Posts Tagged ‘writing’

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

(more…)

When I was a little girl I used to love blowing bubbles.  Just to imagine getting my little hands on a tube of soapy water and a bubble making wand would put a smile on my face.  I would run as the trail of bubbles followed me.  Attempt to beat my own biggest bubble record before having it burst gently on my nose.

Now, I am well passed my elementary school years, however I do still like to keep a tube of bubbles close by.  Why? Simply because I always want to remember those simpler times, when my only concerns were that I remembered to take a bath, brushing my teeth, and making my bed.  And oh yes not having my Mama figure out, that I had hidden another book underneath my bed to read after lights out.

So with my bubble making wand in my hand…I am taking a pause.  Remembering those simpler times again.

The words seem to not be able to escape from my lips…

However, I know they need to be said.

Listen, I have to get this out of my head…

I know I have the power to stop you with my declarations.

I have loved you for so long.

However, I love another more…

Our destinies seem to have different paths that don’t meet in the end.

So as I am sitting here close to being washed away from my own flood of tears.

I know I must be the one to find the courage to walk away.

Shh…Don’t speak…

I really don’t want to hear anything you have to say.

Don’t waste your time.

I’m not listening.

I am not looking back.

Goodbye.

Sin…

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

& http://www.poetryofablackgirl.com

Tools I Use to Journal

• A notebook – Usually with a funky cover design with standard sized lines
• Writing instruments – A pen, pencil and/or markers
• A computer – With a word processing program
• Voice recorder – To capture my thoughts when I do not have any of the above handy
• Music and Movies to set the mood – I get inspiration a lot of times from watching and listening to inspirational teaching or music. I love music in general and if I know the song or have watched the show/movie before I can have it playing in the background just to make sure I have a secondary focus.

Why I Journal vs. Keep a Diary

Growing up I always thought if I kept a diary meant I would have to write in it every day.  My big sister Andrea purchased me a diary once and I think I wrote in it maybe three times (3) in the entire year that it was meant to record.

However when I was given a composition notebook by my dad that just had lines and told I could write, whenever and however and whatever I felt like and call it journaling… I felt freer to write.

Keeping a diary just seems too restricting to me and I by essence am a free spirit.

How my Love for Journaling Came About

I have been keeping journals since I was about 10 or 11 years old.  I was first introduced to journal writing and recording my thoughts from observing my mother when I was as young as two (2).  My mother would put a blank tape in the recorder and just begin talking expressing herself to God about what she was going through in her life, with her children, and with my Dad.  She would sometimes just let the music play or record me and my niece Abby playing.  My niece Abby and I grew up like siblings being just under two (2) years apart in age.  My mother would baby sit my niece, eventually she would end up living with us for five (5) years.

From time to time my mother would also record her thoughts into a journal or write quotes in the margins of books she was reading.  Draw pictures on pieces of scrap paper…I mean my mother if she had something going on…she would find an outlet to get it out.  I believe it was her extension to her fellowship time with God.

Now on top of all this my mother was a prayer warrior.  People to the time she passed would call her just to leave long messages on her answering machine requesting prayer.  They knew when she prayed she got results.

My dad he was another one that encouraged me to read, write and record my voice.  My father had a strong passion for photography, drawing, painting and self discovery.  I remember going on outings to bookstores with him or museums and being given a budget to purchase items.  Instead of toys growing up after a certain age I received books or historical activity kits from my father as gifts.  This ended up being a family trend (I began to receive similar gifts from my uncles and aunts on my father side of the family) and it helped to strengthen my love for the arts.

At around 10 or 11 years of age my dad saw that I had begun to take on my mother’s love for journaling.  So he purchased for me my first set of composition notebooks to record my thoughts.  Then when he saw I loved to play as if I was radio disc jockey/host, he purchased me a tape recorder and a stack of blank cassettes and would pay me $10 per tape to record books for him.  This was before the whole books on audio tape became a big industry of its own.

In those composition notebooks I captured my pre-teen experiences, poems and drawing.  When I felt led, I would share them with my parents and they would in turn encourage me even more to continue writing, so I did.  Now it is 20+ years later and I am still writing and recording my thoughts electronically.  My latest medium is however blogging.

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If you enjoyed this article and would like to begin journaling yourself.  You may now purchase an official “Memoirs of a Black Girl” journal for as little as $12 by clicking on the following link http://www.cafepress.com/memofablackgirl

Thank you again for your support of my writings!

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

Send email to: talktous@memoirsofablackgirl.com

One of the “I WILL” statements I listed for 2009 was to basically be a better steward over my relationships.  For those that do not know what an, “I WILL” statement is… well think of them as New Year’s resolutions that you actually plan on doing.   For the past two years I have compiled a list of things I want to do / develop in and actually go into contract with myself, witnessed by God and my friend/support base to keep me accountable.

Well, top of this year’s listing was for me to be a better steward over all of my relationships as I mentioned above.  Letting those that I love and care about really know how I feel about them and what they mean to me.    Reconnect with my family members, old friends and get to really know newer ones.

I am striving to be a better friend and support to those that have made any kind of impact on my life.  For so many years I focused on work, and work some more and my career that I lost sight kind of what was really important.  Enjoying this life I was given and those I was blessed to experience it with.

I believe I did this more so as a defense mechanism after first my dad, god father and one of my uncles passing in less than a year of each other.  Then my mother five years later which put a strain on my relationships with my siblings on both sides of my family also my relationship with my former beau.  Toss in there a few job changes and physical changes (cutting off my dreadlocks after 15 years of growing them and losing about 26 pounds.)  If I did not have God, I don’t know how I would have been able to cope.

Getting back to me being a good steward over my relationships “I Will” statement, with making this commitment and really working being more pliable I have learned more about myself in these last six months for both the good and the bad compared to in the last three years.  The bad are areas where I need more development and the good… are areas that I want to work on expanding.  So in an essence, I am still learning and I am still developing.  I know I have only begun to scratch the surface…However I can only honestly say that the seeds that I sow now are more so good seeds than bad ones…