Taking a Faith Walk Into 2020

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We know that having even a little faith can move mountains, but what happens when you take your faith to the extreme, beyond what you would have imagined? How do you know your Faith has elevated?

- You become thirsty and your desire to quench this thirst is so tremendous you are overwhelmed with the triumph you are about to experience.

- You have hunger pains and no amount of food with satisfy this hunger until you feed on God's Word, the food for Life to nourish your soul.

Taking your faith to the extreme is more than a simple request for God to fulfill our basic needs, it is thirsting and hungering to fulfill God's will and purpose for your life. It is the point at which we become bold. It’s the level when we reach our breaking point.

The breaking point is when you endure through all barriers to complete your assignment, purpose and calling. Your extreme and unbreakable faith has prevailed. 

Keep walking with God and he will bless you beyond what you would ever imagine.

Lower Back Pain Exercises Sheilas Fit 50 Plus

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Women of Color Understanding "A Time for Change in Politics"

   

     While some consider the presidential election a big loss for women and particularly Black women, who polls suggest overwhelming supported Hillary Clinton, we experienced some big wins for women of color in major local, state and national elections.

     In federal elections, three women of color were elected to the US Senate, Tammy Duckworth in Illinois who is Asian-American and a former U.S. Army pilot who lost both legs in combat, Catherine Cortez Masto in Nevada, the nation’s first female Latina Senator and Kamala Harris, an African-Indian American who won with the help of 48% Latino voters from the state of California. 

     Three women were elected to the House including Pramila Jayapal in Minnesota, the first Indian-American women to serve in the House of Representatives and Stephanie Murphy, the first Vietnamese-American female. The state of Delaware is sending its first woman ever to Congress, Lisa Blount Rochester who is African-American.  In January, 15 women have been sworn in to the 115th Congress, 12 Democrats and 3 Republicans. Of the 104 women in Congress, 38 are Women of Color. 

     Women of Color also made strides with local elections. In Jefferson County Alabama, the county seat of Birmingham and the most populous city in the state, nine Black female judges were historically elected in district and circuit courts. Another Jefferson County located in Beaumont, Texas elected a Black woman, Zena Stephens to the office of Sheriff.  The county overwhelmingly voted Republican, but elected Zena who is a Democrat in a landslide vote. Orlando, Florida also elected its first Black Female Chief of Police, Val Demings.

     All of the mentioned elected officials won on initiatives that significantly affect women including quality healthcare, equal pay, economic disparity, immigration reform, gun control and racial equality. These wins resulted in voters choosing who they felt were the best candidates, which happened to be deserving women of color. 

     The value in getting involved in the political system can be of significant importance for women, our children and our future. We can start at the community level by being heard and seen in a positive manner. As newly elected sheriff, Zena Stephens says, “I credit my win to my long history in the community and building relationships across political lines.”

     We must look beyond what many women see as a defeat and if history has anything to do with our rise from adversity, we will prevail in breaking the Glass Ceiling.

What God Expects us to Resolve in 2017

Over the years, I have gone through various transitions when it comes to making new year resolutions. Years ago, I made resolutions mentally because it was a year-end tradition I thought I should follow even though having no clear understanding of the concept.  As I grew older, I began to look at my new year resolutions more seriously and wrote down goals I felt most important for each coming year. Eventually realizing I was writing the same goals each year and seemingly not accomplishing significant results, I turned to my spiritual life and focused on what God would want and approve for my life.

After significant research on the origin of making new year resolutions, I was encouraged to become more grounded in preparing my goals. Once knowing the religious origins and practices of starting the new year on the right foot had its beginnings over 4000 years ago, I understood God is the reason to make resolutions for the coming year as opposed to relying solely on my self-centered needs and limited actions.

The opportunity to make a fresh start is very exciting.  Like most people, I eagerly await what God has planned for me in 2017. I believe phenomenal things will happen and I understand there will also be challenges. I am at peace with new year resolutions because I know at the beginning and throughout the year I rely on God to guide me to actions that would serve him, my family and my community. My goals now have a higher purpose than as a very young adult. As I take time to reflect on 2016, the accomplishments and the challenges, I know without a doubt that resolving to have a better relationship with God has exceeded everything I could never have done on my own.

Happy New Year and May Your Relationship with God increase in 2017

Core Exercises

Working with Senior Citizens on their Fitness Goals

can be rewarding.  Many cannot do floor exercises so I use a Bosu Ball to elevate them.

RISING ABOVE ADVERSITY TO FIND SUCCESS

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Tracye Smith - From the Boardroom to the Jazz Room!

Check out the April Spotlight 50! Tracye Smith has smooth jazz vocals and smooth moves at the executive level in corporate America.