Page 2 – UNVEILED FACES

March 23 2021

Spring Cleaning

Have you been busy with Spring cleaning?

Often, as we look forward to warmer temperatures, this is when we focus on dusting and cleaning our homes, getting rid of old clothes, packing our winter clothes, and pulling out our raincoats.

At least, that is what I do; I look forward to this time of the year because I love spending time in nature and having picnics in the park. However, how often do we spring clean our minds – meaning the same way we take care of our physical space, we need to take care of our mental space.

It is imperative to cleanse our minds. We can do this by reading the Bible, monitoring the types of TV shows we watch, and being mindful of the music we listen to. Think about it as a mental detox – take a break from social media or emotionally exhausting activities.

Journal and spend time thinking about what you are thinking of.

As you take inventory of your thoughts, pay attention to your mood. If you realize that your emotions or thoughts control your mood, this may be a sign that you need to meditate on God’s word to destroy those thoughts in your mind. This is a challenging process, but it is necessary for mental clarity and prosperous thinking.

Romans 12:2 says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

I encourage you to spend time with your thoughts and allow God’s word to renew your mind today!

God loves you. Be Blessed!

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March 1 2021

What are you juggling?

In this image, I am juggling snowballs. Needless to say, due to the texture of the snow, this stent was short-lived, lol as you can see, I enjoyed what I was doing. I was focused and passionate about the current task. But in all seriousness, do you allow yourself time for joy- simple joy? This image was taken at the local park.

Life is complicated; there will always be challenges to overcome, but we can not stop living in the process. There was a time in my life; I only focused on the trauma I experienced. My mind was consumed with darkness and pain.

By the grace of God, I have processed a lot of my trauma. Please take note – healing is a lifelong process. Once I learned that everything changed.

When this photo was taken, I had many issues in my life, but I let go and experienced the moment’s joy. Now, I can enjoy and juggle simple moments no matter what happens.

Are you willing to let go for a moment and allow yourself to have a belly-shaking laugh? I pray your answer is yes.

Be blessed. God loves you!

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February 15 2021

Valley Of Emotions

Have you ever felt a plethora of feelings and emotions simultaneously? Joy and sadness coupled with depression mixed with a sense of hope and faith that things would change for the better one day. I’m sure someone can relate. I remember the day of this photoshoot; I was vulnerable and broken; it was a hot summer day, August 30th, to be exact.

I held myself tightly as the photographer snapped away, all while curious spectators gathered and took photos of me on their cell phones. No one truly understood how I felt internally, but this photo shoot was a life-defining moment. I promised myself that I would heal – I titled it “My Healing Journey.” Little did I know if we suppress one emotion, then we suppress every emotion. If we do not allow ourselves to feel the pain, we will never experience joy.

On the day of the photoshoot, I was still processing past traumas.

For the photographer to capture my testimony, I had to feel the past’s painful emotions, which was not too difficult to accomplish. I had an array of feelings – Hopelessness, despair, and depression. I may look broken and afraid, but shockingly, I also felt brave. I felt brave because I chose to walk through the valley of the shadow of death – Emotionally, I was bruised, but I did not allow the evil of my past to stop me from moving forward because I knew that God was with me. God blessed me with a measure of faith to believe that I could overcome anything.

Please don’t allow your self-perception to stifle your healing process. What we deem as broken, God sees as beautiful. Hold yourself tightly, trust God and let Him lead you from the darkness of your past into his glorious light. Allow yourself to feel again – feel the pain, and then allow God to overwhelm you with his presence and joy.

Be Blessed. God loves you.

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February 7 2021

The Road Less Traveled

Wow, it’s already been a week since my last post. It is my joy to check in with you. I pray that you are doing well. I am doing fine – it has been an interesting week, but God is on the throne. Just like you, I am still on my healing journey. Let me remind you that I post each week to encourage myself.

Contrary to what I initially believed, healing is not simple, pleasurable, or for the faint of heart. It takes much courage to face our past pain while still trying to live in the moment and balance everyday life. Sometimes it is necessary to take a moment and reflect on how far we have come on our journey. Had it not been for Jesus, I would not be where I am today.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I was not a Christian when I was sexually assaulted. The trauma led me to Christ; for that reason, I do not regret the things of the past. However, if I’m honest, this journey has not been comfortable; it has been quite challenging.

Early on, I had no idea what it meant to accept Jesus into my heart. I was a broken woman, and I needed a savior. My life seemed dark; I was hopeless. Much like this photo, my life was like an obstacle course. My path was not clear- similar to the debris and the falling branches in the image, I could not see past all the pain and trauma that threatened my existence.

