Past Due

It has been thirty days past due since I have written an excerpt in my blog. I have had many whirlwind of experiences. God has been so good to me. He is so faithful despite the depths of my heart. I am in a lifetime season of trusting in Him. I thank God for the lessons I have learned and are learning. The beautiful thing about the process are the little ways God says, I see you daughter. The way he reminds you how much he loves you and that He is with you. Today a man at the school I work at said to me..."You have a nice smile. Every time I see you your smiling. Your going to go far."  Wow! I thank my father in heaven because I know that was Him reminding me of my purpose and my calling and what He created me for. How sweet is His spirit. How beautiful is His name name. Jesus you are worthy! Im in Starbucks right now listening to Oceans by hillsong and just worshiping my Savior. He is so good ya'll! So this past month has been crazy amazing and challenging. I am preparing to enter into school to obtain my bachelors degree. I had been courting/dating someone very special and recently decided to put a hold on our courtship. I have been diligent in becoming a whole woman of God and being obediant. So as joyful as this season has been, it has also been challenging. God reminded as soon as I checked my facebook that,"What God has for me is for me." That was complete confirmation and he reminded me to stop stressing and worrying and to trust Him completely!! Who knows me better and what I need better than my Savior who created me. WHo knew me before I was in the womb. The creator of all things! I am so blessed because I have been hearing God so much in this season. He has been pruning, tearing down, UPROOTING, pouring in, filling up places in me and Im grateful. God also reminded me of who I am. He said daughter what did I name you? Jasmine Nicole! Jasmine means Gift from God and Nicole means victory of the people; Victiorious....will he not do what he called and purposed me to do?! Wow...im just remaining in position. Thank you Lord for your peace. I trust you. I love you. Glad to be on this life journey with my Lord and Savior!


Flowing from my heart,
Jasmine Nicole

Power of Potential: Beginnings...

I believe that everyone has the potential to be anything they want to be. I believe they have the potential to shift their nature, attitude, ideas and thinking that does not add to their life. Growing up in a dysfunctional environment has really pushed me to further study this theory more and give hope to the hopeless and power to the powerless. Nature vs. Nurture is an important aspect to my point. Nature is what a person is biologically predisposed to and Nurture are those environmental factors such as experiences that shape us.  I believe that an individual who may be genetically predisposed to being an alcoholic, drug addict, abuser, obese has the potential to shift those dispositions and change their lives for the better. I also believe that an individual who has experienced  any type of abuse as a child, any trauma or any dysfunctional experiences that shaped them to grow up having various mental issues  can shift that. 

I grew up in dysfunction myself. What I see in my own family is the passing down of legacies of dysfunction. Instead of building wealth and passing down wealth transfers, strong values and morals and a legacy of worth; I see brokenness, poverty, abuse, ignorance being passed down. My grandmother could only raise my sister and I with what she had to give.  My mother and father did not possess the capabilities to raise me with strong values because they did not posses them themselves. My mother suffered from abandonment issues, trauma,  loss identity, brokenness, no self worth  and someone as herself couldn’t give two daughters what they needed to thrive and be successful. My father was a mama’s boy,  and just as my mother he also dealt with abandonment issues, no sense of identity or self worth, alcoholism, drugs, trauma and brokenness. As much as I tried to believe that I was different and would never be like them…I would soon come to learn that the damage had already been done.

“Some things in life just aren’t fair. But it’s up to you to decide if you are going to do something about it or succumb to what has already been done. The awesome thing about being a participator in your damage is seeing how God can turn your darkest moments into His greatest victories that will in turn help countless amounts of people.”  I always call my childhood or relate to it as the Cinderella Story. As much as I love, respect and appreciate my grandmother, she sure put it on me in my youth. I do have to admit I was a bit of a firecracker. I remember when my grandmother obtained full custody of my sister and I. We began living with her and slept in the same room as her. I loved my grandmother to death! I remember always hugging her, giving her kisses before going to sleep and praying for her. My grandmother was my everything and I felt loved. But as I begin to grow up I began to notice a difference in how my sister and I were treated.  I grew up feeling not good enough, and always trying to make others happy. I would always call myself a servant and hated it! I hated that my grandmother always made me clean her room, wash the clothes, get her things from her purse, clean her closet and the list goes on. While my sister had it so easy. I would get slapped and spanked for doing things wrong that didn’t require that type of discipline. One school year my grandma bought my sister new clothes and shoes and said there wasn’t enough money for me to get new things so I just got one pair of shoes. As a child my mind told me that I wasn’t good enough and loved enough to receive what my sister received. My sister got her permit and license and I wasn’t able to when I came of age. I was so angry and as I grew up the anger, resentment, hatred began to grow with me. I literally hated my grandma. Yes, I said hate. I know that may be shocking but I felt like no one loved me. I guess my two bestfriends were anger and hate. So I tried to behave in ways that would make my grandma happy. Though it didn’t always work because the anger caused me to act out in ways that she didn’t like, so I got into even more trouble. I remember writing a note to a boy in 1^st grade saying do you want to kiss me. I got in so much trouble and my grandmother threatened to send me to an all girl’s school. But even at a young age as 6, I was looking for love and attention. I’m  surprised we had branches left on our tree from all the whoopings  I received. My family was very critical and constantly  made fun of my African features, my behind. I am happy to say that today I embrace my African culture on my backside!  Why did I have to be treated so different? I always felt like I was different and the odd one out in my family. When family would come over I would stay in the family room for a litte bit then make my way to my bedroom. I enjoyed being alone and hated it at the same time. I felt like I could relate to no one.  I remember praying as a child because I would feel so much pain and lonliness. I was suicidal and literally had a way in how I would go about killing myself. The best thing my grandmother gave me was taking me to church so that I can know Jesus. If it wasn’t for Jesus I would be dead. I would not be here writing this book to help countless others who need to Ignite their lives to Movement. The one thing I held onto as a child was that if you commit suicide you go to hell and it may not be true to some but it was the one thing that saved my life and God used it to save mine. Being introduced to Jesus was my nurture. It was a pertinent factor in my environment that helped me to shift from killing myself. Even though I didn’t have any self worth, I had a little bit of some worth that caused me to hold onto Jesus. So I prayed and asked God why all the time, did I have to be treated the way I did. At about the age of maybe 8 or 9 my father molested my sisters friend while she was spending the night at our house. This news was devastating, embarrassing, traumatizing and I would later learn would shift my thinking and my perception of men. I think the worst part about it besides this child being violated was that my family NEVER talked about it. No one ever sat my sister and us down, we never went to therapy or counseling to discuss what happened and help us to articulate our concerns and fears. When he was released from prison and moved back home I hated it. I had no respect for him, didn’t listen to him, I thought he should go to hell and I thought it was okay for people who commit a crime such as that to deserve to go to hell. So my mindset was completely in turmoil. I say that because my mindset and perceptions determined my actions, my reactions and how I handled situations and people. I am forever grateful to God because I could be lost right now. My experiences could have taken me out! But God! But God! But God stepped in and I said Yes! It took me until the age of 22 to really give my life to Christ. So the damage like I said before had been done way back when before I was born.

