Author Archives: Tannika Nikeya

01.06.23
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Would You Recognize Him?

Originally Posted October 3, 2016 via fruitufulandfabulous.wordpress.com

From the Howling Man episode/Twilight Zone

Open Your Eyes

It is often said “when people show you themselves, believe them”. But what if they disguised themselves and if you, like Mr. Ellington, didn’t recognize the signs of whom the person really was?

“I-I didn’t believe you. I saw him and didn’t recognize him,” gasps Mr. Ellington. “That is man’s weakness…and Satan’s strength,” stresses Brother Jerome.

How many times has the devil disguised himself or you failed to recognize what he was doing before it was too late?

How well can you recognize him, his work, and why can’t we recognize him?

Twilight Zone

I have always loved watching reruns of the Twilight Zone. One of my favorite episodes is called The Howling Man. On a rainy, stormy day, David Ellington recalls of another rainy, stormy day he endured. Déjà vu or not? That day he was wearied, lost and had stumbled across a place of refuge. He needed help. Mr. Ellington pleads with the strange man who answers the door to let him in. After being let in and waiting for further approval to speak with the leader about resting there for the night, Mr. Ellington collapses from sheer exhaustion.

The men at this sanctuary reluctantly give Mr. Ellington shelter to rest. However, Mr. Ellington discovers where the howling he had been hearing, since he arrived there, is coming from. No one acknowledges at first his discovery. But throughout the night, the howling continues to capture his attention. Behind the bars is a homely man with a gentle appeal for freedom from the men who have imprisoned him. The man behind the door pleads for help. He tries to warn Ellington also that the men are not who they say there are.

“They’re mad, Mister Ellington. All of them, raving mad. Listen. I was in the village in Schwartzof. I was walking in the street with my woman. We paused to rest by a tree. And we kissed. Is it wrong to kiss? Tell me,” begs the man.

He Let Him Loose, Ya’ll

To make a long story short, Mr. Ellington sets the man free, only to discover he had been tricked. He had let loose the devil and had to spend years and years chasing him to bind him again. Now Ellington has captured him, has him bound and is sharing his account of when he let him loose. But will that person fall for the devil’s tricks; will that person doubt who the devil really is, only to let him out again?

“I know. It’s –it’s an incredible story. I, of all people, know this. And you won’t believe me. No, not at first. But I’m going to tell you the whole thing. Then, you will believe, because you must. You must believe.”

As I watched this, I thought, if I was in Ellington’s shoes, “Would I recognize the devil for what he is?” Would I trust what the brothers were telling me?  Would the devil appeal to my flesh, my emotions, etc. to deceive me into letting him go? How many times has he deceived me already?

Father of Lies

The devil is a deceiver. In fact, he is the father of all lies. He can masquerade as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). In the appearance of man, a homely one, the devil appears even as a victim, falsely accused while accusing the brothers to Mr. Ellington. He draws Ellington’s curiosity and appeals to his emotions as well as sows seeds of doubt into his heart. And he does it at such an opportune time, when Ellington is weary, exhausted and in the midst of a storm. Not saying the devil doesn’t come at other times to distract us, deceive us, and let loose in our lives, but he seems to come and have his way the most during tests and trials as well as when we are unarmed and feeling weak.

So how aren’t we recognizing him?

  • We aren’t consistently in the Word of God. “Truth is dogma. We believe it to be man’s greatest weapon against the devil, who is the father of lies,” says Brother Jerome.
  • We are building our doubt and not our faith. Doubt means to lack confidence, to consider unlikely, to distrust.
  • We are being led by our flesh, emotions, etc. and not by the Spirit of God.
  • We are not putting on the armor of God. Ephesians 6:13-17
  • We forget that there is a spiritual war going on. We wrestle not against flesh and blood. Ephesians 6:12
  • We are not fixing our eyes on Jesus. Hebrews 12:1-2
  • We are in a spiritual state of slumber. We are not growing in our walk; our prayer lives are dull; our hearts are numb and our appetites and pursuit of God and godly things are growing cold. 1 John 2:28

So, I encourage you to not be deceived by the enemy and let him loose in your life.

