This planner is for you!
You are God's special possession (1 Peter 2:9), the head and not the tail (Deuteronomy 28:13), and a co-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17).
The Book’d & Blessed planner is a theology-focused tool created to give you faith-based reminders as you plan out your days.
You know that God’s plans are better than yours. & with your planner, get ready for a Book’d & Blessed 2023.
You’re ready to unlock new levels in 2023. You’re already winning, but you have the drive and ambition to see those small wins stack into monumental victories. You want it all, and with your Book’d planner by your side, the new year will move you 365 steps closer to the life of your dreams. This planner is an investment in your success.
You’re building, you’re creating, you’re learning, you’re growing, you have business goals, you have family goals, your have career goals, you have spiritual goals, you have lifestyle goals, you have pleasure goals and you’re going to check them all off- one by one.
The world is already yours- now it’s time to walk in it.
Your Book’d planner was designed to simplify and streamline your complex life. To be a black woman is to have unique needs and desires, and our aim is to help you focus your magic. We realize that as our obligations pile up, our potential to slay each day increases, & we want to pass that realization on to you.
Whether you think you have enough money, resources, & support to put your plans into motion, we want you to understand that you have an abundance of the most important resource- time. With this planner as a valuable tool, we want you to put your minutes to work.
You’re smart. You’re ambitious. You’re literally that girl. & now you’re Book’d.
If you are new to the Book’d club- welcome (you’ll love it here)! And if you’re back for the second, third, or fourth, or fifth year- welcome back! We want you to have it all, and this planner was designed to help you lock in with your most aspirational self.
As you strive to be Book’d and balanced, our hope is that this planner helps you reach your peak. Cheers to making this year one for the books. We congratulate you in advance!
All work and no play is not our style, and we bet it's not yours either. Keep it cute with two pages full of stickers.
A Book'd woman is always two steps ahead. Know what's on the horizon with the yearly overview calendars for 2023 and 2024.
Thirty-one (sometimes paid) reasons to celebrate. Enough said.
This feature, exclusive to our Book'd & Blessed woman, is a treasure chest of literary resources written by business, marketing, and self-help gurus.
This page serves as a place to write down your prayer(s) for 2023 We encourage you to go into the new year with big goals, and a prayer life to match. Write out a big prayer to cover your year or build a small prayer that you can incorporate into your daily routine, or a mix of both.
Inspired by the desire to progress, this section is for you to seriously consider and log your overarching personal and professional goals for the year. Let these goals shape your monthly goals, weekly tasks, and daily actions. The 2023 goals worksheet is paired with the Book'd & Balanced Goal Wheel to help further refine the elements of a well-rounded and fulfilling life.
We're all about you living your best life, and what better way to seize the day than with a yearly bucket list? Name everything you want to do this year: take that trip, move across the country, or pick up a hobby. Challenge yourself to step up and step out this year!
As Oprah Winfrey famously stated: “Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe.” This is your chance to not only create the vision, but to hold it near and dear throughout the year.
Your 2023 Book'd & Blessed Planner is LOADED with everything you need to have a successful Book'd, blessed, & balanced year.
Twelve varieties of #BlackGirlMagic for every month of the year. Inspired by the prevailing season, each of our monthly images is a major mood to set the tone for the four weeks to come. The artwork was created by Patrick of Paco May Illustrations.
Get all of your ducks in a row at the start of the month. Payday. Check. Your company conference. Get that blazer out of the cleaners. Your bestie's birthday. Noted. That trip to Zanzibar? Take us with you! Plus we included a spot to plan out your hairstyles. Because, we know.
Monthly devotionals provided by members of the Book'd Club challenge us to learn to use scripture (God's Word) to shape our attitudes, perspective, and mindsets.
Don't lie to yourself. You won't remember it. Just use these 2 handy notes pages per month to jot down things that you'll need to stay on top of. You'll be glad you did. Trust us. (P.S. There's some bonus note pages in the very back.)
Use this page to map out your monthly goals, and then use your weekly big & little rocks to break these goals down into smaller, actionable steps.
The “strictly financial” budget is your place to stay in charge of your finances. Keep a birds-eye view on your coins by tracking your monthly income and expenses. This page is organized by pay period (two per month).
Meal prep just got ten times easier. Grocery shop in style with your weekly grocery list and meal planner. Put it on your list, and then your basket.
Pro tip: Tear this sheet out and take it with you on your grocery runs.
Big Rocks are the big tasks that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
The weekly Spiritual Growth, Physical Activity, Self-Care, and the Call, Email, Follow-Up Sections serve as spaces to list the activities/ intentions that will help you maintain balance throughout your week.
The weekly maintenance is a section dedicated to the things that often fall to the wayside. Keep your home life, money life, tribe life, and self-love life on the up and up by completing the weekly maintenance task for the week.
This is where all the magic happens. Everyday. Show up. Give it your all. Wake up early. Break a sweat. Double check yourself. Challenge ideas. Push yourself. Follow-up. Do something the long way. Say nice things to yourself. Stay late, but stay balanced. Express gratitude. Repeat.
Life-giving scriptures stamped on your daily pages to bless you with Biblical truth as you navigate through your busy schedule.
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New Year’s Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Groundhog Day
Valentine’s Day
Presidents’ Day
Daylight Savings Begins St. Patrick’s Day
First Day of Spring First Day of Passover Good Friday
International Women’s DayMarch 8 March 17 March 20 April 5 April 7 April 9 May 14
Resurrection Sunday (Easter)
Tax DayApril 18 May 29 June 18 June 19 June 21 July 4 September 4 September 23 October 9 October 31 November 5 November 11 November 23 December 21 December 25 December 26 December 31
Mother’s Day Memorial Day
Father’s Day Juneteenth
First Day of Summer
Independence Day Labor Day
First Day of Autumn
Indigenous People’s Day Halloween
Daylight Savings Ends Veterans Day
Thanksgiving Day First Day of Winter Christmas
First Day of Kwanzaa New Year’s Eve
The Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life by Bruce Wilkinson
Jesus Over Everything: Uncomplicating the Daily Struggle to Put Jesus First by Lisa Whittle
Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table: It's Time to Win the Battle of Your Mind... by Louie Giglio
Where to Find It in the Bible (A to Z Series) by Ken Anderson
Holier Than Thou: How God’s Holiness Helps Us Trust Him by Jackie Hill Perry and Charlie Dates
The King Jesus Gospel: The Original Good News Revisited by Scot McKnight
The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis
Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul by John & Stasi Eldredge
His Testimonies, My Heritage: Women of Color on the Word of God by Kristie Anyabwile and Kim Cash Tate
All That's Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment by Hannah Anderson
What Your Body Knows About God: How We Are Designed to Connect, Serve and Thrive by Rob Moll
Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man’s Soul by John Eldredge
Raven-Deneice Grant | Peanut Butter Faith Blog
Blind Spots and Bold Forgiveness
Raven-Deneice Grant | Peanut Butter Faith Blog
Knowledge and Wisdom – What a Pair! Jazmin Mullen | Unite for Christ
God-Centered Success Jazmin Mullen | Unite for Christ
Yielding Fruit of Its Own Kind - Jenise Sexton
As the Spirit Gives - Jenise Sexton
Do You Want To Get Well
Manushka Gracia-Desgage | Gap-Toothed Scholar Blog
A Theology of Paul’s Humanity
Manushka Gracia-Desgage | Gap-Toothed Scholar Blog
God’s Will and the Wilderness Manushka Gracia-Desgage | Gap-Toothed Scholar Blog
A Place to REST - Coach Bonnie | The REST Complex
His Will as My Will - Coach Bonnie | The REST Complex
The Will of God: A Divine GPS (God Positioning System)
Dorian M. Harris | That Kind of Life
Use this sheet to write out your prayer(s) for 2023. If you need a little guidance, we recommend the PRAY method. Praise God for who He is, and what He has done. Repent for sins you have committed, and commands you have neglected. Ask for your needs, and the needs of others. Yield your will to God's will, and your plans to God's plans.
The Book'd & Balanced Goal Wheel is a worksheet designed to accompany your 2023 goal sheet. We believe in a Book'd & Balanced life, and this is a tool to help you set goals in every area. Jot down a few goals in each section, and watch the glow-up happen before your very eyes.
