Posts Tagged ‘writing’

I read having a Mary Heart in a Martha World – Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver over the summer.  A book I now highly recommend for all women, young and old to read.  I have been actually sharing my findings as I journey through the accompanying Bible Study Mrs. Weaver placed at the end of the book on my blogs.  Here is the latest question I studied out and gave commentary on.

Questions for Going Deeper – Day Thirteen

7) Write Jesus a letter beginning with “Lord, I know you love me because…,” and list the ways he has shown his great love for you.

Lord, I know you love me because you gave your life as a living sacrifice for me.  You taught through your example to others that even though it is over two thousand years later I am still gleaning from your wisdom!  You left me the greatest comforter, the Holy Spirit to be my daily guide.  Even though you have been redeemed and have returned to sit at the father’s side you STILL intercede on my behalf ceaselessly.  With the simple calling of your name and my belief in your word, your only answer to me is always YES!

There is SO much that I can list about how you have shown your great love to me, but the greatest is that you called me yours before I even knew how to utter your name.  Each day I fall more and more in love with you as we grow more intimate with each other.  All I want to do is serve you and your people.  I know through my willing servitude and swift obedience to your voice, I show you my love, trust and respect in return.

To be continued… I welcome your comments!

The previous article can be found here.

Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

I read having a Mary Heart in a Martha World – Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver over the summer.  A book I now highly recommend for all women, young and old to read.  I have been actually sharing my findings as I journey through the accompanying Bible Study Mrs. Weaver placed at the end of the book on my blogs.  Here is the latest question I studied out and gave commentary on.

Questions for Going Deeper – Day Twelve

6) Read Psalm 103. List at least five of the many ways God shows his love for us.  (If you are struggling to know the Father’s love, consider memorizing this chapter so you won’t forget “all his benefits.”)

The benefits that stand out for me are as follows, the complete chapter follows my highlights:

1. God forgives us of ALL our generational sins (iniquities) and he heals us of ALL our diseases (things that don’t put us at ease.)
2. God redeems our lives from evil and makes them beautiful, dignified with his loving-kindness for his sake with tender mercy.
3. Through our confessions he renews our youth like that of an eagle.
4. God does not hold grudges.
5. He removes transgressions from our lives.

Psalm 103 (Amplified Bible)

Psalm 103

[A Psalm] of David.

¹BLESS (AFFECTIONATELY, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul; and all that is [deepest] within me, bless His holy name!

²Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul, and forget not [one of] all His benefits–

³Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities, Who heals [each one of] all your diseases,

⁴Who redeems your life from the pit and corruption, Who beautifies, dignifies, and crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercy;

⁵Who satisfies your mouth [your necessity and desire at your personal age and situation] with good so that your youth, renewed, is like the eagle’s [strong, overcoming, soaring]!^(A)

⁶The Lord executes righteousness and justice [not for me only, but] for all who are oppressed.

⁷He made known His ways [of righteousness and justice] to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.

⁸The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy and loving-kindness.^(B)

⁹He will not always chide or be contending, neither will He keep His anger forever or hold a grudge.

¹⁰He has not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

¹¹For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great are His mercy and loving-kindness toward those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him.

¹²As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

¹³As a father loves and pities his children, so the Lord loves and pities those who fear Him [with reverence, worship, and awe].

¹⁴For He knows our frame, He [earnestly] remembers and imprints [on His heart] that we are dust.

¹⁵As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

¹⁶For the wind passes over it and it is gone, and its place shall know it no more.

¹⁷But the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord are from everlasting to everlasting upon those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, and His righteousness is to children’s children–^(C)

¹⁸To such as keep His covenant [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it] and to those who [earnestly] remember His commandments to do them [imprinting them on their hearts].

¹⁹The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rules over all.

²⁰Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, you His angels, you mighty ones who do His commandments, hearkening to the voice of His word.

²¹Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, all you His hosts, you His ministers who do His pleasure.

²²Bless the Lord, all His works in all places of His dominion; bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul!

Cross references:

1. Psalm 103:5 : Isa 40:31
2. Psalm 103:8 : James 5:11
3. Psalm 103:17 : Deut 10:12

Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

To be continued… I welcome your comments!

The previous article can be found here.

Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

There is something about obeying that small voice of reason otherwise known as the Holy Spirit…

This past Saturday after attending church, I was led to go book shopping at Borders.  I had been debating for some time with myself about buying a Message Bible.  See for the past year when I did my home bible study, I would use the website Bible Gateway to look up the Message Bible translation of a verse for a deeper understanding.  My main reference translations have been the King James and Amplified up until then.   I was first introduced to the Message Bible by a minister from my church’s parent ministry during a service he taught us here in NY.

Fast forwarding back to the present, the message my pastor had taught on that evening had been on acting on the voice of God behind the word of God we hear or read.  The word I kept hearing as he was preaching was that it was time for me to get my Message Bible.  Being obedient I did get to Borders which is just outside of the venue where we had service that evening and proceed to go on upstairs where I knew the bibles was housed.

When I got upstairs, I actually almost missed the aisle of bibles.  They have them so far back in the store that I thought that they had relocated them somewhere else since the store is currently undergoing renovations.  When I did see the titles I saw there were several of them actually with funky book jackets in different colors, versions and formats.  The one that called to me; however was a parallel copy that included the TNIV (Today’s New International Version) with the Message REMIX that was in a convenient travel size.  The complete bible title in itself looked like a hardcover novel; that could easily fit in my day-to-day hand bag!

Ironically the bible was even priced less than the first one I looked at and included as I mentioned the Message REMIX which includes bible book introductions and general scripture references to do cross study.  Talk about favor!  Before leaving the store, however I was led again to see if one of the authors/poets I wanted to do a further study on collective works was in the store.

This brought me to one of the store’s kiosks, to check their inventory.  The poet I was looking for was Nikki Gionvanni.  Once it was confirmed that a collection of her works was indeed in the store by an associate I proceeded to go towards the downstairs escalators.  Upon reaching the main floor, my eyes were drawn to the clearance rack where I found a treasure for sure!

Just sitting there so sweetly was this volume called Poetry Speaks Expanded- Hear Poets Read Their Own Works from Tennyson to Plath. The volume itself includes 47 of the world’s most renown poets ever recorded complete with brief bio and essays written about them from living legend poets such as Sonia Sanchez and three CDs of the poets reading their own works.  The oldest recording is from the 1800s!  Originally priced at $49.99 now $9.99!!!

To make a long story short, I left the store with four titles; the fourth was a book for my pure leisure The Devil Wears Prada. A fifth book was purchased.  However, it was one donated to local charity that gives books to grammar school kids.  I was just blessed beyond measure with my selections and in the end was blessed to be a blessing. This was all because of being obedient to the voice I heard behind the message.

For your quick reference here is the purchase information for the books I bought:

• TNIV The Message Remix Parallel Bible – Zondervan
• Poetry Speaks Expanded – Hear Poets Read Their Own Works from Tennyson to Plath (Book w/ CDs)
• The Collected Poetry of Nikki Gionvanni 1968 – 1998 P.S. Insights, interviews and more…
• The Devil Wears Prada – Lauren Weisberger

Bible Gateway | A searchable online Bible in over 100 versions and 50 languages

– http://www.biblegateway.com

Lela Jefferson, © 2009 All Rights Reserved

http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

I recently finished reading having a Mary Heart in a Martha World – Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver.  A book I now highly recommend for all women, young and old to read.  For the next 12 weeks, I plan to share my findings as I journey through the accompanying Bible Study Mrs. Weaver placed at the end of the book.

Questions for Going Deeper – Day Ten

1) In this passage how did God minister to Elijah in the midst of his discouragement (1 Kings 19: 1-8)?  How has God ministered to you when you felt alone and were hurting?

In this passage of scripture Elijah is ministered to by God with the answering of his prayers.  He told the Lord that he felt he was not strong enough to continue on to fight Jezebel and her maneuvers; that he was no better than his fathers before him.  God being true to his form; gave Elijah what he asked for.  He released him from his assignment, but at the same feed and protected him.

When I have felt alone and hurting.  God has presented me with others to minister to, to keep my mind off myself.  To show me that what I think may be bad only pales in comparison to what someone else maybe going through.  Other times he has even humbled me; by allowing me to hear the testimonies others that endured and were able to praise God in the end.

Nothing that the world can toss me I cannot overcome, with God and through my faith in him!

To be continued… I welcome your comments!