But God is gracious; I praise him for his mercy. Lord, I thank you! Every day you give me new mercy, refresh my soul; you lead me in the paths of righteousness for your namesake. Please feel my heart; God desires to do the same for you. My life is far from perfect, and I will be healing until I meet Jesus in Heaven, but my path is a lot brighter than it used to be.

If your life feels more like the first photo, cry out to God and ask for his saving grace and mercy. You will be amazed. Allow God to change the landscape of your life. The decision is up to you; please choose wisely.

Be Blessed. God loves you!

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February 1 2021

Throwing Stones

⁶They said this to test Him, hoping that they would have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and began writing on the ground with His finger. ⁷However, when they persisted in questioning Him, He straightened up and said, **“He who is without [any] sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”** John 8:6-7

Have you ever been judged or criticized? Or were you the one diminishing someone else’s character? Truthfully, we are all guilty of speaking ill of someone.

Think about it…

It is easy to judge and make assumptions when you see a promiscuous young lady partying in the club, allowing men to disrespect her body. We may even speak negatively about her behavior. The problem with rash judgment is we are not familiar with her history. We have no idea what caused this type of behavior.

Maybe she was molested as a child, and she never developed healthy boundaries, self-respect, or self-esteem. Perhaps she modeled the behavior of those in her life. It could be she never learned the value of being a woman. We all have done things that we wish we could erase from our memory; Lord knows I have.

The same is true for the woman in the scripture. You see, she was caught in the act of adultery; people brought her before Jesus and demanded her to be stoned to death. Fortunately, Jesus looks at the heart of a person, not necessarily the behavior. Understand, I’m not disregarding this behavior or sin, for that matter.

My point is, Jesus is our savior, and he forgives our sins. If you have done things that you are not proud of, repent, express your sorrows to Jesus and turn away from your sin. Ask for forgiveness and receive it by faith. Forgive those who judged you, and forgive yourself for judging others as well.

Please take note that Jesus said, “He who is without [any] sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” The people walked away from the oldest to the youngest because no one was without sin.

Let’s be mindful of how we treat one another. A broken woman needs love, not judgment. Allow Jesus to restore and turn your life around.

Be blessed. God loves you.

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January 26 2021

Random Questions!

Hi Ladies!

I am just checking in! How are you?

I’m doing well! You know what, we are almost a month into the new year!

I pray that 2021 is off to a great start. From time to time, I love to ask myself random questions. The reason being, I like to check-in and see where my head is and what areas need to be adjusted.

Maybe you are interested in sharing the same exercise!

Please answer the questions honestly- this results in healing.

Please ponder on the following questions:

Have you submitted your heart to Jesus?
Are you seeking God for your purpose?
Are you living up to your potential?
Are you progressing in your healing?
Have you forgiven the people that hurt you in the past?
Have you forgiven yourself?
What goals have you put on the back burner?
Did you admit your faults and repent to God and the person you offended?

These are just a few questions to get you thinking. The intention is not for you to judge yourself. Show yourself grace and love; open your heart to healing and growth. I am very proud of you!

Be blessed. God loves you!

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January 17 2021

God is NOT confused

Have you ever felt lost and confused about what the future holds. I sure have! Sometimes I get overwhelmed because I am praying and seeking God for many things in my life. It is easy to get frustrated and lose hope; however, I decided that it is not an option. We have to remember that God does not follow our time table; instead, we are on his schedule.

I decided I will continue to seek God for direction and purpose. God knows what we need. Pray and ask God to align your desires with his will for your life.

If you desire to heal from past trauma, seek God first, and believe that he can restore you with all of your heart. God is a healer, and he loves you. Be honest with God; vocalize your struggles and watch Him move on your behalf.

God is not confused one bit.

Psalm 37:23 says, “The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step].” AMP

Spend time in God’s presence today and watch your life convert into a beautiful masterpiece.

Be Blessed. God Loves you.

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January 10 2021

SPEAK LIFE

I’m so stupid. I wish I were attractive. I hate my voice. I hate my hair; I wish it were curly, or I wish it were straight. I don’t like my lips, or my nose is too big.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Even if you haven’t used the same rhetoric, I’m sure you can think of times when you spoke negatively of yourself. For sure, I have done my fair share of degrading self-talk. I used to hate everything about myself—my hair, my eyes, and my smile, etc. Of course, childhood trauma played a role in my self-image. Likewise, I also did not take classes on loving myself as a child- most of us did not.

As an adult, I realized that critical self-talk was a learned behavior from my childhood. Women in my home were not celebrated – we were molested, raped, and beaten. We were belittled and degraded. I did not learn about self-love until I became an adult; the concept was foreign to me. It was natural to shrink and downplay who we were. Often we learn how to love ourselves as adults, and that is ok. We cannot change the past; we can learn from it. Remember, we are no longer victims.

