but it did not take long before people began to question my motives. Why is she giving the pastors gifts? Why is she running errands for the church? Why is she doing this and that? She is only doing that to be recognized, she must want a title. That is what they thought, but they could not be further from the truth. I just enjoyed doing things and had an honest love for the leadership that I was serving. I wasn’t thinking about a title, I wasn’t thinking about preaching I just wanted to serve! Many people misunderstood me and my motives to the point I prayed and had to ask the Lord is it me? I prayed and fasted because I wanted to have clean hands and a pure heart. Eventually the Lord showed me the scripture found in Titus that reads: To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds
and consciences are corrupted. Titus 1:15. When a person is always suspicious and questioning someone else’s motives most of the time it is themselves that have the problem. See if I am a thief and a liar it would be hard for me to think that other people were honest and trustworthy. In the back of my mind I am thinking about the lies I told the things I stole and I would assume other people were the same way. It is the same way when people are always looking at other people and questioning their motives or why they are doing something. A perfect example of this can be found in John 12:1-6 which tells of a woman name Mary, who poured expensive perfume on Jesus’s feet. Her heart and motives were pure. She was anointing Jesus’s feet and worshiping Him. Judas, the disciple that eventually betrayed Jesus, commented that it would have been better for her to have sold the perfume and give the money to the poor. Verse 6 reveals Judas’s heart: He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. I have found that it is often the people who are not doing what they are supposed to do who will be your biggest critics when you are doing what you are supposed to. If you read the next few verses in John 12 you will notice Mary never had to defend or explain herself Jesus did. That principle was the next one that I learned. Being misunderstood and having your motives questioned HURTS! You want to explain, you want to defend yourself but I had to learn how to hold my peace and let the Lord fight my battles. I had to learn how to allow the enemy to think they had the last word, only for the Lord to shut them up. This lesson was kind of hard for me to get because I wanted to defend myself. I was a fighter before Christ who would argue over anything and would not allow it to seem like someone got over on me or shut me up. When the Lord started working on me to sit down, shut up and let Him handle people, I realized He was birthing meekness and humility in me. He was stretching my faith, causing me to believe Him even the more. Can I tell you something? When you really trust God you trust His timing, you trust His decisions and you trust that He is going to handle situations and people the way that He chooses to. If you are a person like me who would rather give people a piece of my mind, especially if you treat me wrong and I treated you right, then it is HARD to let go and let God but it is a necessary part of the process. The enemy will keep pushing your buttons as long as he gets an ungodly response. If pushing those buttons causes you tell people off, shut down from people, stop fellowshipping or cause you to do anything else that the Lord would not want you to do, the enemy is going to keep pushing those buttons. He will keep using people against you but the Lord can use the same situation to work for you. The enemy may use people as a weapon against you, to break you down but the Lord can use those same people as a tool to build you up. It’s all a matter of changing our perspective. Changing my perspective was something else I had to learn. I am a nurse so I know if I want to check a person’s blood sugar I can prick their finger with a lancet, which will cause their finger to bleed for a minute or so before the body says “What needed to be done was done and now it is time to stop bleeding” and will clot. But I also know if I want to get more blood from that finger, immediately after it stops bleeding all I have to do is squeeze it and add more pressure. What am I saying? As long as you keep focusing on that area of pain too long it will keep hurting. I love the story of Joseph found in the book of Genesis. Joseph went through many times of pain and betrayal by those closest to him but at the end of the day he was able to look over those times and see how God was using them to get him in a position of power and authority. Instead of