“It takes a lot to face your damage because it hurts.” As I sit here writing this book my heart is broken and it hurts to have to relive this pain over again. I sure thought because I am saved now that all the pain and trauma would somehow magically vanish. But I have come to realize that it is a process to being born again. Just as an embryo develops into a fetus and a fetus into a baby, I had to be developed and remolded again; but this time in Christ.  Jesus has to strip the layers of damage that has built itself up on us so He can get to the root of our pain. The beautiful thing is that when Jesus gets to the root…He can transform. He can shift. He can change. He can renew. He can make new.  Even though I am grown women today, I have little girl tendencies. As I write this back I am literally battling for my life, for that other woman, for that man, for that child’s life that I have been called to change.  My life depends on writing this book and yours does too because your reading it. I came across a quote that said “vulnerability is courageous,” and if that is the case then on this day I choose vulnerability. I release myself to be courageous. I release myself to relive my pain so that someone else’s life can be saved. This is the point where the litte girl inside of me will die so I can live as the warrior woman God created me to be. I choose to die so that I can live. This is my Rites of Passage.

Enable to live, unable to die.

What weighs you down can keep you stuck.

Keep Pressing

Im starting to come into the realization that I really cannot live this life without Christ. Sometimes I feel as though because I have been saved and baptized and I serve in the church, that I should have certain things overcome. But its not always that simple. This is my journey. This is my process and I trust the process. It might be ugly. I may stumble and fall, but I refuse to stay down. Im tired of allowing the devil to punk me. After all he has to get permission to come up against me. So he is just working in the favor of the Lord to help strengthen me. I keep hearing that I need to hate satan as much as he hates me. That I need to get angry with him because its time to move and Im tired of doing things my way and battling in the flesh. Jesus did not die so that I could keep sacrificing myself. I just want to overcome the barriers that try and keep me stagnant and not just because of me but because I have people watching me that need me to overcome and make it to the other side! I believe that we can and will overcome! That us overcoming our flesh, lust, pride, anger and whatever your issue is will accomplished and God will transform it to work for His good! Yes the process hurts, it causes us to take the scales off our eyes, to confront the past and to face ourselves. But when you come to yourself nd the process is complete. I can only imagine the freedom that will come and will be walked in when the process is complete.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-7

Spiritual Warfare

The weapons we fight with are not weapons  of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obediant to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every thought to make it obediant to Christ.
 2 Corinthians 10:4-6

It's never personal, it is always spiritual. Tell the devil "I cant hear you!" and keep it pushing toward Christ!! Have a God-tastic day!

Peace,
Jasmine Nicole

Heart Flow...

Challenging.Liberating.Molding. These three words help to paint a picture of my faith journey because what I have been through, good or bad, has helped me to understand life and my faith more clearly. I have learned that I am always evolving, growing and learning. That no matter what point I get to, there is always another greater level that I must reach and attain. Not for my benefit, but for the benefit of others. Every time I rise, someone rises with me and also vice versa. If I choose not to rise then someone falls with me. So I desire to live and lead a life of rising and in constant elevation. Significant moments: Grandmother passing away, running a 26.2 mile marathon, unexpectedly publishing a poem,  being declined acceptance to Universities, raising $2400 for LLS, family falling apart, working, volunteering, serving, giving, dealing with past pain/hurt and discovering who I am and whose I am in my Faith...this has all led me to this day. It is Thursday, May 1, 2014 and 5:35am and here I am desiring to serve in a capacity that have yet to serve in. These moments brought challenge, pain and tears. These moments freed me in my faith and helped me to take my eyes off of me and focus them on Jesus. These moments hurt and made me feel uncomfortable because there was some work that had to be done. These are the moments and there are more that have helped to see that my Faith is bigger than me. That there is a big world crying out for my experiences. There is a young woman who needs to know that yes you have been abandoned and hurt, but because I did the work and persevered, so can you. There are tears of a hurting nation that my shoulders are waiting to catch. There are voids within hearts that my love is ready to flow into. It is not easy but its worth it. That person's life is so worth it.  I have been fortunate enough to be surrounding and placed amongst Sheros. A shero is a woman who has impacted her community in tremendous ways. One of the Sheros in my life is my Pastor, LaQuetta Bush-Simmons. She is truly the essence and being of a Proverbs 31 woman. She loved me through every struggle, hurt and pain that was keeping me from fully operating in my full potential. She saw in me what I could not even see or imagine in myself. The beautiful thing about her is that she doesn't discriminate, what she does for one she will do for others. She is the giant in which shoulders I stand on. If she didn't accept her calling and trust God then what would have happened to me or the hundreds, thousands of others she has and will help. Her life is a testament in itself and a reminder that this life is not about me. That sometimes you have to lay your life on the line for others. That sometimes you have to love even when you don't feel like it. That sometimes you have to give when you don't have it, because the life that can be changed and the ones attached to those lives are priceless. Being in college has broaden my mind and thought. I have been immersed in cultural and religious courses that have allowed me to get a clear understanding of where I stand and where others stand. It is wonderful to be able to look through another's eyes and see the world in which they see it, so college has allowed me to better identify with others and also accept different faiths and see there purpose. Once you can identify with and accept an individual that is where the relationship can begin. You cannot allow your ideas and perceptions to cloud you so much that you cannot see others clearly for who they are. We must do the work. We must grow, learn and expand our thoughts in order to help the world. I'm reminded of a quote by Pastor LaQuetta Bush-Simmons," I will save the world, one person at a time." That is the key...that the one person you help will in turn help another and so on. So everyone's efforts when done with positive intention will be multiplied and manifested. It's the laws of the harvest. What you sow, is what you will reap.

Today.

Follow Peace.

Matthew 6:33

Jesus is so awesome! I hear him speaking to me. And I want more of Christ. I believe that I am right where Jesus wants me. He wants me to be hungry and thirst after Him. Some things dont make sense to me, but they dont need to. As long as my eyes stay on Jesus He will lead me along the waters of my life. In Matthew 6:33 the Word says: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. That is what I attempt to do everyday. I asked God to show me Him in everything. I want to see God in everything. I met a man named Mike today who really wowed me. He was a homeless man and I gave him some change and some resources on the Love of Jesus and such. As I was talking to him it was amazing how he said that he was fine and he began telling me he is at the spot everyday. He told me that he does believe in Jesus and that he prays often. He said that God meets his needs, he said that he cannot complain because God provides for him. This is a man who is homeless! Sits out of stores everyday with his dog. So I ask him if any churches have helped him and he tells me about his bad experiences with churches and that all they give is food and clothing. He shared that alot of churches dont help the homeless and there not welcoming. He did have a dog so he wanted the dog to be able to go in the church, but the churches (understandable) didnt allow dogs to enter. So he seemed upset with that. Then I thought...how can I help the homeless in a way that will truly make a difference. Food only last a day and then what? That homeless person then goes back to live on the streets. He shared that his two issues with being homeless is weather and police. I just dont understand the lack of help out here in a world filled with "so much help." We all have to do better. We have to work together to come up with programs that will REALLY help the homeless get off the streets. I know its alot! I know that they have issues! But we have issues! What if Jesus, our friends, our families gave up on us. What if they just gave us some food and clothing when that isnt what we need. It may temporarily make us feel better, but in the long run the issues arise. I want to do better. My heart is sad right now because as I sleep in my bed tonight, Mike is outside in the cold. My God..God please help your people. I often ask God why does the world have to be the way it is? How can I help your people? Can I even help your people? I know that Gods answer would be I created You. He created YOU and ME to solve issues and help people WITH Him. SO allow God to use you. Connect with others who are serving where you want to serve. Share your visions with someone and ask God for understanding and guidance. Write down all your visions, dreams, ideas, thoughts...and come back to them when the time comes. Seek God and you will find Him. Seek Him in everything you do.#Havetodobetter#itsnotaboutme#someonelifedependsonmydecisions#JESUSILOVEYOU#Worship#Praise#Amen Because of God, Jasmine Nicole