Luther King Jr. Day
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it- not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it- they will be blessed in what they do. - James 1: 22-25 NIV
POV: My alarm goes off at 7:30 AM. After snoozing once, I clumsily lug myself to the bathroom to use the restroom and brush my teeth. While waiting for the two minute timer on my toothbrush to finish, I open up the Bible app and scan the Verse of the Day. Today’s verse is from 1 Peter 5:10 NIV, reading “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” That’s a good one, I nod as I sleepily wash my face. Once out of the bedroom, it becomes a whirlwind of exercising, showering, packing breakfast, kissing the loved ones goodbye, and heading to the car. One podcast and several traffic slowdowns mean that upon arrival at work, it’s time to fly. Dentistry is a career both mentally and physically taxing, so by the time you get to lunch, you just want to relax your back, enjoy your pre-portioned pasta, and watch some funny TikTok videos until it’s time for that challenging 2:00 PM patient to arrive. The afternoon is just as laborious, and now as you sit in traffic, you feel burdened by the mental to-do list you’ve given yourself when you get home. It feels like you’ve barely had any time to shower, eat dinner, and knock out a task or two before your phone gently reminds you that your suggested bedtime is in thirty minutes. After your nightly routine, you crawl into bed feeling defeated, weary, and too weak to complete anything. You tear up and drift off to bed, asking the Lord to provide you with comfort and a verse to remember His provision, not even remembering half of what you read this morning.
Does this sound like you? If so, you’re not alone because this is a sample version of one of my weekdays. God has graciously given us His living word. It is “alive and active (Hebrews 4:12), a lamp for our feet, and a light on our path.” (Psalms 119:105) Resting on the promises of God’s word can be such a fruitful source of comfort, as well as an act of worship. Yet even with this head knowledge, there are countless times whereI have forgotten what I have read throughout the day due to busyness or stress. And this not only robs me of the richness of the Lord’s love in written form; according to James, when I fail to remember and live out the Scripture I absorb, I am deceiving myself. I make myself like someone who has studied each coil of her hair, each acne scar, the unique curve of her eyebrows, and the shape of her lips in the mirror, only to step away from the reflection and forget every essential detail.
James’s mirror analogy is so sweet to remind us that as believers, we bear the image of Christ. Our new self is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator (Colossians 3:10). Thus, when we read scripture and fail to meditate on it and apply it in our lives, we’re forgetting and neglecting to reflect the heart of Christ to those around me. And what a missed opportunity that is!
Now, praise God, praise God, that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set [us] free from the law of sin and death! We do not need to sit in the murk of our shortcomings, because our perfect Savior Jesus has conquered death for all of them. Hallelujah! But look back at James 1:25 closely. To receive the fruit of obedience in this passage, to be “blessed in what [we] do”, we need to look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, continue in it, not forgetting what [we] have heard, but doing it (James 1:25). This takes work! So how do we cure our spiritual amnesia and actually live out what we’re reading instead of forgetting it? This is an area in which I’m still very much growing, but here are a few tips that have helped me lately.
Rinse, Wash, Repeat. Have you ever met someone, been introduced, and approximately thirty seconds later, you have forgotten her name? Me too, and often. It’s humbling to realize that sometimes reading a verse once is not enough for us to memorize the verse, absorb it, and implement it. But it’s also a beautiful, freeing reminder that we are not God! Whether it’s in a bible study setting or just in my personal reading time, I often need to craft in extra time for me to read the particular verse or passage more than once if I don’t want it to slip out of my mind within the next hour. Using the Bible app example, it’s often helpful for me to revisit the same verse during my lunch hour (before I slide down the TikTok rabbit hole), and even again in the evening. Repetition can truly be a powerful tool for reflection if we invite the Lord into the situation.
Create a rhythm of reflection. My sweet husband often reminds me that he can barely remember what he had for breakfast the previous morning, let alone something we discussed last week. It makes me chuckle (sometimes), but in all honesty, the only reason I can remember my meals (and many of my feels) is because I document them. I track what I eat in a food tracker, and I try to track what I experience in my prayer journal. Journaling is not for everyone, but it is often helpful for me to jot down the verse or passage I’ve read in order to meditate on it. Each letter curved into paper provides me the opportunity to reflect on the passage and allow the Lord to stamp in on my heart long term.
Ask God where to carry your mirror. Many bibles title the section covering James 1:22-25 “Being Doers of the Lord” or “Listening and Doing.” One way to avoid forgetting what we have read in the word is to apply it! This takes wisdom, however, as there are many verses that can be applied out of context, leading to harmful, unproductive outcomes. For example, one should apply wisdom before walking down a crowded street and “greeting everyone with a holy kiss.” (1 Thessalonians 5:26) If we fail to read prayerfully, we can run the risk of playing God or trying to make the commands of the word into a checklist rather than a lifeline. The reminder in James 1:5 NIV remains sweet - “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” Our Lord is generous and loves to give good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:11 NIV). This means He is all too pleased to show us how we can apply the word in our individual lives, and reflect His heart to those around us. What good news!
The Bible is a big love story, one filled with rich teaching, promises, guidance, and so much more. It can feel daunting to imagine trying to live out what we have read in our everyday lives. Thankfully, we can rejoice knowing that the Lord works in us and through us to learn His word, remember it, and live it out. Trust that He is doing this good thing in you now and always. I will end with a benediction from Ephesians 3:20-21. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
Founder, Peanut Butter Faith Blog
Website: www.peanutbutterfaith.com
IG: @peanutbutterfaith
Twitter: @pbfaithblog
Inquiries: peanutbutterfaithblog@gmail.com
Set your intentions and goals for the month. Intentions provide a framework for you to set priorities, use your time wisely, and align yourself with the resources you need to manifest your goals.
The “Strictly Financial” Budget Sheet is divided into two columns (pay periods) based on a semi-monthly pay schedule. Line one is your net income and lines 2-18 are where you list (and subtract) any fixed expenses that you incur throughout the course of the month. There are blank lines included for you to write in additional variable expenses. The bottom line is where you list your remaining funds after your expenditures are accounted for.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
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The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or dismayed (intimidated), for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. - Joshua 1:9
me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts; And see if there be any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
List
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. - 2 Peter 1:4
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
“Don’t believe in kings, believe in the Kingdom.” - Chance the Rapper 01. 17Tu day | Wedn day |
Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.'
Mark 10:27
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. - Psalm 1:2
God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Weekly Maintenance Review your recurring subscriptions and end any that you don’t need :
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
“I am America. I am the part you won't recognize. But get used to me. Black, confident, cocky; my name, not yours; my religion, not yours; my goals, my own; get used to me.”
- Muhammad Ali
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you - James 1: 22-25 NIV
One of the most hysterical driving experiences I’ve witnessed occurred while riding with my mom and now husband a few months ago. It had been a long day of wedding planning, and we were eager to head home and relax. My mother was shuttling us down a highway near the Houston suburbs when a car suddenly started to drift into our lane in our same position seemingly not seeing us in their blind spot. Thankfully my mother was able to pump the brakes to prevent the collision, but that was by no means the end of the conversation. My sweet, gracious mother used both her car horn and her fanciest language to express just how silly of a mistake that other driver had made. She was livid and “could not fathom how someone with a license could be so reckless.” Ironically, not even five minutes later, my mom, distracted by the animated storytelling, realized she had almost missed our exit. She hastily checked her mirrors and made 2 quick lane changes to entrer the off-ramp lane, inadvertently cutting off a sedan in the process. In true Texan fashion, the driver laid on the horn with all his might (and may have provided a friendly hand gesture too, if I remember correctly). My mother gasped and explained to us, “Well, no need to be so harsh! They should know I would never do something like that on purpose. It was an accident!” Everyone else in the car cracked up at the irony of the encounter, and thankfully we made it home safely a little later.
This is a silly example, but how many times do we find ourselves being extra gracious to ourselves and withholding mercy from others? I know I am very guilty of this. I often justify my own transgressions by placing blame on the circumstances, the weather, and really anything besides my own sinful nature. When I am wronged, however, I have no issues holding it over the other person and deciding if and when I choose to forgive. Moreover, even if I choose to say “I forgive you,” I can hold a grudge in my heart for years, knowing that our friendship will never be what it was before they wounded me. Hurting one another is nothing to be taken lightly and there are natural consequences for actions, but make no mistake, lack of forgiveness is a sin. It looks nothing like the heart of Christ, and it doesn’t show others the same grace He extended to us for our own sins. Colossians 3:13 reads, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” It’s the last part of the verse for me; “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” As Christian believers, we know that the gospel is the boldest example of forgiveness of all time. Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, came to this world as a perfect, sinless man. He lived a perfect, blemish-free life, yet died a horrific, lengthy death to atone for every single sin of every single person in history. Have you ever been blamed for something you didn’t do? How did it feel? And yet, Jesus, as he hung on a cross dying for all the sins he didn’t commit, loved us enough to advocate for our forgiveness. One of his last utterances before his death was “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing…” (Luke 23:34 NIV). Jesus loved us so much that he died so we can experience forgiveness and reconciliation with the Creator of the Universe. It is only when we rely on our own standards and not His that we struggle with forgiveness.
