A PANORAMIC VIEW OF CHRIST

In trying times...Let Go & Let God

2008-11-24T19:42:00.000-08:00

My prayer for the world

In the middle of the turbulence surrounding you
These trying times that are so hard to endure
In the middle of what seems to be your darkest hour
Hold fast your heart and be assured

This too shall pass
Like every night that's come before it
He'll never give you more than you can bear
This too shall pass
So in this thought be comforted
It's in His Hands
This too shall pass

The Father knows the tears you cry before they fall
He feels your pain, His heart and yours are one
The Father knows that sorrow's heavy chains are strong
But with His strength, you'll overcome

This too shall pass
Like every night that's come before it
He'll never give you more than you can bear
This too shall pass
So in this thought be comforted
It's in His Hands
This too shall pass

So set your eyes upon the mountain
And lift your hands up to the sky
And let His arms of love surround you
And take you to the other side

This too shall pass
Like every night that's come before it
He'll never give you more than you can bear
This too shall pass
So in this thought be comforted
It's in His Hands
This too shall pass

by Yolanda Adams

Working While Waiting

2008-11-04T18:27:00.000-08:00

January 2009 is going to mark my 4th year anniversary of being single. Society would definitely label me as abnormal and unbalanced. For it's not normal for someone to enjoy life and to do so without having a mate. As I thought about this great celebratory moment in my life, I was led to re-read the story of Ruth and Boaz in the Bible. A quick synopsis of the story would probably help you understand why I am celebrating this moment. Ruth was a young woman who had married an Ephrathite man from Bethlehem and got married only to become a widow ten years later. After the death of her husband she and Naomi,her mother-in-law moved to Moab.Ruth decided to go along with her Naomi,instead of returning to her homeland. So to take care of her mother-in-law ,Ruth decided to seek employment in a nearby field.While there in Moab, Ruth began to flourish in her relationship with God after such tragedy. Ruth was able to go out and seek employment to provide for her and her mother-in-law while in this foreign land. In search of a new life, I believe that Ruth no idea of what she would be getting as a result of being a woman of God. To continue on with the story, Ruth finds favor in the fields harvesting,then suddenly and unexpectedly caught the eyes of a man by the name of Boaz who she later married. Boaz, who was a physically impressive and an influential man, not only married Ruth, but he redeemed the family's inheritance since her husband died. Then finally, you guessed it..they had a baby named Obed and lived happily ever after.

Now I would have you to know that all this did not happen over night and there were certain things that transpired in order for this marriage to take place. Ruth clearly from this story in the book of Ruth had to have had a relationship with God to be so submissive to transition I call- PROCESSING. Many times as people,especially women,we want to believe that in order for us to be happy, those in our sphere must either resemble what we want them to be or change them to our desires. Which is not an effective way to being happy. But what about thinking whether or not the other person thinks the very same thing about you. As for myself I have been finding that in waiting for God to send His best for me in terms of a man, I have to get prepared, work now and submit as a single first and foremost to God.
How does that process work? I don't know. But I do know that there is an instructions' manual called the Bible that gives steps on how to go through the process, learn to master it and yet, remain happy in the midst.

So let us visit the instruction's manual on how Ruth did it and got results.
As I read the story there were key evidence of characteristics that Ruth exemplified that can help us as human beings on not just waiting for a spouse, but waiting on anything. First and foremost Ruth had a relationship with God and family.So we must first develop relationships. Relationships with God and people that we like and dislike.Yes I said it.Living in an era where we see times are truly changing, such as in the case of America electing an African-american as president, we can no longer believe that we can grow and change alone.If such was the case,then why did God feel the need to place a woman in the garden of Eden with Adam and then to have them birth forth nations.

Gen 2:18 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

To know how the mind works, we must be intentional in seeking the purpose of a relationship and continue to do so until it is perfected in love. As a brother of mind said in his blog, "Being intentional in relationships with others usually means at some point, it will be very difficult to be in the relationship and will REQUIRE that you know WHY you're in that relationship." This also refers to being intentional in your relationship with God if you are not already doing so. So when the times comes to be united with your wife or husband, not saying there will not be communications errors in that marriage, but you will know the skills on how to recognize and fix the errors that arise.

Another characteristic displayed by Ruth, was that she was a servant.
We know this because when Ruth and her mother-in-law migrated to Moab, her first desire was to go out and work to provide for them both.

Ruth 2:2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, "Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor." Naomi said to her, "Go ahead, my daughter."
We live in a microwavable society where we want everything here and now without having to struggle for those things.Its true you can get things easier than others, but what would it profit one by not wanting to be patient and learn valuable lessons that will carry one through life? Successful leaders such Bill gates, Donald Trump and Oprah did not start out leading where they are now. They had to learn from experts in the corporate world, prove what they learnt, go through trial and errors and most important, they served first.Oprah started co-anchoring TV news in Nashville, and Bill Gates learned computers by working along with his Harvard professors, but we have a greater example which is Christ. His life was totally centered on pleasing His heavenly Father by serving mankind. So I am learning how not to just serve people in the church that I greet and minister to at the door or my family and friends,but EVERYONE. To the men especially, I believe that the most effective tool in being a great husband is to serve someone unselfishly on a higher level than you are even when when it hurts.Same goes for women desiring to be an effective wife in the home.

