Birthday Behavior for the nephews and a reminder that God is the Way Maker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, and Light in The Darkness!
We forgot to take pictures of the meal and doughnuts before taking a bite.
#birthday #Jesusis #God #birthdaydinner #hoodies #lionofJudah #fightthegoodfightoffaith #takeonedayatatime #writer #planner
Get Let’s Take This One Day At A Time Planner Available Now with Amazon. http://www.stcfpoetrybook.com/new-books
Check out my YouTube also @ Tannika Nikeya !!!!!
Survival kit. Yes, I bought one.
I have been wanting to buy one for years. It is apocalyptic, zombie-esque movies, etc. that prompt you to think, how would I survive if I was in that situation or movie.
So, let me start by saying a thing or two. Never, have I been a conspiracy-driven person. I don’t flock towards conspiracies. Is everything a conspiracy? No. Can some conspiracies have some truth in them? Possibly. Let me also say, I also do not believe in zombies. 😆
I do believe in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. I do believe we have to be prepared for emergencies and catastrophies as best as possible as well as have survival skills.
Lastly, I do sense an urgency (like many have been prophesying) to be prepared for some hard times ahead for our nation. I have been saying for years that something is coming down the pike. And what we are experiencing now is probably what I have been feeling in my spirit a few years now.
Currently, gas prices are exponentially high. Food cost a grip. Shortages are being reported. And crime is at an all time high. And to mention the countless other things going on and that Covid is still here. We, as believers, know the signs of the times or should be recognizing the signs.
And we should always do our due diligence in preparing for each season, each time. But unfortunately, even some of us are still trying to gain our footing and get ready.
This season, we should be getting our households in order. Spiritually, financially, physically, etc. We should be decluttering physically, but also spiritually, mentally, and financially. Often times, I feel a cluttered home represents a cluttered heart. I also believe, because these are the last days and the enemy is causing so much pain and turmoil, we have to protect our hearts and minds. So many people are in so much despair that many can not see a glimpse of hope. And if we are distracted, cluttered, and losing hope, the devil, our enemy, can disarm us or slip through the cracks of our foundations and cause havoc and even crippling despair.
So, I reiterate that we must prepare physically. Declutter your spaces, have stuff for emergencies as well as an emergency fund. We are to prepare for our families but also God will bless us to be a blessing to others that’s not just in our immediate circles.
We are to not just prepare physically but WE NEED TO REMEMBER OUR SPIRITUAL SURVIVAL KIT.
And that is to:
PRAY WITHOUT CEASING,
PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD,
AND SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
We are to also get Godly wisdom and pursue God greater than anything or anyone else in this world or universe. We are to love God with all of our hearts, minds, bodies, and strength. We are to love others as we love ourselves. We are to saturate in the Word of God. His Word is alive and active, sharper than any double edged sword! And His Word cannot return to Him void. We are to live in the presence of God and remember the joy of the Lord is our strength.
Now, to end this, I remind you to not fear. Oh I know that is easier said than done for many of us. But let us focus on Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith. Also God did not give us a spirit of fear, but that of power, love and a sound mind.
So, don’t fear and don’t panic. Don’t give up. And definitely prepare. We reap what we sow. So, plant your seeds of faith, of hard work, of preparation, of encouragement, of love, of time, of whatever it is God says to do or give in each season and for each season ahead.
Check out the emergency kit! It has so much stuff that I may not have all displayed here. I got mine from Amazon.
What other things do you think a survival kit needs? And what do you think that, as a believer of Christ Jesus, we also need?
Scriptures for this Post: For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/ecc.3.1-8.NLT
“Therefore, Pharaoh should find an intelligent and wise man and put him in charge of the entire land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh should appoint supervisors over the land and let them collect one-fifth of all the crops during the seven good years. Have them gather all the food produced in the good years that are just ahead and bring it to Pharaoh’s storehouses. Store it away, and guard it so there will be food in the cities. That way there will be enough to eat when the seven years of famine come to the land of Egypt. Otherwise this famine will destroy the land.”