focusing on the negative, allow those painful places to heal. How do you do that? You must change your perspective. Instead of thinking how people defamed you, think about how God defended you. Instead of thinking about how people who you have loved and supported left you for dead when you needed them, think about the fact you are still here moving forward. You didn’t need them anyway! If you never went through what you went through you would not know the Lord in the intimate way that you know Him in. The anointing is processed in a person when the Word becomes flesh in that person. When the Lord is processing you for promise there will be times when all you have to hold on to is the Word and as you hold on by faith, the anointing on your life intensifies. It changes you from the inside out which prepares you for where He is taking you. I had no idea when I was going through the pain of a divorce, the Lord was going to use that experience to birth a compilation book with 14 other women of God, to speak words of encouragement to those married, divorced or single. Hundreds of copies of that book, “Dear Lord I Think I Married the Wrong Person - Her Story” have been sold and the testimonies made it worth it. I did not know when I was going through so many hurtful things in church that the Lord was going to have me write a book called, “Devil Please I am Not Offended”, Or another compilation book titled, “When New Life Begins” and share how God allowed me to get remarried. My biggest blessings have come after my most difficult testing. Many times you can’t see what God is doing or how it is going to work for your good, while you are going through something. You don’t understand, it doesn’t add up but my God in the end it is so worth it! I went through much after saying “Yes” in ministry, but I learned so much and I have a life now that I am so thankful for! To me being married to ministry means you are completely committed and faithful to go through whatever you have to go through, no matter what. Will you want to walk away? Will you get discouraged at times? Will you question why you ever said yes in the first place? Yes, you probably will, but you will also understand that divorce is not an option, because when you first said yes to ministry, ministry became part of you from that day forward and what God joins together nothing will separate you. When you are married to ministry you will have some bad days, but I guarantee you that your good days will outweigh your bad and your Groom will make sure it is all worth it. As I close anyone who is connected to me on social media knows I love to write little quotes and sayings that the Lord drops in my spirit so here are a few: Before God really starts to use you, He will use people and situations to show you the areas you still need to grow and mature in. Gifts and Talents can open great doors, but lack of integrity and poor character will close them. Just because you love the Lord and love people does not mean that people are going to love you. Giving your life to Christ does not mean you have moved on Easy St. Oh no, quite the opposite. Sometimes it is going to seem like things have gotten even harder, but one thing I have found is His grace is sufficient. That means you will be able to endure and make it out of whatever life brings you, with a praise and your mind still intact. If you shouted over the promises don’t give up in the process.
No matter how you feel while you are going through, if you hold on to the Word of God, adversity will always make you stronger. Prophetess Ayanna Moore wife, mother, author, minister and publisher. She loves ministering to those new in Christ and assist in helping them transform into who the Lord has called them to be. When she ministers it is always real, relatable and relevant. You can connect with Prophetess Moore on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ TheTransformationStation/ You can also order her books on Amazon or www.cb-publishing.com
Two Sisters Catering has been the dream of Veah Larde since she was a teenager. Veah spoke with her sister Samara Hightower who was thinking about a career change and decided a business partnership would be ideal. The sisters were born and raised on Chicago’s Westside and both have a passion for quality food made from scratch. For years they have been preparing signature sweet treats and savory food combinations for their friends and family. Veah is a self-taught cook that develops recipes from conversations she has with clients, family and friends. Samara has a culinary certificate and is an assistant chef trainer. Samara is currently in school with two years to complete her BA in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management. The sisters are licensed food service sanitation managers and bartenders. The sister’s enrich each client’s experience through the personal touches they offer on all items they create whether it is a single dessert for one person or a complete party. The sisters were taught the recipes of their families’ southern heritage from their mother who was born and raised in the Delta of Mississippi. Veah has a keen eye for details and Samara loves to entertain, with these gifts the sky is not their limit it’s their backdrop. Two Sisters Catering was birthed in June 2012 in Chicago, Illinois and is a family owned and operated online catering company. The business specializes in southern inspired savory soulful-food creations and old school traditional desserts with a decadent flare. The sisters create meals for small and large catered events and individual boxed meals. They also provide event planning in regards to room setup, decorations and servers with the client’s budget and overall theme in mind. The sisters make their own purees, puddings, gravies and sauces from scratch using fresh fruits and other quality ingredients - there are no preservatives in any of their dishes. They cook and deliver all orders, then educate the
client on holding times and proper storage at drop off.
you let it come up to room temperature, flour your clean countertop and get to rolling. Roll from the center out and turn the dough every two or three rolls. Once you reach your deserved size place the dough in the pan, slightly press it in and cut off the excess.