'I love the Lord with all my heart and soul." For some,this statement is a cliche then for others its what we truly do. Ruth undoubtedly had a love for God that it encompassed every area of her life. So much so that it caused her to find favor with man wherever she went. While being loyal,humble,serving and working hard, Ruth was able to find favor with Boaz so much that he allowed her to have security while on the job and food for her family.Thats the kind of love I want to be drawn to me.As a christian, I am usually challenged with my love for God because I tend to place emphasis on what I have said to Him and not what I can do for Him. God cares more about actions than words.So if I want a man that loves me and the Lord, then I need to evaluate my love for Christ and people now as a single woman.

Finally, Ruth exemplified a characteristic that is often difficult and yet, simple to God. Ruth was a confident woman of God who trusted in God daily.

There is no way that I can ask God to bring a man to me if I dont know how to trust Him in daily situations that I am going through now or will go through later. If Ruth trusted in herself and her situation to fix it alone, I don't know if God would have honored the desires of her heart. So the next question I have to ask myself is whether I totally trust God to do what He wants in my life and not be shaken buy it.
Then and only then, will He qualify me to receive His blessings.

I made a working-while-waiting list that guides me as a single woman.

Few desires of my future husband:

A God-fearing man- ask self are you God-fearing in all your ways?
A patient and tenacious man- are you patient and tenacious with God and people?
To be loyal and hardworking- are you loyal in your relationships with friends and family and mostly, God?
A man who knows the importance of sacrifice and servitude- are you serving with a pure heart and do you sacrifice your life for others now? without complaining?
A good steward and provider- can God trust you with what you have now and are you using your paycheck to advance the kingdom?
A man that hears from God and one I can trust-are you hearing from God and can God trust you to do anything to glorify His name?

So I hope you see why in January 2009 I will be celebrating and not moping. Because as God continues to show me who I am in Him and want in a spouse, He is giving me opportunities to perfect these things and more NOW. Of course I won't be totally prepared, but I will have enough wisdom and knowledge on how to go through a marriage.This I must be grateful for and to not rush the process of true love so as to be an effective woman of God, like Ruth. So until then..I am working while waiting!!!!!

LONELINESS-STATE OF MIND OR FEELING?

2008-10-11T10:30:00.000-07:00

We live in a world where success, happiness and love are defined by what we possess and who we're with.I agree that yes,the amount of things we possess may be perceived as a level of success, but in who's eyes do we consider what true success, happiness and love is?
Like a chameleon, our lives are meant to go through transition no matter who we are.
If you're life is not changing then you should begin to ask yourself is it you or are you fighting nature and its purpose for your life. As for myself, this statement is a part of who I am as a young lady now and becoming later on.
One of the things that I have been challenged with and meditated on recently is that why in places of where people are in vast numbers, how is that even with family,friends and even a soul mate, we still tend to feel a sense of loneliness? Loneliness is defined as being without company. Okay, so if this is the definition then why when in the presence of company we still feel lonely? This experience can be so painful that in most cases in society today it results in suicide.I am convinced that by following the word of God it can get you two things- the result you want or the result GOD wants. If you are of christian faith then you know the only 'want' that matters is what God wants and NOT you.
Growing up in a home where a family member or friend was always present, I would often isolate myself. I know you're probably asking why was that.
Well I have been trying to figure that one out myself as well. Until recently attending university and a campus filled with activities and ways to make friends, I am still isolating myself when the activities or people don't interest me. So as the weeks went by and I realized that I have not been able to find my niche of like-minded people, I started to get to...well...lonely.
Of course I got frustrated but who was I frustrated with? At myself or at God who is the control pilot gearing my plane? As a result it brought me to the place of asking myself why am I feeling lonely now more than ever at this point in my life?
The reason I say this point is because there is so much I am grateful for and have accomplished at 24 years of age,motherless,single,a new college student at one of the top black schools and a foreigner in a strange land. Don't get me wrong I have people that I talk to and hang out with, but they don't neccessarily keep me happy all the time. So my question has to be answered. So it was.
I decided to sit in a dark room, quiet, still and eyes filled with tears I asked again why am I lonely in this new place? I know that I am very friendly, but that was not it.After a few minutes, the response given was that I feel lonely but really I am not??!!!!! Yeah, going back to what I previously mentioned about whose eyes was happiness defined in. Well apparently I was drawn back to the word of God that says in Deut 30 verse 6," DO NOT BE AFRAID OR DISCOURAGED, FOR THE LORD GOES WITH YOU;HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU." God has and is the only one that does not lie to us when everyone else does. So if He has not forsaken me then that means not only is He always around me, but i should never feel lonely.
Which brings me to my next question. Are we as human beings lonely because we desire to be with someone or are we just really empty and have no understanding of contentment internally. This was where I found myself. Basically my instruction at the end of my time alone in that room was to be still, wait, allow HIM to fill me and show me true love and that my niche of people were being prepared for me.
Another reason that was given to me through someone else was what if you go out and seek people and things that God did not desire for your life and then they become influential in some form or fashion and destroys me as a person? That statement really got me!!!!
Now, to combat that loneliness is a state of mind and not a feeling, I am learning how to spend time alone, enjoying my own company and being joyful and when the feeling comes again, I tell my father WHO IS ALWAYS AROUND TO LOVE ON ME SO IT WILL GO AWAY.While waiting to be surrounded by a niche of people whose company I enjoy I am letting God love on me and show me new ways of being internally content and fully grasping that LONELINESS IS A STATE OF MIND AND NOT A FEELING.
So if you're like me or the millions of people around the world, there is nothing or no one that can truly make you happy and not feel lonely again. Because when that thing that you accomplished has been done or that soul mate you have been waiting on comes, you can still get lonely. According to the word of God there is no money, material or person that provide true happiness. Which means that a process of where you need to groomed, confident and sure of who you are and what makes you You , needs to occur.In diagnosis of this plaguing disease called "feeling lonely and depressed", the only prescription that will cure this problem is getting to know of someone by the name of JESUS. He works in conjunction with God and the Holy spirit who resides in you. But to get to them, you dont have to make an appointment, you must first ask them to come into your life and fix what's wrong and then you can be healed!!

