More Than Conquerors [Issue 07]

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ISSUE 07 JAN/FEB 2014

SERIES: TEMPTATION

POSITION IS KEY FASHION

CLOSET CLEAN OUT 11 CAUSES OF TEEN HOMELESSNESS

INTERVIEW

GOVENOR REISS

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Katherine Dillard, Zowie Murillo Ike Okpobiri , Enoma Osakue, Laura Pepper, Roswell Smith Myles K. Wren

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The Makeover 101 Conference is an attempt to makeover the world, one girl at a time, from the inside out. The conference is filled with games, music, make-up sessions and a fantastic runway show. Our speakers explore all aspects including spiritual makeovers, while our breakout sessions guide girls through physical makeovers.

The girls were invited to attend the conference from local areas, as well as inner city Houston. We believe that God wants to change our world and He can use teen girls to start the revolution. We challenge girls to have a foundation based on Christ and to give up

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their baggage acquired from their life choices.

We teach girls that God created us in His image, therefore we are already beautiful. We must live a life of true beauty reflecting God’s image by following His Word.

Our speakers hosted a “talk show” in which the girls actively participated in and had their questions answered from a Godly perspective.

We know that in today’s society, answers to questions are only a click away. Whether or not the answers are of God is our main concern.

Our speakers who are also youth leaders and pastors are able to elaborate on topics the girls provide with Christian-based answers.

CONTENTS

10

Interview: Sivion

12 Zowie’s Fashion Finds 16 Interview: Govenor Reiss

Chris:

Made possible by an organ donor

18 Valentine’s With Friends

19 11 Causes of Teen Homelessness 20 Series: Temptaion - Position is Key 21 Closet Clean Out 22 Addicted to Porn?

YOU AREN’T THE ONLY ONE!

22 Stand Strong

MVMNT ONLINE BLOG Our blog is an online journal written by young people for young people.

Every week new articles are written to encourage you in Christ. Our writers are genuine and in love with Christ. Check us out at mvmntmag.com.

Every year, thousands of people receive a second chance at life through organ donation. People like Chris, who became a husband, father, athlete—even an Ironman—after receiving his kidney transplant.

You can leave behind the gift of life. Join more than 100 million people who have registered to be organ, eye, and tissue donors.

Imagine what you could make possible. organdonor.gov Scan this code with your smartphone for how to sign up, more about Chris, and other stories.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services • Health Resources and Services Administration 5 MVMNTMAG.COM

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From The Editor

Dare To Dream Project “Every great dream begins with a dreamer, always remember you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars and change the world�

Classes Start January 2014 www.m101ministry.org

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Dear Readers, Its a new year and time to work on the new you! 2 Corinthians 5:17 says Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old is gone, the new is here!

That means your Spirit has already been made new. Its time to work on the rest of yourself. Many people make resolutions and promises that they have a hard time keeping.

My challenge to you this year is not to make resolutions or promises of your own strength and will. Allow God to guide you in the path He has for you so that your will lines up with his plans. Jeremiah 29:11 says For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. God already knows what path you will choose and what the outcome will be.

He is just waiting on you to trust and follow him. From our family to yours, We pray that this is your best year!

Love Always, Tazarra Berrien

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INTERVIEW

Sivion day it stuck. I’ve been Sivion a little over 10 years now.

WHO OR WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN MUSIC? I grew up in a very musical household. Not from the standpoint of there being a lot of musical artists in my family pedigree, but my dad listened to jazz all the time. I developed an early love for Classic Jazz like (John) Coltrane, Miles Davis, Sonny Rawlings, Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea. My mom also played the piano a little bit at church. Then around seventh grade, due to my early passion for music, I picked up the saxophone, and I’ve been playing ever since. Eventually I minored in music in college.

DO YOU EVER GET NERVOUS DURING A SHOW? Oh yes absolutely. If you don’t get nervous, you’re not alive. It’s the nerves that give you the edge. That’s what reminds you that you care; that’s where the passion is. If you don’t have the nerves, then that probably means that you don’t care, which usually means that your priorities aren’t in line with delivering that message. But if you’re nervous, then you’re in the moment because you know that you’ve been blessed with a huge responsibility to bless these people, and you don’t take it lightly. And of course we pray and the Spirit calms us down, but that nerve is what reminds us that these are real people and real circumstances that we are dealing with.