Trusting Jesus Without Borders

God is Amazing! God is Awesome! And He LOVES us so much!! He knows what's best for us. He sees for us. He covers us. Im just in awe of my King Jesus! I am grateful that I know Jesus! I am filled with joy and peace that I am His daughter and His bride. Jesus wants us to desire Him more than anything. He wants us to LOVE and want Him more than anything. He desperately wants us to return to our first Love...Him. I want more than anything for others to know the Jesus that I know. I want people to know they are worthy and valuable in Christ. I want people to know the Love that I know. The Love that keeps on revealing itself to me. The Love that loves me when I don't acknowledge my Love to it... He Loves You SOOOOO Much!!! His love is literally unfathomable. You cannot look upon Jesus with your own standards, because your standards cannot even stand amongst His. We have a tendency of putting Jesus in a box, but we can no longer do that. He is bigger than your issues, He is bigger than the vision He gave you!!! He is bigger than your bank account, He is bigger than your job, He is bigger than your ministry!! Jesus is so much bigger! So be encouraged that what He is preparing you for is BIGGER than YOU!! Whooo! Yes it is! So when you feel like you cannot go on, hold on, stay on, press on, push on, stand on...when you feel that, KEEP PRESSING!!! You are one step closer to where He wants you and the closer you get, the more lives you save! The more lives the person you save will save and so on. Keep Pushing!!! NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST YOU SHALL PROSPER!!! That's right Nothing, in the name of Jesus! YOU ARE MORE SPIRIT THAN FLESH!! Thats right! That means you do not lead by the flesh, but by the Spirit! So Rise Spirit Man Rise!!! THE GOOD WORK HE HAS BEGAN IN YOU, HE SHALL FINISH IT THROUGH! I believe in you...I'm praying for you. The person who is living in a box needs you. That person selling his body for money/drugs/whatever need you. That child that is neglected needs you. That elder who is lonely needs you. The adulterer needs you. The alcoholic needs. The crack addict needs you. That liar needs. The murderer needs you. We are to be like Jesus. The racist needs you. We are made in His image and likeness. As we strive to be like Jesus we must do what He did when He was being persecuted and crucified. We must PUSH on carrying the cross in which we are all to bear. Trust him. Believe in Him. He loves you like crazy and so do I. The Bible Is . . . Your Source of Strength Daniel 10:17, 19 (NCV) 17 Master, how can I, your servant, talk with you? My strength is gone, and it is hard for me to breathe.” 19 He said, “Daniel, don’t be afraid. God loves you very much. Peace be with you. Be strong now; be courageous.” When he spoke to me, I became stronger and said, “Master, speak, since you have given me strength.” Trusting Jesus Without Borders, Jasmine Nicole

Press

A month or so ago I was sharing with my Pastor that I feel a shift coming on and I was excited! I couldnt explain it but in my spirit that is how I could explain it...that a shift in me was about to take place. Now a month or so later I am struggling, lol. I have been through some trials, test, difficult times and that initial excitement has passed away. I was asking God what is wrong with me? Why do I feel discontent. I could see my blessings but I feel so out of it. So I have been UNCOMFORTABLE...but I know that being in that state is good. Being uncomfortable means that God is brewing something up. I may not like where I am but God has got me and He wont let me go. I may have let Him go but He wont let me go. So these past few weeks God has been saying press in my presence, push on, keep going, dont stop!! From the message, praise & worship, call to worship on Sunday mornings, radio shows, talking to others, encouraging others...He has been telling me to press. I also have a journal that says "Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over it became a butterfly." So that spoke to my spirit, because Im undergoing a metamorphosis. Who I was is not who I am going to be. God is transfroming and transfiguring me to look, think, speak, walk, love, walk, give, share...like Him. I was reading my Sister in Christ's blog , Ms. Tiara and it ministered to my spirit so much. The pruning process is what I am in. God is working out the kinks! He is preparing me, my character, my strength, my power, my knowledge, my relationship with Him, He is working "ME" out! Literally! He is working "Me" out and Him in me!! Yes it hurts. Yes it's painful. Yes the truth hurts. Yes you may discover wounds you thought were healed. Yes you may discover holes you thought were whole. Yes you may cry. But the process like my sister, Tiara said, "That pain will be the very thing needed to produce the type of character you will be required to have in the places He will take you." So press on Sisters & Brothers. Stand strong. Love like Jesus. God;s has got you. XOXO, Jasmine Nicole

Purpose is Bigger than You

Family can be so difficult, frustrating and just make you want to scream sometimes. I suppose God knew exactly what He was doing upon creating the families in which we have. Why he places us there is an answer that can only come along the journey. At times I wish that my family could just sit down and deal with all the things that cause the individual pain, the bitterness, anger, resentment and division. If we could just peel back the layers, take off the mask and cut the facades im sure we could really get to the root of what keeps families dysfunctional. The sad thing is, is that dysfunction becomes "healthy" and "healthy" seems dysfunctional. It is a matrix of false realities and the one who gets out the matrix are then obligated to go back and get those who remain stuck. The obligated ones, the ones that are deemed the "glue" because they are the variable to keeping the family together...those ones that carry the load for the entire family. To those ones I know how it feels. But God, He knows what he has equipped and made us capable of. It seems crazy to think the youngest in the family, the quiet one...could be the one variable to saving a family thus in turn saving generations to come. What if Jesus gave up? What if Jesus decided these people arent really worth it? What if Jesus said the pain was too much and the burden too heavy? What if Jesus chose the easy route? What if Jesus threw in the towel? What is Jesus said that ain't my problem? What if Jesus said im too tired? What if Jesus said the pain is too great? What if? What if?! What if?!!! Then today known of us would be saved. We would all be dead, tortured by our sins, decaying in our own self caused pain. The world as we know it would not be. It would probably have perished by now because of the corruptness of man. Lucifer would be roaming the earth as if it was disneyland, but the attractions would be those ones souls being tormented turn after turn. I say all this to encourage you and me to stand tall in our walk with Jesus. The devil is always seeking an opportunity to creep in and set something back. But thank God for Jesus! The setbacks are set up's for what God is about to birth in your life. I believe that you have the power to speak life to dead situations in your families. Speak death to the division, hatred, resentment, bitterness, curses...and speak life to LOVE, renewal, regeneration, rebirth. As I have been studying the book of John, I see how Jesus valued the family and loved His family so much. When Jesus was on the cross He made sure that His mother would be taken care of. That reminded me of the importance of leaving a legacy behind and unconditional love. Due to unconditional love you desire to want to leave things behind for your family and not just physical but love, morals and values. The disciples and Jesus were a family. Jesus loved them and he cared and protected them. Jesus knew the importance of keeping the family unit together. Jesus did not leave this earth without making sure that His mother was taken care of: John 19:25-30 25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman,[b] here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. The Death of Jesus 28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Family is important. God wouldnt have created it to be so if it wouldnt benefit Him or His people. So when the load gets heavy call in the troops (prayer warriors, elders, accountability partners, mentors, pastors) to help you to keep pressing toward the mark of the high calling. Your purpose is bigger than you. Your purpose is bigger than your vision. Keep pressing in Jesus' presence... XOXO Jasmine Nicole

Tired

Have you ever been tired? So tired that you just cannot help but to close your eyes. So tired that you cannot help but to shut your eyelids. Nothing you do will keep you awake because your body cannot do anything else but sleep...Have you? Well I'm tired...I'm sleepy and nothing I do is keeping me awake. But what Im tired of has nothing to do with sleep in the physical sense. I'm tired of seeing women sell there bodies to make ends meat. I'm tired of someone's home being a box from someones' 250 inch tv. I'm tired of the desensitization that takes place every single day. Im tired of seeing those who are blind to the hardships of others and doing nothing about it. Im tired of seeing families ask for money on the side of the freeway. Im tired of people having to go to the trash can to eat a meal. Im tired with the fact that there are people who can help but wont. I'm tired of people not knowing what the love of Jesus is and feels like. I'm tired of knowing that someone could be contemplating suicide and I may have walked right pass them. I'm tired of not being able to help. So to show you how tired I am I used the illustration in the beginning. That's how tired I am. It's time to do more. This purpose is so much bigger than me! God help me...God help us all to fulfill, complete, accept the call.