The goal of Two Sisters Catering is to create a new food memory for each person that tastes their sweet and savory dishes. The sisters have traveled to Indiana and downstate Illinois for onsite catering and have desires to Tip #2 Never feel like you can’t cook a expand in areas where they can develop delicious meal. There was only one Julia lovers of the food that they create. Childs but we all can create a signature dish. More and more cooking is being outsourced because people are working longer hours and have less time to prepare something delicious and nutritious for themselves and their family and that is the void that Two Sisters Catering wants to fill. Pie baking is one of the southern staples that takes no time at all. Creating a delicious crust has become a lost art. Please allow us to share a few tips on creating a delicious crust for sweet or savory dishes and a delicious meal. Tip #1 Creating a great crust starts with six simple ingredients: 2 & ½ cups of flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 stick of cold butter (diced) , ½ cup of Crisco (diced) and ½ cup of ice cold water. The old fashion way is to sift all the dry ingredients together then to add the butter and Crisco, combining it all with your hands. Working with your hands helps to active all the ingredients but you have to take care not to overwork it. Once it is all combined then you will add the cold water, a tablespoon at a time until the dough is held together. At this point you can split the dough in half, cover it with saran wrap and place it in the refrigerator for a minimum of thirty minutes. **For the Millennial’s: Instead of working the dough with your hands place all the dry ingredients in the food processor and pulse three times, then add the butter and Crisco and pulse until you see crumbly sand, then add the water a tablespoon at a time, as the food processor runs slowly and once the ball forms turn it off, split the dough in half and place in a bowl with saran wrap. Make sure you create an atmosphere for the dough to set and rest properly. Once you pull the dough from the refrigerator make sure
Start with what is your favorite dish to eat. Let’s just say its spaghetti. Start with a tall stock pot; fill it with water, add a liberal amount of seasoned salt to the water and once it begins to boil then drop the pasta in. The seasoned salt will give the pasta just enough flavor so that it is not bland. Do not rinse the pasta. Drain your pasta once it’s done. Hopefully you have been cooking down a scrumptious tomato sauce while the pasta was boiling, if not don’t get intimidated. Dice an onion, a green, red and orange bell pepper and sauté until tender, then add one thinly sliced clove or two of garlic and let cook for one minute before adding a can of diced tomatoes and a can of tomato sauce. As it simmers add fresh or dry oregano, parsley, basil and Italian seasoning and voilà you have made something delicious that is no longer intimidating. We invite you all to take a seat at our table and allow us to help you create a new food memory from dishes that you have loved your entire life but with a twist from Two Sisters Catering. You can visit our website: www.twosiscatering.com You can find us on Facebook and Twitter: TwoSisCatering We are also on Instagram: TwoSistersCatering or contact us the old fashion way by phone (773) 305-5782 or email: info@twosiscatering.com
Natural Nailz GlamHer and More By Shana Sanders
Hey, Hey, Hey! What’s happening? Shana, your GlamHer Nailz Tech is here once again with some quality info for Ya earz!!! Have you ever thought about the most important issue for Salon Professionals? It does not matter if it’s a Hair Salon, Nail Salon, Barbershop or a full-service Spa, sanitation and disinfecting will always be the No.1 reason why your favorite salon will be considered the BEST!!!! When it comes to controlling germs and keeping areas clean it’s a 3-part process of decontamination. Sterilization is the No.1 decontamination process, which is only used in operating rooms. Sterilization is a very expensive process. Dentist also uses a sterilization process that is required by the State so that lifethreating illnesses will not be passed on from client to client or patient to patient. The Second thing is sanitation, which ranges from washing hands before and after each client you service. Making sure floors are kept swept and mopped, waste cans being emptied more than once per day and also making sure your implements are cleaned, disinfected and stored in the proper containers. The last level of decontamination is disinfection. While sterilization is the BEST but it is only used in hospital settings and being sanitary is good but it doesn’t kill bacteria then this is where disinfecting comes in at. There is a good bacterium and there is a bad bacterium. The bad bacterium is what we do not want out clients to come in contact with. All non-living surfaces, counter tops, nail stations, hair booths, foot baths, manicure bowls and implements should be cleaned with a hospital grade disinfectant, which is EPA registered and kills all levels of infections including, HIV-1 and Hepatitis B. Clorox has a product that has been approved for use to disinfect in the salon or at home that you can find at your local retailer. Please leave Comments and Questions I will be waiting XOXO !! NailzGlamHer@gmail.com Shana Sanders