WHAT IS CURRENTLY ON REPEAT ON YOUR PERSONAL PLAYLIST? Right now on my playlist: Grace and Peace Records (Glimpses of Grace) by my man Otis. I just recently met him, but I did a song on his new compilation album. It’s got Eshon Burgundy, Braille, Stephen the Levite and Evangel on it. Pretty much a whole bunch of really dope people on it. The whole project was really dope, so that’s been on repeat.

The message is really deep and the production is fantastic.

And also Satellite Kite by Beautiful Eulogy on Humble Beast Records, and anything that has Propaganda’s name on it. And of course stuff from Deepspace 5, Plato and Sean P.

Christian rapper Sivion performs his style of music for the glory of God. In addition to being a solo artist, he also performs with the indie hip hop collective known as Deepspace 5. Recently MVMNT’s Ike Okpobiri caught up with Sivion to find out what life as a rapper is like.

HOW DID THE NAME SIVION COME ABOUT? “The way Sivion kind of came about… well, I’ve been rapping for a long time. Although I was always a rapper who was a Christian, early in my career it was more secular with Christian undertones. My name back then was Vision, because I always felt like God gave me a gift to be able to see things from a bird’s-eye view and see the big picture. But then I started bumping into all these people with different interpretations of the word “vision.” One day I was talking to my twin brother via email and I accidentally flipped the V and the S because I was typing too fast.

He asked, “Did you do that on purpose?” I said, “No, not really.” Then he said, “Well, that’s kinda dope! SIVION! You should keep that.” From that 10 JAN/FEB 2014

WHY DID YOU TITLE YOUR LATEST ALBUM GROUP THERAPY? The reason for this concept is because I enlisted a ridiculous amount of my favorite MC’s, producers, deejays and artists from all sides of hip hop and Christian hip hop to be on this record. When you look at the track list, you see that there’re literally forty people on the record. It’s me enlisting a group to provide therapy to the people that are listening to this music. However, nobody understands why a rapper would want to share the spotlight and diminish the face time with his fans by letting someone else rap on every song. To them, it doesn’t make any sense. But of course it doesn’t make any sense; it isn’t supposed to make any sense.

Jesus always approaches things from a different perspective. He uses the foolishness of man to confound the wise. So that’s what this album is; it’s different because for me it’s all about unity and reminding people of the older cats that pioneered the way in the Christian hip hop genre.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG FROM THE GROUP THERAPY ALBUM? From a music standpoint, whenever I hear “Free Your Soul,” it just

Listen on Itunes bit.ly/1aBXrL0

takes me back to the roots of jazz, and what I love about music. That song really does free my soul; that song right there I could praise to.

THE ALBUM ART IS VERY FRESH AND DOPE. WHO WAS THE ARTIST? My man Samax Amen. He’s an artist that does all kinds of art, but his favorite medium is comic style and cartoon graphic art. I sent him some pictures that we had taken, and asked him, “So what if we took this picture of me standing downtown in my coat and sun glasses looking all pimp, and turned it into something real cool?”

Eventually we started talking and decided to turn it from this concept of group therapy into super heroes. All of our favorite rappers would be super heroes, but they’re following this regular looking normal dude in a suit while pointing at him saying, “Something is special about this cat, but I don’t know what it is, so we’re gonna follow him,” This would be different from the typical bunch of normal people following a Superman.

So we tried it and it came out fresh. So yeah, he just kind of came up with some really dope super hero characters based on rappers like Prop (Propaganda), Syntax Trip, Plato and Manchild that carried throughout the whole artwork on the cd and iTunes booklet.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE? I don’t know if I have a favorite verse per se, but I do have a favorite book and a favorite chapter in a different book. I really love the book of Psalms, because Psalms is so transparent and raw. Like whenever you feel like in your life you have it bad, flip to any Psalm, and it will remind you how to praise your God and to what level to humble yourself to praise Him. Not only are you praising Him because He’s awesome, but you’re praising Him because you’re not. That’s what Psalms reminds you of.