If you have any questions or concern please shoot me an email at ladylorneka@gmail.com

CROWN OF DIAMONDS OR CROWN OF DEVELOPMENT

2008-07-02T16:05:00.000-07:00

HELLO TO MY DEAR FANS, I KNOW ITS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I BLOGGED BUT I'M BACK ON BOARD. LIKE MANY OF US LIFE CAN SOMETIMES GET SO BUSY THAT THERE AREN'T ENOUGH HOURS IN THE DAY TO COMPLETE NEEDED TASKS. AS FOR MYSELF I HAVE BEEN IN WHAT I CALL A TRAINING COURSE THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET.THIS TRAINING PROGRAMME IS CALLED THE MISS BAHAMAS WORLD ORGANIZATION. I WAS CHOSEN AS A CONTESTANT MID MARCH AND MY LIFE HAS NEVER BEEN THE SAME.
AS A LITTLE GIRL GROWING UP IN NASSAU, DURING THE MONTHS OF AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER I WOULD BE THE ONLY FAMILY MEMBER JUST BELOW THE TV WHICH WAS HELD WITH A HANGER AS AN ANTENNA(LOL) IN OUR FAMILY ROOM WATCHING MISS BAHAMAS BEAUTY PAGEANT ON A SUNDAY NIGHT.LITTLE DID ANYONE KNOW THAT ONE DAY I WANTED TO BE SEEN ON THAT STAGE WHEN I GREW UP.THAT CAME TO PASS FOR ME THIS SUNDAY JUNE 29TH, 2008 AT WYNDHAM RESORT IN NASSAU BAHAMAS. NOT ONLY DID I WALK ACROSS THE STAGE BUT I WAS TRANSFORMED INTO A MORE VIBRANT, CONFIDENT AND OUTSPOKEN YOUNG WOMAN.
NOW I WILL NOT HAVE YOU TO THINK THAT ALL WENT SMOOTH AND FINE DURING THE FOUR MONTHS. FIRST OF ALL, WE ALL KNOW THAT ANYTHING THAT REQUIRES GROWTH, CHANGE OR IS OF GOD HAS TO BE TESTED. AND SO I WAS. MY FAMILY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE OF ATTENDING COLLEGE THAT I WANTED TO TAKE MY SUMMER DAYS AND FLY EVERY SATURDAY HOME TO NASSAU TO LEARN HOW TO CATWALK, EAT AT DINNER,TAKE POISE LESSONS FOR PICTURE TAKING AND NOT EVEN ASSURED OF WHETHER I WOULD WIN THE TITLE OF MISS BAHAMAS WORLD 2008.IT WAS MORE THAN THAT.
I TOOK THE TIME TO VISIT THE WEBSITE www.missbahamas.net WEEKLY BECAUSE I SAW HOW IT CHANGED, GROOMED A FORMER CO-WORKER OF MINE INTO A VERY HUMBLE, VIVACIOUS AND KNOWN BEAUTIFUL BAHAMIAN WOMAN TODAY. HER NAME WHICH IS NO STRANGER TO US IS ANYA WATKINS- MISS BAHAMAS WORLD 2007. I WAS SO ENLIGHTENED AND IN AWE OF WHAT THIS ORGANIZATION WAS DOING AT NO COST TO THE GOVERNMENT AND WITHOUT NO PAY AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT I DECIDED TO GIVE IT A SHOT. MICHELLE MALCOLM, ONE OF FORMER ANCHOR WOMEN AT OUR LOCAL STATIONS HERE IN THE BAHAMAS CALLED ZNS IS THE ONE OF THE MANY SPIRITS BEHIND ALL OF THE TRANSFORMATIONS THAT THE WORLD GETS TO SEE BEFORE THE "BIG NIGHT". OTHER PAGEANT EXPERTS SUCH AS LESLIA MILLER, PIA GLOVER-ROLLE, ANISHKA, SHERVAUGHN, CHOREOGRAPHER ANTHONY SMITH AND JEROME SAWYER JUST TO NAME A FEW OF WHO WE SAW ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
THEY TOOK THE TIME TO ENSURE THAT THE CONTESTANTS GOT ALL THEY NEEDED TO PREPARE THEM FOR BEING A QUEEN...CROWN OR NO CROWN.I CAN TRUELY SAY THAT MS. MALCOLM HAS BEEN CALLED AS A WOMAN IN THIS LAST HOUR TO BE A LIGHT TO YOUNG WOMEN WHO SEEM DOUBTFUL OF WHO THEY ARE OR SHOULD BE IN LIFE. SO I TAKE THIS TIME TO SAY THANK TO HER AND HER TEAM OF GREATNESS.
