There are times anxiety and the issues of life make me forget how big my God is and that He is God Almighty. Sometimes, I am riddled with so much fear and stress that I can feel powerless and lethargic in moving forward. Subsequently, my prayer life and ability to trust Jesus wanes, and I am left unable to see myself as the warrior God sees me as and unable to walk in His authority confidently. I have learned, however, that I don’t have to rely on my own strength to push through. In fact, apart from God I can do nothing. He is my strength. Everywhere I go, He is there. Every concern I have, He cares. Every need I have, He provides. With His armor, I can roar His Word through prayer. I am more than a conqueror and no weapon formed against me shall prosper. Before I present to you my poem, first read these scriptures and be encouraged.
Not that I have already obtained it [this goal of being Christlike] or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on so that I may take hold of that [perfection] for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His own. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14 AMP
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13 NLT No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37 NIV
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7 NLT
Here is one of my poems, IDOLS, from my latest book titled Bring It To The Surface. So, what is an idol?
IDOLS
Anything that I worship
Or give my heart to other than and more than God
Devoted to things made by humans or God is nothing new and deemed far from odd
I can worship the sun,
this wooden sculpture,
The culture
My job,
Money,
My bod,
My hair,
My loved ones, both here with me or there
Distractions
And ungodly interactions
Animals or objects
Lifelong goals and obsessive projects
My complexion,
My titles, my positions, and my professional and social media election The celebrity the people see
That achieve and is everything I hoped to be
My time
What’s yours and what’s mine
That first hit that multiplied with it
That lead me to do anything and every sort of pit
The Famous Saints or my pastor
Trying to be perfect, better, and arrive at my destination faster
And the activities and responsibilities I fill in church
The children I birth
Myself drenched in pride or feelings of lack of worth
Anything that helps me commit adultery
Against the great I AM
Rob me of my wholehearted devotion to God
And quality time with my first love, creator, Father and friend
My reputation
My Secure the Bag dedication
My business or my brand
My popularity or my man
Anything that takes up all of my mind and all of my time
Distorts my identity and defines
Who I am
That alters me from seeing reality
And truth
Anything that is imperfect and broken too
Anything I can carry but can’t carry me Anything That can temporarily satisfy me
But can’t fulfill my spirit and soul eternally
Anything that doesn’t wake me up or give me breath
Anything that consumes me to death The one that I depend on more than God
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
We lose a lot of things along the way in our journeys of life like confidence and hope, and sometimes ourselves. Some of us are fighting to regain our health mentally or physically. Some of us are carrying loads of pain and hiding behind masks, no pun intended. But God! He wants us to heal. He wants us to grow. He wants us to be free. I am so excited to bring to you this Bible Reading Plan titled after my latest book, Bring It To The Surface. So, grab your bible and I pray you allow God to bring some things to the surface so that your healing and recovery can start today. And for those already on your healing journeys, I pray this encourages you to not abandon the process and to seek and trust God one day at a time. It is a five day reading plan and its purpose is to guide you towards seeking God for your healing and recovery. So, welcome and enjoy, and let’s draw near to God who loves us beyond measure.
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I am so excited about completing my new book. I didn’t know it would lead to the theme it has now, but God has me on a healing journey and the title change was so imperative. This healing journey has been one that has been lengthy, uncomfortable, challenging, yet imperative, enlightening, and such a blessing. I have discovered, thanks to the Holy Spirit and His grace to not abandon the process as well as so many things about myself. I have learned some triggers to my anxiety and where certain fears began. I am also learning to trust God and receive His unfailing love. I am learning to see myself the way God does. Moreover, prayer, learning to be transparent with God as well with others, facing my fears (one at a time), the Word of God, therapy, learning to be more present with myself, others and God are some things that have been crucial to this journey. (Note: I am still a work in progress.) Writing is another component of this journey and it has served as an outlet to express myself, learn, and cope. I have realized that my writing also serves as a tool to encourage others. My book, Bring It To The Surface, is not only full of poetic inspiration and encouragement but a journal to help you too to start your journey of healing and provide a space for self-reflection.