The chapter that really gets me for almost the same reasons is Matthew 6. It talks about don’t worry, and if God can clothe the lily of the field, why would he not do much more for you. So don’t worry about where your food is coming from. Let tomorrow take care of itself, because if we can’t change one hair on our head, then why even worry about tomorrow; you just lean on me and I got this. And the reason for this chapter is because, like most people, I’ve had a lot of ups and downs. Life hasn’t been easy, because life just isn’t easy. Especially when you have a family, kids, circumstances, finances and bills. I always go back to that chapter, because it reminds me, “What are you worried about, bro?”

IF YOU COULD SUM UP YOUR MUSIC IN ONE PHRASE, WHAT WOULD THAT PHRASE BE? ONE WORD? Love! My music is love. My music is patient and kind; it’s a fruit of the spirit.

When people v to my music, I hope they hear love. I hope they hear a rapper that is not about sex, money, cars and clothes. I hope they hear a transparent rapper. I hope they hear a rapper that is not worried about stereotype or image, because honestly, I’m not. One of my logos and the thing I most identify with is a butterfly. To most rappers, that’s like career suicide to attach yourself to a butterfly, because it isn’t hard. But if you can get over your ego and your need to be hard, then you can connect with stuff that’s beautiful. So yeah, I love the butterfly. I love, love, love when people are genuine and kind and can show their real self, not their fake ego-driven self.

SO WHO IS SIVION? An individual with balance. A control-minded individual that always strives to do his best but leaves the details to God, fully content in his arena and ever present in the moment. A loveminded individual.

Interviewed by Ike Okpobiri MVMNTMAG.COM

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FASHION

ZOWIE’S FASHION FINDS

By Zowie Murillo

Say good-bye to the horrific high-waisted jeans and way-toostudded-out boots, and say hello to the comfy-yet-simple oversized sweaters, chic leather leggings, skater skirts, and combat boots combo!

Oversized sweaters anyone? Yes please! Graphic oversized sweaters for something edgy to go with those leather leggings, or go for something a little more relaxed with a basic sweater. Any sweater is perfect for those cold winter nights.

5. Floral Fantasy Tights $7.80 | Forever21

3. Rebel Girl Chain Choker $ 13.80 | Forever21

1. LA Hearts Dropped Shoulder Intarsia Sweater $ 11.08 | Pacsun

6. Globetrotter Curved Bib Necklace $9.80 | Forever21

4. LA hearts long-sleeved cropped sweater $18.47 | Pacsun

2. Steve Madden ‘Troopa’ Boot $99.95 || Nordstrom 12 JAN/FEB 2014

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DOB 2/26/2003 AGE 10

pink FAVE FOOD spaghetti FAVE SPORT Basketball FAVE COLOR

Amaya was born in Miami, Florida. She has lived in many states across the U.S., and now calls Houston, Texas home. Amaya is the second oldest of five siblings. She absolutely loves singing, dancing, reading and spending time with her family.

Amaya first started singing around the house for fun. She later auditioned for plays at school and at church. It wasn’t long before her singing talent was noticed.

Amaya is currently working on her new single called “Love,” produced by ProblemSolvers, LLC. Amaya looks forward to recording additional songs this spring.

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© Can Stock Photo Inc. / sbego

WHEN DID YOU START RAPPING? Govenor Reiss: In 1992. I used to rap with nationally recognized artists like BG and – secular rap – at school and just on the corner in the neighborhood.

WHO INSPIRED YOU TO RAP? Tupac. Because music back in the day, it’s not what it is today. He was one of the originators. Melodic flow and my scene comes from a lot of what he used to do.

HOW DID GROWING UP IN NEW ORLEANS INFLUENCE YOUR MUSIC? It taught me how to make music for people that have been to hell and back.

I’ll never write it without going through it myself. It wasn’t an easy life in New Orleans, Louisiana. I’ve got family roots and culture there. It’s where I met God. There is so much gun violence in New Orleans and other places in the world.

