Courageous Woman Magazine January/ February 2015 by Courageous Woman Magazine

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Telishia Berry Publisher & Managing Editor

Falessia Booker Editor-inChief

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Encouraging

From Heart to

Heart

Words

The greatest connection we can make with others is a heart connection. We all have the capacity to make this connection, but life can get in the way. We have all experienced life’s deepest blows to the heart: the death of a loved one, failed relationships, betrayal, and disappointments. But, we have also experienced awesome events that made our hearts feel warm: the birth of a child, a promotion, random acts of kindness and God’s favor. God has given us a choice to open our hearts to love or close it and allow it to harden. Life is far too short for the latter. I encourage you to choose love, to forgive, to have joy, and choose to connect from Heart to Heart! ~by Elder Nicole S. Mason, Esquire Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church Washington, DC

Always Love

The heart is a beautiful, powerful thing. It guides our decisions. It speaks to who we truly are. Proverbs 23:7 tells us as a man thinketh in his heart so is he. Life, with its many ups and downs, has a way of shaping and transforming our perceptions and our reality. We experience joy as well as pain; but no matter what you go through, I encourage you to always love. Above all, love God and yourself first. Never allow anyone’s opinion or a situation to redefine you. Always think positive, uplifting thoughts about yourself and always remember who you are...a beautiful, fearfully and wonderfully made queen. Doing so will allow you to love those around you completely and authentically. No matter what, choose to live life with a heart filled with love and allow it to overflow into the world around you. ~by Brittaney N. Pleasant

A Changed Heart

Matthew 22:37 is considered to be one of the greatest commandments: “Love the Lord your

God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

Just as our heart is important to the body, so is God’s Word to our soul. Everything we think, say and do is directed by the heart of man. God created in us a clean heart and renewed a right Spirit within us. God provides spiritual nourishment through the Word that purifies our heart and gives spiritual power to help us live according to his purpose. Jesus loves all those who come to Him in faith. He can change the condition of your heart. The love of Christ is awesome! He died that we might live. All who are seeking a changed heart must know that God is waiting to mend the brokenhearted and free those that are held captive. He cleansed David’s heart. He will fix yours if you let him. Jesus! The greatest heart surgeon in the world. ~by Barbara Goza

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Preparing your Heart for

2015

with Deria Brown Nothing burns stronger or longer than the flames of love. The heart’s ability to get lodged, entangled, rooted and bracketed to another human being remains one of the great mysteries. Love is intoxicating….it makes us happy, sad, and a little CRAZY! Unfortunately for most of us, at some point in our lives the massive inferno that comes with new love and relationships gets doused and extinguished. Jumping ahead to greetings for a prosperous and impressive New Year, I would like to give you yet another something to add to your, “List of Things to Accomplish in 2015” and that is to value, enjoy and set alight your key relationships. I get it. The range of emotion in primary relationships is vast. For instance, in my marriage I feel a full spectrum of love, bliss, anger and frustration repeatedly over a lifetime. For the record, mostly love and bliss. However, if I’m not careful and attentive to the relationship the strain of living will cause the embers to burn low and greatly affect my heart. Good thing the New Year brings with it an opportunity for a clean slate. Fresh starts are fun! For me, the gratification of a “do over” has tucked within it the opportunity to hit reset and get things right. Relationships are a breeding ground for offense, pain and heartache. When these things occur, it’s good to have a chance to fix them. Unspoken apologies breed resentment. I encourage you this year to go to work on fixing your heart. Whatever has diminished your capacity to love and crank up the flames, please address it and move forward. Forgive when necessary, apologize as needed. Forgiveness frees up space in the heart: free space can be given to others with love. Say yes to FREE LOVE! Having the heart free opens us up to even more fulfilling relationships and makes us healthier overall. When our hearts are uncluttered and the pain of relationships isn’t a daily focus we have the clarity and motivation to produce at optimal levels. The accelerant of a healthy heart and mind can produce incredible results at work, home, business and ministry. The final challenge is to be especially attentive to the people you care about the most this year. Don’t make them pay for the mistakes of others. Love liberally and in abundance—you have plenty to go around! Take the time to meet face to face with friends and family. Hug often. Apologize and forgive quickly. Being unconditionally loved and doling it out right back has its own reward!

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Patricia L. Miller is a freelance writer, columnist for Courageous Woman Magazine and author of the upcoming novel The Beautiful, The Good and Divine Madness. She is also owner of Reaction Designer Jewelry & Accessories. Contact Patricia at reactiondja@gmail.com.

