#Charleston

Psalm 122:1 "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord."

From the age of 5 years old, going to worship in the House of The Lord has been one of my most sacred experiences. I found great joy on Saturday evenings getting my attire out for my grandmother to "press" for Sunday morning worship. The Church has historically been the hallmark not only for African-Americans, but for most Americans. The tragic events that transpired at Mother Emanuel in Charleston, SC, was the culmination of hatred and pure ignorance. With all that has happened, as followers in faith, let us not allow the act of one person to define our relationship with God. He is still all knowing and encompassing. He is not responsible for what happened, but He will hold those who did it accountable.  Stay grounded in your faith and in the author and finisher of your faith. 

"Pieces to Peace"

May 2015 has forever changed my perspective on life and living. I said farewell to my 20s without knowledge of knowing that I would not experience my 30's without the woman who I have loved with every fiber of my being my entire life-my GRAND-MOTHER Emma. The greatest gift I received on Mother's Day-30th birthday was her singing Happy Birthday to me. 3 days later I was left in pieces seeking peace. As you go through life, if you're not willing to grow through living it can be difficult to understand God's peace that surpasses all of your understanding. I've learned through this season, that nobody is immuned to pain and suffering and weeping may only endure for a night-God has ordained joy for every person who loves Him. No matter what you've experienced in this season of your life know that your best days are your ahead days. Go in peace and grow through the pieces!

#Selma50

Today our nation commemorated the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama. 50 years seems so long ago, but in retrospect it is still freshly painted on the hearts and minds of those who fought for us to be treated as full fledged citizens in contrast to a portion of what the Constitution deemed African-Americans. As we progress forward, it is my fervent prayer that we redeem ourselves and the upcoming generations by renewing our covenant with God, our households and communities in terms of walking in our integrity and being fully involved in our homes. I often try to calculate the depth of pain and embarrassment our elders endured and suffered for us to just be counted as present in a nation that didn't desire to recognize our presence. I find it absolutely amazing to fathom that the same omnipotent God the elders, leaders, and protestors called on is the same God who answers us-isn't that beautiful?! We owe it to them and to ourselves to march on daily in our personal journey of greatness. I leave you with the words of the leader of the movement, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” 

Black Her-Hi(STORY)

February has been a month of reflection and revelation for me in more ways than one. I had the honor to honor ordinary people doing extraordinary things in their communities and some globally. The common fabric that I discovered interwoven amongst all the honorees was God. Like our ancestors, God continues to be a very present help. I encourage each of you to continue to strive for excellency everyday of your life and be the change you desire to see and be. When you get the opportunity, write your own bio and give yourself a high five for how far you've truly come! There still remains progression to be made, but we are on a really good path. May the words of James Weldon Johnson leave you with a renewed strength:

"God of our weary years,

God of our silent tears,

Thou who hast brought us thus far on the way;

Thou who hast by Thy might,

Led us into the light,

Keep us forever in the path, we pray.

Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee,

Lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;

Shadowed beneath Thy hand,

May we forever stand,

True to our God,

True to our native land."

Beauty of Blessings

Psalm 37:4

" In the same manner delight thyself in the LORD, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart."

As the month of January culminates, I pray you take some time to really get to the core of what you want and why you need it. We often get so caught up into the future that we forget to relish in our present. There's beauty and blessings all around us if we take the time to make time for what truly matters. Devote some time each day to glean from the Word, listen to the birds, or savor your sip of coffee. Delighting yourself in The Lord produces not only true peace , but aids in God guiding you to the things that your soul truly desires.  Take some time to enjoy the view and see your heart the way God sees you. Be blessed and be a blessing! 

"With this Ring"

Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and wild deer, not to awaken love until the time is right. (Song of Solomon 3:5)

Like many of my sisters across the nations, I watched Lifetime's "With this Ring." The movie started out with a statistic stating that 1 out of 2 black women will not marry. This statistic is alarming, but it doesn't make it an emergency. Society pressures women to have the ring, the home, the children and be financially stable by the age of 30. These expectations have left many of our sisters alone with the feeling that they have to do it on their own. Love is an emotion and shouldn't be made a demanded expectation. The bible makes it clear, love should not be aroused nor awakened until it so desires. A woman doesn't have to make herself available for love, just remain accessible to being loved. Focus on you and God will bring him to you in time at the right time! Be blessed:))

No Pain~No Gain

 It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes. (Psalm 119:71)

Pain is an emotion that none of us truly desire to experience in our lives. Pain is often an usher into understanding our Purpose. Some things we go through in life are painful, but they are also purposeful. If you hadn't gotten fired, you wouldn't appreciate getting hired. If you had never been  broken, you wouldn't understand the beauty of fulfillment in its totality. Pain no matter the depth always takes us deeper in God and shows us God in a different way. Always look at your pain in perspective and take some time to allow it to teach you. It is good that you were afflicted, it helped you to lean on Jesus and learn from God. The greater the pain, the greater the purpose! Be blessed and be a blessing!

Contact me @ Krystal.Moore251@yahoo.com