I lost a lot of loved ones to gun violence. I’m writing for people who have lost a lot of loved ones to gun violence. I believe the burden that I have, the responsibility I have as an artist is to bring awareness. In January I did a march against gun violence and promoted a gun buy back.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE QUOTE BY JOHN M. PERKINS, “ANY MOVEMENT THAT STARTS THAT’S GOING TO MOVE ANYWHERE HAS GOT TO GET MUSIC BEHIND IT?” That’s my heart. I mean, I believe music is powerful enough to cause a movement and impact a generation. I think my music inspires people to never give up.

WHO DO YOU LIKE TO LISTEN TO? My father, he was a musician. Rap and other artists that inspire me. You know, oldies but goodies. Von Won, Gifted Da Flamethrowa, Dee-1, Tre9, Lecrae, and Pyrex.

WHAT GENRES DO YOU LIKE AND DRAW INFLUENCE FROM? I like lots of them. I like Motown, Rhythm & Blues, Blues, Jazz, Classical Brass Music, and Contemporary Gospel. I like others too.

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE GOSPEL RAPPER? If I have to pick just one? Oracle or Dee-1

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE CONTROVERSY SURROUND CHRISTIAN ARTISTS IN SECULAR LABELS?

Interviewed by Enoma Osakue

Preferring the title of an inspirational artist, Govenor draws his lyrics from his past experiences. His post-salvation path began with believing he had to give up music when he got saved. He says it wasn’t until he visited a Christian club event where he “walked in the door and saw young people walk like me, and talk like me,” that he discovered he could use his style to serve God. This was his first encounter with Christian Hip-Hop. It was then, in 2002, that he started to do gospel rap at Christian clubs in New Orleans. Although originally from New Orleans, Louisiana Govenor Reiss found roots in Houston and flourished in the city’s growing gospel/hip-hop scene.

twitter.com/govenorreiss 16 JAN/FEB 2014

It doesn’t really matter what you call yourself, you know? All that matters is that it’s just doing God’s work.

WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THE CLAIM “HIP-HOP IS DEAD?” All the old guys throw it out cause it’s from their perspective. When people say Hip-Hop has lost its origin, [they mean] who it is, the actual essence is lost. I don’t believe that is actually true, maybe in a form. But, nah. As long as Christ is in Hip-Hop, it can’t be dead. You know, Christ is alive! That’s what we rhyme, that’s what we do, we rap.

IF YOU COULD SAY ONE THING TO INSPIRE OUR GENERATION WHAT WOULD IT BE? As long as you live and have breath in your body, you have a chance to get right with God. There is freedom. There is freedom. There is freedom. Freedom from bondage. I want to inspire young people to live for God.

facebook.com/GovenorReissartistpage

reverbnation.com/govenor

10 Commandments Do you love me? “if you love me you will keep my commandments” John 14:15

I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.

Honor thy Father and Mother.

Thou shalt not murder.

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Thou shalt not steal.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

Thou shalt not covet.

© Can Stock Photo Inc. / rustyphil

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Tanesha Green JUSTICE OF THE PEACE

personally as a mother. These are the feelings parents have all the time when confronted with their children and the judicial system. As Justice of the Peace, I want to make sure our community and its families always feel connected and involved.

FORT BEND COUNTY

PRECINCT 2 I’m a proud mother and resident of Fort Bend County and Precinct 2.

I was born in Oklahoma City, as part of a military family. My biological father was in the Navy, my uncles were in the Army, and nearly all of my friends were military brats. For me, service never seemed to be a choice.

Service was the culture I had always known, and it’s my dedication to service that has guided me throughout life and spurred me to run for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2 in Fort Bend County.

I joined the United States Air Force after high school and deployed to Kuwait as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. As dedicated as I was to serving my country, I found the hardest sacrifice was leaving my daughter behind with family while I was half-way across the world. There’s a certain struggle when there’s someone you love – would do anything for – and feeling helpless at the same time. These are the feelings I know

After the Air Force, I went to law school and graduated from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University. After passing the bar, I started my own private practice for Family Law and Personal Injury, and then joined the Texas Attorney General’s office in Houston. As an Assistant Attorney General, I deal primarily with domestic relationships that involve children and disputes regarding establishment of the parent-child relationship, child and medical support, and the prosecution of child support offenders.