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~by Telishia Berry What was the most heart touching gift you’ve given? Money, transportation, and gifts to people who are underprivileged!

Vickie Winans is one of the most well-known gospel artists today. Some of her most popular songs include “Shake Yourself Loose,” “How I Got Over,” “Long As I Got King Jesus” and “We Shall Behold Him.” When I asked Vickie what matters most to her heart, she didn’t hesitate to express that family is a high priority. Not only is Vickie Winans an award-winning Gospel artist, she is the 7th of 12 children; a wife to husband Joe McLemore; a mother to two hit producers, Mario Winans, and Marvin Winans Jr.; and a grandmother. “Every aspect of life begins with the heart,” she said. Vickie believes that trust, as well as whom you give your heart to (both naturally and spiritually), are two major factors. “You have to always guard your heart, and when you totally trust someone, it should be between those two hearts and you should know that you can love that person freely and that they have your back.” Vickie graciously expressed that being healthy contributes to your heart health and happiness. “Being unhealthy is not good and is no fun,” she said. “”What is life when you are not having fun? [You’ve] got to focus on keeping your heart happy!” Here’s what came to Vickie’s mind when asked these questions.

What is something you want people to know about your heart? It loves, regardless to what is being thrown at it!

What advice would you give for: Relationships – Try your best to take it slow. Don’t be so eager to give so much of yourself right away. You got to have balance. Don’t put so much confidence in man. Trust in God more. Stress – The things that make you sick are not always things that you eat. Stress will take you out! Depression – Seek professional or spiritual counseling. Vickie also has a heart for the homeless. She dedicates her comedy tours and CD’s to the homeless and gives free passes and gift cards to people in homeless shelters. “I love to give money away. Working with the homeless, some are just so grateful to receive gifts and help. That’s when I realized that tears are clear. They don’t come in nationalities or democratic parties! They’re people like you and me that need help.” Telishia R. Berry is the author of the Christian fiction novel, The Baptist Junkie, and the publisher of Courageous Woman Magazine, an inspirational publication that highlights the accomplishments of extraordinary women.

What impresses you?

The hardworking ethics of our working artists.

What makes you laugh?

All funny stories that lift the hurt and heals the hurt!

What motivates you? My drive to succeed.

What saddens you?

Death, homelessness, and hurting hearts.

What sparks you about a social issue?

I really keep my opinions to myself on most social moments! I’m non-judgmental!

What was the most heart touching gift you’ve received? My children and grandchildren.

~by Evangelos Koutavdis Photography

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Walethia Aquil’s Grace & Charm:

Modern Manners for today -by Walethia Aquil

Usually when people think of grace and charm, the words classy, elegant, dainty or etiquette may come to mind. While all those words embody much of what grace and charm consist of, there is one word that allows all those other words to be successfully executed…that word is PATIENCE.

Many of us are not born with grace or charm, so we spend much of our time learning it. We may have had parents or grandparents that encouraged us to sit up straight, not talk with your mouth full and to keep silent until spoken to when other adults were having conversations. As adults, we realized that in order to succeed within the workforce or have thriving businesses, we would have to learn how to properly eat at a dinner meeting, what to wear to the company’s holiday party and what type of networking would be appropriate at such an event. Sometimes all of this can be quite overwhelming! However, learning the art of patience is worth it. Patience produces stamina and longevity. When you take your time

learning what grace and charm is and how it should be applied, it will become your lifestyle and not something temporal. Many people try and learn things for a moment in order to fit into a certain crowd or just to seal a deal. It does not become a part of them. But believe me, you cannot fool people. Either you have it or you dont. Whether you are speaking with someone face to face, or corresponding through social media, the essence of who you are will always come out. You will need patience when you receive that unpleasant note from a customer or when a colleague mishandles a networking opportunity. How you apply grace and charm to those examples will depend on how much time you take to consider what your responses would be. It has never been easy to be patient, but it’s probably harder now than at any time in history. In a world where competition is keen and people are bombarded with too much information and too many choices, patience is a virtue that can be cultivated and nurtured over time. You will be pleasantly surprised by how relaxation and peace of mind can impact the quality of your life!