The previous article can be found here.

Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

I recently finished reading having a Mary Heart in a Martha World – Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver.  A book I now highly recommend for all women, young and old to read.  For the next 12 weeks, I plan to share my findings as I journey through the accompanying Bible Study Mrs. Weaver placed at the end of the book.

Going Deeper – Day Five

6) Have you seen God’s work for transformation in your own life or some else’s? How did you know it was a “holy makeover” and not a just a temporary “facelift”?

I have definitely seen God’s transforming love work in my own life as of late.  As I strive to get more intimate with him, he shows me time and time again how much he really loves me.  My relationship with Abba Father truly is a daughter-father one.  I am learning each day how much he wants the best for me as well.  How by accepting him as my Abba Father that there is a set of standards of my own behavior, how I look and act, the people that I fellowship with, where I fellowship and the words I allow to precede out my mouth, my attitude EVERYTHING has to line up with his WORD and his instructions for me.  If I even THINK of deviating, I now get roadblocks and warning signs clear as a bell from people, places, things and more times lately than ever prophetically from the pulpit at church!  It like he is saying…”I am warning you.  Giving you a fair amount of time to make the right decision, so if something happens you have no reason to be upset with me.  You will know, clearly know where the fault lays and what you need to do in the future to prevent that blessing blocker from even appearing.”  In return, my answer now is ‘Yes, sir and amen!”

Temporary facelift!?!?! Ha, definitely not.  Once you are in covenant with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, it is for life even if YOU think is conditional.  In relation to the World’s thinking it is like the mafia.  God is all inclusive; he doesn’t do anything half stepped.  To be quite honest I would rather submit and be protected by his shadow (reference Psalm 91); then disobey and be heavenly corrected.  I have already experienced a few heavenly corrections in my lifetime, and though I felt his presence embracing me and loving me all the while.  The sting is still there to remind me and the process to get back on my original course could have been avoided if I had just listened, submitted and obeyed in the first place.

To be continued…

The previous article can be found here.

Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

Hello, my Memoirs Fans, Family and Friends,

I know it has been awhile and in some cases the first time you ever received an update from me pertaining to the Memoirs of a Black Girl writing series!  I want to, first off, thank you so much for your support.  Give some major big up to my father God, my big brother Jesus aka JC and my spiritual tutor the Holy Ghost for inspiring me to write again and share my innermost thoughts with you and the rest of the world!

I recently posted a little note to the haters, letting them know I was no longer concerned about their thoughts.  I am only focusing my attentions now on what God says and thinks of me.  I was and was very serious about that.  So, if you think at times my writings are bold or shocking…well I apologize, I am just keeping it real… and if need will  back it with scripture.

In case you did not know, my name is Lela Jefferson. I am the creator / author of the “…of a Black Girl” writing and poetry series and the voice behind the podcasts.  I also proudly hail from Brooklyn, NY, am 30 something, African American, female, member of World Changers Church – New York, single with no kids, heterosexual, and a living holy born-again Christian.   I do not confess I am perfect I have a lot of areas the trio mentioned above are helping me develop.  However, I can honestly and proudly say I am not the same Lela I was a year ago or even yesterday.

Just a little more background on me professionally I have worked in Entertainment Management, Direct Marketing Online in the areas of Web Producing and Development.   I have also worked in Office Administration Management in the for-profit and non-profit religious sectors. I consider myself a writer, poet, blogger, PR and marketing professional, web producer, consultant, mentoring coach and definitely an entrepreneur.

Most of my recent volunteer work has been either community based for my church or in relation to local politics.  In the past, I did  pro-bono public relations and participate in social marketing, this was before social media had a name, think tanks for a few entertainment celebrity clients.