NOW I ALSO GOT A CHANCE TO MEET YOUNG WOMEN FROM THE AGES OF 18-23 FROM ALL AROUND THE BAHAMAS AND ITS 700 HUNDRED ISLANDS AND BE ABLE TO STILL PUT DIFFERENCES AND LIFESTYLES ASIDE TO SUBMIT OURSELVES TO A GOD-GIVEN PROCESS. WE DID JUST THAT AND AS A RESULT WILL BE FRIENDS FOREVER. NOW GRANTED WE PROBABLY WILL NOT SEE EACH OTHER ON A DAILY BASIS, BUT I CAN SAY THAT I CAN CALL ON SHARANNA TO HAVE A SEMINAR WITH DR.MYLES MUNROE, VISIT OR VACATION IN HARBOUR ISLAND THANKS TO MISS HARBOUR ISLAND PARIS KNOWLES, WORK WITH SPECIAL CHILDREN THROUGH MISS GRAND BAHAMA KEREL PINDER AND JUST HAVE A GOOD TIME WITH PHILIPPA, CHASE ( MIZANI'S NEW FACE) AND ROBIN ROBERTS AND SHARE A CORNY LAUGH WITH MULTI-TASKER CHRYSTAL BETHEL AND OTHERS.OH I CANNOT FORGET ITALIA WHO WORKS AT NATIONAL INSURANCE. I WILL NEED MONEY BEING OLD(LOL)
LOVE U LADIES.
SO NETWORKING ALONG WITH BEING SEEN NATIONALLY ON A NEW TV SHOW HERE IN THE BAHAMAS ARE OTHER ASPECTS TO PAGEANTRY THAT I RECEIVED FROM THIS TRAINING.
ALL IN ALL LORNEKA JOSEPH RAHMING IS NO LONGER AND UNSURE OF WHO I AM OR WILL BE.
WAS IT NERVE WRECKING TO HAVE 7 JUDGES WATCH ME WALK ACROSS A THEATRE AND SMILED TIL MY FACE HURTS AND WHERE A 2 PIECE BATHING SUIT WHICH I NEVER DREAMED OF DOING IN FRONT OF HUNDREDS????? HECK YES!!!!!
BUT THAT NIGHT WHAT WAS SO INSPIRING AND AWESOME TO ME. THAT AFTER 15 BAHAMASAIR TRIPS AWAY THAT I WOULD GET MY PRAYERS AND MORE ANSWERED. BEING A CHRISTIAN YOU DON'T ALWAYS GET TO WORK WITH PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY YOU LEARN HOW TO BE THE SAME AND LOVE ALL INSPITE OF THIER LIFE'S DECISION. THE TEARFUL MOMENT FOR ME WHEN I WAS CHOSEN FOR A SPIRIT AWARD FROM PUERTO RICO'S VERY OWN CRITICAL BEAUTY HECTOR JOAQUIN FOR MISS CRITICAL BEAUTY BAHAMAS WORLD 2008. THIS AWARD WAS FOR THE YOUNG LADY THAT SHOWED AN AWESOME SPIRIT THROUGHOUT THE PAGEANT EXPERIENCE. THAT I CAN SAY I AM MORE PROUD OF THAN BEING CROWNED WITH DIAMONDS. THIS AWARD IS MY DIAMONDS FROM ABOVE.
SO I DO CONGRATULATE THE NEW QUEEN TENNYSE JOHNSON WHO IS NO STRANGER TO PAGEANTRY AND HONESTLY WISHED HER WELL EVEN THOUGH WE ALL HAD PERSONALITY CLASHES. WITH A FEW TOUCHES HERE AND THERE, ONE ON ONE TRAINING WITH MICHELLE AND HER TEAM SHE IS GOING TO DO WELL. THERE WERE TEARS OF COURSE WHO DID NOT GET WHAT AWARD AND THAT THE JUDGES MADE A MISTAKE...OK...BUT I HAVE COME TO REALIZE THAT WHATEVER HAPPENS IN LIFE GOD ALLOWS IT AND SEE WHAT WE AS HUMANS DON'T SEE. I HONESTLY CAN SAY THAT THE CROWN WILL DO MORE FOR HER SPIRIT THAN ANYONE ELSE...WHY? AS A FORMER CONTESTANT WE HEARD OF THE STORIES OF HOW TENNYSE WAS AND IS STILL KIND OF BROKEN AS A RESULT OF BEING IN A COMA. WHICH NO ONE OF THE "FIERCE FIFTEEN" WENT THROUGH. I AM NOT ONE THAT IS ABOUT TO START BASHING PEOPLE FOR THIER SUCCESSES IN LIFE AND I BELIEVE THAT LIKE IT OR NOT WE SHOULD ALL MOVE ON AND BEGIN TO RALLY ON OUR NEW QUEEN BECAUSE THE WORLD HAS ALREADY STARTED TO LOVE HER... SO WHO ARE WE TO SAY SHE CANNOT REPRESENT THE BAHAMAS.
IF GOD WERE TO UNVEIL OUR DEEPEST SECRETS AND CHARACTER FLAWS ON STAGE WOULD YOU WANT TO WHERE A CROWN AFTERWARDS. I AM SURE NOT.
SO MY LOVED ONES, BAHAMIANS ALL AROUND THE WORLD, TRAINERS AND FRIENDS WHAT IS DONE IS DONE. LIKE I TOLD MY DEAR GIRLS THAT THIS EXPERIENCE SHOULD BE THE BEGINNING OF A NEW CHAPTER FOR US ALL. WE CAN NOT LET 4 MONTHS OF TRANSFORMATION GO DOWN AS A CHEATING AND HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. THEN THERE IS THE WORLD THAT BELIEVES PAGEANTS ARE FOR PRETTY AIR HEADS. PLEASE RE-THINK AND FORGET THE PAST BECAUSE BEAUTIFUL WOMEN ARE BEING WELL GROOMED BEYOND A CROWN IN TODAY'S SOCIETY.
LOOK OUT WORLD YOUNG WOMEN HERE IN THE BAHAMAS HAVE FOUND AN AVENUE TO POLISH AND RE-CREATE THEMSELVES TO BE SEEN!!!!!