But it’s so worth pushing through to forgive. Sometimes we may feel that by withholding forgiveness from someone who has wronged us, we’re helping God serve justice. We have suffered at their hands, so why should they have it so easy?, we think to ourselves. But we are naive to think holding grudges and withholding forgiveness only affects them. Scripture reminds us, in fact, that our lack of forgiveness hinders us as well. Luke 6:37 says, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Matthew 6:14-15 echoes a similar sentiment- “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
One question I’ve asked myself often is, But Lord, how exactly do I forgive someone in my heart and not just in speech? And I answered my own question with my question. We can ask the Lord for anything in His will and we know that He hears us. That is such good news! The gospel of Mark reminds us that prayer is essential always, but particularly when we’re trying to forgive. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your sins. - Mark 11:25 NIV.
Sometimes I feel so justified in my pain that I think forgiveness is something for the other person to work out with God. There are some wounds I feel are too large to ever heal. But when I start that false thinking, I remember how long, how wide, how deep Jesus’s wounds were on the cross for me. Then I’m reminded that with Christ, nothing is impossible (CITE). As you ponder and pray over any grudges you need to release and people you need to forgive today, I pray you lean on the Lord through it all. I pray that in awe of His incredible love, you can forgive someone and reflect the heart of Christ as you love others in such a powerful way.
I pray that out of His glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. - Ephesians 3:16-21 NIV
Founder, Peanut Butter Faith Blog
Website: www.peanutbutterfaith.com
IG: @peanutbutterfaith
Twitter: @pbfaithblog
Inquiries: peanutbutterfaithblog@gmail.com
Set your intentions and goals for the month. Intentions provide a framework for you to set priorities, use your time wisely, and align yourself with the resources you need to manifest your goals.
The “Strictly Financial” Budget Sheet is divided into two columns (pay periods) based on a semi-monthly pay schedule. Line one is your net income and lines 2-18 are where you list (and subtract) any fixed expenses that you incur throughout the course of the month. There are blank lines included for you to write in additional variable expenses. The bottom line is where you list your remaining funds after your expenditures are accounted for.
of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, the uttermost parts of the earth
your
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
“Simply defined, prayer is earthly permission for heavenly interference.”
- Tony Evans
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
For it is written, “‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘to me every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess to God.’”
Romans 14:11
And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
Psalm 4:1 02. 21
hard
every
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
But seek first his kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:33 02. 28
“We have to consciously study how to be tender with each other until it becomes a habit because what was native has been stolen from us, the love of Black women for each other. But we can practice being gentle with ourselves by being gentle with each other…”
- Audre LordeHave you ever encountered an extremely smart person who consistently made terrible decisions? What about a person who didn’t have a plethora of degrees under their belt, but they gave you the best advice for navigating through life? Some of us may refer to this as being “book smart” vs “street smart,” or we may say these are the types of people who have or are lacking in common sense. No matter what you call it, what we are really looking at is understanding the difference between knowledge and wisdom, and how they show up in our lives.
Knowledge is simply having a wealth of information about a particular subject, obtained through either experience or formal education. While we may acquire the knowledge about something, it is not a given that we apply that knowledge or even know how to appropriately apply it. On the other hand, wisdom is taking what we know – no matter how much knowledge we have – and strategical ly applying it based on past experiences and current dynamics of the situation.
So what do knowledge and wisdom have to do with our journeys with God? EVERYTHING sis! In short- we need them both and we have access to both. However, the tricky part is that there is earthly knowledge and wisdom, and there is heavenly knowledge and wisdom. We want to make sure we’re using what comes from God, and not operating in the ways of this world. Let’s chat
We want to obtain knowledge from God so that we can know what comes from Him and what does not. There are so many things that we can learn in this world, but how do we know if the way we are navigating our lives is pleasing in His sight? The answer, sis, is by studying His Word. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Understanding who God is, what He says about us, and what He approves of and disapproves of truly equips us to maneuver with God through this life and complete every good work He prepared for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
Not only do we want to obtain knowledge from God, but we want to apply that knowledge as well! Godly wisdom helps us to know what knowledge to apply and when to apply it. It helps us make the best decisions in our life – decisions that are in alignment with God’s will and His ways. In James 3:17, we learn that wisdom that comes from heaven is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. On the contrary, wisdom from this world focuses on oneself and is usually selfish (James 3:14). We are constantly urged to seek wisdom from God because then we honor God with our decisions.
You know our God is a provider, right sis?! One of the most beautiful parts of this journey with God is that He doesn’t only tell us what we need – He provides it as well! If any of us feel like we don’t have the knowledge or wisdom we’re looking for, our God will most certainly provide it. However, we must make sure to seek Him and ask Him for what He desires to give us.
· Seek – When we realize we’re in need of God’s knowledge and wisdom, a great first response is to look for them! Since they come from Him, we know they can both be found when we diligently seek His face. We are reminded in God’s Word that when we seek Him first, all other things will then be added to us (Matthew 6:33). Seeking may look like reading His Word, spending time in prayer, or attending a Bible Study. No matter the method, we know that when we seek Him, our God will ALWAYS be there for us to find.
· Ask – James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” If you need His wisdom to make a big decision in your life, ask sis! He will give it to you without holding anything back. We also find in Matthew 7:7-8 that Jesus says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” When we continuously ask God for the knowledge and wisdom we’re looking for, He will provide it.
We understand that we need heavenly knowledge and wisdom to make the best decisions for our lives and to live the best lives God has for us. We are so lucky that we have access to this knowledge and wisdom, and all we must do is seek God’s face and ask Him for it. Now, how do we apply the knowledge and wisdom we get from God? Through Holy Spirit living inside of us! Holy Spirit reveals, guides, teaches, and even intercedes for us when we need it (John 16:13, 1 Corinthians 2:13, Romans 8:26-27). When we become sensitive to Holy Spirit, we understand that He will reveal to us how to navigate through life in the holiest way possible. He will help us use our heavenly knowledge and wisdom in ways that are loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and disciplined (Galatians 5:22-23). With Him on our side, we can be “book smart” AND “street smart” in this world!
uniteforchrist.com
Set your intentions and goals for the month. Intentions provide a framework for you to set priorities, use your time wisely, and align yourself with the resources you need to manifest your goals.
The “Strictly Financial” Budget Sheet is divided into two columns (pay periods) based on a semi-monthly pay schedule. Line one is your net income and lines 2-18 are where you list (and subtract) any fixed expenses that you incur throughout the course of the month. There are blank lines included for you to write in additional variable expenses. The bottom line is where you list your remaining funds after your expenditures are accounted for.
"Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God.”
Maya Angelou
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Mark 11:24 03. 07
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control; against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil dwells with You.
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Weekly Maintenance Purge your closet and donate to Goodwill/ local charity :
No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Luke 16:13
“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in thy sight, O Jehovah, my rock, and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:14
the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Black women are one of the most educated groups in the United States. We’re getting these degrees, we’re starting these businesses, and we’re flourishing out here sis! As we’re pursuing and thriving in success, it’s important to ask ourselves how centered our desires and goals are in God. This is because we may find ourselves outwardly successful, but inwardly crumbling. Our friends may applaud us for getting the bag, but they don’t see the depression, anxiety, and emptiness that may be crippling us. We may seek after what we think will bring us success, not even realizing that those things are not actually in God’s plan for our lives. We may shy away or ignore what God is telling us to do because we prefer to remain in our comfort zone. Lastly, we may idolize our goals, and they may become what drives us instead of God and His Word.
At some point in our lives we have probably experienced some version of the situations above, and if you have not, that’s a blessing sis! No matter where you fall on this spectrum, we want to make sure that everything in our lives – including our success – is centered on God. As we see in Proverbs 16:2-3, “All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” Let’s commit our success to God, let’s commit our desires to God, and let’s commit our goals and plans to God.
When considering God-centered goals and success, we may wonder how to discern if what we desire and pursue are of God. Below are 4 questions we can ask ourselves to get started:
1. Is my life rooted in God? Psalms 37:4 says, “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” As we spend more time with God we can trust that our desires, plans, and hearts will begin to shift and align with His. As a result, God gives us the desires of our heart because they are His desires that have been placed in our hearts! When we are rooted in God, we can trust that that burning desire that we can’t seem to shake is most likely from Him. If it is not, He will remove it and realign our desires to reach a certain goal to fit His. Let’s get rooted sis!
2. Why does this matter to me? We learn in Proverbs 21:2 that, “A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart.” When we get down to the root of a goal we’ve set or success we’re pursuing, why does it matter to us? Is it because we are trying to satisfy an earthly desire or fill a void within ourselves? Or is it because we want to ultimately glorify God? Hear me out sis - there is nothing wrong with getting to the money and God desires us to live in abundance! However, do we steward that money well? Do we tithe, donate to charities, or use it to bless others? Or are we simply in love with it and using our success as a way to feel good about ourselves? Do we silently judge others who lack or deem them unworthy of our presence because they are not as successful? Getting to the root of why we are pursuing success will help us understand our underlying motives and shift as needed.