If you are feeling empty or lost, hurt or hopeless, stripped or depleted, know God who began a good work in you shall continue to perform it until the day of Christ Jesus. Know that He will also never leave you, nor forsake you. Whatever it is the enemy has killed, stolen, and destroyed in your life, God can revive, recover, and restore. And in order to heal and receive the abundant life Jesus came to give us, we have to allow God to bring some things to the surface. We can trust God who first loved us and gave His only begotten Son in order for you and me to have an eternal love and life. So, let the healing begin. Confess it, express it and then address it. God can handle your pain and God can provide the answers you need. I am so excited for this book to reach your hands and heart, and I pray you allow God to bring some things to the surface.
I am so excited to introduce to you my new book!!!! I have finally finished it and it is now available in the Kindle Store. The paperback version has been updated and is now available on Amazon. So, please get your copy or your ebook version now. This is my fourth poetry book and this one is different from my others. Watch the video and found out how!
Although much of our summer is moving fast and we are enduring many restrictions because of Covid-19, our summer is still present. Let’s make the most of it as best as we can. Think back of how you use to spend your summers as a child and the good times you had. There were fun things to do even for free and things that brought the family together. I remember when I was younger, maybe 8-somewhere around that age, and the fire hydrant was turned on. I remember many adults and children from the building my mom and I lived in were outside laughing, talking and playing. I remember the children playing and getting put in the blasting water from the hydrant. That was a great memory and moments like that brought the community together and left an imprint in my memory and joy in my heart. What summer memories you hold dear in your heart?
Read my new poem titled, Summer Vibes.
Summer Vibes
Summer nights of soft breeze and warm air Bike rides down hills Lightning bugs for sparkling earrings to wear Hamburgers, chicken, and shrimp on the grill Side dishes and desserts Shopping and summer deals Soul train lines and family jokes Nights out with the cousins Vacations or staycations If broke Hot days and pool time Water soaked Church on Sunday Vacation Bible School Summer programs And family fun days Poetic nights Headphones and jams Living life in real time before the gram Amusement parks and walks Movie nights Pavement and chalk Fire hydrants and water fun Block parties and unity The Summer vibes have just begun
I wrote this poem a couple or few months ago but made a few edits recently. This year has been said to be a horrible year, and we are just five months and six days down. This year started off rough for me and has continued on to be a challenge. In fact these past four years or so have been challenging (I use the word challenging because they were still blessings and I have learned so much). However, I remember when this year had just started a lot of people exclaimed that this would be the year of 2020 vision, clarity, the best year, and so forth. One thing for sure it has definitely been a year of clarity. It is like the curtain is being pushed back. But for me personally, this is another year of learning to trust God, another year of healing, and a year where God is drawing me closer to reprioritize and organize so that He can be first and everything else can fall in its right place. And this is the year for me to understand how to overcome and overcome those things that were draining me as well as distracting me, trying to keep me out of my destiny, and from healing and growing. So, this year is an uncomfortable one for me, and I bet it is uncomfortable for many others but this discomfort is needed. Let God open up our eyes and let God sit us down to have those personal and generational talks with each of us. Be willing and lean on Him for grace to receive His truth and His heart.
2020
I see you trying to be still
Trying to keep joy in the midst of chaos and sinking hill
This world is sick
And all signs point to last days
Some of us are so numb that with every new event we are unfazed
The spirit of deception is
Filling the airwaves and skies
Increasing also corruption and lies
People are dying and life ain’t the same
Coronavirus is spreading and taking lives
And it doesn’t care about your money, fame, or name
The foundation of our land
Is crumbling fast
From the seeds sown today as well as the past
Division and Racism
Pride and ego
Corroding the core of our foundation
Nation against nation
Money and fame are our gods
Fear and emotional disarray
Increasing every day
Everybody wants their own way
Envy and lust for power
The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy
he shows up to work every day ready to devour
The fatherless and the widow, not to mention those whose hope is shrinking
And everyone in between
Authenticity of Identity and Empathy has left the scene
Some of our love for others and ourselves are sour
And some of us trying to find our voice and not cower
There is little respect and more destruction of the Black flower
Fighting to survive every hour
Police corruption and racial bias
My skin is a threat
No empathy or sympathy for me
They would say I deserved my death
Senseless violence
And pent up pain in our hearts
Many of our youth are lost
We must save our children
And receive the abundant life
But some of us are afraid to take up our cross and count the cost
Dreams and destinies fill the grave
Anxiety and depression are soaring
We have a lot of Elijahs hiding in the cave
Fear of persecution
Fear of being alone
We are living in times where wrong is right and right is wrong
We are drowning in despair
Reaching for someone to stop and truly care
We are starving for integrity,
Humility, and real love
And needing answers that only God can supply from above
I am so excited about this next Q&A with new author, Deandrea Moore. She has always been a great writer and now she is an author. Her new book, I’ll Take Wine With That is available on Amazon right now and a must have. Go grab you a glass of wine or water, and come enjoy this Q&A with me and Deandrea.