HAVING COMPASSION

2008-02-15T21:45:00.000-08:00

Tonight is one of those nights that I am feeling a way I haven't felt in a long time. That feeling of being so sensitive to the presence of God. I dont mean that feeling you have after sunday at church all hyped for a few hours. Tonight I was broken at work for a few minutes. I work as pharmacy technician and I got a customer who came to refill her medication and she wanted me to see what was wrong with her glucose machine. So I checked it, but the problem could not be fixed by neither of the employees nor the manager.so I called the glucose machine's manufacturer. I called and unfortunately enough the representative was not able to do anything so she asked me have the patient mail the machine to the company and they would send her another one at no cost.
I forgot to say that not only was the customer an elderly person, but she was Haitian, which i can identify with,being that I my family are descendants from Haiti. That moment, somehow I went from being busy in the work place to sitting down with her and explaining to her what needed to be done. Of course , it was too complicating and she had no clue as to what to do to. Here is where the spirit stepped in!!!!!!
Not pre-thinking like I usually do to see if I could help, I volunteered to ensure that she gets her machine mailed to her house and visit her home to check on her. I stepped back into the pharmacy to cash up her medication for her and as I was overlooking the register I saw this "fragile woman" posture herself in a position as if she were crying. WHAT WAS WRONG? Nothing!!!!!! It was only a woman so grateful and praising GOD because in all her years of living in United States no one stranger had for her the way I did for that moment. Family is not something she really has because her only child lives in Canada and an agent comes to see her and thats it.
If that's not overwhelming, what else is? It is so true that we are once a man and then twice a child. I briefly saw her as my own grandmother who passed and could not even walk with without her chest pains because of a disease called COPD. So after the night ended at work I came home and thought about this "fragile woman" and how I helped her. The point I am trying to make is that had I not been sensitive to the holy spirit, someone else in this cold world would have gone home into depression. BUT tonight through me, GOD OFFERED A HAND AND SOME HOPE TO THIS LADY. So i just wanna thank God for using me at work...and get this...it was no scripture reading or preaching...but just a demonstration of who CHRIST WAS AND IS...
No matter who you are in this world we all need someone to help us along the way. So my prayer tonight is that even though I am born again of the spirit there are times when I get out of character and Christ is not seen. I dont want to be so caught up in my life that I forget the reason my life was changed..which is to be my brothers' keeper...
All people want is for someone to show some type of concern and I am richly blessed with people who care for me, so why not THANK GOD by returning that care to a dying world????????