Following My Own Publishing Dreams While Helping Others Chase Theirs By Katara Washington Patton When I tell people I have released my first book, they instantly want to know how they can do the same. Most people I know have a book inside of them - they just need to know how to get it out and printed and in the hands of readers. So, I share my story - not as a path to follow, but as encouragement that your dreams can come true. I’ve been in publishing my entire career - even before I went to college. In eighth grade, I got to start my school’s newspaper because I brought up the idea to my English teacher. She is still one of my favorite teachers because she helped me accomplish a goal and pushed me to recognize and develop my passion for writing. I pursued journalism/ Mass Communications in college at Dillard University, an HBCU in New Orleans, La. And again, one of my teachers pulled me aside and encouraged me to further develop my writing skills - she suggested I get an internship after my sophomore year. She, a trained journalist and a beautiful teacher all of her young students looked up to, gave me the confidence to continue in a relatively tough field. Because of my teacher’s encouragement, I interned at a paper, I interned at a television station and I even worked a part -time job at a newspaper. I was bitten by the writing bug and I wanted to make it my career - regardless of what statistics said about breaking into the field. And because of this same teacher’s guidance, I followed in her footsteps and applied to graduate school at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. My journey at Northwestern opened many more doors - including a bird’s eye view of the city I’d ultimately fall in love with and call home - Chicago. I pursued magazine publishing (as opposed to TV or newspaper reporting) at Northwestern for a few reasons - but mainly because I was practical and wanted relatively steady hours. Outside of deadline days (or weeks), I thought you could pretty much work from 9 - 5 in the magazine industry. I also realized that in order to work in magazine publishing, you needed to choose a niche. I spent countless hours trying to find my niche - my passion area, which led me to two core groups: children (or youth) and Black people. I love our youth and I love my people - so I asked myself what jobs could I get in magazine publishing for that niche group. My professor at Northwestern admitted that he thought I applied for the oddest jobs - until I stood up and told him what I loved. After recognizing my tenacity, he shook his head in approval. My self-discovery path led me to apply to Weekly Reader, a children’s newspaper. I worked there - in a small time in the middle of Connecticut-- for two years before I was suddenly laid off. Clad with a master’s degree at 25 and the openness to move wherever a job could be found, God led me to a job in my other interest area. I landed back in my favorite city, Chicago, and got to work at Jet Magazine. I actually got to report to the legendary founder of Johnson Publishing Company, John H. Johnson. It was a dream come true and I got so much inspiration from “sitting” at his feet and hearing stories of how he started his first magazine with a $500 loan obtained by using his mother’s furniture as collateral; however, I knew Jet wouldn’t be my last stop. I wanted to pursue my own publishing business too (at the time, I thought I wanted a magazine for youth). But before I could branch out on my own, I think God wanted me to see the fruitfulness of Christian publishing. After a prayer service where I prayed specifically for career direction, I was led to send a copy of my resume blindly to the name in the masthead of my church’s Sunday School book. I had heard of the company because my mom was a Sunday school superintendent, but I had no idea of this company’s impact - nor that it was right in the South Suburbs of Chicago until I opened up the book and read the fine print. Within a few days, the president of the company (UMI/ Urban Ministries, Inc) called me and made me even more interested in this new possibility - editing a Sunday school book for youth. I was in for a wild ride - where my experience exceeded my expectations. I enjoyed working on the books for teens while reading the Bible and growing spiritually. I even pursued my master of divinity while working at UMI. After I
graduated, I did leave to explore other areas of publishing at McGraw-Hill, where I did curriculum for middle age students. And then I landed yet another dream job - acquisitions director at a book publishing company, Tyndale, in Carol Stream, IL. This opened my eyes to even more possibilities in the book publishing industry. And in 2014, I heard the clarion call to finally pursue my own - I thought I would be editing and consulting and helping people publish their work (and I am), but God exceeded my expectations yet again. As a freelancer, I got to write several projects as a ghost writer for a few well-known authors, which I enjoyed tremendously. And that led to my very own series (Successful Moms of the Bible was released in April 2016, Successful Women of the Bible will be released August 23, 2016, and Successful Leaders of the Bible will be out in 2017). It is almost unheard of to receive a 3-book deal without a big platform, but I did and I am grateful to God and my publisher (Hatchette/Faith Words) for taking a risk on me. I am indebted to the wonderful relationship (and friendship) I have with my editor - a woman I met 18 years ago during my work at UMI. She’s reminded me of the power of making and keeping good connections. I’m using all of the information I am gleaning from writing and marketing a book series to also help others who are pursuing publishing their stories. At my company, Esteem Publishing and Consulting (www.esteempub.com), I particularly strive to help those people who want to self-publish but still want professional quality. Because of my experience working at traditional publishing houses, I can guide others to creating a great quality book - often times much faster than they would if they went through a publishing house. And, with new technology and so many qualified freelance workers, the costs are not prohibitive any more. If you have a book, contact me. I may be able to help you - or point you in the right direction. And of course, pick up one - or all three - of the books in my series on successful people of the Bible. You’ll be reading a miracle work written by me, but authored by the One who has been guiding and direction my career path for a very long time. I feel so blessed to be able to combine my passions for God’s word with my writing. Dreams really do come true. Follow Katara Washington Patton (author of Successful Moms of the Bible (April 2016) and Successful Women of the Bible (August 2016) and founder/executive editor at Esteem Publishing and Consulting): Twitter @katarap Facebook: successfulbibleseries2016 Instagram: katarawp Visit her book site at Katara.pattonhome.net Subscribe to her blog at: about-Katara.patthome.net
Don’t be shy...order one for a friend, or your entire circle of friends. Make this your book of the month and suggest it to women you know.