Tannika: Hello Deandrea, how are you?
Deandrea: Hello,I’m doing fine, considering everythingthat’s going on in the world. Although thingsare crazy right now, I feel that I needed thistime. I’ve definitely used it to myadvantage.
Tannika: You just recently wrote and published your first book, I’ll Take Wine With That. Can you tell me about the process? What did you learn? What was challenging? And what were the fun parts?
Deandrea: Yes, I just recently published my first book and it was a process that started in September last year. I learned a lot about myself and gained confidence in my writing again, which was probably one of the most challenging parts. Coming up with the idea for the book, the table of contents and the poems themselves were the fun parts. Coming up with the table of contents felt like coming up with a track list for a CD, but I wanted to do that first to catch the vibe of the book I was going for. Although coming up with the poems was fun, it was also challenging. In some of the poems, I had to really allow myself to be vulnerable in my writing, which is a bit difficult for me. I also learned that there are so many different styles to writing and poetry.
Tannika: I find elements of vulnerability, femininity, transparency, courage and self-reflection. But I want to know what is the theme of your poetry book?
Deandrea: The theme of my book would definitely be self-reflection, but broken into different sections. I have a couple poems about love, intimacy, the other side of love, and seasons in life, and making progress.
Tannika: What is the other side of love?
Deandrea: The other side of love is just the parts we don’t want to have to deal with or what happens after love is over. That’s why the different poems in that section are about jealousy, wanting to go back (tempting), and heartbreak.
Tannika: Why did you name your book, I Will Take Wine With That?
Deandrea: I named my book I’ll Take Wine With That because I use to drink wine as a coping method when I was going through things. I started going to counseling and I now use it in a responsible way. I also had a glass during writing several of these poems. I love wine as well.
Tannika: What is your favorite wine? I love the cranberry wine from Cooper’s Hawk.
Deandrea: My favorite wine, if I’m going for something cheap and good, would be Oak Leaf’s White Zinfandel. If I’m going for something really sweet, then it would be Stella Rosa Peach or Carlos Rossi’s Sweet Red.
Tannika: You talked about being depressed and coping? Why is it important to have these discussions about mental health in the Black community?
Deandrea: Yes, I was depressed and using wine to cope. We need to start having these mental health conversations in the black community because we’re not immune to mental health issues. We think that we can handle things on our own or they’ll just go away, but they must be dealt with. When we don’t deal with things we pass them down or we lose lives. Also, when we make sure our minds are healthy, then we can progress.
Tannika: You have beautiful poems and are a great writer! How has writing also helped you?
Deandrea:Writing has helped me to release some feelings I had inside. It has also helped me to gain confidence, not just in writing but in myself. Lastly, writing has helped me to be a little more open and vulnerable with others, but still protective of myself.
Tannika: One of your poems is titled Self-Love Story? What advice would you give young ladies to develop self-love and genuine confidence?
Deandrea: Yes, Self-Love Story is one of my favorite poems because this year is dedicated to that and getting back my self confidence. Advice I would give to young ladies would be to always make sure your cup is the first one you pour into, because if your cup is empty then you’ll find yourself drained trying to pour into others. I would also say to be selfless, but selfish with your time, energy, etc. Also, take time to find yourself and do the things that make you happy. Take time to practice self-care and not just face masks and pedicures, but mental self-care, making sure you’re working to become the best version of yourself. Don’t compromise your happiness for anyone or anyrelationship.
Tannika: Ok fun question. What is one fun fact your readers may not know about you and one fun thing you have been doing to cope with the quarantine and provide yourself with self-care?
Deandrea: Something my readers may not know about me is that I want to practice makeup on the side. Something fun I’ve been doing during quarantine to cope is learning how to do more hairstyles on myself, give myself pedicures and practice makeup.
For more information on writer and author, Deandrea Moore, and to order I’ll Take Wine With That, visit https://winenwords.com/.
Tannika Nikeya 