A rainbow in there cloud.

"Prepare yourself to be a rainbow in someone else's cloud."

-Maya Angelou

The World Is An Empty Canvas Waiting On New Thoughts To Think

Challenges. Trials. Setbacks. Depression. Complacency have set in. Okay! So shake it off! I'm praying, serving, reading, studying but nothing seems to be breaking the seams of these attacks that are trying to distract me. Every Sunday it seems like the message is just and especially for me. What did I do now? Where did I fall short now? My disobediance is warping how I see myself. Deformation and wholeness cannot reside in the same place. I want to be whole...the deformities seem to have a stronger hold. So then I PRESS! I Press! I press in His presence. I can hardly see His light. Its flickering to a dim gleam of light. Yes its frightening but Ive come too far to let darkness overtake my heart. I claim victory! No I dont feel victorious. But I claim victory! I will speak as if it were so til it becomes a manifestation within my soul and cannot help but to protrude out toward others you are not yet whole. So as Im on facebook yesterday. I had been giving divine confirmation that my uncomfortabilities are right-eous were God wants me. So thank you for the No's! Thank you for the evil looks! Thank you for talking behind my back! Thank you for your lack of support! Thank you for calling me fake! Thank you for not believing in me! Thank you for your doubts! Thank you for putting your insecurities on me! Thank you for trying to make me something that im not! Rejection has already visited this friend. So lets go! Lets grind! Rejection cannot have me another time. I'm right-eous where my Jesus wants me! Watch out! Get ready! Claim victory! It's mine! So as God ministered to Tyrese and he in turn ministered to the soul of many, including mine he said, "The world is an empty canvas waiting on new thoughts to think." Today I am the painter! I am the artist working on my masterpiece! Create! Design! Think! Configure! Invent!Discover! Uncover!Envision! Empower!Dream up! Fashion! Grind! Make! Produce!Originate! Author! Intersect! Coin! Initiate!Devise! Conceive! EVERYTHING YOU NEED LIES WITHIN YOU ALREADY! Those hunger pains are from your soul! It's time to awaken the beast within. Rise Up & Grind, Jasmine Nicole

It is in...

"It is in my belief and obediance that I will gain understanding. It is not in understanding that I will gain belief and obediance. It is child-like faith that Jesus desires."

Your perceived Strengths may be your downfall...

This morning I was reading the Word and I was led to read Obadiah 1. Obadiah 1 gives description of Edom's Destruction. I read through the chapter and then I read through the commentary of each verse in the NIV bible I have. Something that stood out to me was that the strengths of the Edomites became the very weaknesses that caused their fall. And I began to think, what are the strengths that I have that will cause me to fall. The commentary section listed 5 different reasons of why they fell, but that one stood out to me the most. I've learned that you should never take your goodness for granted, because the moment you do is the moment you just may fall. We must all Check our Hearts daily. That is all. Truth, Jasmine Nicole

Process →Preparation

Its been a while since I wrote! But this process I learned that Im in is the brinning process. It is not always easy to go through seasons of trials and tribulations but God who started a good work in me and in you will finish it through! Even though I have been out of school for this year, left my job and im in an uncomfortable position God is still good. Should we only praise Him for the good things and not the bad. We must! We have to praise Him, trust Him, Love Hine when those work in our favor and dont. The funny thing is that the things that we feel dont work in our favor, in spirituality they do! Everything God allows to happen works together for His Glory!!!! :-) God has our back. He always looking out for our best interest. So I have to admit I had been living defeated and that is what the devil wants. The devil wants us to focus in on what is not going right according to our perception but God was reminding me to look at the opportunities I have given you, look at the volunteering your doing, look at the relationships i am allowing you to cultivate in this time off from my busy life...if I could just get a glimpse of the Glory I am about to consume. The glory that is about to overcome me; that will be the strength i need to push through the adversity, pressures, growing pains!! God is so Awesome! I had been preparing to minister through dance to break every chain and I was battling/struggling andngoing through all my stuff. I have been sick for a while, not working, feeling unmotivated, depression trying to creep up and my coach/mentor ask me to minister before she gives the Word. And the courage inside of me accepted without hesitation even though my flesh told me differently. But I knew it was time for me to minister by myself without my other fellow dance ministers. God is so amazing. Praise dance is one of my lifelines to God. As I prepared God began to break chains as I studied and prepared.  When I went to minister it was just God and me. I declared, proclaimed and testified that my chains are broken and I danced with everything i had in me and God just moved. God taught me the importance of showing up! I was sick and still am sick but I refused to let that stop me from experience worship on Sunday morning and going to minister through dance on that afternoon. I was thinking about all the things people show up gor when there not feeling well...they show up for work, go shopping, may go out to eat, school but are quick not to show up for church. We have to show up & be present. Someone's life depends on it. God cannot use you if your not in position...