3. Does this align with God’s character? When trying to discern whether our goals and pursuits of success are of God, we can see if they align with His character. God most certainly moves in ways that are unconventional for us at times (Isaiah 55:8), but His character always stays the same. If we move with love, integrity, and godliness in our business and God blesses us with a 6-figure launch, well hallelujah and thank You Jesus! Now if we have a 6-figure launch from scamming the people…idk, sis. We have the same amount of money gained, but one of them is after looking like God and the other one, not so much. Remember that we are told in 1 John 4:1 to test every spirit, and that includes our own. See if the goals we’ve set and means of obtaining success align with who God is.
4. Have I received confirmation? As we pursue our godly goals and success, God will sometimes confirm to us that we are on the right path. For those of us who encounter resistance, fear, or doubt on our journeys, God will send a way to confirm that we’ve heard Him correctly and encourage us to keep going. While confirmation is certainly not a requirement, if we have received it from God then He is definitely all over our goals and pursuits of success! Confirmation can occur in so many ways - sermons that repeatedly pop up that speak directly to your situation, through His Word, through others, through dreams, and so much more. It is essentially God speaking directly to us and telling us, “Yes, this is me.” While God sends confirmation so that we know we are on the right path, I want to give a warning to us sis – Sometimes we create “self-fulfilling prophecies” that have us creating our own confirmation because we want something bad enough. However, if we are rooted in God, understand why it matters to us, and are pursuing what aligns with God’s character, we can mitigate that from happening.
God wants us to be successful, sis. He is able to do, “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20) There is nothing wrong with setting goals and wanting success, we just want to make sure they are centered on Him. We are blessed because we have the help of Holy Spirit to guide us. We are blessed because we can pray to the Father and make sure our hearts and desires align with His. We are blessed because even if we are pursuing success that isn’t rooted in Him, He will correct us because He loves us (Hebrews 12:6).
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” -Numbers 6:24-26
Founder | Unite for Christ
Set your intentions and goals for the month. Intentions provide a framework for you to set priorities, use your time wisely, and align yourself with the resources you need to manifest your goals.
The “Strictly Financial” Budget Sheet is divided into two columns (pay periods) based on a semi-monthly pay schedule. Line one is your net income and lines 2-18 are where you list (and subtract) any fixed expenses that you incur throughout the course of the month. There are blank lines included for you to write in additional variable expenses. The bottom line is where you list your remaining funds after your expenditures are accounted for.
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
“Every day I feel is a blessing from God. And I consider it a new beginning. Yeah, everything is beautiful.”
gotten by vanity shall be diminished; But he that gathereth by labor shall have increase.
Proverbs 13:11
List
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Weekly Maintenance Register for a class (hobby, exercise, side-hustle):
For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
is a lamp
my
my
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
- Matthew 5:16
“It doesn’t matter if a million people tell you what you can’t do, or if ten million tell you no. If you get one yes from God that’s all you need.”
Tyler Perry
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
“Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.” Matthew 7:20 (NLT)
What does our fruit say about who we serve? That may be a hard question for some of us. Upon examining the products of our character, some of us see the good fruits. Some of us may say we wholeheartedly love and serve Christ, however the fruit of our lives reflect that of a barren tree or rotten fruit.
At the start of creation, God set everything in place and gave everything an order. When speaking over the plants of the earth, God said, “Let the land sprout with vegetation—every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.” And that is what happened (Genesis 1:11). This natural order of bearing fruit can be seen spiritually throughout the Bible. In each instance, fruit is produced from seeds of its own kind. The flesh produces seed that blossom fruits of the flesh and the Spirit produces seed that blossom fruits of the Spirit. As believers, we must ensure that we yield fruits of the Spirit by living our lives submitted to the Spirit of God.
It is often at the work of our own hands, driven by our own motives that we sow seeds of sin. Let’s take the child of Israel for example. By the time the Lord spoke to the prophet Hosea of His concerns about Israel, the people had created statues and called them gods, built altars to make sacrifices to the gods created with their own hands, demanded a king to rule over them leading to separation and war, among other things.. This is why in the book of Hosea, the Lord, through the prophet, states Israel brings forth fruits for himself (Hosea 10:1). The fruits produced by Israel did not produce the riches of the Father.
We cannot simply look at the narrative of the children of Israel and shake our heads. We must examine our fruits. Our statues may not be formed of gold, but they may come in the form of a career or significant other. Our altars may not be built of stones, but they may be vows made in anger or haste. The kings we’ve demanded may be in the person we have manifested and manipulated into our lives. As we carefully examine our fruits, we look to vine and realize we are not producing what we expected would be the outcome.
In Hosea 10, the Word says Israel was an empty vine, not yielding of the good fruits from the promises of God. All as a result of sowing seeds at their own hands. Jesus tells us what happens to empty vines in John 15. The Father cuts off the branch that does not produce fruit and it is burned. If this is the result of sowing seeds at our own hands, the converse of this is the allowance of the Holy Spirit to sow seed that will produce good fruit. You mean things can be better? Yes! Let me share with you what the Holy Spirit has shared with me about good fruit.
God’s Word is clear on the types of fruit which are good. First, good fruit is a blessing (Deuteronomy 28:1-4). In exchange for their obedience to the commands of God, the children of Israel would have blessings come upon them and overtake them. Whoa! Imagine blessings overtaking you, who wouldn’t want that?! Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the
offspring of your flocks (Deuteronomy 28:4). Next, good fruit is rooted in righteousness (Proverbs 12:12 KJV). Living in right standing with Christ is what yields this good fruit. Good fruit is lasting fruit. You know how you have a juicy piece of fruit, especially on a warm day, and you don’t want the juiciness to end? Jesus says He chose us to bear fruit that will remain (John 15:16 NKJV). Lastly, good fruit is without partiality, without hypocrisy (James 3:17 KJV). How you reflect Christ on Sunday mornings is how you reflect Christ on the hard Monday mornings or late Friday nights. How then, do we yield this good fruit?
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” (John 15:4 NKJV)
To abide in Jesus is to immerse yourself in Him. Read the Word of God and allow it to transform your mind. Allow the Spirit of God to lead and guide your decisions and conversations. Run to Him, not just in your times of need, but at all times. Share with Him your excitements, your failures, your successes, your fears. Make Him your all and all, putting nothing else before Him. In this, He says, you will bear much fruit (John 15:5).
“He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.” (John 15:2-3 NLT)
Keep the end in mind, produce even more fruit. When God shows you the areas of your life He desires to refine, open yourself up to it. Know that He is good and will cause all things to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Allow the Lord to strip you of the things that dim your light. Allow Him to wash away the impurities that distort His reflection in you. Trust and know that He alone is God.
There’s a blessing that blooms from the good fruit produced as we abide in Christ. The kind of fruit that is long lasting and in abundance. The blessings bloom from the good ground where seed is sown. This seed produces because the Word of the Lord is heard, accepted and fruit is bore: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred. (Mark 4:20). These are the blessings connected to the promise made in Deuteronomy 28:1-4, God’s blessing of obedience.
Jenise Sexton IG and Twitter: @MrsJeniseSextonSet your intentions and goals for the month. Intentions provide a framework for you to set priorities, use your time wisely, and align yourself with the resources you need to manifest your goals.
The “Strictly Financial” Budget Sheet is divided into two columns (pay periods) based on a semi-monthly pay schedule. Line one is your net income and lines 2-18 are where you list (and subtract) any fixed expenses that you incur throughout the course of the month. There are blank lines included for you to write in additional variable expenses. The bottom line is where you list your remaining funds after your expenditures are accounted for.
Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21
good from those
the power of your
whom
when
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The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.
your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth.
Colossians
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
“The first step to becoming what God made you to be is to stop worrying about what others want you to be.”
In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;...
Romans 8:26
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.”
Revelation 21:4
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Weekly Maintenance Stare at yourself and say I love you:
“We are a beautiful people. Even the way we face and overcome challenges is beautiful. Our beauty deserves to be elevated and celebrated.”
Saying yes to Jesus creates a sort of exponential growth of spiritual things in our lives. We not only gain access to the Father through Jesus Christ, but He sends the Helper to us as well. The Holy Spirit has a way of making life sweeter and sweeter with every moment we allow Him to lead and guide us. He has a way of taking the hard soil, the flesh, and till it to make it ripe for sowing a seed that produces spiritual, heavenly fruit.
In parts of the state of Georgia, planting is made difficult because of the hard ground. The soil is often so compacted that a regular gardening tool isn’t enough to turn over the layers upon layers of Georgia soil to make the environment conducive for growing any plant or vegetation. In order to properly prepare the ground, you have to use a special tool called an aerator. The aerator blows holes into the ground allowing air to flow through the layers of the soil. If I may liken this to Jesus, who breaks through the walls we have erected as a result of the cares of the world weighing on us. Weakening our own defenses, He sends the Comforter to breathe new life into us and flow in us and through us.