SELF IMAGE

2007-10-29T19:33:00.000-07:00

This blog has been in my spirit for a while now. But everything has its time when it shall produce fruit. Today we live in a society where image and reputation is everything. This can be categorized from the way we look,the house we live in and even the schools we attend. One of the things that I have realized is that this world does NOT care about no one but itself. Growing up as a teenager in a home with love and beauty from my mother and grandmother, I still struggled with my self image.
Now when I looked up the word self image in the Webster's dictionary, it is defined as one's own idea or self perception".Things can be perceived in so many ways. If I were to ask 3 students in a classroom to describe a picture painted by Michelangelo, I would get different adjectives from each student. Would any of them be wrong? NO. Why? Reason is that I asked them to describe to me what they saw, meaning what they perceive cannot be based on my answer. What I am trying to say is that we all perceive things differently.

My mom never gave me the perception that my self image was a problem. She always taught me that how I perceived myself was important. Question then is, why did I feel as though my physical shape was all wrong? I often thought to myself why is it that my friends have longer hair than I do? How come her hips are rounder than my mine or how my cousins were so much taller than I was? This my friends, was how I saw myself. In other words I thought and struggled with the fact that the way I was created was all a mistake. It even got to the point where I would starve myself and attempted to commit suicide so I won't have to worry about my looks anymore.There were other factors that came into play with my self-image. I admired artists such as Brandy, Tamia,Beyonce and Tyra for the physical appearances. The way they all dressed and how men would lust after them always amazed me. So I decided to fix this problem my way.I would have my mom take me to the salon to change my hair-style every 2 weeks, brought me new clothes and even lipsticks. To be honest after all that I still felt something wasn't right with me. That feeling that I had was all because it was not about my physical structure, but all internal. Looking like beyonce and adding weave to my hair was becoming exhausting and costly.

Years later, I came to know someone who would help me see that there was no mistake in the way I looked. JESUS.The scripture that I can first remember and never forget is Genesis 1:27-" So God created man in his own image, in the image of GOD he created Him;male and female he created them". This lead to another question.If God made me in His image then that means that I resemble him in a realm that I can not see. From the various science books of theorists and their opinions and how this world was created, they all concur that God is an awesome artist whose ways is mysterious.
Basically, as I take this time to encourage myself and have a wider view of what I should look like, I want you to sit down and look at yourself in the mirror and point out all those areas you dont like and ask why. While looking you should also realize unless you're a twin (whom by the way has differences), you are A DESIGNER'S ORIGINAL. There was absolutely no mistake in the way you look, how short or tall you are because you are made in the image of GOD. His image is radiant!!!!!!!
So what if I don't have nice hips like Beyonce, long hair like Ashanti or nice house like tyler perry, that's not the image I was meant to have. Friends learn how to wake up daily and love on yourself. TELL yourself daily no one looks like me, I am righteous,loveable,wonderful and I AM A DESIGNER'S ORIGINAL.
WHY? Because its the truth. No matter how much surgery you have, tattoos you add to your body or breast implants you have, YOU have to realize that your image must change inside first so you could be at ease with how you are on the outside. YOU ARE NO MISTAKE!!!!!!!

If you have questions on how to become confident about the way you look and feel as an individual, please email me at lornekajoseph@gmail.com

Strangers in my house

2007-10-06T19:27:00.000-07:00

When we get a call from our family and friends that they are coming over, we usually get prepared for their arrival by either cleaning up the house, cooking a meal or even purchase some new furniture so they would be comfortable.But there are times you and I both know where we would have them come over unannounced and we're surprised because they did not give us heads up they were coming over. Even strangers do the same thing. Well, what I have noticed is that not in only in my physical house do I have unannounced guests, but in My body there are some strangers that are residing and did not even ask for permission.

I don't know about you but I like to be called when having guests. Lately I have been so busy and consumed with unnecessary things that I have not realized the way I have been speaking and acting is because strangers- which I recognize as spirits have entered my body, soul and mind that there is an effect. I know that God lives within everyone who knows him personally and nothing can harm them because when a person gives their life over to JESUS, you are covered on every angle. But there comes a time when we open the doors to foreign bacteria. One of my desires is to become a registered pharmacist and I believe that I can do it. But lately I have been entertaining a stranger called FEAR. Right now I don't see the finances to pay for school, so I have allowed the fact that people have told me they have so many loans, even the fact that I don't like loans and also because next year is near and I don't have all I need. So what do you think began to happen? I started to doubt myself at work, ask others how hard is it and question God on if He even wants me to do this?
I know he does and all of a sudden I let the opinions of myself and man alter my dream with their words. Although we write them on paper and type them on a key board, those little things we call letters, put together to make up words,are so powerful that when spoken and thought of create situations for us.

So I sat down after a long day at school and began to re-programme my mind with some truth. What is that truth you ask? That TRUTH is what God said in his word about me. Such as I am the head, not the tail, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and that HE has not given me a spirit of fear, BUT of love and a sound mind. So as I began to speak these things to myself 3 days in a row, guess who got kicked out of my house( body)-FEAR!!! It was no longer welcome and it was time for it to leave and surely it did. Every now and again it tries to sneak through my door, but I dont let it in to stay no more.But I had to breakdown and do some re-structuring of my words and actions for this to occur.