  • Seek God first, pursue God greatly and nurture your relationship with God intimately daily.
  • Saturate in the Word of God daily. Ellington asks, “But if he’s the devil, how do you keep him locked up?’ Brother Jerome responds, “with the staff of Truth!” Read it, obey it, use it, speak it, and believe it!
  • Pray. Pray for God’s discernment and help. He knows everything and has already overcome the enemy and the world. He knows what the devil has planned and can protect you from his deception and attacks.
  • Build your faith and not your doubt. Faith comes by hearing by and hearing by the Word. Trust God and believe Him at His Word.
  • Know and believe that God has good intentions towards you.
  • Pray for wisdom and revelation; and when the Holy Spirit gives you insight into where the devil is at in your life and what he’s doing, call the enemy out on it in the name of Jesus. I know, Lord, the devil is trying to distract me and I rebuke these distractions in Jesus’ name. I pray I will fix my eyes on You, Lord, for You are the author and perfecter of my faith.
  • Check the condition of your heart and check unchecked sin and repent wholeheartedly. James 4:7-8

M.I.A

The M.I.A (Most Important Accessory) that a Christian should have in their possession is The Holy Spirit & The Word of God. They are something we don’t hang up or sport from time to time, but something we must wear daily, second by second, minute by minute. It is through His Word and through the Holy Spirit we can stay alert to the devil’s schemes.  

–Written by Tannika Moore

Check out The Howling Man: click on link below.

The Howling Man

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01.04.23
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The Blazing Furnace

Originally Posted September 17, 2015 via FruitfulandFabulous.wordpress.com

There are ten lessons I learned from the account of Daniel’s friends thrown into the large, blazing furnace.

Here are they:

  1. The three young men didn’t do what the masses did. Daniel 3:8-12 says: At this time some astrologers[b] came forward and denounced the Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.” They remained loyal to God even under pressure. Pleasing Him was far more important than what others thought, getting in trouble, or losing their lives. They were truly set apart.
  2. The three young men knew they didn’t have to defend themselves. Daniel 3:16-18 says: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[c] from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” They believed that if they obeyed God, He would take care of them and the end results. 
  3. They knew God would deliver them. Period. Daniel 3:17 says: If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[c] from Your Majesty’s hand.

4. They were willing to obey God no matter the cost. Daniel 3:18 says: But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

5. The world’s attitude of you will change when you disagree or oppose something they think is logical or that feeds their selfish desire. Their love is conditional. Daniel 3:19-20 says: Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seventimes hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.

6. There is deliverance in the midst of the fire. Daniel 3:21-25 says: So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire? They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

7. Jesus is right there with you while you’re going through. Daniel 3:25-26 says: He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God,come out! Come here!” They didn’t have to fear because the fourth was our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Don’t fear, just trust and believe God’s Word. Know that He will never leave you, nor forsake you.

8. God can bring you out of something and the only evidence you went through will be His glory and your deliverance. Daniel 3:26b-27 says: So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

9. There’s only one God! Well, I knew that already; however, it must be reiterated! Daniel 3:28-29 says: Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.” There is none like Him that can save in the ways He can and the Way He has!

10. God was with them and delivered them before they stepped into the blazing furnace. Thank You, God, for that revelation. Daniel 3:22-23 says: The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. It amazed me that the furnace was so hot that it immediately consumed the soldiers but not the Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Surely God gave them the grace to speak up, carry out their obedience despite persecution, and even withstand the heat and flames of an extremely hot furnace. Jesus was right there with those young men and He will be right there with you. 