Be The New Thing By Apostle Crystal Willingham
I’ve been pondering something this past year as I leapt into the second half of my life. I have a mantra that I live by now and it brings me excitement every time I say it, “Welcome to the Second Half of Your Life.” I asked myself some questions about the second half and one question led into the next. What does this mean for me, the second half? How do I take the lessons of the first half and live this second half fully surrendered to the life that God forged for me, before the foundations of the world were formed? What does this mean for me as a son of God, a new wife, a mother, business owner and a minister? How will this second half play out for me as I do all that I can to prevent the first half’s mishaps? It then occurred to me as I approached this second half, I needed to approach this with as much newness as I possibly could. There were so many new things I was already experiencing. Becoming a wife for the second time, becoming a grandmother, my two oldest in college and still more new experiences on the horizon. I needed fresh eyes so I could redesign my focal points of my life. I needed fresh hearing so I can listen and follow the faintest whispers in the wind. I needed a fresh new mindset so I could adjust not only what I think, but what I speak as well. I needed to be relevant for whatever the second half of my life would require me to be. Then it hit me, one of my favorite scriptures, Isaiah 43:19, “Behold I do a new thing; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” I began to ponder the first part of that scripture and focus on “behold new thing”. The word “behold” means to observe, to look at and see. As the spirit of the Lord spoke into me and said “Behold,...” I thought, “What am I looking at? What is it that God is showing me to see? I pondered that for a few moments and the only thing that I could see with my physical eye was myself. I was combing my hair at the time so naturally I looked in the mirror. I then looked at the counter top and saw a gift that was given to me by a dear sweet friend of mine. She gave me several word plaques, one of them reads the word “BE”. You have to know, as I prayed about this second half of my life, I prayed that God would help me keep my ears open, so I could hear him in the whispers of the wind. Here He was speaking very softly and gingerly to me, “BE the New Thing!” Now I’m standing in the mirror trying to get myself together because I did actually feel like a wind came on me. The spirit of the Lord is speaking to me very simply, “Crystal, welcome to the second half of your life. Look (in the mirror) I am doing a new thing in you. I’m not just doing a new thing “in” you, but I am also calling you to “be” the new thing that I am forming in you. Be the new voice of this time, be the new manifestation of the sons of God, the earth is moaning and groaning for. Be the new thing forming in you that even you, yourself are paining as a woman in labor to be.” Receive new eyes so you can see further than you’ve ever seen before. Receive new hearing so you can hear my voice in every situation for you. Allow me to renew your thinking and change your speech, so you’ll be relevant as you have asked me to give you every day, my daily bread. Look at yourself and be the new thing I am presenting to creation for my glory. As I am living and breathing, I was embracing this word but with a little fear, because I knew what was coming next. I thought for certain some of the people in my life would be a part of this new flow that was about to spring forth from me. Yes you guessed it, God quickly put the ax down on some of those relationships and I made more adjustments to embrace the new skin that was being applied to my life. Even today, God is still doing the work of preparing me for the next wind of harvest glory.