Revealing the Truth Behind the Olmecs

The ancient Olmecs were Black Africans of the Manding-Shi group. Their artwork consisted of a collection of twenty-two colossal stone heads. The Manding-Shi was the original Sahara civilization that began over 20,000 years ago. The ancient Olmecs were the first civilization of Mexico. They were also known as the aquatic people. The Olmecs used a script identical to an alphabet used by Africans of the Mende ethnic and linguistic group. This script was found on monuments at Monte Alban, Mexico and other places. When the script used by the Olmec’s was compared to Mende script, it was identical, and the words and translation was found to be the Mende language. The Olmecs were West Africans of the Mende group and they spoke the Mende language and used the script. The Olmec heads have distinct features that resemble Africans from West Africa. The heads are 1.5 to 3.5 meters in size and weigh 5 to 50 tons. They are made from basalt from mountains. The mountains are 150km away and were somehow transported without wheels or animals. They were made in honor of rulers and only a ruler would be able to have one made. They are made to look like a specific person, most likely an Olmec ruler. The headdress depicted on the Olmec heads would have been made from cloth and animal hide. The Olmec heads had flat faces, thick lips, the African hairline is clearly visible in some stone and terracotta works, the use of cornrows, afro hair style, flat "mohawk" style similar to the type used in Africa, dreadlocks, braided hair and even plain kinky hair. Not all of the heads are the same but they all have some form of a characteristic that resembles that of the Mende civilization in West Africa. Relation to other works The Olmec heads were only the beginning of statues to come. The Stonehenges were also colossal stone structures that took a great amount of people to construct. The Stonehenges were associated with death and burial and held meaning to the civilization that constructed them. The Egyptians also had sculptures that reflected a piece of their civilization. Egyptian sculptures reflect the religious beliefs of the community. Egyptians believed that at birth a person contained spiritual life that in order to live on Egyptian’s came up with mummification. Mummification did not suffice they began to make statues so that the spirit could live on. Egyptian sculptures of Pharaohs were created in very formal manners and in a style of realism. Leaders were depicted most of the time throughout history up until the classical and archaic style began to surface. Then we see sculptures pertaining more toward gods. Greek sculptures focused on sculpting out perfection with the human body. The Greeks made sure there sculptures encompassed a balance, symmetry and preciseness. During this period sculptures began to change over the years. Sculptures went from tense facial expressions, to the smile known as the archaic smile, to the Laocoon sculpture in which the expression is showing an intense and very emotional facial expression with movement. Humanism, idealism, and realism all focus on the bodies anatomy, movements, and there flexing of the muscles. They kept the realism in the facial expressions and idealized the figures body drastically. So from the Olmec heads to art history today, so much has changed and evolved. Humanities relation to God The Olmec heads are very pertinent in unlocking how this culture of people related to their God. The religious practices of the Olmecs were identical to the religious practices of West Africans. The Olmecs had a religious practice of Thunder Worship that involved an ax as a prominent feature. The Olmecs made use of Shamen’s just as West African civilizations. Some religious artifacts used by the Olmecs were found on a statue of an ancient Nigerian Oni or Priest-king. That is another truth for all cultures. Humanities relation to the Universe In relation to the Universe there is a theme to use art history as a way of depicting a greater idea and even today these universals still convey meaning. Just as the Olmecs used these colossal stone heads to honor their rulers, we see this same trend all throughout history up until today. There truly is not anything new under the sun, because all the other civilizations that came after the Africans borrowed all their ideas. All throughout society we see that for all people, art is a constant and will remain. Art has been a catalyst in expressing various ideas, concepts and the way in which cultures or civilizations have thrived all throughout history. We see in the Olmec stone heads that even the African Olmecs had some sort of hierarchy and social structure. Every civilization in order to thrive must have order and laws in place to build foundation and structure. Humanities relation to Humanity Throughout history there are traces of many cultures and civilizations. There seems to be an innate desire within to leave something great behind for the next generation to come and we see this throughout art history. Sculptures are one of the earliest ways that civilizations have used for many purposes and functions within their societies. African figural sculpture served many functions: grave figures were designed to watch over the dead, fertility images were invoked to promote or assist in childbirth; still other sculptures served in rituals of divination and healing. The use of sculptures served many purposes such as honoring someone divine or in high position, reminding of evil, victory celebrations, ritualistic purposes and the like. As for the Manding-Shi civilization, these sculptures sought to honor rulers within their group. The size of sculptures often times depicts the level of superiority an individual has within a specific civilization. It also amazes me how powerful a group of people can be when working toward the same goal. There are some colossal, monumental architecture, sculptures and various works of art that today historians and the like cannot figure out how they were constructed. “Know thyself.” This quote reveals exactly what I am choosing to do as an African-American woman in a society that depicts “Black” and “African” in a negative light. The lack of African presence in the textbook depiction of Africa amazes me and not to mention the amount of history that is left out. It saddens my heart to see all the biases that inform a lot of information placed in the humanities textbook. This affects the conventions of who I am and how I see myself. The ideas throughout America are all based on European perspectives infused with stolen traditions from the African people. During the Old Kingdom or pre-history period of Egypt, Egypt was known as Kemet. Kemet means “The Black Nation or “The Black City.” The Kemetic people were ancient black people of the Nile Valley. They studied the cosmos and recognized that great powers hold the universe together. This was a land ruled by African people; people who looked like me. There is power in history and everyone is entitled to know their history. I feel so strongly about my culture and my people, so when I gain information that contradicts African history it pushes me to learn more and to understand all angles of the debates and arguments. Evaluation The Olmec heads have been up for debate for many years and today humanist, historians and the like argue whether the Olmecs were African people. The evidence speaks for itself and “According to one of the scientists who appeared on the Art Bell Show, there was some embarrassment among Mexican archeologists because they thought that the most ancient calendar was that of the Mayas…They have examined pottery and terracotta figurines from Mexico and have concluded based on tribal scarification, cornrows and other evidence that the Olmecs with Negroid features were infact West Africans.” So this just goes to show that we cannot run from the truth. No matter how much it is veiled and conformed, it will still leak out at some point. References & Resources: http://geographytsu.freehomepage.com/AfricanPresenceinEarlyAmerica.htm MEXICAN ARCHEOLOGISTS "EMBARRASSED" BY DISCOVERY OF ANCIENT AFRO-OLMEC CALENDAR DATING BACK TO ABOUT 3113 B.C. From: Paul Barton Date: 3/3/01 The History of Sculpture from The New Book of Knowledge® http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3753866 BLACK CIVILIZATIONS OF ANCIENT AMERICA (MUU-LAN), MEXICO (XI) Gigantic stone head of Negritic African during the Olmec (Xi) Civilization By Paul Barton http://www.raceandhistory.com/historicalviews/ancientamerica.htm The Olmecs: An African Presence in Early America [Excerpt from a larger article] By Paul A. Barton http://www.essaysbyekowa.com/olmecs.htm Ancient Egyptian Sculpture https://sites.google.com/site/completearthistory/egyptian-sculp

SMH..Am I? Can I? Wiliing? The Cost....

Have I counted the cost? Am I willing to give my life so someone else can live? Am I really down with Jesus?Can I be spit on? Talked about? Crucified? Give up all my possessions? Bear  my cross daily? Am I willing to die for this cause I say I believe in? Have. I. Really.Counted.The.Cost. Smh...a rude awakening just voyage past  my nice christian life. Have I been living a lie? Is it God that im coming for on Sundays? Do I really want to be set free? Do my comfortablities make me feel more secure than Jesus? Am I really choosing death when I don't choose Christ? Am I about to die? Or am I already dead? Walking around like I havent even begun to live. Is the bread I take every Sunday a fake sacrament to a God I think I know. Is the wine a sign of his blood for my sins or am I drowning in a false sense of religion disguised as righteous living. Mmm..like life flashing before my eyes it was like I saw God saying choose them/those things or Christ! Because whatever your decision is you are going to die regardless. But the difference is if you die to me that is the very way you will find Life in Me. But if you die to this world all your deeds wont be able to secure your way out of the hell that you will be placed. And the irony of it all is that is a decision We, Us, I have to make because I choose ultimately whether I put myself in hell or I put myself in the swelling life of abundance Christ crucified, died, rose for me completely so on this side of heaven I could live free. Free to claim the Truth and spread my testimony of how I was broken,battered, ugly, and stained But Christ died for the lame. Lame was I but in Him I am unstained, unashamed for He rose so that my name could be changed. So as I sit in the second row pew staring Christ in His face while he whispers to me, Jasmine, Are you willing to choose me? Jasmine! Are you willing to be free? And take on the responsibility of living in me? What more signs do you need? I have showed you visions, gave them to others to confirm your mission, but you continue to choose other people and things who have not died for your sins or even come close to giving you life to live. Jasmine, will you choose me? Jesus said to me. We must remove our limitations on what we are willing to sacrifice for God and to get where God has destined for us to go. We must be willing to SACRIFICE more in order to reach higher. You should never stop trying to reach higher until the day you die. We must rise up! Before our time is up! Be Conscious, Enlightened, Educated, Esteemed beings and Strive for Excellence in all we do. After all our ancestors were tortured, hanged, beating, raped, disdained, given new names, stripped of our heritage, protesting, preaching, teaching, investing in one another and many other things just so we could Rise Up and do the same for the next generation to come.

Meditation

Why did He choose me? Me little old me, simple old me, quiet old me. To do bold, eloquent and beautiful things. To transform, shift and ignite lives. To share my sorrows. To share my weaknesses. To share my frailties and oh my how God mutated my pain to Glorify His name. Mutated me into a spiritual being. Creation of implantation with His breath. To spark the fire of my life. To run rampant for His claim. Take me away! Take me away! JESUS! All for your name!