Walethia helps you build a new kind of wealth, “Social Capital” by equipping individuals, entrepreneurs and attorneys and other service providers with training in proper business decorum and protocols in a step by step system that is specific to your industry. E-mail Walethia at: info@graceandcharm.com, or call 866-610-3746

Olive oil is really good for our health and has a lot of benefits, like lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, preventing strokes, and improving the immune system. What you might not know is that olive oil has many beauty benefits also. Here are some ways to use it: • like a lotion to soften your hands. • as a cuticle rub to cure and prevent hangnails. • for dry skin. Rub on your body after bath or shower. Let it absorb into your body before getting dressed. • to create soft and shiny hair. This treatment can be done on wet or dry hair: warm 1/2 cup of olive oil in microwave. The oil should be warm, but not hot to touch. For fine hair, or if a lighter treatment is desired, add coconut, sweet almond, jojoba or grape seed oil.

Pour olive oil onto the hair and massage into scalp. Cover hair with plastic cap and sit for 5-45 minutes, then rinse and shampoo as usual. • as an eye make-up remover. • in place of shaving cream. • on diaper rash. • to heal cracked heels. After exfoliating feet with a pumice stone, apply olive oil onto your feet, then put on socks to lock in the hydrating treatment as you sleep. As you can see, there are many uses for olive oil, which means it should be a staple in your beauty routine! Donna Taylor is a licensed Cosmetologist practicing natural hair and skin care.

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God’s Valentine www.courageouswomanmag.com

~by Melecia Scott

“Will you be my Valentine?”

This is an invitation that many long to hear from another individual. When not heard, it can often leave one feeling excluded, unloved or unimportant. The theme of Valentine’s Day is “love” and everybody wants to be loved. These five words: “Will you be mine, Valentine?” have power to bring joy as well as sorrow to the hearts of many. It is on this particular day that many go beyond extreme measures to prove and express their love for one another. It is also on this day that many hearts are broken and many break-ups occur due to feeling that one’s love was not proven sufficiently through the giving of gifts. Today, the Biblical king Solomon helps to shed light on this subject of the heart, the soul of man from which love extends. Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, informs us that the heart has eternity set in it. Ecclesiastes 3:11 conveys to us that no material thing, no achievement and no person could ever completely satisfy the human heart. In the heart of Man, there is a place that longs for God and only God himself can fully satisfy and fulfill that longing. Today, if you are suffering from a broken heart, a lonely heart or a yearning heart, this invitation is being extended unto you by God, not by Man. “Will you be mine?” says the Lord. I want to be the lover and satisfier of your soul! • Will you be mine, says God? I have already proven my love for you. Roman 5:8 • Will you be mine, says God? I’m offering you the best gift I have; My Son Jesus. John 3:16 • I’m waiting patiently for your answer, for I wish that none should ever perish. Will you be mine? I promise I will never leave you or forsake you. Hebrews 13:5 • Will you be mine? I want to love you from now until eternity. Jeremiah 31:3 • I have already chosen you, will you choose me? Will you be mine? I will help you to forgive those that have wronged you, as well as placing my favor and blessings upon you .In your time of weakness, I will be your strength. Hebrews 8:12 • Will you be mine? I am able to heal your broken heart. Psalms 34:18 • Beautiful one, will you be mine? I want to teach you how to love me and how to love others. Corinthians 13:1-13. You are a precious jewel; you are fearfully and wonderfully made- designed with purpose and created with worth! I want to be yours! Melecia Scott is the author “The Meeting.” She is also a • Will you be MINE? Romans 10:9-10 motivational speaker, the director and interpreter for the Deaf Ministry, and a Bible Study and Sunday School Teacher

Pro Talks

Q. “I know that I have an amazing business idea and I am eager to set up my business. I have a modest budget. What do I do next?”

A. To establish, grow or expand a business, there are a few key steps that you can take to create the platform to begin, reach and grow. Below are steps that will help you establish a basic structure for your business start, growth or expansion. 1. 2.

Have a legal structure. Establish an LLC, Corporation or Partnership. Have a business structure. Do a simple business plan to hold yourself accountable. 3. Have a banking and accounting structure. Open a bank account for your business and obtain the assistance of a reputable certified public accountant. Kathlyn Scott, Esq. is an attorney with expertise in corporate law, contract law, business development, acquisitions, divestitures and financing in international and domestic business sectors. She can be reached on a 24/7 basis by email at kscott@kscottgroup. com. The information in this article does not constitute legal advice. For such advice, 21 you should consult with an attorney.

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