As the world changes, we are still called to be world changers. The world makes new laws, instills in our children new lifestyles, and new technology is constantly changing how we live. Every level of intelligence, genius, gifting and talent gets more intense with every generation. What it took years for us to do by instruction, our children are now doing it in a shorter amount of time and without technical instruction. We, the chosen ones, have to be ready to embrace the new wind of God to carry us through these fast changing times. It is time now, to be relentless harvesters adding to the Kingdom of God. We are chosen to be the NEW thing God is doing in these times today. I’m reminded again of a prophetic word I released last year about the fishers of men. In the book of Luke chapter 5 Jesus walked up on two ships by the shore. One of the ships belonged to Simon. Jesus walks up into the ship, has a seat and begins to teach them. Jesus met them in their marketplace. After he taught them, he tells them to go back out into the water, into the deep parts and cast your net and catch fish. Simon pleads with Jesus, “We’ve been at this all night but since you have spoken this, I’ll do it.” They received a supernatural miracle through nature in such abundance that they were able to share with other fishermen. So much fish, the ships began to sink a little lower. Here is the clincher for me. Simon Peter falls to his knees and declares his unworthiness. Jesus replies and tells him to fear nothing, what he just saw in the natural, He will now teach him to do in the spirit. He will become a fisher of men. How often do we say, “Real ministry is outside of the four walls of the church”, yet we still remain in the familiar pews, chairs, and auxiliaries of the church, not stretching forth our nets into the deep and adding to the Kingdom of God? What has God put in your hands to do? What is the gift/talent God has given you? Have you upgraded that gift/talent for the world we live in today? Is your gift/talent relevant? What new things can you learn to obtain a relevant voice in your marketplace, ministry, and social mountain? When you give God your gift/talent every day, He will give you strategies to be ahead of the game and crack the code of trend setting. Be filled with the teachings of Christ Jesus, be a disciple, and He will bless supernaturally what your hands are called to do. As doing so, you will be given the strategy to add to the kingdom of God as you become a fisher of men. Although becoming a fisher of men is not new, how you do it is new. Be that new thing, new sound, new sight. Same message of the Gospel with a different sound and flavor. That sound and flavor is who and what you are, as it is given you by Holy Spirit! Apostle Crystal P. Willingham CEO of G.L.A.M. Int’l Host of G.L.A.M. Network Radio for Women www.blogtalkradio.com/glamnetworkradio Co-Founder of Destiny World Vision & House of Glory Ministries Intl
Whispers of the Heart By Shartia Divine
Matthew: 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Welcome to my world; I call this section “Whispers of the Heart” because one of the definitions of the word ‘heart’ is that it is the centralized and the innermost part of anything. As long as there is a heartbeat there is life. If you are here on this earth and there is a rhythmic beat pulsating through the left side of your chest, you have a purpose. God does not make mistakes. So, I ask you… what are you choosing to do with your time here on earth? Where will your heart’s whispers take you? I am Shartia Divine, a woman who has been through quite a bit in life… just as I am sure you have. I have been hurt, abused on some levels, used, torn, broken and so much more. Although many of these times were difficult, I often reflect on the moments and pray that I receive the lesson that was to be learned. We all have experienced, are experiencing or will be experiencing hurt in some way shape or form. Although the pain is not easy to endure, the light in the midst of that darkness is the blessing. The lesson resides in the middle of your pain. See, we sometimes attempt to repress or pretend as if those difficult experiences do not exist… All the while the difficult experiences are gaining more power because of the fear, doubt, and lack of self-esteem that is present. For the majority of my life, I pretended that I did not have issues by repressing them. I simply drowned myself in attempts to make others happy. I loved making people smile and offered my heart to others. Well, the unfortunate part about that is that some will use and abuse your sweet sentiment. They will take your kindness as weakness. Therefore it is important to be true to you. “People pleasing” creates a false sense of reality accompanied by long-term pain. If you are constantly offering your time, energy and efforts to others, but you find yourself drained and still unhappy… who is suffering here? Are you doing those things that satisfy your heart, mind, body and soul? Are you reaching for and completing goals that you desire for your life… or are you helping everyone reach their goals?
“People Pleasing” creates a false sense of reality accompanied by long-term pain.