As aforementioned, some stranger(s)came over unannounced. So that was not the only stranger who came along.There was another stranger by the name of LOW SELF ESTEEM. The reason I call them strangers is because when someone comes to know light like I did, all things which are not like CHRIST is an enemy and must go!!!!
Recently I came off of a fast for a week and I wanted for my eyes to be opened to the things I do that destroys my character as a young lady. One of those things was the fact that I tried so much to please people even when I knew it was wrong- which revealed my lack of trust in GOD.I would tend to please and do things for people as to not make them upset and cease confusion, but the inner voice said to STOP IT!!!!!
God has not called you nor I to please anyone but HIM. Now don't misunderstand me, we must do our best to love one another.But If I please Him first then I will automatically please everyone else in my life. I had it all confused. So here again I had to do some re-programming in my mind just like a computer and add some new software that would kick out this stranger called LOW SELF ESTEEM. As long as we are living on this earth we cannot please everyone, especially if we are followers of CHRIST. The bible tells us that to love God we must hate evil- the way the world wants me to live. You see, the world wants you and I to stress ourselves out,get weary inside and out once we please the other party,in the end- we are unhappy by what we did. I no longer care to please people because I hurt not only myself but GOD in the end. And just think about it for a minute when I always wanted to please people, they never asked how I felt or questioned my actions- they just wanted what they wanted at the time.
After it is all said and done,these very same people forgot about me in the long run. Don't let this happen to you.

I dont know who has entered your house unannounced and has been residing there without permission. It might be poverty, lust,lies,jealousy, pain,anger, sickness or even an addiction that is taking over your life. Whatever it is find a way to get some new software(the word of God), begin to re-programme your mind on it and GET IT KICKED IMMEDIATELY. Remember things unlike God is an enemy and a stranger to you and I.
If you dont know how or where to find new software to begin re-programming your mind, you can email me at ladylorneka@gmail.com or send me a message on my blog page ladylorneka.blogspot.com and I will help you write some evictions notices to those unwanted residents in your home- which is your body!!!!

TO GET THERE, I MUST GO THROUGH FIRST

2007-09-02T18:16:00.000-07:00

As I sit and begin to think about my recent times of being a christian, there was never a time that I could say that I did not have trials along the way. From the times of being molested,lost of loved ones,migrating to a foreign country and finding out who I really was in God were all challenging. I have encountered some bumps and some deep holes, but somehow it was not meant for me to stay on those bumps or to remain in those holes I encountered. I know that nothing great is ever accomplished without a few challenges along the way. Sometimes you probably feel the same way as I do and ask why do I have to go through the things that I do or right now? I am reminded that when I gave my life over to God, that meant everything and that he can do whatever He wants because I could't run my life any more on my own. Literally, that means that I, Lorneka, can no longer call the shots in my life and I must deny all my rights and let him to do as he pleases. To my amazement, I didn't know how or when this was going to happen, but let me tell you that its taking place at great extents.

Don't get me wrong I am not saying that God only gives me seasons of pain and trials, there have been and are now many days of spring flowers from Him. But first, He had to bring to the end of myself.Last night as I was getting ready for bed this analogy was brought to my spirit. When we become christians and confess our sins to live a new life, its like you had the key to a door, it only was able to fit when I forced it to work and that was only for a short period of time that it stayed open. From time to time I would take the key and make it work when I wanted to, but GOD is saying to let Him hold the key and let him open it when he wants to, the way he wants and how He wants to. And when the door is open there is no more forcing it and trying to turn it in such a way so it will remain open. Also when He opens it no man, woman,boy,girl or spirit can close it. Now that I have given him access and the password to my life which is JESUS- there is no more manipulation and Life is grand!!!!

The daily trials of life try to paralyze me, but they will not prosper. I am to the point in my life where I have to encourage myself constantly in order to remain strong in the Lord. Is it a fight? Yes it is, but in the end I am victorious. Let us remember that before Jesus was called to the cross he endured some disturbing things here on earth with mankind. But like Him, I don't want a few bumps and holes stop me from where I am going. So if we are like him, made in the image of our heavenly FATHER, we too, shall be persecuted, lied on, cheated on, used and abused, cursed out and even be labeled as things that we are not.Whatever those tests are, know that "everything is working out all for your good." As we speak, God is using his key to allow my family to not understand me and what I believe, he is allowing people to lie on me and to not defend myself, my finances to go throught a tight period and for tasks on my job to become complex to see what I will do. In doing so, he is waiting to see if I will quit or believe his word for my life or to walk in the fact that HE told me he would never give me more than I can bear.I already know where I want to go but he knows the right paths.