As we abide more and more with the Spirit of God, we experience a planting of special seeds. To the natural eye it looks like not going off on people the way you used to. It looks like smiling at the person on the bus who looks downcast. It looks like experiencing hardships but maintaining your joy found in Jesus. It may also look like turning to God in your weakest moments to allow Him to fill you. In the supernatural it is the fruits of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffer ing, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23). The manifestations of these character traits in your life prove as evidence of your walking with He who sits at the right hand of God.
It is the acceptance and obedience to Christ that invites the Holy Spirit to have His way in our lives. The working of the Holy Spirit produces the fruit for which people will know we are His. As I said, there’s a supernatural working in our heart that our natural man will not see. That is until the fruit begins to bloom. Take our planting analogy. Once the ground is aerated, seeds are dropped into the holes in the ground. The ground is watered on a regular basis and the seedlings sprout underground. And when the time has passed for the initial maturing of the seedling, it breaks through the final layer of the soil and we see life. As the plant is nurtured, it grows and matures even more, eventually reaching full maturity.
We are like that plant. The working of the Holy Spirit begins inwardly. You may sense the stirring of the Spirit within your heart as He prompts you to change and guides you to move. I imagine the sifting of the soil as the seed makes room for growth. While the plant is maturing there’s still work happening above ground. What might this work like for us? I’d like to offer this, simply speak Jesus. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit (Proverbs 18:21 NKJV). Therefore, use your words to encourage others in spirit and in truth. This may mean that you
must share, through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, a hard truth with someone. Do it in love, allowing the Holy Spirit to give you the words to say as He has promised He would (Matthew 10:19). Be intentional about the words you use to speak over others. The more you speak Jesus, you will find the more His love flows from your heart through your mouth and to the ears of others. Imagine being used as a vessel by Jesus to draw the hearts of others as fruit, and imagine eating that fruit. The thought of it fills you with love, the result of it overwhelms you with love.
The growth of that plant is contingent upon the working of the soil, the roots, the water, and the sun. It is important for us to know this is not the work of our own hands. Our growth in Christ through the Holy Spirit is dependent upon Him. These fruits come from God. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace (James 3:17-18). You cannot from your own hands, in your own strength, and by your own conjuring produce good fruit because the growth is stimulated from the Father. The fruit of righteousness has an origin that comes from above. As the Holy Spirit works within, pray and listen for His voice. Lean into the guidance He provides for the small things and for the great things.
Look for the manifestation of the fruits in your life and intentionally nurture them. Let’s take a look through the lens of three fruits of the Spirit.
If the Word says love your neighbor as yourself, the Holy Spirit will transform you. You will be able to love those that without the help of the Holy Spirit are deemed unlovable. Your love will attract others to the Spirit of God within you.
The joy of the Lord is not like the happiness the world works to convince us is best. The joy produced by the Spirit is not temporary or contrived. It’s consistent and ever present, even in the midst of hard times. The manifestation of this fruit carries you through the lowly moments with your eyes on the Cross.
Similar to joy, the peace produced by the Spirit cannot be comprehended by the natural mind. That’s why the Word refers to it as peace that surpasses all understanding. This fruit will allow you to maintain, even during the most chaotic times.
Jenise Sexton IG and Twitter: @MrsJeniseSextonSet your intentions and goals for the month. Intentions provide a framework for you to set priorities, use your time wisely, and align yourself with the resources you need to manifest your goals.
The “Strictly Financial” Budget Sheet is divided into two columns (pay periods) based on a semi-monthly pay schedule. Line one is your net income and lines 2-18 are where you list (and subtract) any fixed expenses that you incur throughout the course of the month. There are blank lines included for you to write in additional variable expenses. The bottom line is where you list your remaining funds after your expenditures are accounted for.
“Religion without humanity is very poor human stuff.”
REFRIGERATED / FROZEN
G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Weekly Maintenance Spend less money than you did last week:
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
1 Corinthians 1:13
When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; And if you run, you will not stumble.
Proverbs 4:12
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
In the multitude of my thoughts within me, your comforts delight my soul.
Psalm 94:19
“Tenacious prayer is a lifestyle that produces results.”
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
will call upon Jehovah, who is worthy to be praised: So shall I be saved from mine enemies.
Psalm 18:3
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.
06. 25 - John 14:27
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Psalm 55:22
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
“When Jesus saw him lying there and realized he had already been there a long time, He said to him, ‘Do you want to get well?’” –John 5:6 CSB
This question is posed by Jesus when He spots a man by the pool of Bethesda who had been disabled for 38 years. Every time I read this story, I always have a visceral reaction to Jesus’ question. It seems insensitive and particularly callous. Do you want to get well? Well, of course, I want to get well. I’ve been miserable for 38 years. But further reflection allowed me to spot a meta-message in Jesus’ question. Jesus often taught and acted with meta-messages in mind. Asking the man if he wanted to be well now invited the man into the process. He became an active participant rather than merely an object being acted upon. Jesus initiates the process, because grace always goes ahead. But with the same words, Jesus also invites the man into the process, because grace also empowers.
Our instincts assume that someone experiencing pain wants to be healed. Thus, asking said person if he or she wants to get well feels unnecessary, at best, and cold and detached, at worst. But Jesus knows something about the human experience. Agency is important, especially in relationships. Very few of us like to be the prey of someone’s hero syndrome. Though Jesus is the ultimate Hero, He also knows that, being made in His image and according to His likeness, we also like to retain our dignity in our healing processes. For Jesus, we are not statistics that He uses to pad his kingdom résumé. His goal isn’t to talk to His Father about the numbers He’s doing here on Earth; His goal is to build relationships. For His kingdom is about relationships, not numbers. So, when He asks the man if he wants to be made well, I am acquainted with a Jesus who values people enough to invite them into the work He is doing in us. He imbues dignity into this man. He is re-enacting the creation story all over again. He is reminding this man that his ailment has not robbed him of neither his voice nor his sense of worth.
But on a more sobering note, Jesus is also showing us that healing requires courage. Wellness is not automatic. My agency and voice in the process hold me accountable. For if Jesus asks me if I want to get well and I respond in the affirmative, I am not also responsible for how I handle the process. I no longer have room for excuses. Jesus is letting us in on a piercing reality: wellness is not a process to be undertaken lightly. We assume we want wellness until wellness demands every ounce of our effort and forthrightness. We realize, oftentimes, what we really desire is relief, not wellness. Relief removes the pain; wellness reconfigures our worldview. Relief provides change within our comfort zone, within the status quo; wellness provokes change that suffocates our comfort zones. So, Jesus knows what wellness entails.
Because “although [Jesus] was the Son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.” Although Jesus was the Son of God (comfort zone), He learned obedience through the things He suffered (wellness).
So, Jesus wanted the man to know – and He wants us to know – that once you give wellness your yes, there will be a mighty work ahead. So, think about it before you say yes. Resist the reflex that relief encourages. Count the cost. Rely on His grace. Because once you say yes, you have to pick up your mat. Once you say yes, you have to start walking.
Jesus, then, tells the man, “See, you are well. Do not sin anymore, so that something worse doesn’t happen to you.” Wellness requires that we abandon the familiarity of the past. We can no longer exercise the habits that kept us sick. We can no longer continue in the deception of the customs that pretended to desire our wellness. The Greek word for “well” means whole, complete, healthy, sound. It denotes being in sound condition. Figuratively, it represents being uncorrupt, functioning holistically with all parts working together (Strong’s Concordance).
When Jesus tells the man to sin no more, it is not merely a charge to refrain from doing sinful things. It is also a charge to do righteous things. Too often, we see sin as a one-sided moral disruption. However, what the word of God teaches us is that godliness is both about what we don’t do and what we do. We read in Titus 2:11-14, “For the grace of God has appeared with salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts (that’s part one of ‘sinning no more’) AND to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age (that’s part two of ‘sinning no more’), while we wait for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people for His own possession, eager to do good works.” Repentance, in the original Greek language, means a change of mind; in military terms, an about-face. Which is highlighted by the way the Message bible puts it that we just read. When you change your mind, you don’t change it to nothing. You change your mind from one thing to another. When you turn your back on something, you are turning your face towards something else. Thus, when Jesus tells this man to not sin anymore, He is calling him away from godlessness and towards godliness. He now lives from a new position and a new identity.
Twitter & IG: @nushgd
Gap-Toothed Scholar Blog www.gaptoothedscholar.com
IG: @gaptoothedscholar
Email: nushgracia@gmail.com
Set your intentions and goals for the month. Intentions provide a framework for you to set priorities, use your time wisely, and align yourself with the resources you need to manifest your goals.
