11 things to know by 25(ish)

YES this article makes a whole lot of sense! i think it's definitely share worthy and anyone at 25(ish) or younger could use it as a solid reference. READ IT HERE, and you'll find yourself self evaluating and challenging yourself even more than you probably already are!

God's Word says in Ecclesiastes 11:9 to "be happy while you are young and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever you see, but know that for all these things God will bring you judgment." It's basically backing up this very article. We have so much time as young people to do GREAT things and MIGHTY works. We must not be idle but persistent, and I HIGHLY encourage you to continue by reading Ecclesiastes 12.

Relevant Magazine is officially one of my new favorite online mags for reference! Browse around and check it out!

He is not idle...

the year is winding down...maybe everything on your year's "to do" list didn't get down but praise God that each day is actually a new day. we sow and we reap. we sow and we reap. and we live another day to do it again. be encouraged by this simple yet powerful verse. dream on dreamers.



Psalm 126:5 
"Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy"

dream on dreamer.

do you know joseph? you might see him in yourself. here's a little background. joseph was the 11th son of jacob and rachel. jacob favored joseph and eventually gave joesph a coat of many colors. this favoritism caused joseph's brothers to envy him greatly.

but the point of all this begins at Genesis 37:1-11 when joseph shares with his brothers two dreams that he had: (1) joseph and his brothers gathered bundles of grain. then, all the grain bundles that had been prepared by the brothers gathered around joseph's bundle and bowed down to it. (2) the sun (father), the the moon (mother) and eleven stars (brothers) bowed down to joseph himself.

these dreams really didn't sit well with the brothers considering the implication that the family would be bowing down to him. even more so, jacob took serious thought to what joseph was saying, and this mad the brothers even more upset!

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i think of joesph's story whenever the word VISION crosses my mind. i know im a big dreamer. i accomplish one goal and im already onto the next one that very moment, but as of recently, everything..including vision has seemed overwhelming. everything's moving much faster than i can keep up with.

and joesph's story (which you can read in its entirety from Genesis 37-50) is a constant reminder that dreaming that is ultimately vision will come with alot of combat. if you continue to read his story, he runs into plenty of obstacles. i once read that a dream is an empty vision and vision is a dream taking action. according to scripture, i cannot say that i now believe this to be true. i believe God sets us up for vision to just be revealed even without our help...the key to vision is not always about keeping it in front of you but persevering through the obstacles. i don't recall in his story where joesph spoke blatantly about the steps he was going to take to reach those dreams. he just KNEW what God put in him (another key is knowing God breathed it). he had no idea how they would become true, but he knew that it was God's vision.

take this from joesph...every obstacle is a step. when God puts it (whatever your it is) in you, he doesn't NEED help to make those visions real. all he needs is you to operate as a vessel and in order to do so, you must press through the struggles that make you want to step back and quit. with God, all things are possible. without Him, nothing is worth chasing. don't quit. He needs you to do what He's sent you to do.

dream on dreamers.

hate you

i lie here
regretting it again
the process of lostness
and that euphoria of the present that makes you think
look at us..in love again

yesterday i promised id never see you again
took my own word for it and deleted everything that reminded me of you
but my mind wasnt interested in keeping up with the physical disposal
and running into you just dont help it too
we just go back doing what old lovers do...
chase old memories, laugh like besties and wonder why we could never make it work...
then we fight about the things of old like it never gets old
swear off each other until we're screaming
yet the adrenaline rush from all the fuss only operates as foreplay
got us naked again...
and when i look at you i keep expecting you to say,
"i miss you. i cant go another day without you."
then mama's "i told you so" wouldnt matter...
predictably you smile at me and said, "man, i love the freak you."
crushed again.

today, i lie here
regretting it again
hate you for loving me good but hating me fairly enough that ive lost reality
solemnly weak
silly girl in rotation

BUMP WORTHY: G.O.S.P.E.L

The Gospel...in 4 minutes. Yes, in 4 minutes. I was captivated when this was shared with us last night, and I couldn't have found a better way to sum up Jehovah. I hope this encourages you like it did me!

beautiful

He is here and here am i…

Just…here

Yeah, I could use better words for it like…

Yo, im absorbed in his possession and im attracted to his vibration

Captivated by his dynamic, full and exciting glow right now

Nah, none of that is necessary…

Because in just a minutes I’ll teach you what he taught me

Less is better. 

No need for new big and philosophical words to convey a message.

Because right now…we are here

he is shifted on his left side with me on his right side

his right hand sifting through my hair as he eases into sleep

wish you could see him…I call him beautiful. He calls me strength

See, simple words.

I can’t sleep. I’m laying next to beautiful and how many beautiful men do I know?

Besides Jesus and my daddy…he is the third. He’s completed my trinity. I love him.

I determined this before making love to him, yes, tonight…

He shared his passions with me – in short words of course

Love. Family. Revolution.

“It all begins in the heart,” He said. “Men need to know how the heart works to enact change,” He continued. I listened. He’s a teacher. I’m a student.

“Heart? Really?” I asked. He was coiling my lengthy cotton-esque hair in his fingers.

“Heart. But it’s because of strength. Heart comes from strength. It overcomes. It towers because it has a mission. You are strength. I am heart.”

Nope, I’ve determined he is beautiful.

I realized it even more so afterwards when he kissed me softly on my shoulders and repositioned his place in my life with a simply being honest. real. open.

I'm overwhelmed that I even know him. 

I am grateful.

He is beautiful. 

Black Butterfly.

long time.

i was sharing tunes with my mama.
and every song seems like somethiing ive lived before.
but this one song...mama says, "oh i remember this song..."
and proceeds to share a story about when she was driving over a bridge when
this deniece williams classic came on the radio. i wasnt yet born.
she said it "changed her life". and could i believe that music can "change your life"?
of course i do. i was really encouraged by that.
it almost instantly felt this song was also...my song...

this short rant was simply to say...whats your song? what encourages you?
i started running through my mind all the countless times i stayed up
as a teenager at late and early hours just listening to music...
alot of it...changed my life, encouraged my artistry and shaped who i am.
and im thinking, "my God. what is it that my children will be encouraged by?"
of course, Christ. but music that can truly stick with you...is that even alive for the youngsters anymore?

idk...it just ran through my mind...how different things were from what they are now.
i sometimes wish...we had those classic hits that came before me in our generation. this particular song didnt even release until 1984. i wasnt born until 1986.

i guess im just old school.. but i just wanted to share that.
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if you are interested...

Houston's African American Museum and Culture Center is hosting a symposium THIS weekend titled: Africans in America-The New Beat of Afropolitans! I highly encourage you to check it out and support these events. I have attached the link here: http://www.hmaac.org/afropolitan_schedule.html