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Proverbs 18:16 (Amplified Bible) ¹⁶A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.

It has been a good challenge for me to decide what would be the first topic; I would blog about this year.  A lot has happen since my last posting.  I celebrated a birthday my 31^st, I began working in a new industry health care administration and officially graduated to the status of courtship with a man of valor; a friend I have known since my girlhood.

With all these new developments and responsibilities I had to begin the process of evaluating my priorities again.   Judge myself and see if the last things God told me to do, if I was still doing them with the same level of passion I had when they were first dropped in my spirit.  Or had I allowed other things to distract me from accomplishing my assignments.  Basically I asked myself have I been a faithful steward.

In short in some areas being very transparent, I have not been consistent.  The word consistency is defined by Webster to mean “1 a archaic: condition of adhering together: firmness of material substance b: firmness of constitution or character”.  Ironically, one of the points my Pastor taught during our Watch Night / New Year’s Eve service was in fact the importance of being consistent.  He let us know that his year having a steadfast mind will be one of the perquisites for obtaining the fullness of the blessing (the empowerment to prosper.)

Looking back at the last 12 months and at my I WILL statements for 2009, I can say I believe I have made good progress in areas such as being a better steward over my relationships with others professionally, personally and spiritually.  I have become more pliable and fearless out of necessity and a true desire to want to change my life for the better.

2009 was a year where God began pruning me.  I was like a tree with unruly branches that were bearing fruits of selfishness, a short temper and just plain fleshy behavior.   I had to go back to the basics in making sure I was getting in enough word and fellowship time with God (prayer) to balance any worldly attacks.  I had to humble myself and repent to those I may have hurt emotionally through the neglecting of their needs in my pursuit to guard myself from new hurts.  In short I had to get honest with myself and God.

So as I embark on this New Year 2010, the one question that I continue to replay in my head and I know I must answer is… “What was the last thing God told me to do?”

I am sure and I know that there will continue to be more pruning by God as he prepares me for the next phase.  He is preparing me to walk out my destiny in fulfill his ultimate purpose.

I DARE YOU… To begin to ask yourself similarly the question, WHAT WAS THE LAST THING GOD TOLD ME TO DO?  AM I STILL CONSISTENT IN FULFILLING IT? You may be surprised by the answer you receive back.

If you liked this feature and would like to share your own dreams, leave your comments now.

Lela Jefferson

http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

When I was a little girl, I had dreams of one day becoming first a ballerina, then a veterinarian, a civil rights attorney, a writer/poet, and finally a history professor.

My parents helped to shape those dreams by sending me to dance classes beginning at the tender age of three.  I was allowed to bring home my first pet, a stray kitten to nurse at age four.  With learning how to read, and write shortly thereafter my dreams were nurtured and expanded further through the books I borrowed from the public library with my 1^st library card at age five and composite books and plenty of writing utensils.

My point in all this is to say when we are young it is our parents and/or guardians’ responsibility to help positively shape our dreams; to provide us with the resources and tools to make them, obtainable through hard work, discipline and diligence.

Our heavenly father is no different.  He who birthed in us our desires, our dreams, left us a manual for life, that if we were only to read it, believe it and apply what we learn from it will receive all the promises he has set aside for us.  In it he tells us that we can go to him, and petition for his advice and guidance.  He left us the Holy Spirit and gave us Jesus his only begotten Son as shining example.  The manual but of course your might have already guessed it is the Bible.

Today, I would like for you to take a moment and think back when you were a little girl or boy to what your dreams were, are still in the process of chasing those dreams or because of life’s challenges have your abandon them for new ones? Or have you given up on dreaming all together?

If you have given up on your dreams; know this, every dream if it is good, is a gift from God and worthy of considering again.  By allowing yourself to dream you are allowing yourself to believe that what wonders God has in store for you are possible through faith.

Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]– Ephesians 3:20 (Amplified Bible)

I DARE YOU… To begin to DREAM AGAIN TODAY!

If you liked this feature and would like to share your own dreams, leave your comments now.

Lela Jefferson

– http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

Hey folks, I have a new web-series that a sister-friend of mine Christina Faison co-produced and directed called “Web-Locked”.  It’s a show about the ins and outs of marriage.  Follow a young couple as they experience the first hysterical year of being “Web-Locked”.

The series officially premieres on Sunday, November 1^st, 2009.  It stars Lawrence Saint-Victor and Karla Mosley from the Guiding Light.  Lawrence is also one of my brother’s in Christ and is the writer of the series!   This is the first collaborative effort between Christina’s production company Chain Reaction Productions and Lawrence’s company Saint-Victor Productions and from the sneak peek does not look like it will be the last.

To find out more about “Web-Locked” friend the series on Facebook, subscribe to the YouTube channel or follow them on Twitter.

“Spread the news like wild-fire, and watch it be a chain reaction.  Tell everyone you know.  It’s time for positive programming to hit the airways!” – Christina Faison