Wrestle

After Jacob was done wrestling with God he came out with a broken hip because he would not stop until the Lord blessed him. After you wrestle with God you dont come out the same. Just as Jacob came out walking different so will you. We all face times when we have to wrestle with God. And I mean wrestle! On your knees, prostrate, crying out....but just wrestle with Him until your deliverance is complete! Your healing is done! Until you are SET FREE from whatever is keeping you from moving to a higher place with God. I am so in awe of God. Yes! Yes! Yes! I say Yes to God! Im moving today to a higher place with and in God! I am Brave, Bold, Courageous!! God is taking me to unfathomable places. Wrestle with Him and dont move until you hear from the Lord.

Push Through.Fight Through. No Defeat.

Lately the struggle to keep pushing has gotten real. When you know you should be striving for excellence the voices in your head to tell you you can't and the vision seems to be skewed. You know what God told you, you know who you belong to you, you know the strength lies within you, but you just can't seem to shake this feeling of heaviness. I know I get it because I'm there. But just as the Sun rises every day we to rise the same and we determine how our day will be. Everything that we need to accomplish whatever it is that God gave us already lies with in us. The key to me seems to be studying the word praying and meditating and spending that intimate time with God. Also accountability partners is huge! Reach out to your peers and elders. Be honest. Confess your shortcomings and allow God to use them for His glory. You are called to do great things! Trust God! Allow Him to be Lord over your life. Evaluate yourself daily. Know your strengths, weaknesses, what your body craves & when, dont give into your flesh. You are more spirit than flesh. Start thanking God now! Dont be defeated! Make a gratitude list and look over it and add to it daily. "Count your many blessings, name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done." -Anonymous

Because of Jesus,

Jasmine Nicole

Hover over me Lord

Today my prayer is that God will fill me up today. That His love will overflow and permeate all my soul. My prayer is the same for you all today! Im at this point in my journey where I want to be Free and Transparent. The closer I fill my break through is coming the more challenging the journey gets. But God!!! He is so Worthy!! He loves us so much! Make Him Lord over your life. Put Him back in His place and that is being the Cornerstone in our lives. Wrestle with God until your break through comes! I was talking with someone about the book of Genesis and God beginning to create. And before God began to create  He hovered over the waters and after that He began to create everything. And her desire is for God to hover over the unforned places in her life. I was like yesss Lord!! Hover over me. Form the unformed places in my life to your desires for me.  Wow! That is such a beautiful prayer and I pray that you will also ask God to do the same in your life. Stay connected, get accountability partners, confess, repent, wrestle with God until your in His presence Hard! Its time to be free! Someone's life depends on you pressing through!! Yes its hard! Yes it hurts!! Yes people dont like you! Yes no one gets it sometimes! Yes your always the one who has to Love first, Forgive first and so on! But the Grace of God is holding you. And by God's Grace you are able to do all things and get through all things!!! Hallelujah! Amen.#Tell

It is Time to Die!

This morning I studied from the book of John. I ventured through chapters 7 to 14. I typically will read then pause and write at each section, but God said just read through it all. So as I began to read through I began to see the process and preparation Jesus had to experience before his crucifixion. Then the fact that Jesus had to die to save us stood out. And I was like, okay God!!! :) So what I am going through is preparing me to save someone's life and for you to get the glory. Then I started to marvel at how gracious, kind, loving, tactful, prudent, wise, unselfish and many more attributes Jesus displayed. Jesus did not experience no identity crisis,!!  He knew where He came from, who He was, Whose He was, where He was going and the PURPOSE He was called to do. He remained focused on God and stuck to that all throughout His journey up to being crucified. He NEVER compromised. He was completely sold out to God! Then the fact that something has to die kept sticking out to me. Something has to die in order for something to be manifested! I hope your hearing me right now!! Something has to die. So I googled, "does a seed die before it grows," and came to this enlightening article about seeds. http://www.examiner.com/article/seeds-for-success-pt-2-a-seed-must-die-before-it-grows

 In order for a seed to grow it has to die. "When seeds are given the right environment, which includes the right amount of water, oxygen and temperatures; the seed will germinate.  The seed absorbs water; the water softens the seed coat and causes a chemical change inside the seed. Once the seed falls into fertile ground, the outer shell begins to open as it dies; and inside the dead shell, new life awaits ( Seeds for Success Pt. 2) ."

This really stood out to me. Have I died to myself? Am I a sell out for Christ? Am I holding on to a seed that needs to die, so that God can get the increase and others will be saved? Mmmm...I began writing my first book last week and as I am writing through the first draft I am seeing a part of me that needs to die. And this study confirmed for me that the little girl inside of me needs to die so that the Warrior Woman inside of me can live. 

Excerpts from Power of Potential : 

"As I write this book I am literally battling for my life, for that other woman, for that man, for that child’s life that I have been called to change.  My life depends on writing this book and yours does too because your reading it. I came across a quote that said “vulnerability is courageous,” and if that is the case then on this day I choose vulnerability. I release myself to be courageous. I release myself to relive my pain so that someone else’s life can be saved. This is the point where the litte girl inside of me will die so I can live as the warrior woman God created me to be. I choose to die so that I can live. This is my Rites of Passage."

According to the Seeds for Success article "Experts believe that seeds are produced by as many as 250,000 kinds of plants;A plant has to produce seed to continue its legacy; so near the end of the plant’s life, the plant produces its offspring in the way of a seed. Seeds can remain dormant for different periods of time yet they are still able to germinate under proper conditions." 


 This right here is mind blowing!! I hope you see yourself in it! This is a universal truth and a natural/biological fact. If a plant has to produce seed to continue its LEGACY then what do you think you need to produce to continue Your Legacy! Have you even considered the legacy that you are leaving behind or desire to leave behind? DORMANT?! Means to have normal physical functions suspended or slowed down for a period of time; in or if as in a deep sleep. Biological seeds can remain dormant for years!! What seeds in your life are dormant, because you have not been willing to die to yourself so that God can GROW YOU UP! Just as under proper conditions seeds can germinate even if they have been dormant for some time, so can you! God is willing, ready and able!

So I choose to give God the little girl inside of me and I give her permission to die, so that God can produce a Warrior Woman of God within me. Guess what! She has been there all along, but now in 2014 I decree that she will rise! She will rise! She will rise! In 2014 give God You!!! Give God that idol. Give God that Habit. Give God Alcohol. Give God lust. Give God Fear. Give God Anger. Give God Unforgiveness. Give God Resentment. Give God your frailties. Give God whatever is holding you back from FULLY walking in the Anointing He has placed on your Life. As I join with others at Immanuel Praise Fellowship tonight at 10pm to give God whatever is keeping me from Him, I pray you will have the courage to join me. Your 2014 is decreed to be a Blessing! God has got Awesome things in store for you. So participate , do your part, plant those seeds, Embrace our Father. Awake to the Spirit Man that resides inside of you.


 XoXo....Jasmine Nicole

Obediance

Obedience is so key in this life journey.  And I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I have falling short. But thank God for His Grace and Mercy. I feel so undeserving sometimes but thank God for Jesus. This next season we transition into I want us to go into it focusing on just living righteous. We focus so much on who we don't want to become, what we don't want to do and in turn we end up becoming or falling for that very thing. Get real accountability partners, be honest with yourself,  what you can and can't handle and your accountability partner. Jesus loves us despite our sin and however many times we have put him back on the cross.  Choose today to walk in obedience. Choose Jesus over that feeling. Over that anger. Over that judgemental attitude. Over unforgiveness. Over lust. Over your "boo." Over Yourself. Don't allow anything or anybody to take away your anointing. Ignite to Movement.  Jesus Loves You.