I am currently a proud member of the Air Force Reserve, and between raising my daughter and practicing as a lawyer, I go one weekend a month to training. I am also a member of the Houston Lawyers Association and the National Lawyers Association. I volunteer at Houston Mission and Star of Hope. Annually, I host a clothing drive to collect clothes for needy families in the winter. Also, I am an active participant in National Beta Club, of which my daughter is a member.

My beautiful daughter, Jeidha, and my darling dog, Dee Dee, and I are proud members of Precinct 2. We moved here because of the area’s safe and friendly reputation, but remain here because of the loving neighbors and strong community the area has.

For all that this community has given me, I would like to return the favor. As your next Justice of the Peace, I will continue to serve and protect all of our community and ensure that the welfare of our neighborhood is continuously progressing forward.

TEEN SCENE

VALENTINE’S WITH FRIENDS Written by Katherine Dillard

It’s hard to think of anything else but love when Valentine’s Day comes around. And there’s not a better way to share a little love with the people you’re closest to than by giving them a gift. But how do you show your friends you’re thinking about them without breaking the bank? Here are a few ideas and remedies for heartfelt, useful, and thrifty gifts this season.

Go to your local Target. They have a one-dollar section that carries cute gifts that are sure to leave a great impression.

© Can Stock Photo Inc. / RuthBlack

18 JAN/FEB 2014

Reasonable yet good quality, Bath & Body Works (bathandbodyworks.com) carries the perfect aromas to appeal to everyone from rich and warm to fresh and summery fragrances. Consider buying their travel-size perfumes, shower gels, and lotions, and look for their buy-three-for-twelve-dollars offer.

For the friends with a sweet tooth and the chocoholic, try making something homemade. Here’s a list of clever treats to snack on for V-Day: 10 Cute Valentine’s Day Treats (bit.ly/KYmXA7) 25 Unique Chocolate Recipes (bit.ly/1ftDFp4) Nothing says how you feel more than when you write it down. If you don’t want to give a plain letter, spending a few bucks on a beautiful Hallmark card might just do the trick (hallmark.com).

If your friend is the type who loves flowers, and you don’t have time to go out, order an arrangement from Pro Flowers online. Their prices range from about 20 to 30 dollars (proflowers.com/affordable-flowersafd).

11 CAUSES OF TEEN HOMELESSNESS PRIMARY CAUSES The primary causes of homelessness among youth are: family conflict or severe economic hardship.

FOSTER CARE Studies estimate that 20% of youth who arrive at shelters came directly from foster care, and more than 25% had been in foster care in the previous year. These youth age out of the foster care system and are discharged with no housing or income support. Find out more about foster care or read about Do Something’s 2007 Brick Winner Ashley Rhodes-Courter, who did something about foster care.

PRISON/JUVENILE CORRECTIONS SYSTEM For youth who are released from juvenile corrections facilities, many become homeless because they lack support systems and opportunities for work and housing.

ABUSE Some homeless youth have run away from homes where they were

the victims of physical, sexual or emotional abuse. One study reports that more than 4 in 10 youth report being beaten by a caretaker, and a quarter were either sexually abused or feared being sexually abused.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN THE HOME Others are running away from alcohol and drug abuse in the home. More than 40% of homeless youth report that one or both of their parents had at some point received treatment for alcohol, drug, or psychological problems.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE BY YOUTH A number are homeless because of their own addictions to drugs and/or alcohol. One study in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment contends that 85% of homeless youth have substance use disorders.

PREGNANCY A large number of homeless young women either ran away or were kicked out of the home due to pregnancy. A tenth of homeless

and runaway girls are reportedly pregnant.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION Other homeless youth are forced to leave home because of their sexual orientation. As many as 25% of LBGT teens are rejected by their families, and many end up homeless on the streets.

UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING There are homeless youth that are employed but still can’t afford rent, food and other basic needs.