Genesis 41:33-36 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/gen.41.33-36.NLT
Ephesians 6:10-18: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Happy New Year!!!! I pray that this year is one that you continue to grow, heal, learn to trust God, have God’s peace that surpasses all understanding, and that you have joy for the joy of the Lord is your strength. And that you are healthy, laugh a lot, and live life as well as live meaningfully.
Alrighty then, in celebration of a new year and with much reflection brought upon this time, here are my 12 favorite posts I have written since the start of my WordPress and public writing/author journey.
No specific order here:
I wrote this post in relative to the release of my second book. I explored what it meant to walk in your own shoes. What it meant and what it meant for me. I remembered setting my heels out for a photoshoot for the book cover. The process for this book was fun and a great time of reflection.
2. Go To War
I love this post also. I love when God download or shall I say uploads a word to my spirit for myself as well others. It more so feels like a word for me that I get so excited about and sometimes nervous about sharing with others. Sometimes, if you are like me, confrontation and fighting scares you but there is a spiritual warfare that we as Christians cannot ignore. And God wants to teach us how to fight and how to strengthen our faith while doing so.
This is my favorite poem. I wrote this for a church service/event. Much prayer and seeking God led me to the book of Job and reflecting upon my own experience. Subsequently, this poem was birthed. Thank You, Jesus!
I wrote this post after watching an episode or entire series of Raising Dion with the youngin’. We enjoyed this series. And as usual when I watch some things I found a lesson or two that spoke to my heart. I feel like God uploaded another one to my spirit.
5. The Enemy’s Trick (Lesson’s From The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead is my favorite tv show. And I wrote this post after watching one of the episodes (I forgot the season, it may have been 9). Anyways, once again the lightbulb went on and I got another word.
6. Tannika’s Writing Vault: Sunday School Blues
I started a new series last year I believe or the year before: Tannika’s Writing Vault. This post featured a skit I wrote for church that never made it to production or event. Yet, I had so much fun writing it and preparing for it.
7. Guard Your Heart Like An Athlete Guarding A Football
This is another favorite as I visited what it looked like for me as a Christian and subsequently someone else to guard their hearts. As a believer and follower of Christ Jesus, I am to guard my heart and do so intentionally, even when my flesh says otherwise.
This is one of my all time favorite posts. I wrote it for another blog titled EmpowerMoments. My time with EmpowerMoments brought a lot out of me as a writer and editor, and I am forever grateful. This post, whew, I knew it had to be another upload to my spirit from God partly because of the transparency and the grace to write it and upload it. And I love how He used a scene from a movie I enjoy watching to express a message to me that was needed.
This post is simply that, introducing my latest book, titled Bring It To The Surface: Poetry & Journal. I love my growth as a self published author. And this book, I believe showcases my growth as an author, poet, and writer. I also was so excited to bring forth something a little different than what I had done previously with my poetry books. A Journal for self reflection. A guide to self reflect and begin a journey of healing. One that allows God to bring some things or all of them to the surface but one day/step at a time.
I wrote this post because the I Am Free promo photoshoot for my first book or post for it resurfaced and it got me to reflecting on my life and struggles with anxiety and fear at the time. I felt like I either was lying or had fallen backwards since I wasn’t feeling free. So hence, the post “Was I Really Free?” came about.
11. My DIY Project
I desired to change my bathroom for awhile and finally did so. I documented the journey and thought it would be different and fun to post. I had fun painting the bathroom walls, not so much the ceiling. And I enjoyed redecorating the bathroom.
I don’t really like being on camera. I am a behind the scenes, shy one. However, I thought I would step out of my comfort zone as I thought of fun videos to do for Christmas, especially since I was in the Christmas spirit. This is what came to mind. I had fun doing the video and definitely watched my most favorite one the next evening.
So there you go! I love many more posts and I also enjoy my writing tips series and the interviews I did showcasing awesome writers/authors and much more; nevertheless, these are my favorite 12 posts for now.