Jesus-Constant

The beautiful thing about God is that He is always there. I love that we can never go too far, make too many mistakes or disown Him too many times.  Yes this hurts our Father,  but because of Jesus! ! Because of Jesus we have opportunities to come back to Him. Jesus stands with open arms waiting for us to embrace His Love. Thank God for Jesus. I used to think I messed up too much and just wasn't worthy enough. Why would God love someone like me? What do I have to offer Christ? That thinking led me to live astray and according to my own will. But I'm glad to say that today I am saved. My value comes from Christ alone. Without God I am nothing,  but with God!!!! Oh man! You better get out my way, lol. With God I am Bold, Anointed,  Powerful,  Called....must I go on! Yes I Am! And Praise be to the Most High God so are You!!!! Won't He Do It!!

Diagnosis

These past two and half months have been trying and challenging. I have not been reading my Word as faithfully as I should, praying and fasting. I learned in a message that there are acute problems and then there are chronic problems. When you want to treat something acute you go after the stems. When you want to treat something chronic you go after the roots.  Our stems indicates our roots. Most of our stems aren't Godly because Jesus is not at our Roots. "We are treating the stems of our problems and neglecting the roots(Pastor LaQuetta Simmons)." This message hit home hard. Here I am after all this time of being saved and delivered and serving in the church....and Bam! Stems not of God begin to seap up. So where is my root?  What is my root? Because my stems aren't reflecting Christ. This tells me that I have to be courageous enough to be vulnerable and deal with the roots that are keeping me from growing into what God wants me to be. What you plant is what you reap. I say I'm a seed of God but my stems/fruit fail to show it at times. Be willing to look deep within and inspect your roots. Make sure your source is God. Not yourself, your boo, money, school, a job...etc. #I've been diagnosed

W.O.W

WOW was amazing tonight! WOW stands for Women of Worship and this is the women's ministry at Immanuel Praise Fellowship in Rancho Cucamonga. The leader of this ministry is Min.Jenise Bush and she along with Pastor LaQuetta Bush-Simmons ( Co-Pastor with her husband Pastor Kelvin Simmons of IPF) lead the women through this ministry. The ministry is phenomenal and has excellence stamped all over it. My life has not been the same since I began attending every 3rd Saturday of each month. This is a safe, LOVING,  non judgemental environment.  I cannot use the word Love enough because that is what these women have given me and countless others.
We need more ministries like this one that is genuine and adds to the life of every women that steps foot in WOW. I urge and encourage every women to be here next year 2014! Tonight was the last WOW for the year but these women will meet again next year.
If your interested in learning more about this ministry and/or how to be apart of it please go to www.immanuelpraisefellowship.com

Allow Love In...

God is so amazing. His love is awe inspiring and infectious. I sure didn't expect Him to bring love into my life and use it to heal my wounds. I always thought that I couldn't let love in until my divorce was final (Yes i said divorced, thats another blog in the making) and I was walking fully in perfection, but that was not the case.  Love came knocking and God saw that it was good and as afraid as I was I let love in. Surely it wasn't without a fight because I had to get to a point that I believed that I deserved to be loved by a man who could love and see me as Jesus does. Jesus loves us so much. He knows exactly what you and you and you need, want and desire. And He is so amazing that He will give it to you all in His order and timing based on your obediance to Him. Allowing love in for me is beautiful,  because its apart of my healing process as a woman of God and a woman of anointing. Love is being vulnerable. Love is trusting, even when it hurts & isn't pretty. Love is unconditional and always has your back. Love is your #1 fan even when that's your only fan. Love is God. Love heals, Love delivers, Love protects,  Love provides, Love loves, Love gives exactly what it has, Love is resurrecting...Love is Jesus. Thank God for Jesus.

So trust God, Listen and Obey Him. If he says to leave that "random" then do it. If he says not to date for a year then do it. If he says serve me like this then do it. Its in your serving him that you will discover your partner.  When God says its time your life partner will awake and so will you and when your in eachothers presence a shift will occur. Then that process is a lot of work in itself, so listen, trust and Obey our Lord. He knows best, so there is no need to stress. Love is...You. Ignite Love & Move.

XoXo,
Jasmine Nicole

#Won't He Do It!

Wow! God is so Amazing!  He knows exactly what you need, so trust Him. Let me tell you about the God I serve!!! A couple months ago God told me to leave my job.  Did you read this good?! He said "daughter,  leave your job. You asked me to take you to your wealthy place so you need to leave your job and do this 5linx business." And I was like, okay Lord but I don't know Jesus. I got benefits, security, great repor with Supervisors. I'm good Jesus. But I was working in Beverly Hills and that is a 30 minute drive going and 1-2 hour drive home. And my car was taking a hitting from all that commuting.  And honestly I was ready to leave. I worked with children in an after school program  and my passion began lacking. I love working with children and love teaching. But leave my job?! I have to point out that I struggled working in Beverly Hills.  Having to deal with people's prejudices and being one of the few Black women was not always easy but I LEARNED so much. And God is So Intentional. So back to my story!! So after a couple weeks I finally put in my resignation after working there almost 2 years.  The only source of income I had was an Internship and that was only 12 hours a week. So it wasn't a source of income that could sustain me. So two weeks later I leave my job. My supervisors were sad to see me go and my last day was bittersweet, but I was OBEDIANT and I trust God! So now I'm going to my internship and now bills need to be paid. Oh and my car starts having mechanical problems. So I got a little bit of money and a list of bills, including rent. I believe and follow the Laws of the Harvest, so I give my TITHE & OFFERING Faithfully!! So whatever I get from my internship I sowed it back to God. Whatever I got from family, I sowed it back to God. I was torn because I wasn't able to give as much since I wasn't making that much anymore but I gave my 10 percent and Offering and gave toward my $500 Seed Pledge. My last day was Oct 18th so I have been unemployed since then. It has been a learning and humbling experience. My God you are good! I struggled with doubt, worry, concern and I combated it with tears running down my face saying I trust you God, I trust you. I was at a point where I had no control.  I had to submit myself fully, really trust God and have real Faith. I say real Faith because real faith is trusting that God will sustain you after leaving a job and having no other secure income coming in. Im doing my 5linx and getting No's left and right[Network marketing is a billion dollar industry by the way & the services are essential! We use them everyday & you pay lower prices for same products you use everyday]. So I'm like okay Lord...are you sure this is what you said? Maybe I heard you wrong. Then a friend of mine shares with me about her job hiring for black friday at Charlotte Russe.  #Humbling I haven't worked retail in 5 years Jesus. Oh no no no! Lol! But I was like okay i could use extra money. And who am I to think any job is beneath me. Check your Heart Jasmine! So I go to the interview,  get hired and work black friday. I actually had fun and enjoyed working with all the ladies. Plus it came natural because I worked retail for so long, love fashion and helping others. So it was a great day. So that was a one day job so now I'm back to not working my internship at all because my hours are cut and I really don't have nothing. Zero.Zelch.Nada. But I give the little I have and sow my seeds. A week or so later I get  a call from Charlotte Russe asking me to work! And it was supposed to be a one time job. Wow! Okay Lord. Ill take it! Then i get an email that says "Jobs!" From Immanuel Praise Fellowship the next day and it says Christian Preschool now hiring in Rancho Cucamonga. What! Okay Jesus!  Well I will apply and go from there. I call at 7:15am to inquire about position and gave my info to staff. Then I send my resume and receive a call from the director that afternoon to come in for interview the next day. I go in for an interview on Friday the 6th and after seeing the daycare preschool, meeting staff and children then getting my interview...I got the job! :-) Okay Lord!  This is an amazing fit. I get to teach kids about Jesus,  what?! I get to teach praise dancing to kids, what?! I see more beautiful Black children, what?! Awww Lord you done, done it now! *praise break** Aaayyyy!!!* So Sisters and Brothers I am a living witness and testament to when you are OBEDIANT,  step out on Bold FAITH,  TRUST GOD then He will give you way more than what you need, want and desire. Won't He Do It! Yes He Will! I praised Him when I had nothing and when he gave me something.  I spend time with God, I study His Word, His will is my will. We must take up our cross daily. Stay connected. He is good! What He Does For Me, He Will Do For You!! God does not discriminate.  Trust Him!! We are all in this together!