To get there, I must go through. Where is there?
-For me, there is..to become a radical woman of God, I must go through as a christian.
-There.. to minister and disciple others, I must first be discipled and mentored by someone who knows how to disciple and take correction when necessary
-To get to pharmacy school and become a pharmacist, I must go through on my job as a technician and carry out someone else's vision
-To become a wife, I must be challenged and proven in relationships with loyalty, trust,dedication and be able to submit to all my authorities NOW.
-To get to the place where the opinions of men don't matter, he first has to let people use and abuse me and see how I handle it
-To become a millionaire, he must first see how I can budget a monthly salary,decipher between needs and wants or when sacrifice is needed
-To become a leader, I must be able to first take some pressure from others(which I am experiencing now), stand up for others, get lied on, help others when it's not convenient for me and even do the word of God even when it does not make any sense.For the bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 1:27"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;...."
So tonight, whatever God has you to go or going through now, you and I need to realize its not a hop and skip away.THERE IS A PROCESS WE MUST GO THROUGH. I live and dwell on the fact that my life is no longer mine and I must say YES to his will even when it hurts and let him take me through whatever HE wants. Don't believe as well that he will let you go through alone, there are people he has out there to assist us and if you don't have anyone, ask him and he will begin to place the right people in your life to help you, just as HE did for me.

So if you have given him the key and keep taking it back because you dont like the way things are going, give it back to him just tell right now "NEVERTHELESS, NOT MY WILL BE DONE, BUT YOUR WILL."(luke 22:42). All he wants is a yes from you and I.I have decided to say yes now what about you?

If you have questionsor need to talk, email me at ladylorneka@gmail.com

THANKSGIVING DAY

2007-08-16T21:42:00.000-07:00

When we think of thanksgiving day we begin to envision ourselves sitting in front of the dinner table with a large turkey, family and friends from out of town and for us women out there- shopping sprees like never before. For me I didn't even want anyone near my mother because I was waiting for her to give me the right leg of the turkey, yeah that's how much i loved turkey. Not much a fan of turkey anymore.That was the old mind set of lorneka . Today I no longer wait for the 4th sunday or 25th of November 2007 to celebrate Thanksgiving day.

August 15th, 1984 a woman by the name of Lorette gave birth to a beautiful little girl. Now before this came into a reality, I must give you a background of the forces that came against this life. First of all, the pregnant mother was only 17 years old, just graduated from high school and the man she dated was twice her age. To her dismay while being away from home, she was offered a scholarship to attend any college in the U.S. of her choice to obtain her bachelors degree. Which meant that this woman had to make a choice- free education or become a young mother. After all was said and done the woman chose to have the child and turn down the scholarship. Yeah I know people told her, and maybe even you who are reading this are saying she was crazy for not taking the scholarship and have the baby. If that woman decided to take the scholarship I WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN HERE BREATHING THIS MORNING. The pressure was so intense especially from her family and loved ones that she was going to have an abortion, but something in her said NO. That something was GOD. There even came a point where the house my mom stayed caught on fire and she was sound asleep.This incident happened in two different locations. So you see there was purpose behind what happened. What the enemy meant for evil was turned around for my good.

So I stand here today to say that November is too far to wait for me to be thankful. As I celebrated my 23rd birthday on yesterday I woke up all cried out because I remembered where I came from and what my family and I had gone through to be here today. Sometimes we believe that we need to receive the big things in life to be thankful, but if we are grateful in the little things and begin to tell God how grateful we are, then He would bless us with the big things. The bible tell us in Psalms 100 that we should"enter His gates with thanksgiving and enter His courts with praise and bless His name for the Lord is good.....". This is being not only thankful for some things but in and FOR all things.
There are days when I feel that my life has taken a bad turn but on the other side, when I calm down and collect myself, I realize that my blessings are so great that I should not even complain.
I thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit who comes to bring conviction and bring my mind subject to God's will. And His will is for me is to appreciate all I have been through. I dont have a Christmas list ,but I do have a thanksgiving list.

I am so thankful:

That my mother did not have an abortion and that she sacrificed her future for me
I no longer to go to bed with no food to eat because I now am able to work and support myself.Thankful to have people in my life who care for me
I live in a home with no rent and don't have to lie to the landlord because there was no way for my family to pay the rent
That I was only molested as a child and not RAPED
I have clothes and shoes in my closet ( in numbers), than the three pairs I had in the past
I no longer have to go to sleep with no lights and water to take a bath in
I dont have to borrow money to purchase my mother's medicine
I am not involved with a man that uses and abuses me
I do not have kids, even after the fact that I had premarital sex
My college tuition is paid for and I dont have to work 2 months in order to take 1 class
I have a car now to drive instead of standing on the bus stop, few months ago getting wet by cars in the pouring rain waiting for 2 hours for the next bus to come
I have full use of all my limbs and I am not hospitalized
I dont have a sexually transmitted disease or dying of AIDS
that GOD EXTENDED HIS GRACE AND MERCY toward me and gave me another chance at life!!!!!!!!!!!

The list could go on and on but I dont have enough space for it all.What I am trying to say here is that no matter how dim your situation may be right now, I am guaranteed that there is something that you can be grateful for right now. I may not be on drugs or having baby-daddy drama, but I do act foolish and complain about what I dont have, BUT TONIGHT I realize I have so much. So as for you I encourage you to take a few minutes or even seconds to think of one thing you are so grateful for and begin to praise God in your own way for it. It has only been in the being grateful for the little things that I am seeing many blessings reign down. Wanna see a change in your attitude and atmosphere? Then be grateful everyday for just one thing and watch God elevate you.