Sincerely,
Tannika Nikeya
New Video of my reading of one of my poems, titled It’s Simply Christmas has been posted. Check it out and make sure you subscribe to my channel and like my video.
Merry Christmas Eve!!!!!
Around the time I was promoting my first self-published book, Setting The Captive Free poetry book, I did a promo photo shoot with some friends. I had us list what God had delivered us from. And I, myself, listed several things including anxiety, depression, generational curses, etc.
Looking back, maybe at that time that was true as life during that time was most likely okay and breathable. And I could honestly say God did deliver me from depression and even a suicide attempt years prior. I also know there were generational curses that were broken. But I wondered to myself as I saw a reminder of the I Am Free promo, photo shoot and post if I truly was free or capping as they say. Or maybe I felt free at the moment.
In any event, I notice that a lot of believers know that Jesus can and does set us free. Although we may still sin, sin no longer can reign in our lives. And although the world may never have the solutions to our problems, we have access to the throne of grace of the One who is the solution. But some of us are still walking around bound. The joy of the Lord is our strength but we rarely experience or spread joy. We are worried and stressed while God is ready to be given our cares and burdens because He cares for us.
Anxiety has plagued me for years. I would not realize until years later that even in college and teen years anxiety was present. It was present when I would get sick to the point of having to go back home after almost making it to the bus stop. And when I say I got sick, it was sick to my stomach… nevermind. Lol, I will stop there. It was present when I was lightheaded and hitting the floor. It was present at every moment of overthinking and worry. It was present with negative thoughts and self-pity. It was there when I felt like I disappointed someone. And anxiety is still present.
However, now that I know it is anxiety and what fuels it and what triggers it, I can have those informed conversations with myself and a professional. But more importantly now, I realize I don’t want to just feel and look free. I realize I can come to God and ask Him to help me to realize that I can be truly free.
Sometimes miracles and healing can happen overnight. Sometimes it takes time. I didn’t get this way overnight and there are a lot of components to address when someone struggles with anxiety or depression. So, I know this is going to take some time. But at the end of the tunnel, I pray that I am truly free. And that I heal from every stronghold and trauma and circumstance that is holding up the anxiety fear. I have to understand that deliverance sometimes is continual and I have to learn to trust God through the process/journey. As well as surrender every area and layer of my life to God.
So if the Son sets you free,(B) you will be free indeed( John 8:36). Our Savior granted us freedom, grace, mercy, and an unfailing love. It is time we walk fully in such.
Get your copy of Bring It To The Surface today!
There are 13 days until Christmas and we all can admit that this Christmas will be a bit different. Large gatherings will become small. Some travel will be postponed. To make the most of this holiday, we must connect as best as we can. Some of us will fellowship via Zoom trying our best to spread smiles, love and cheer. Although our holidays are a little different this year, let’s remember what matters most and make the most out of this season. Here is my poem from my Christmas In The Winter poetry book. Need an awesome, encouraging gift for this year’s Christmas stocking, order a copy today. Available now on Amazon.
What Matters The Most
Is sentimental words on a card
The comfort when times are hard
Every second of a day
Listening added to what you have to say
Peace in the midst of the storm
Uniqueness in the midst of the norm
A meager meal cooked with love
Than hate mixed in with grub
The One who loved us first
The One who can fulfill our thirst
The One who loves us unfailingly
And gave His Only Begotten Son
Abundant laughter and simple fun
Patience and time
Loved ones and memories
Family and fellowship
To be kind
Journeys
And relationship
And what can’t be paid for
What shouldn’t be ignored
What can be nurtured
Little ones and present historical ones are to be protected, honored, and adored
What matters most
Is what’s simple and free
But it’s worth so much
That no economical value can equate
What matters the most is sometimes the looked over and the less than the obvious great
What matters the most
Is what’s in the heart, the mind, and the will of God
Remember to treasure such and abide within
The One for who is the Reason
For This Christmas season
By Tannika Moore
Tannika Nikeya 