The M.I.A (Most Important Accessory) that a Christian should have in their possession is Their Trust In God. It is something we don’t hang up or sport from time to time, but something we must wear daily, second by second, minute by minute. Trust God enough to step out on the water of seas, go into the lion’s den, or even in the blazing furnace. And if that is too big for your faith, trust God for the small things, first steps, and the faith to walk out on waters of ponds. And keep saturating in His Word and obeying it till your faith becomes bigger and stronger.

–Tannika 

Have you had some “blazing furnace” experiences?

12.31.22
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Repost- Money $eries Week: Relationship

Relationships are essential to our lives. They are crucial to our development, growth, and existence. They are so crucial that the Ten Commandments show us how we are to protect our relationship with God and our relationships with others. Jesus takes it a step further by instructing us “to Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[a] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)

Today, however, we will talk about OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MONEY.

There are some of us who have healthy relationships with money and some of us who do not. Let us talk about the unhealthy relationships with money some of us have. Money controls some of us. Money leads us toward making poor decisions. Money runs away from us and it spends all of its time with our bills and/or bad habits. Money makes us feel good–until it goes away.

Okay, let’s not put all the blame on money and make this one-sided. We are at fault for having money control the relationship. Moreover, we don’t see its worth. We don’t value it. We don’t get to know it. We either have unrealistic expectations, too little expectations, or too high expectations of our money. And we don’t tell our money what we expect it to accomplish. We don’t see our money’s potential. We don’t invest in it. We don’t let it rest. We don’t even let it just sit and catch its breath sometimes. We don’t use wisdom and care when handling it. Then we expect it to do what we need it to do and be what we need it to be.

What about our management of someone else’s money (credit cards). We pretend its fully ours until its time to pay it back. Then we get stressed and our finances look even more a mess.

Stats: Pew Charitable Trusts reports that 80% of Americans are with debt. (www.pewtrusts.org)

But God desires for our relationship with money to not be a stressful, debilitating one, but a healthy one. He desires that money not master us and that we trust in Him, the One who supplies all of our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

Today’s Scriptures:

Mark 12:30-31 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: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Prayer:

Lord, please help us to have a healthy relationship with money. We desire to serve You and not money. Break the yokes of poor stewardship and debt in our lives. Forgive us for building such a dependence on earthly things and for our love of money. Help us to trust and depend on You and to love You with all of our hearts. In Jesus’ name, amen.

http://www.fruitfulandfabulous.com

Living Life the Fruitful Way

Disclaimer

We, at Fruitful & Fabulous, are not certified financial planners or financial advisors. We do research and reference the sources that we use within our writing. The information provided should not be used as financial advice; it is used to promote financial literacy, financial literacy based from the Bible as well as discussion. The views, some of the experiences, and opinions on this site are that of the authors. Any suggestions or investment advice should be reviewed by a financial professional before acting on them.


This website will never share your email address or any of your personal information with a third party for any reason. We are excited to encourage financial literacy and health but it is your choice whether or not you use the information provided and at your own risk.

12.31.22
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Repost: Money $eries Week- Q&A With The Professional

Originally Posted on June 15, 2017

Hey loves,

We sincerely hope you have been enjoying this week’s Money $eries and they have made an impact on you. We have been blessed to share tips, facts, prayers, and the Word of God on such a crucial, favorite topic in this world–money. This evening we are presenting a special Q (Tannika) & A (Shalamaar). Shalamaar Muhammad is a Commercial Banking Professional with JP Morgan and fellow Christian who loves to share financial wisdom with others. Enjoy our Q & A as well as take notes.

Tannika: What is the one mistake people tend to make the most with their finances?

Shalamaar: Live outside their means. People tend to buy things that they don’t need to impress people they don’t like.

Tannika: As a fellow believer, what are some things you want Christians to understand about money.

Shalamaar: As a fellow believer, I would say remember that the love of money is the root of all evil. Money should be looked at and used as a tool to meet your needs and the needs of others. Also give to purpose and not just need all the time. People who repeat the same cycles of bad money management usually have an underlying issue that needs to be addressed and resolved, and if it isn’t, the need will always continue.