Currently, I am working on re-inventing myself and establishing my brands.   My company Urban PR Connection is a New Media Marketing, and PR firm.  I am amercing myself deeply in social media in its inner workings.  It’s the new buzz term and is where those in my field are now. I am an avid reader/researcher.  So I actually budget in time for surfing the web and book shelves.   You can actually very soon check out what I am currently reading at http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com/straight-from-the-crates/

Enough about my background …Here is a quick list of projects and websites I am currently working on:

Writing Projects

• Memoirs of a Black Girl – From 0 to 30 (memoirs / book)
• Poetry of a Black Girl Vol. 1 – From Darkness to Light (a poetry collection / book)
• Memoirs of a Black Girl – My 1^st Trip to West Africa (transcriptions of my journal entries; age 15)

Blogs and Podcast

• Memoirs of a Black Girl | The Blog – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com
• Memoirs of a Black Girl | Podcast Series – http://poetryofablackgirl.podOmatic.com
• Poetry of a Black Girl | The Blog – http://poetryofablackgirl.tumblr.com/
• Saved in My City | The Blog – http://savedinmycity.greenpress.com/
• True Proverbs 31 Women – http://trueproverbs31woman.blogspot.com/

Businesses

• Urban PR Connection – http://www.urbanprconnection.com
• SankofaDot.Com – http://www.sankofadot.com

In closing (had to stop somewhere), for those that want to connect with me via my personal profile on Facebook; you can find me at http://www.facebook.com/lelaj and on twitter follow me as LelaJefferson

Till the next update…

Stay blessed and true to you,

Lela Jefferson

Lord if the tongue is that of a pen of a ready writer…Let it not be me that, is the author, but you who is the author and finisher of my faith that speaks through me. That is my prayer today! Psalm 45:1

The above statement is one of my new daily confessions.  Though I have been saved and a Christian for a number of years.  I am just truly learning the lesson of how important it is to speak life, positively not only about others but also myself.  Too many times, because I have not wanted to put my hopes up too high I have downgraded the awesomeness of God and what he can do and has done for me.

What I mean by this is if he placed desires in my heart, he is not going to tease me with them.  He is going to put me on the path to obtaining them.  However I must have consistent faith, patience and put some sweat in.  As my mother used to say “There’s no free lunch.”  In short meaning I have to WORK towards achieving my goals.

The beautiful part about the whole thing is that know I am not alone.  Each time I speak life and equally give God his due and his praise. I am not only encouraging myself I am also bringing God into the mix.  I recently dug out my high school year book because I am reconnecting with many of my friends from that time period.  In it, I found not only funny pictures of my friends and myself, but also my first resume.

My first resume was already two pages long.  I am not trying to boast.  However it reminded me, that who I am today, is not too far off from who I was then character wise.   I still list as my hobbies a love for creative writing, dancing, singing, reading, helping others and a passion for leadership development.  The only differences between the Lela I was then and the Lela I am now besides no longer having dreads, actually enjoying wearing my glasses and my switch from totally militant afro-centric clothing is life has happen and doubt has tried to creep into my psyche.  The key word here is being has TRIED.

Where I am today is not necessary where I pictured myself, all those years ago.  However, I have no regrets.  My experiences the good and the bad have shaped me and brought me to the place where my reliance is not in my own works, but in God.  It’s kind of funny.  One of my good friends recently told me God had to slow me down for me to finally stop and listen to what he has been trying to tell me for years.  Which is again as my mom used to say…”If you do your best God will do the rest”.

I have put all my faith / trust on that statement and now have put it all to rest.  As I do my part I know that God is out there working on my behalf.  For as his daughter and one of his willing servants I can expect nothing less from him.  He has already shown me how much he loves me and he desires only the best for me most importantly thorough loving correction and rebuke.

Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

One of the definitions of the word “forward” is moving, tending, or leading toward a position in front. As a child of God and a joint heir with Christ; I will continue to do and say things that will show evidence that I am not the tail but the head. I choose to be tutored by the Holy Spirit and guided by my heavenly father’s love. My heart is to serve and through my servant-hood I will gain the more!

The words that come out your mouth have more power than you can ever imagine. They define you. The Bible says in Psalm 45:1 KJV “… my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” What you speak and confess over yourself and others has the ability to produce results. Your words are like seeds. Depending on the ground/person or situation you sow them into they can flourish or die. They can even come back to haunt you. So be careful of the words you use.

If you are not sure of their meaning use wisdom and pick up a dictionary. Make sure that the words that proceed from your lips are those that you want to stand as a living testimony of your life.

Here are few scriptures for you to mediate on:

2 Samuel 23:2 KJV – The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

Job 5:21 KJV – Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.

Job 6:24 KJV – Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

Job 7:24 KJV – My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.

Psalm 34:13 KJV – Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

Psalm 37:30 KJV – The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.

Psalm 45:1 KJV – My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

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