I have been in that place. I used to want what other people wanted simply because I wanted to feel a sense of belonging. I did what I thought “others” wanted so people were pleased with me. I was reaching for the love and validation of others and ignoring the need to seek validation within. I needed to teach myself how to love myself, flaws and all. See, I grew up not feeling happy with my outside appearance, with low self-esteem and a lack of self-love. The interesting part is that most people did not know, couldn’t tell and thought I was fine. I did too, until that one day I looked in the mirror and I did not recognize myself. Sure my hair looked okay, eyes etc. However, if I could look into the very core of my being, it would have yelled and cried out, “I’m hurt and unhappy.” As the heavy tears began to roll slowly down my face, questions flooded my mind. I continued to stare in the mirror with determination. I wiped my wet face and made a decision that changed the course of my life. It was at that moment that I decided to do things differently. I was ready. I was ready to face what was on the inside of me that was preventing me from having true happiness. Can anyone relate? I was not happy and for those of you who are depending on someone else to create your happiness… it will not work. The race towards happiness begins on the inside. You must understand that you are fearfully and wonderfully made; Insecurities, mistakes, guilt, shame, fear, doubt, lack of self-love often times causes us to forget how special we really are. These things sometimes take over and they cloud our judgment by doing so. It is detrimental for you not to love yourself. Love your whole-self; including those flawed and bruised areas, your past, the embarrassing moments and more. In order to get through to the other side, one must push though the barriers within. You have to acknowledge the truth, accept responsibility for your own life and the actions too. Loving yourself is so important. If you do not love yourself, how can you truly love anyone else?
God made you because he thought you were necessary. Often times we lose ourselves in these moments. We get so caught up in wanting to be loved by someone else that we forget how to love ourselves. Being authentic is the first step towards personal freedom and building internal love. If you cannot be honest with yourself then how can progress take place? This is why you hear many people say, “The first step is admitting there is an issue.” Do you feel like you are trapped, stagnant or are you having difficulties in relationships, at your job, in school etc.? If you answered yes to any of those questions deal with your inner being. Take a long look at yourself and accept responsibility for what you see. Then, pray to God (the best way you know how, in your own words). You have to dig deep and figure out what is it that is holding you back from true peace, happiness and success. Material things will not fix your problems, they may help you feel better for the moment, but the problem will not disappear. You have to get things right on the inside for them to be right on the outside! Think of a rotten apple. You may not know that it is rotten until you bite into it! And in a couple of days the apple’s exterior will show that it is rotten on the inside! If you are clean and healthy on the inside, it will automatically show on the outside! A healthy internal body, mind, spirit and soul will result in a healthy external body! So, do an inside-out cleansing! It works, it really works. Remember, it may take a while but as long as you are open and are willing, you will succeed! You will be surprised at how relationships, job situations and other things in your life will begin to prosper in your life! We were made in the image of God, so if we work on ourselves to be more like Him, He will reward you for doing so! Just give it a try! Try it because personal growth guarantees success! Where will you go if you are stagnant in one place, how will you progress in other areas of your life? Working on you is an everyday job! You must discover the problems, situations and issues that are holding you back. As previously mentioned this could be childhood experiences, insecurities, fear, past hurt, recent hurt, lack of forgiving (yourself and others), etc. Find out what it is, deal with it appropriately. Pray, write about it, cry, kick, scream; do whatever is necessary. But, do it so you can accept the responsibility and own the feeling. Then, pray again and move! Move into your new season, move into a new ‘You’ from the inside out. You will not succeed, until you realize who you are, and how to grow... Once you have done that, ask God to help you in learning to love yourself. This path is not an easy one, as many things will come up for you, but if you deal with the pain or discomfort that comes with each memory or unpleasant thought… you will heal. I now practice being honest with myself about things that I like or don’t like. I choose to put my life goals first and make sure that my wishes matter. I also repeat “Positive Affirmations” to myself daily; I take the time to tell myself just how beautiful and special I am. Psalm 139:14 “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Internalize this, it is already so. So, yes… You are fearfully and wonderfully made with your past. You are fearfully and wonderfully made no matter your competition or nationality. You are fearfully and wonderfully made no matter your size. You are fearfully and wonderfully made no matter what others have said about you. You are fearfully and wonderfully made if you aren’t experiencing the best of health right now. You are fearfully and wonderfully made if you have been hurt or rejected. You are fearfully of wonderfully made whether you believe it or not, so you might as well believe it. God created us in the image of Him and the works of His heart proves that we serve a beautiful and amazing God. God also created our hearts so He’s the one who can help us when we have issues within. Remember, we must be transparent and honest with ourselves if we want to mature. God loves us no matter what and you should love you too. It is never too late to make your tomorrow what yesterday has prepared you for and for what today is calling you to be. Proverbs: 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”