Tannika: What are the major areas of finance people should also be concerned with than just paying bills?

Shalamaar: Other than paying bills, use your finances to save (emergency fund, nest egg).

Invest- Earn a return on your money.

Give- Help meet others’ needs as God meets yours.

Tannika: Dave Ramsey, financial guru and Christian, encourages every one to have an emergency fund. Why do we fail at building an emergency fund?

Shalamaar: We fail at building an emergency fund because we don’t want to make the necessary sacrifices to do so. Think about how many restaurant meals, unnecessary shopping trips, vacations and other luxuries we could have given up over a year to build the fund. A year goes by so fast, so cutting back for a while is a minor sacrifice in the grand scheme of life. Letting go of instant gratification can help build up that fund and save you the headache of looking for additional funds at the time of emergency.

Tannika: Explain what it means to invest your money and the best way to do so?

Shalamaar: Investing your money can mean so many things. In the most simple terms, it means to earn a return on your money. It can be a conservative investment such as a simple interest savings or CD or complex such as investment in stocks and bonds. It’s best to speak with a professional such as a Financial Advisor to learn more about what investment best suits you.

Tannika: What is the best financial advice you received growing up?

Shalamaar: The best financial advice I received growing up was not to use credit as extra money. Credit can be helpful but there are also dangers if you are not responsbile, live beyond your means, or do not have self-control.

Dangers of Credit

Overdoing it; borrowing more than you can afford to repay.
If you don’t make your payments on time, you’ll damage your credit record.
Losing money on late fees.
Having to pay additional interest.
Difficulty getting loans or credit in the future.
Once your credit is damaged, it can take years and tons of extra money to restore it.

Wow, thanks to Shalamaar for blessing us with loads of knowledge about emergency funds, investing and debt as well as the dangers of credit!

What are you taking away from today’s post? How will you apply what Shalamaar has shared with us to your new financial journey?

Today’s Scripture:

Jeremiah 17:7‭-‬8 NIV “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord , whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Luke 16:10-12 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

Prayer:

Father, thank You for Your wisdom. Let me seek You and Your wisdom as well as Your Will to be done in my life. Help me to, for here on out, see money the way You do and to use it for Your glory and in Your wisdom. In Jesus’ name, amen.

__________________________________

Shalamaar Muhammad is a woman of God whose joy can be seen and felt through her beautiful smile, her faith and involvement with her church, her spending time with her family and friends, and her volunteer work. Shalamaar is a Commercial Banking Professional with JP Morgan who also does business planning and personal finance. She has been a consistent volunteer with South Suburban PADS for more than seven years and looks forward to continuing helping others in need.

Picture: Shalamaar Muhammad, JP Morgan Commercial Banking Professional

12.31.22
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Repost: Financial Reset

Originally Posted February 3, 2018 via fruitfulandfabulous.wordpress.com

Throw The Whole Mindset Away

“Out with the old, in with the new” is a popular saying. When a new year touches down, you want to leave behind in the past year everything old and weighty that caused you so much grief, frustation, and disappointment. So why can’t we leave behind old habits and mindsets that keep us weighed down and pennyless?

Tight

This January, if our financial part of our lives were rooms, they would be an empty room of compact four walls closing in on us, or is that just mine. After Christmas and an unexpected bill, I knew it would be tight and I expected to make it through with some sweat. However, with getting back into debt and having credit card balances again, I have been sweating a lot. Nonetheless, I am expecting to recover or at least stop the walls from closing in on me with prayer and planning.

But what about families or individuals who have to bury loved ones. It is much difficult for them to recover. One of my former students was faced with burying her beloved mom with no monies available for a funeral and burial. How disheartening it is to not only be grieving the loss of a loved one, but also stress over coming up with the money to take care of their beloved’s burial.