The “Strictly Financial” Budget Sheet is divided into two columns (pay periods) based on a semi-monthly pay schedule. Line one is your net income and lines 2-18 are where you list (and subtract) any fixed expenses that you incur throughout the course of the month. There are blank lines included for you to write in additional variable expenses. The bottom line is where you list your remaining funds after your expenditures are accounted for.
“Stand up straight and realize who you are, that you tower over your circumstances. You are a child of God. Stand up straight.”
that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly
him.
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Weekly Maintenance Call your credit card companies and ask for a lower interest rate :
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard? The everlasting God, Jehovah, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary; there is no searching of his understanding.
15
List
16 - Isaiah 40:28
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Weekly Maintenance Stretch for 15 minutes every day this week:
Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever.
Psalm 119:160
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves.
James 1:22
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
“Worship strengthens you. It gives you a sense of God’s presence and ultimately His protection and provision.”
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil dwells with You.
“We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead… We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.” -2 Corinthians 1:8-10 NLT
When we think about the New Testament, after Jesus, Paul is often who comes to mind. He is responsible for much of what we read in the New Testament. Besides his overwhelming authorship of the New Testament, much of what we construct our theology with is based on the words of Paul. Some of the most popular verses are Paul’s words. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) “Do not be anxious about anything…” (Philippians 4:6) For many people, Paul’s words are their scriptural affirmations and mantras.
What we have also done with Paul’s words is use them as a spiritual whip to guilt people whose sanctification journey doesn’t look seamless. Thus, when someone musters up the courage to be honest about their doubts, fears, heartbreaks, and faltering faith, we pull out a mantra from our Paul deck of cards to reprimand the person for not being steadfast enough. So, when the person seems inconsolably anxious, we tell them Paul commands us to not be anxious. When the person is confiding in us about their struggle with envy and their desire to be in a different place in life, we tell them to learn to be content in all things. In our worst moments, the world has used his words to perpetuate racism and sexism.
Though we have good intentions, what we have inadvertently done is create a picture of Paul that insinuates a life of no struggle – as if he was converted on the road of Damascus and immediately transitioned to a life of hardship, yet one where he was never shaken emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. When we think of Paul we often think of a type A, alpha male who was assertive, strong, and strictly intellectual. We think of him the way we culturally think of a “man’s man.” And in that exercise, we hardly ever spend extensive, meditative time on his humanity.
We cite Paul a lot to speak on topics of encouragement, overcoming adversity, and walking with Jesus well. And none of that is bad. But we neglect the humanity of Paul – the part of him that speaks to the angst of being internally out of alignment. 2 Corinthians 1 reveals a Paul who was no spiritual robot. He says that he was completely overwhelmed, beyond his strength, and despaired of life itself. We don’t pause there enough. We are eager to skip to verse 10: “We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.” But let’s spend some time sitting with verses 8 and 9.
Overwhelmed, beyond strength, despairing of life. Paul was depressed. But we don’t like to exegete depressed Paul. We only love to exegete the Paul who feels superhuman sometimes. We thought we would never live through it – despairing of life. One of the definitions of “despairing of life,” in the Greek, is to renounce all hope. So, the same Paul who calls God the God of hope in Romans 15:13, renounced all hope because of his painful experiences. I relate to that Paul, too. And we don’t spend enough time with that Paul.
Paul is often the Bible hero we weaponized to substantiate our bigoted agendas. However, we often maim the Paul who was human in the most vulnerable way. Develop ing a robust theology of suffering authenticates our times of prosperity and buffers our times of scarcity. We never want to idolize suffering; however, remember the same Paul also said that we share in Christ’s glory when we also share in His suffering. Allow yourself to get to know Paul in all his humanity. Journey along with Paul instead of feeling shame because you feel like you can never be the impeccably strong Christian mainstream theology can portray him to be.
Get to know the Paul of 2 Timothy 4:9-12 who felt deserted and desperately asked Timothy to come to him. Paul is not a model disciple for us because he knew all the right things; he is the model disciple because he uses his entire story as ministry. In Philippians 4, when he talks about the secret of being content and being able to do all things through Christ who strengthens him, Paul says something that is key in verse 11: “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” Learned. It was a process. It was a journey. Paul’s spiritual journey was not instant and mechanical. He had to learn these virtues that we extol so much and use against people who are struggling.
The thing that makes our walk with Christ beautiful is that God accepts and is with us in our journey with all its jaggedness, inconsistencies, and vacillations. When we learn obedience through the things we suffer, we are in good company, for our Savior had to do the same.
Gap-Toothed Scholar Blog www.gaptoothedscholar.com
IG: @gaptoothedscholar
Email: nushgracia@gmail.com
Set your intentions and goals for the month. Intentions provide a framework for you to set priorities, use your time wisely, and align yourself with the resources you need to manifest your goals.
The “Strictly Financial” Budget Sheet is divided into two columns (pay periods) based on a semi-monthly pay schedule. Line one is your net income and lines 2-18 are where you list (and subtract) any fixed expenses that you incur throughout the course of the month. There are blank lines included for you to write in additional variable expenses. The bottom line is where you list your remaining funds after your expenditures are accounted for.
The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God’s will remains forever.
1 John 2:17
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
“Don’t run to the phone, run to the throne.”
“If the Kingdom of God is in you, you should leave a little bit of heaven wherever you go.”
REFRIGERATED / FROZEN
G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in thy sight, O Jehovah, my rock, and my redeemer.
- Psalm 19:14
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
“Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.”
Matthew 7:7
Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; Keep the door of my lips.
Psalm 141:3
26
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8
Blessed is a person who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him.
- James 1:12
REFRIGERATED / FROZEN
G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” –Matthew 4:1 NIV
Whenever I think about Jesus being tempted in the wilderness, I often think about the fact that it starts with the Spirit leading Him. On one hand, my first instinct is discomfort because I still don’t like a God who would deliberately lead me into a situation that could potentially lead to my demise. With more study, I realize that the Spirit leads Jesus to be tempted (tested) by the devil. The Spirit isn’t trying to sabotage Jesus; He’s trying to prepare Jesus for what is ahead. There are so many lessons in this story that tie the whole canon of Scripture together: Jesus being the better Adam by not succumbing to the tempter’s ruses, Jesus being the better Israel by not failing His test and not staying in the wilderness longer than God had ordained. Nonetheless, even with all that understanding, I still never completely come to terms with the Spirit’s leading of Jesus in this story. And I’m okay with that – part of what makes my relationship with God robust and active is that I don’t always understand what He is doing and there is a holy uncertainty and discomfort that is permanent in my wrestling with some portions of Scripture. That’s part of what makes Him God. I wouldn’t feel confident serving a God that I could always understand or explain – that wouldn’t make Him any different from me.
Nonetheless, that reality does not quell the frustration that comes with it. It’s one thing to be in the wilderness; it’s an entirely different thing to be led there by the Spirit. What do you do when the Person that is keeping your heartbreak alive is also the Person who is responsible for keeping you alive? What happens when the One who is supposed to not lead you into temptation seems to be doing exactly that? What do you do when the One who is supposed to be with you through the valley of the shadow of death is responsible for the valley of the shadow of death?
Sometimes, the will of God will take you to places that don’t seem to be made for the will of God. Our faith is forged when we trust God when He feels like our enemy. After God speaks His affirmation over us – “This is My beloved son (or daughter) in whom I am well pleased” – He has to take us into the wilderness to reveal to us what that affirmation entails; to show us that divine sonship does not come without tests and trials; to remind us that preparation comes before prosperity. God knows what you are made of, but now, He needs you to know what you are made of. And that can only happen in the wilderness.
The will of God does not pander to our desires. The will of God is here to refine and reform, regardless of what that feels like to us. The wilderness allows us to discover this difficult truth so that God’s affirmation of and over us cannot be tossed here and there by the devil’s deceptions. Our public fortitude is anchored by our private formation.
With all that said, there’s something that struck me every time I read Matthew 4. Jesus was led. That means the Spirit was ahead of him. He was guiding. The Spirit isn’t merely accompanying Him in the wilderness; The Spirit is leading. So, there is not a step that Jesus takes while in the wilderness that the Spirit has not already taken. Every ground that Jesus treads has already been christened by the Spirit. The Spirit has already taken inventory of the activities taking place in the wilderness. So, He knows which parts of the wilderness to avoid in order for Jesus not to wander there. He knows where the enemy’s voice is coming from, where the enemy is residing, and where the enemy is concocting his second attempt in trying to eradicate all hope for humanity. So, all Jesus needs to do is follow where the Spirit is leading. Put His foot in the footprints of the Spirit.