I’m not trying to point fingers or exert blame on anyone. How can anyone teach something they had never learned themselves?

The great news is that we are adults; we are responsible for our healing. It is possible to unlearn destructive language and develop healthy self-love practices. That’s right; practices! Positive self-talk is something we choose to practice every day. Every day may not be identical. Some days will be easier than others. Honestly, when you feel at your worst, you need to speak life over yourself even more.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.” Proverbs 18:21 AMP

Basically, what we speak will either grow into rotten or healthy fruit. If we continue with destructive self-loathing words- we are speaking death. If we speak lovely and kind words about ourselves, we shall reap the benefits- this is speaking life.

The decision is yours. I encourage you to meditate on Proverbs 18:21 and think about what type of fruit you want to produce in your life. Please do not be discouraged if you do not see a change in how you view yourself right away. All fruit starts in seed form; trust that you are growing every day.

Be Blessed. God loves you.

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January 1 2021

Happy New Year!

I hope this post finds you well. I know I haven’t posted in a while, I miss sharing with you all.

Well…

Did you take time to reflect on the year 2020? I did! 2020 was an interesting year for sure. I’m sure you had your fair share of challenges but let us not forget the victories. If you are reading this post, you survived all the challenges that 2020 threw your way. Congratulations! That means you are stronger than you thought you were.

I’m proud of you.

I learned a lot about myself in 2020. For instance, in October, I battled COVID-19 and Pneumonia at the same time.

Horrible, right! Maybe not.

What I mean is- I was sick, really sick. I had no choice but to allow people to love and take care of me when I was too ill to do basic things for myself. I realized that it is not a sign of weakness if we need help and support from other people. It is not necessary to bore you with the details or the severity of that illness.

Obviously, by the grace of God, I overcame it. I am healthy and happy. Was it a battle? For sure! There were plenty of days; I was afraid and cried out to God. Yet again, God showed up and healed me. My point is that I can focus on an unfortunate situation, or I can focus on the fact that God allowed me to win another battle and see another year.

I don’t know what you suffered through in 2020, but I know a healer. His name is Jesus Christ. You do not have to carry the same trauma with you from year to year. Maybe you are struggling with the after-effects of the holidays and the memories that haunt and torments you.

God allowed you to enter into 2021! Maybe this is your year for real change and healing. Cry out to God; allow him to meet you where you are. He loves you more than you know, and he desires to meet your needs. Do you need emotional healing? Do you need healing from sexual trauma? Are you in need of love and acceptance?

Be honest, and receive his loving care.

Please feel free to email me your prayer requests. I’m rooting for you. Do not forget the good news- Jesus died for you! What better way to start the new year – Ask Jesus to come into your heart and save your soul and heal you from your past. Jesus paid the price for us.

Allow him to transform you from the inside out. I promise you will not regret it.

Be blessed.

God loves you!

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October 18 2020

Interpersonal Healing

As survivors, one of the most significant challenges is learning how to trust again. Often the people we thought we could trust were the very ones that violated us. It has been challenging for me to trust people. I lived behind a brick wall laced with an electric fence that would electrocute anyone that tried to get close to me. I learned how to hold people off at a distance; if anyone came within 6 feet of me, I became anxious and abruptly ended all communication.

I practiced social distancing before it became a national mandate. My desire for peace turned into a quarantine lifestyle. I had to be honest with myself. I reached a place on my healing journey where I realized I was lonely and unfulfilled. I prayed to God and asked for interpersonal healing; he answered my prayers!

It is essential to use wisdom and place people in the proper category in our lives. Still, if we allow fear to manipulate our behavior, it will control and destroy our relationships. I read tons of books that reinforced that we cannot heal in isolation. I was determined to be the exception to that rule. We must develop healthy social skills and learn how to set boundaries. How can we set boundaries if we avoid relationships?

Believe it or not, since people wounded us, we need healthy connections to aid in the healing process. I encourage you to look at things from a different perspective. Take a moment to think about your relationships. If you live life through the lens of distrust, you could miss out on the most genuine, healthy, and authentic relationships. I’m speaking from experience.

I allowed God to use specific people to demolish the brick walls and the electric fence. I admit, I still have residue from the construction site, but God is building a beautiful white picket fence with a guard, also known as the Holy Spirit. I am learning how to develop healthy connections. More importantly, I am learning how to trust again.

None of this is easy, but it is worth it. All of this takes a great deal of time and patience. I do not know where you are on your healing journey; if you are not ready to allow yourself to open up to healthy and fruitful relationships, that is ok. Pray and ask God to help you.

Allow this post to give you hope that one day you will trust again. One day you will experience the joys of being loved well by a great friend, and you will be capable of reciprocating that love too.

Be blessed. God loves you.

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