Don’t Just Talk The Talk

January was a tough month, and not just financially, but it has also left me to realize I carried into 2018 some old habits and ideologies that I did not fully nip in the bud, which have hindered me from truly rectifying my financial situations. I merely did on the surface work.

And for one, I can’t talk a good walk financially, get free from debt once minus student loans, clear up credit card debt twice, and save emergency fund technically twice only to keep the same habits and go down the same halls I know not to take. So, in actuality I am going around in circles. Now, I must say this. We are not perfect and will make mistakes, but we must admit our habits and ways that are hindering us from making true progress. “I want to create wealth” I heard myself telling the bank rep and “be debt free” but I needed a temporary short loan. Ludicrous. A loan to pay a bill and if honest to spend to add to more debt. For my situation, it was a no-go. I got denied the loan but am thankful because I have to trust God and put away old habits and actually walk the walk of what it is I am learning and sharing with others.

Father God, create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us. Let us see money the way You do and let us get our financial affairs in order. We don’t know what the future holds, and Lord, we want to trust You and depend on You. Help us to seek You for wisdom to be prepared as well as help us to become better and godly stewards over all You have blessed us with. Let us be blessed to be a blessing too knowing that You have entrusted us to gifts, talents, time, and financial resources not just for ourselves but for others and Your kingdom. Let us owe no man nothing except love. Let us also have a heart of gratitude and be content in any situation. In Jesus’ name, amen!

So what’s our top 10 financial things we need to work towards in 2018.

1. Pray and meditate on the Word of God and His principles on money, tithing, giving, etc.

2. Seek the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance on when and how to give to others, how to sow and reap, how to invest, how to be a blessing to others, and just how to steward over what God has given us.

3. Start Saving. I don’t care if it is a jar of change. Or just dollars. Start and stay consistent. Put money in a bank account rarely used and assign those savings with a purpose.

4. Start an emergency fund. Unexpectedly, the car breaks down, the furnace goes out, your property taxes go up, we need to travel or want to bless someone, boom. We have something to work with.

5. Budget and cut some stuff out or down. Do we need to eat at a restaurant every day, do we need that other channel subscription alongside of Netflix? Do we need a new pair of shoes or a new pair of jeans every month? Do we want to just have stuff or do we want memories and moments?

6. Declutter our house. Sell or give away that stuff to others in need. I am a firm believer, that in order to make room for the new, we have to make space for it. So if we do want a new dress, check the closet for dresses we may have not worn in awhile and either embrace them again, give them away, or sell them. Their are avenues like the thrift store and Ebay who will buy or take and allow us to sell these things.

7. Invest. Research investing, stocks, and talk to professionals on such. And then start somewhere. We can even invest in pennystocks. Robinhood is a great investment source especially for beginners and pennystocks.

8. Talk about finances with the family, expectations, teamwork, goals, and create a financial plan.

9. Get life insurance. Point blank and period.

10. Stay consistent. Keep pressing. Be patient. Don’t give up.

M.I.A

The M.I.A (Most Important Accessory) that a Christian should have in their possession is GODLY STEWARDSHIP. It is something we don’t hang up or sport from time to time, but something we must wear daily, second by second, minute by minute. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce. And seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Contributing Writer: Tannika Moore

12.31.22
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Shifting and Merging

With the new year, I want to continue encouraging others. I started a business venture in 2014: clothing and apparel brand. Although I haven’t spent time focusing on it these past few years as the lack of success and further direction deterred my motivation, I have been waiting and praying about what to do with it. In the meantime, I have come to a few possible choices and decisions. One of them is I will be sharing some of my posts from my Fruitful & Fabulous blog here on my Tannika Nikeya and writer’s brand site.

As always, be encouraged and take one day at at time!