NEGLECT Neglect and lack of emotional and financial support from their families can also cause youth homelessness.

MENTAL ILLNESS Mentally ill youth may end up homeless because they don’t have access to supportive housing and/or other treatment services.

Sources nationalhomeless.org endhomelessness.org myfriendsplace.org

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“

If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.

1 TIMOTHY 6:8-9

SERIES: TEMPTATION

POSITION IS KEY

© Can Stock Photo Inc. / herreid

Written by Roswell Smith

When we look at 1Timothy, we can very clearly extract two things: first, contentment is a very powerful thing, and actually serves as a guard to our hearts. Secondly, temptation is always prepared to cascade on the “coat-tails” of our foolish desires and produce calamity.

In the Old Testament book of 2 Samuel, chapter 11 verses 1-5, we have one of the most powerful accounts of someone who allowed his discontentment and irresponsibility to expose his heart to temptation. In this account, we see David, the king of Israel, in a very compromised position. The Bible says in verse 1 that he was home in Jerusalem, when he should have been at war. It is amazing how in this one verse we find the problem, answer and solution to what follows.

The king is on his roof, looks down from his lofty position, and sees a woman named Bathsheba bathing; he then sends a messenger to find out who she is. After discovering who she is, the king sends for her to come to his palace, and he sleeps with her. Now what follows is a complete series of tragedies and life-altering decisions. This story could easily be made into an epic soap opera; it is packed with tons of drama, and if you keep reading the story, you’ll see exactly what I mean.

Nevertheless, there is one intangible 20 JAN/FEB 2014

factor that the king himself or the reader cannot escape. It sums up the entire story. While yet being simple, it has seismic influence, and the entire drama can be diagnosed in one word: POSITION. It is because the king was out of position, that he was compromised and exploited by his own heart. According to verse 1, if he had been with the “team” away at war, this literally would have never happened! You see, many times the temptations that we encounter are merely a secondary consequence of the position that we choose. I have a sports background, and in sports, positioning is everything! In literally every sport, the position you establish will either make you or break you. It’s all about positioning!

Spiritually, temptation has no power over us until we yield position. Jesus said, ”Lead us not into temptation,” which clearly denotes direction and position. When Jesus himself was tempted, while He was physically compromised being tired and hungry, He refused to yield position. If Jesus had given up and forfeited his position that day, it would have altered the entire course of history! But Jesus knew who and what He was, and He used the word of God to silence and put the adversary down in defeat. Position is

everything! Understand that in Christ, we have been given the ultimate example of what it means to be relentless and unwavering when it comes to our position. Not only that, we have been given amazing promises straight from His heart to ours. These promises keep us rooted and firmly established in the power of who He is and our identity in him.

“

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3

Here in Colossians 3:3, we have a very declarative promise. He says “…..and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” So as we are hidden with Christ in God, our position is one of security and authority.

Therefore, when temptation shows up and tries to produce a tragic outcome, don’t give ground; do not yield your position! The position that we have been given has been given us to by God; we are no longer subject to the power of sin. We have been seated with Christ and we are co-heirs with Him. The word “hidden” there in Colossians 3 is not a temporary thing. It’s an absolute and everlasting reality. I just want to encourage you, reader, to remember your position! Even when you make a choice that places you at the doorstep of temptation, there is still power to overcome the thing. Just remember your position. In Christ, we have everything we need; train your heart and mind to be content.

Allow the power of the Holy Spirit, which is already at work within you, to sustain and strengthen you from the inside out!

God has given us these biblical accounts not only as warnings, but as wise teachers to lead us “not into temptation.”

My prayer for you is that you will humble yourself and recognize the significance of position. Take some time and look at the areas of your life where you may be habitually out of position. Pray and ask the Lord to reveal blind spots: areas that may be susceptible to temptation.

Remember daily in prayer, and as you read the scriptures, that you have been positioned in Christ.

Lastly, enjoy life and don’t walk around on egg shells trying to avoid things that may not even be threats.

“Trust in The Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding and in all your ways acknowledge Him; and He will make your paths straight.”