One of the Greek translations of the word “led” means to lead by laying hold of (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon). Furthermore, by laying hold of, you bring the subject to its appointed destination. The Spirit takes a hold of Jesus and will bring Him to His appointed destination. Jesus isn’t even responsible, per se, for holding onto the Spirit. As long as the Spirit is holding onto Jesus, Jesus will be okay. And in that way, I find comfort in being led. One of my scriptural anthems is Psalm 66:10-12: “For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.”
I don’t have to know the way. I don’t have to study the path. I don’t have to survey the wilderness; that’s the Spirit’s job. All I have to do is put my foot in His footprints and let Him lead.
Twitter & IG: @nushgd Gap-Toothed Scholar Blog www.gaptoothedscholar.com
IG: @gaptoothedscholar
Email: nushgracia@gmail.com
Set your intentions and goals for the month. Intentions provide a framework for you to set priorities, use your time wisely, and align yourself with the resources you need to manifest your goals.
The “Strictly Financial” Budget Sheet is divided into two columns (pay periods) based on a semi-monthly pay schedule. Line one is your net income and lines 2-18 are where you list (and subtract) any fixed expenses that you incur throughout the course of the month. There are blank lines included for you to write in additional variable expenses. The bottom line is where you list your remaining funds after your expenditures are accounted for.
See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they?
- Matthew 6:26
Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart.
Proverbs 3:3
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
- Oprah Winfrey
“Being human means you will make mistakes. And you will make mistakes, because failure is God’s way of moving you in another direction.”
will watch over you, and understanding will guard you.
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky...
- Philippians 2:14-16
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
- Romans 12:2
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.
“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”
REFRIGERATED / FROZEN
G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Have you ever thought from a place of bitterness, overwhelm, or hardship, “I hate my life, I’m sick of my life, I’m just tired and worn out from life?” Within seconds, you stop and capture those thoughts. After all, you know you are blessed and although the current situation could be better, it could be worse. This revelation brings you out of defeatism and into praise. Right?
Well that’s how it happens sometimes, but other times you may need more time and support to get through low, valley times. In these moments, many look to the world to find help in creating solutions on the outside so they can feel better on the inside. It is easy to get frustrated and begin to think and speak against ourselves and look to other sources for rescue and relief. We can also fall back into bad habits or seek vices and less virtuous behaviors when life gets tough and doesn’t seem to be going our way. The problem with that is that those solutions are temporary and can create patterns which can lead to greater challenges. Whenever you feel like you’re heading down this path, it's best to seek refuge in His rest. This is the best practice.
You see in God’s rest there’s help, guidance, peace, protection, security, success and victory. A careful study of scripture will demonstrate this. God commissions rest and stands by it firmly. He Himself rested (Genesis 2:3), and instructed Moses on when to let the Israelites rest: “At the commandment of the Lord they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed: they kept the charge of the Lord, at the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses” (Numbers 9:23). Nature’s rest is necessary as well. (Leviticus 25:5, Zechariah 1:11).
Though Jehoshaphat faced many enemies, he rested and sought God’s help in prayer. In return, God rescued him, gave him rest ‘roundabout’ and he reigned in peace. (2 Chronicles 20:1-30) Jesus extends rest to us now, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
I immediately feel the comfort in these words. It assures me that God understands the heaviness that comes with living life and that He is readily available to lighten our loads. With all that we value, right within our reach, in His rest, why do we shun it? That resting place is where all our hopes, dreams, and fulfilled desires lie. It’s our own personal and individual promised land. We do not want to live like the Israelites; they kept delaying their entry into His rest because of disobedience and unbelief:
“For as long, then, as that promise of resting in him pulls us on to God’s goal for us, we need to be careful that we’re not disqualified. We received the same promises as those people in the
wilderness, but the promises didn’t do them a bit of good because they didn’t receive the promises with faith. If we believe, though, we’ll experience that state of resting. But not if we don’t have faith.
I believe resting is a challenge because we are taught early to be independent, go-getters that make things happen (or it won’t happen) on our own strength and power. However, the truth is “God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.” (Psalm 62:11) Without God, you run on powerless fumes, and you can only do that but for so long. This is how overwhelm sets in and has us moaning, groaning and screaming out loud. We’re so hard wired for independence that it’s difficult to conceive of someone telling us, “rest, relax, trust me, and you can depend on me,” even if that Someone is God. One thing that may come to mind is, “How do I get things done if I’m resting?” Well the rest doesn’t take place in your body completely. Much of it takes place in your mind. For instance, if you’re lying down but your thoughts are racing, or if you’re sitting still but you can feel the tension in your body, or if you have prayerfully casted all your cares to God but you’re still trying to figure out a solution, you’re not resting. The rest is mental, emotional, physical and spiritual and is important because it is an indication of our faith. “For we which have believed do enter into rest.” (Hebrews 4:3) “And to whom swear he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?” (Hebrews 3:18) Entering into His rest parallels our faith.
Faith without works is dead (James 2:20), but I propose that work without God is exhausting and often futile. Any action should be preceded by meditation, prayer, and in a state of rest. Believing that we have to take care of things ourselves will keep us overwhelmed because when we eventually come to the end of our strength, we are likely to feel hopeless and bitter with the results. Our real work is to rest, believe, trust and cease from trying to do so much on our own without divine guidance. “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief”. (Hebrews 4:10-11)
Accept God’s invitation to rest. “Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it.” (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG) There’s great success in His rest so harden not your heart today and start resting in His Word right away!
The REST Complex
Web: www.therestcomplex.com
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Set your intentions and goals for the month. Intentions provide a framework for you to set priorities, use your time wisely, and align yourself with the resources you need to manifest your goals.
The “Strictly Financial” Budget Sheet is divided into two columns (pay periods) based on a semi-monthly pay schedule. Line one is your net income and lines 2-18 are where you list (and subtract) any fixed expenses that you incur throughout the course of the month. There are blank lines included for you to write in additional variable expenses. The bottom line is where you list your remaining funds after your expenditures are accounted for.
- George Washington Carver
“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.”
But they that wait for Jehovah shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
My flesh and my heart faileth; [But] God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.
Psalm 73:26
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Maintenance Pick 4 no spend days this month:
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
- James 4:7
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
22 - Romans 8:38-39
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G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands…
Psalm 31:14-15
“Throughout life people will make you mad, disrespect you and treat you bad. Let God deal with the things they do.”
REFRIGERATED / FROZEN
G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.
- Mark 12:30
Today is a new day. This way of living is a new way. I am free to roam the cabin called life. I am flying high. I have lots of fresh air, no seat belts holding me down, yet I am flying high safely. I am in His presence now. I feel the fullness of joy. I have time, peace, and the energy of abundance. I am doing exactly what I want, when I want, and how I want and nothing and no one is standing in my way. The way has been cleared for my success. “That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may you be refreshed.” (Romans 15:22)
I’m in God’s will and no one can stop, block, hinder or distract me in any way; only I can impede my progress. With all the changes that took place, I almost overlooked this experience of freedom and flow. I nearly mistook alone time for a lonely time. I thought that I had been left or forsaken; remembering only that I sought rest; not time alone. I wanted to develop my craft by spending more time with God, but I also wanted to maintain the relationships in my life. As people transitioned out of my life, peacefully and not so peacefully, I became out of sorts. “How can I be doing God’s will and face losses,” I pondered? I was literally at my wits end and yet I felt the need to stay the course. I struggled to understand the nuances of my life. How do you just let go and let God? As long as I was wrestling with these thoughts, I prolonged my suffering. Finally, I entrusted my entire wellbeing to God. “Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” (1 Peter 4:19)
I later realized that the rest I sought was something that I specifically asked for. There are times when we ask for something so long that we give up hope when it does not come in our set timeframe. Not being privy to the thoughts of God, we can become inclined to forfeit our faith because of delayed outcomes. “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” (Hebrews 10:36-38)
Patience and faith are essential even in God’s will. We see these two virtues paired up throughout the bible. At times, I questioned why things were falling apart and taking so long in the process if God had given me this assignment. God says things will come at their appointed time (Habakkuk 2:3) and I had to learn to rest in that idea about most situations. However, in this particular instance, I suppose because my asking was more purposeful and aligned with my calling that the request was given straightway, although I cannot claim that as cause and effect. All I know is that I almost overlooked it. My prayer for rest had been answered but I was alone. “And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves
apart into a desert place, and rest a while: …” (Mark 6:31)
Has that ever happened to you? Have you ever received what you were asking for but you did not recognize it as the gift that it was because it was not packaged and present ed the way you thought it would be? It is unwise to have a preconceived notion of how and when God should bless us for His ways and thoughts are far above ours. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
Now, I regularly make time to be alone, without feeling lonely, and use my time wisely: not solely to satisfy my desires but to please Him by renewing my mind to serve and fulfill the purpose for my life. I have learned there comes a time when you must be set apart and left out so that you are only under the influence of God. We see this with the biblical prophets who had to stand alone before they could stand for God. It can be a lonesome place but it is God’s will for us all, that we be delivered from the influence of this world. (Romans 12:2) When we are away from the crowd we can hear more clearly the steps we need to take to stay on our paths and give our souls the opportunity to make His will, our will.