12.28.22
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Next Year, Lord

Next year, Lord
I feel led
To go quiet in the land,
While my footprints still show up in the sand,
Right behind Yours.
Next year, Lord
I pray I hold Your hand.
That is the only way I will be able to stand.
Cling to You all 365 days
Acknowledge You in all of my ways.

I cried so much this year.
Next year, let me remember You have collected every tear.
This year was so uncomfortable and I kept going back and forth about giving up.
Next year, I won’t throw in the towel,
Even when it is soaked and I have had enough.
This year, the healing journey continued and felt long.
Next year, I’ll still be healing but singing a new  song.
This year, I leaked emotionally and was scared as hell.
Next year, I will release maturely and the will of God over my life will prevail.
This year, I was stuck.
Next year, I will arise from the enemy’s prison and drink from the overflow of my God-given cup.

This year I felt alone and misunderstood.
Next year, I will live confidently and do all that God said I could.
This year I felt weak, overwhelmed and drained.
Next year, I may have moments I run low but I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me, and I will not strain.

This year, I struggled in every area of my life.
One attack after the other.
Strife after strife.
Next year I will consistently suit up in daily wardrobe of the armor of God and godly wisdom. And doing so will help me fight.
This year, I learned some things
And set some boundaries.
Next year, the fruit of such will sprout.
This year had seasons of emotional, financial and spiritual drought.
But Next year, I will stay in the presence of God,
Receive His love and answers to what I have been trying to figure out.

This year I began to learn to turn down the noise and God’s voice got clearer.
Next year, what will happen if I drew nearer
To the One Who first loved me,
Ancient of Days,
Who gave His only begotten Son
So that I may be set free?
This year I wanted to run away and abandon the mission.
Next year, because I developed His wisdom and His courage, I can remain in the kitchen.
In which God provides me with an apron and a pot.
But the kitchens in which He did not,
I’m up and I’m out.
Because next year I will be intentional with all that I am and about,
Intentional with my time, respectful to my purpose, allowing God to continue bringing things to the surface.
So, I can continue to heal.
I will be authentic and not just keep it real
I will allow myself to feel
And acknowledge my flaws.
Remembering that I need the Holy Spirit still.
Next year, I will laugh more
And not please people to death and work so hard to earn love.
I will believe that I am enough from the One Above.

Next year, I will love others as I love myself
And do what is best for me.
As long as God approves and it is clothed in integrity.
I have to live with my self 24-7.
And stand before the God of Earth and Heavens.
Next year,
I may be silent.
I may be still.
What I accepted this year, I may not accept next year.
I may change my mind,
But I will continue to heal.
I will not let the world define me
Or those who can only see me from their sight.
I will continue to allow the Word of God to renew my mind to transform my life.
I will March to the beat of my own drum, cymbals and harp.
Thank God for each new day
And try not to lose heart.
Next year, I will take one day at a time
And not rush through the process or journey.
Doing life without God and not step by step can give you whiplash and land your soul on a gurney.
Next year, I will Keep my eyes fixed on God
And get back on the bike of life.
Try and make decisions that are not just good, but right.

Next year I will remember that God got me
And I will focus more on being and not just doing.
Next Year, I will be full of courage and success that God and I will define.
Thank God for how far I have come, for everything there is a season,
And God is the author of my faith, my story and my time.

Let’s Take This One Day At A Time Planner Available Now On Amazon
12.28.22
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2022 In Review

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2022 In Review
This year was rough. It was filled with a lot of tears, anxiety, stress and healing journey setbacks. I got hit by a car & my wallet stolen. I also discovered some things that broke my heart. And then I am raising also now a teen. Despite all, I had some fun in between, am still here & God is & has been faithful!

These are just some things that happened in 2022. We also lost one of our dear mothers of our church as well as my precious baby cousin this year. It has been a rollercoaster of a year; some ups and downs but thank God for the lessons and love we also received.

God bless you all and have a wonderful New Year Day!!! See you in the New Year.

Tannika Nikeya😘