With Jesus,
Jasmine Nicole

Trust.Worry.Faith.Doubt.

Greetings People of God!! I want to encourage you all, including myself to Trust in the Lord on today! Stand on the Word of God, because His Word is True. Jesus always remain connected to the Father. No matter what He did. He always prayed, went away by his self to spend time with Gid and made sure that the will in which he acted under was the will of God. I am studying the book of John and in John 5 Jesus said, "By myself I can do nothing (v.30)." So if Jesus! Jesus! Knew that He could do nothing without the Father, why are we trying to do everything without Jesus? Why do we believe that we can handle and carry our own issues, pain, problems, worry and the like. But on today I am charging us all to cast everything on Christ. He is literally saying, Daughter I am Here! Rest on Me! Let me drive you, lead you, carry you, guide you, hold your hand, Let me!! Then Praise Him for that class you need to pass, that test you have to take, that person you will help, the sickness that you will be made whole, the financial blessings that are about to pour down upon you. Praise Him! And when you feel doubt, worry, stress come along...just say I trust you. Thats what I do with tears in my eyes, I say I trust you. When I have no gas and have to pick someone up and take them somewhere, I say I trust you. When my bills are past due I say I trust you. Trust and believe that He will make a way. His Way is the best way. If He did it before He WILL DO IT AGAIN!!! Amen!

Serving,

Jasmine Nicole

just when the caterpillar thought the world was over...

This quote really spoke to me and my situation and reminded me that there is an end. An awesome, great end in Christ.  You may be in your caterpillar experience right now and the process is slow, challenging, painful and you lost sight of the vision or just cannot see what God is doing through you. Well Sisters!  God is about to TRANSFORM you into a Butterfly!!! Change comes through chaos. It doesn't come through taking the easy way. Stars in the sky are literally formed out of chaos. They collide with eachother, collapse, become denser, lose gravity...but in the end a Star is born. So continue to strive and persevere in your caterpillar experience and Trust & Believe that God is about to Transform You! #BOLD#CONFIDENCE#YOUAREALIONNOTAGAZELLE#ItsAlwaysSpiritualNeverPersonal#MoveSisters!

Unfathomable God

Have you ever been in a season where nothing makes sense?  What God is telling you just doesn't seem feasible but you hear Him loud and clear.  Well Sisters that's where I am! God has told me to resign from my job...yes just like that. I'm like God for real!!! I'm secure, i'm comfortable. ..I got benefits Jesus!! When people around me are asking for prayer to get a job and your asking me to leave my job...I just can't fathom it. But you know what I ask God...I ask God to direct my paths. I  confess that I trust in Him with all my heart and will not lean on My own understanding. That in all my ways I will acknowledge Him and because of that He will direct my paths. ( Proverbs 3:5 )  I commit my plans (work, school, family, career, single life, career)to the Lord and trust that He will establish my way (Proverbs 16). Then in the midst of Him honoring my request I begin to doubt because the process. Sisters I am Here today sharing this with you in hopes of encouraging you to have ExtraOrdinary Faith and step out in boldness on those things that God is calling you to do. The devil will send the demons of doubt, fear, worry...to get you second guessing what God has already told you. But tell those demons to die in the name of Jesus!  Trust what God has for you is for you.I didn't even mention my car starting to overheat on me while I was on my way to beverly hills(the job I'm resigning from) to fill out paperwork.  The devil is a lie! ! When all seems to be falling right in front of your eyes... Give God a shout!! Praise Him for what He is orchestrating in your life, destiny, purpose, mission...The devil knows you are getting close to your breakthrough so his pulling in all the reinforcements. So don't be fooled Sisters.  Trust what He told you!! The devil doesn't know that his helping to build your testimony!! So sisters I need you all to speak to the Warrior Women of God that resides in your soul and pray on behalf of your Sisters & Yourself! And walk in your Birthright!  You are the Daughter & Son of the most High God. You are a Co-Heir with Christ!! You are a Lion and Not a gazelle. I love you all dearly!  Have a God-Favored Day!



Because of God,
Jasmine Nicole

"Do It Afraid!"

So I am beginning my blogging on today! God has placed it upon my heart to begin writing for the longest and it seems like time has not been in my favor. Yet, I have decided on today that I will simply "do it afraid!" I am unsure of what the outcome will be to my writing. I am unsure if my writing will touch the lives of anyone. I am unsure if anyone will even read these posts, but on today I choose to "Just do it!" With no expectations, but just to pour my heart and spirit out onto this blog. I am in this season of transformation. I know that God is about to shift me, because I have been going through battles...some Won and some lost. But no matter what God is always there guiding and leading me. He simply just wants for me to let him drive and for me to sit back and ride. Riding is hard to do, because I like to direct. Not only do I like to direct but I like to know where I am going and when I am going to get there. I want to know all the miniscule details. But God is saying "Rest" Daughter. "Trust" Daughter that I am driving, carrying, leading, guiding and taking you all the way through to where I want you to be. So anyways...today I did something afraid and not knowing what to expect and God showed up! #Won't He Do It! Last year I graduated from the community college in which I attended and began the process to transfer to a University. I had one more class that was required for me to begin attending a University. I was accepted to 4 Universities and agreed to attend the one I thought was the best choice. As my final semester began to come to an end...I ended up receiving a [D] in the course which made me ineligible to transfer. I was devastated and felt like everything including the visions and purpose God had given me had fell apart. Man oh man! I was a mess. Can you say Humility?! Because it sure has been a humbling experience. But four months later I see God working and I am beginning to understand why it was not time for me to transfer. Yes I failed a class (and not to mention took the class over passed with a [B] hallelujah! And the University still did not reinstate my admission)and God could have worked in my favor but He had to teach me something. So where was I....almost four months later and I am reapplying to schools and God is good because I had no money to but He made it possible for me to receive 4 fee waivers and apply for free!Amen!Because I didnt have the money I was thinking about not applying but God said apply and I said I will TRUST YOU LORD and He made a way. I went down to a lecturer at Scripps College by myself to hear Dr.Julianne Malveux speak and because I introduced myself to a Professor that was there God was able to place it on her heart to give me her info and connect me with someone to help me get in to Pitzer College. I was afraid to introduce myself, I had no idea what to say....but God said introduce yourself and I will do the rest. So a couple weeks later Im contemplating calling the Professor and going down to the school, but I finally do it( Do it afraid!). I met with a counselor and he gave me so much beneficial information I did not know and at the end of my meeting I come to find out that he is one of the counselors specifically for Transfer students ( Ya'll dont see what God is doing!!). Wow! If I did not drive down to that school because of my fear of not knowing what to say or who to speak to I would have never came across another person who can get me a step closer to getting in to the University in which so many people including myself dream to go. So for now I will end here and encourage all of you to "DO IT AFRAID!" With God you have NOTHING to lose. Trust Him! Step out on Faith! Do NOT Allow Fear to hold you back any longer!!! Spend time with God, our Father, our Daddy. He loves us Unconditionally! Do It Afraid!!!

Motivational Clip! It's Time To Move!

 

XoXo,

Jasmine Nicole