Prov.3:5-6 LIVE POWERFULLY FROM YOUR POSITION! In Jesus’ name, Roswell Smith

CLOSET CLEAN OUT Written by Myles K. Wren

You know at the beginning of the year, we all have this very clear outlook on how we want to begin this new season in our lives.

Spiritually, we want to realign ourselves with GOD’S promises for our lives. Specifically, we want to get physically healthy, and pursue greater and better things!

I want to give you another New Year’s task: refreshing your closet.

Now that you have had all the excitement and anticipation of starting the year off right, it’s a great time to remove those things that you don’t need in your life anymore to make room for more; or in this case, what you don’t need in your closet!

I challenge you to make a plan to do a big clean of your closet twice this year. As you are putting up your fall/ winter clothing in the next couple of months, go through everything and make two piles. Make one pile for those things that are good enough to be donated, and another pile for things that have run their course.

Then, do the same thing with your spring/summer clothes at the end of the warmer season!

media for a minimal price. It’s a great way to get a little extra gas or entertaining money, or I give away items to friends for reuse!

Take what’s left over to either your local thrift store donation drop-off or sell/trade store. For those items that have been used to their max, go ahead and toss those things, or reuse cloth pieces for cleaning things around the house!

Starting new and starting fresh are an instant boost to one’s morale, so here’s hoping that your new year is filled with everything that you imagine and trust GOD for. Know that His promises are true, and that He will not fail those that abide and rely on Him. Wear what you have in your closet, in addition to the spiritual armor of GOD that enables you to live in victory. You are worth far more than what any person can determine. Be bold, be intentional, be you!

One thing that I do to make a little extra cash is sell those “good enough” items through my social MVMNTMAG.COM

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ADDICTED TO PORN? YOU AREN’T THE ONLY ONE! Written by Ike Okpobiri

It’s quite scary and mind-blowing that after watching so much pornography, I still remember like yesterday the very first time I purposely went on the internet looking for porn. Growing up as one of four children with the computer stationed in the living room of a twobedroom apartment, I had to strategically plan how I would satisfy this urge.

The discovery of internet porn at the age of thirteen changed my entire life. No longer did I have to wait for specific shows to come on TV. Now I could satisfy my urges whenever I wanted. This was the story of my life for almost nine years straight. Eventually it got to the point where what began as secret innocent fun no longer satisfied me, as I slowly began to realize that I no longer had control over this habit.

I would be lying if I said this urge came out of nowhere, because quite frankly it didn’t. I remember when I was around eleven years old and watched MTV for the first time. I can recall seeing videos like The Thong Song by Sisqo, and thinking, “Hmm, ok, so this is what having cable is all about.” Then came the BET UNCUT days, which meant purposely staying up until about two A.M just to catch a couple of unadulterated videos. Finally came the day when I discovered that due to some sort of programming error on the cable company’s part, I could now watch HBO late at night.

What happens when you’ve exhausted all pleasure and still feel empty at the end of the day? What happens when you now see every girl as a disposable object that is only there to satisfy your lustful desires?

It took me hitting this point, a.k.a. rock bottom, to realize that I had started something I could not finish.

Little by little, those harmless seeds of music videos began to bear bitter fruit. This eventually turned into a wild untamable tree that no longer was under my control, because the more I watched these things, the more I desired to experience them. I was like a balloon getting pumped full of helium, but instead of helium, it was lustful desires. And like a balloon being pumped too full, I eventually had to explode, and that I did.

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It took me hitting rock bottom to actually get serious about this situation. I finally realized, to overcome this, I must to do more than ask for forgiveness after I did it. I learned that along with praying to God for help and strength, I also had to be proactive about it. I learned to monitor myself and not wait until the temptation arose, which made me run around like a chicken with my head cut off.

So maybe you’re like I once was, and you’ve been struggling with porn and having pre-marital sex. Maybe you’ve prayed and cried your eyes out, and it just seems like nothing is working. Well, I know if God can deliver me, He can do it for you too. So I am going to share a couple of tips with you that helped me out.

TIPS BEFORE THE TEMPTATION

God, and the WORD WAS GOD”.