If uncertain, remember His word is His will. You are in His will when you are loving Him with all your mind, body, and soul, when you are reading, studying, and sharing the Word, and when you are living in obedience and faith and loving others. (2 Peter 1:5-8) Also, if you find yourself alone this season or needing rest, draw closer to God. Do not give thought to what is missing; only to your present blessings regardless of the circum stances. It is His will that we give thanks in everything. (1 Thessalonians 18) Good things happen when you do the will of God from your heart. One day you are not; the next day you are. Another day you have not; the next day you have. To us it looks like a sudden occurrence or miracle, but He tells us that he goes before us and makes crooked places straight. He does so much on our behalf without our knowledge or assistance when we are operating in His will. (Deuteronomy 31:8, Isaiah 45:2, Ephesians 6:6-8)
Our desires are often His will, within us, that He has placed there. He honors those desires through answered prayers and manifestations when we honor His will. We can rest in that!
Coach Bonnie
The REST Complex
Web: www.therestcomplex.com
IG: @Coachbonnieattherestcomplex
FB: The REST Complex
Set your intentions and goals for the month. Intentions provide a framework for you to set priorities, use your time wisely, and align yourself with the resources you need to manifest your goals.
The “Strictly Financial” Budget Sheet is divided into two columns (pay periods) based on a semi-monthly pay schedule. Line one is your net income and lines 2-18 are where you list (and subtract) any fixed expenses that you incur throughout the course of the month. There are blank lines included for you to write in additional variable expenses. The bottom line is where you list your remaining funds after your expenditures are accounted for.
God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t make it good?
Numbers 23:19
REFRIGERATED / FROZEN
G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Weekly Maintenance Switch over a health or beauty service to a black provider or black-owned business :
Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
Psalm 29:2
words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
Proverbs 16:24
List
REFRIGERATED / FROZEN
G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.
- Matthew 6:34
“Sometimes God lets you be in a situation that only He can fix so that you can see that He is the One who fixes it. Rest. He’s got it.”
REFRIGERATED / FROZEN
G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony in its own times...
- 1 Timothy 2:5-6
are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.
REFRIGERATED / FROZEN
G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Ecclesiastes 7:9
For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? or am I striving to please men? if I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ.
Galatians 1:10
REFRIGERATED / FROZEN
G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
I love having a GPS (global positioning system) in my car. Whenever I go anywhere, I just type in the address and the GPS tells me how to reach my destination. Sometimes, the GPS will even redirect my route so that I avoid traffic jams or certain troublesome roads. The Will of God is something like a GPS for the believer.
There is a divine purpose, also known as ‘the will’ that God wants His children to attain here on earth and He has a route (His plan) specifically designed for us to reach that destination. This could include who we should marry, where we should work, where we should live, who we associate with, what investments we make – the list goes on. Situations may occur on our way that may seem like detours. However, God’s Word is clear that He has a plan for our lives. That should give us great hope in knowing that we are here on earth intentionally. Let’s examine how the bible talks about the will of God.
If you have ever been to a wedding or funeral, you have probably heard “The Lord’s Prayer.” In Luke chapter 11, the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. Verse 2b (King James Version) says: Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Matthew 6:10 states it as: Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Here are a few key points about those verses:
1. God has a will:
a.
The Greek word for will in Matthew is purpose or decree. God has a divine purpose for His Children. Jeremiah 29:11 (New Living Translation) confirms it by stating “I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out – plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” God has already mapped out our journey.
2. God Will’s is identified in heaven:
a.
The Divine purpose for our lives is known by God and is documented in heaven (God’s abode or house). Jeremiah was a prophet and chapter 1 verse 5 (New Living Translation) says, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born, I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” God is telling Jeremiah that He called him a prophet before he was born. That was Jeremiah’s purpose (to be a prophet) and God’s will for his life. God is also showing us that His will is not a circumstance that happens by chance.
God’s Will in heaven may not always align with what is occurring on earth but prayer will bring alignment: 3.
a. Think back to Luke 11 and Matthew 6. Jesus is giving his disciples a blueprint for prayer. He intentionally includes a request that the will of God be done on earth as a part of the petition. Jesus’ prayer and our prayer should be that the will of God be done on earth, to match exactly what is God’s purpose in heaven. There was another occasion in the bible when Jesus repeated this same point in prayer. In Luke 22:42 (Amplified), Jesus is about to be betrayed to die on the cross. He knows that the pain and agony of the crucifixion is imminent and He also knows that it was the plan all along. He says, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup of divine wrath from Me; yet not My will (purpose or decree) but always Your will (purpose) be done.” Jesus acknowledged that He had a will but wanted God’s will, which is always better, to come to pass even if it caused him pain. That requires maturity, which comes in time.
Here are some ways to obtain insight about God’s plan for your life: Prayer: Thinking back to the Lord’s prayer, asking the Lord for His Will to be done helps to bring us in alignment and to surrender to God’s plan. a.
c.
Reading God’s Word: The bible is our instruction manual. Although the bible does not tell you where to live or which job to take, the bible does instruct us on how to think - with a renewed mind. Romans 12:2 (The Passion Translation) frames it like this: Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.
Fasting: When we prayerfully choose to abstain from food for spiritual growth, we can become more sensitive to the things of God. It often becomes easier to understand which decisions are God’s plan for us. In Exodus 34:28 (The Message) Moses fasted 40 days and nights and received the 10 commandments.
Asking a Trusted Person Who is a Believer: There may be times when advice is needed. However, carefully praying about who and what to ask is recommended. d.
We should always remember that God is Omniscient – He knows everything. But that He does not mean He will always tell us everything, again, based on His Will. We will not be shown every single detail of God’s Purpose all at once because that is not faith. But if we ask, God will reveal to us what He wants to, when He wants to. We also should not reduce the will of God to only major life events like who to marry, where to live, where to work, etc. The will of God is so much more than that. His will is where to shop because the cashier needs a kind word from you today or which road to take home so that you can see the soup kitchen that needs donations. That is also a part of the ‘will of God’ too – being in the right place at the right time.
The bible is filled with the stories of people whose lives seem to have been rerouted in the GPS of life. One person was Joseph, the son of Jacob. His full story can be found in Genesis chapters 37-50 and it reads like a night-time drama on must-see TV. Joseph experienced family betrayal, jealousy, slavery and false imprisonment at a considerably young age. However, God was with him in every dire situation and in every job he held as a slave. He learned administrative and operational skills that would save millions of people. When his life seemed to be ‘derailed’ it could have seemed that he was completely hopeless. Yet, God was in the so-called setbacks. After reconciling with his family and the death of his father, his brothers assumed that Joseph would seek revenge. Genesis 50:19-21 (The Message) states Joseph’s beautiful reply: “Don’t be afraid. Do I act for God? Don’t you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now – life for many people.” The detours were a part of the destination all along. Isn’t that great news?
God will use our past and future experiences for His Plan. Romans 8:28 (The Voice) is your confirmation: We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan.
A prayer for God’s will:
Lord, I’ve made some decisions that seem like a set-back. I pray for grace to surrender wholeheartedly to Your Will. Help me to trust you to lead me by the Holy Spirit and help to remember that all things are working together for my good. Amen!
Dorian M. HarrisThatkindoflife.com
IG: @Thatkindoflife1
Set your intentions and goals for the month. Intentions provide a framework for you to set priorities, use your time wisely, and align yourself with the resources you need to manifest your goals.
The “Strictly Financial” Budget Sheet is divided into two columns (pay periods) based on a semi-monthly pay schedule. Line one is your net income and lines 2-18 are where you list (and subtract) any fixed expenses that you incur throughout the course of the month. There are blank lines included for you to write in additional variable expenses. The bottom line is where you list your remaining funds after your expenditures are accounted for.
“God is never late, we’re just impatient.”
them that love me; And those that seek
REFRIGERATED / FROZEN
G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.
- Ephesians 4:31-32
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
- Ecclesiastes 5:2
REFRIGERATED / FROZEN
G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
Proverbs 4:7
“You have to aspire to something so great that you have to have God's help.”
REFRIGERATED / FROZEN
G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!
Weekly Maintenance Make a playlist of songs that make you feel beautiful, happy/ loved :
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
- Romans 11:34-35
“Prayer is the portal that brings the power of heaven down to earth. It is kryptonite to the enemy and to all his ploys against you.”
- Priscilla ShirerREFRIGERATED / FROZEN
G R O C E R Y L I S T
The Big Rock is the big task that you need to take on for the week, while the Little Rocks are the smaller tasks that take less time or effort. Tackle them in any order you want, just be sure to get them done!