1. Actually submit your life to God.

• When we encourage ourselves with His word, we are reminding God himself that in His Word, He has exalted and magnified His decrees above everything else. (Psalms 138:2)

2. Daily ask God to renew your thoughts; do this as often as you can.

3. Actually get serious about playing your role in this.

1. This means being real with yourself.

2. This means planning ahead.

3. This means acknowledging your areas of weakness.

TIPS TO HELP WHEN YOU FEEL THE TEMPTATION RISING 1. Drop the device, change the channel, or turn off your cell phone.

• For me, this was a crucial step in helping me cut the temptation before it had legs to grow. I know this seems like a no-brainer, but why have the device that brings your temptation to life at your immediate disposal?

2. Get up and go for a walk: Remove yourself from the immediate situation • God promises to always provide a way out of temptation for anyone who desires it. But sometimes we wait for some divine magical escape, when the escape is simply getting up and walking out the door.

• If things are getting too hot and you know she/he doesn’t have the same desire to be pure before God as you do, then this is where you literally do as 1st Corinthians 6:18 says and FLEE. There comes a time where we all have to decide if we would rather be “a fool in the eyes of man or a fool in the eyes of God.” 3. Encourage yourself with the direct word of God • Yes, God listens to our prayers, and sometimes all we have to say is, “JESUS, I NEED HELP.” I believe there is a sweeter aroma that permeates the throne of heaven when we use HIS WORDS from the Bible to talk to Him. • Like John 1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with

5. Turn on some praise and worship music • I know a lot of us are skeptical about this one, but music plays a significant role in setting the atmosphere we live in.

• This is why we can hear an old song, and immediately it triggers memories of an ex and all the feelings start to come back.

Now, of course these tips won’t lead to overnight success, because we are human beings; sometimes even after we pray and repent, we still fall short and do it again.

But ever since I hit rock bottom and began taking proactive steps to fight against my flesh, I can boldly give God the glory and say that I am now free from the old me.

Not just because of these tips I gave you guys, but because I CONFESSED! Not to God alone, but to one of the leaders at a church I go to, because it finally got to the point where I didn’t care if people knew if I was struggling. My desire to conquer my addiction was greater than my desire to look like I had it all figured out in the eyes of man.

At the end of the day, the biggest lie the devil will ever tell us is that we are the only ones going through a certain situation. This makes us so ashamed of our shortcomings that we are hesitant to cultivate a lifestyle of transparency and confession that God desires us to live in. In reality, the truth is that a lot of us Christians are struggling with the same things.

So the question is, when will you decide enough is enough? Are you going to wait until you hit rock bottom like I did? Or are you going to learn from those who have been down that same road, and deal with the problem before it deals with you? The choice is yours; your life is in your hands.

God can only deliver you if you fully surrender and let Him.

STAND STRONG Written by Laura Pepper ​School. All 2,000 students crammed in a place where it is sometimes hard to find Christ-like friends.

Well, I’ve always been a public-school kid, and I’m thankful for the fact that I’ve always had a mission field where I can share Christ. However, standing up for what I believe in has not exactly been a breeze. For a superconservative girl, I’m involved in one of the most freeflowing groups there is at school… theatre.

This year I had to decide what was more important to me: the example I want to set as a Christian or the role I could get if I tried out for our school musical. The show would not reflect well on whom I strive to be as a Christian girl, so I had to say no to performing in the musical in the only way I knew could work… I wrote my director a letter explaining why I wasn’t going to participate.

After looking back on this, I’ve realized how, for many years, the adrenaline of performance was a big part of what I was putting my joy and satisfaction into, and it never fulfilled me. ONLY Christ provides true satisfaction. God gave us things like theatre to bring us enjoyment, but not to fulfill us. And I saw how empty putting all your joy and focus in an area other than Christ is.

If there is one major thing that I don’t want anyone to do, it’s to let those good things become idols to us.

As hard as it was saying no to being on stage for a little while, I learned to see what God was teaching me. We need to put satisfaction and hope in Christ Jesus, so we can have joyful activities without them being all consuming.

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