Monday, March 18, 2024

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It’s Time to Rediscover Your #Passion!


Recipe: No Bake Strawberry Banana Pie


What is Servanthood: Carrying Out God’s Mission

We are called to be God’s servants – his disciples – to share intimate details of God’s love through our service to others. ~ Matthew 28:18-20

Join us April 1st through June 17th for this powerful series!

Throughout this series, we will explore what God defines as servanthood, discover God’s mission for servanthood, and move forward in bringing in more people to the body of Christ. As we move forward, I will also reveal some of the community service initiatives God has tasked me with.

See you Monday @ 7am – bring your coffee mugs!


Coffee Connection: Getting Our Spiritual Lives in Check!

Have you ever felt that you knew what your next move was to be and you were just on the cusp of something truly amazing, but perhaps God has not given you all of the details on just HOW to get things going? In this series, I share how God has been speaking to me about:

  • Remembering His position in our life and ministries
  • Becoming aligned with His purpose before launching
  • Being effective once we as individuals first submit to God’s authority and plan for us

#PassionPitch Question: What are some ways God has spoken to you about your next steps?

See you Monday morning @ 7am – bring your coffee mugs!


40 Days to Wholeness, Week 2 | Angel Blends

With us today is Ms. Angel Brown of Angel Blends. She is very passionate about health and fitness, and has learned how to rid her body of fatal toxins. After having experiencing some very crucial personal health circumstances, Angel birthed her new her health company called Angel Blends which creates fresh fruit and vegetable blends, juices, and recipes that can be delivered right to your doorstep. The beauty and passion behind her mission is to promote healing through blending and juicing, which places man back in a place of authority over his body, mind, and spirit, therefore aligning him in harmony with God. Coming up, we will let you know just how you can get connected with Angel Blends to get your special order.


Conquering the New Year’s Resolution

Kaye shares her tips on changing the dynamic of the New Year’s Resolution:
1. Think about what is meaningful and worth spending time and effort on. If we aren’t into it, we won’t conquer it.
2. Write it down – “Go-By” Habakkuk 2:2-3 Make it Memorable, Attainable, Sustainable over the long-haul
3. Break it down. Commit to Small/Phased Portions, thus making the goal measurable and conquerable. Don’t make the goal so broad (i.e. I am going to exercise). When you commit to an over-sized/broad resolution it just becomes a mundane, uninspiring task
4. The key to a resolution is to have a sincere desire to perform better/perfect an area of your life to create a level of freedom and happiness.


What Is Love? Week 3

Special guest Mr. Seneca Howard of Radical Faith Ministries joins us on our final week to talk about LOVE!

For more info about Radical Faith Ministries, visit www.Radical-Faith.org.

Passion Pitch Question: How can we translate LOVE over several arenas: in our intimate circles AND our surrounding community?

We talked about how God proved His love toward us; we should desire to take action – to ignite practices that proves our love, our Godly love – to become Agape Love-ers! Listen to find out more!


What Is Love? Week 2

Then we extended our conversation about making this word or the concept of LOVE transferable – translating it into action. The Bible stresses the importance of love @ the end of I Corinthians 13 – that this takes a little activation on our part as individuals. One of the ways to activate it is to BE REACHABLE & AVAILABLE.

Evaluate: is my unavailability making the people around me feel distant, disconnected, or unloved?

My words, my spiritual gifts, my position is all meaningless if I do not intentionally take precise measures to just be there in someone else’s space solely for their benefit. One of the greatest ways to show someone your love is to ignite it through passionate giving of yourself – not your money or anything monetary – but by simply being reachable, approachable, and available to someone other than yourself.

We also talked about extending the love of God to the person that really pushes your buttons. Can we practice love w/o grudging like I Peter 4:8-9 points out? Part of activating and igniting this thing called love is going beyond our comfort zone, even when it is clear that the other person may be taking inappropriate steps. Their actions may make you cringe; but “love shall cover a multitude of sins.”


What Is Love? Week 1

Let’s take a look at I Corinthians 13. This chapter basically describes what true love is, how love is carried out, and how we can make it a part of our actions.

VERSES 1, 2, 3: Sometimes we have to know what something ISN’T in order for us to fully understand what it actually IS. How many of us have ever been involved in one or more community service initiatives? But when we go home; it’s hard for us to get along with those in our house. It’s hard for me to speak to my co-worker. It’s hard to pray for someone when I’m angry with them. Then I am reminded of Proverbs 10:12 – when I am angry at someone, do they feel disconnected from me; do they feel like I hate them; have I allowed strife to set in and reside where love should abide?

Ephesians 4:2 | We see this word “longsuffering” as a bit of a theme here. You see, it is easy for us to share the love of God by joining in a homeless Thanksgiving dinner or getting involved in a Christmas toy drive during the holidays. But we have to drive that bus home throughout the year. Exerting patience, spending time with our loved ones, hearing a co-worker out, keeping it moving when someone cuts you off in traffic, not getting so caught up on proving our point that there is no more Godly love in the mix. That’s what longsuffering is – letting the love of God manifest itself – in both intimate and very public scenarios. These verses really open our eyes to what love isn’t.

I Cor 13: 4, 7, 8, 13 | This word charity is interchangeable with the word love. What needs are we assessing for those people within our personal network? Have we taken inventory?

Now that we understand what love is, we can move forward with open eyes and open hearts to integrate it within our lives, and to modify our behavior in order to let those closest to us feel the love of God from our hearts.


Coffee Connection: What Is Love?

It’s the final series of 2012!! What an incredible journey so far this year! As we approach our final moments together in 2012, let’s talk: How do we exhibit love 12 months out of the year, and not just November & December? Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of just what love is, what it means to love, and how we can learn to practice it 365 days a year! Tweet w/us over this series using #LoveAbides.

See you bright and early – 7am on December 3!!


You Rock!

I just want to thank everyone for supporting Coffee Connection, our weekly online devotion, and all of the blog posts on Passion Series! You guys rock! I also want to continue to support and encourage you!


40 Days, Week 6 | Life Abundantly

Here is where we begin to turn the new leaf of living life abundantly. It involves obedience, trust, an intimate relationship, a giving away of our hearts toward God, affirmation and faith.

Joshua 1:8-9 | Ephesians 3:20 | Ecclesiastes 3:15

“ABOVE ALL THAT WE ASK OR THINK, ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKETH IN US,”

God has a uniquely tailored plan that is specific and especially for you. And if we develop a personal and intimate relationship with Him and begin to follow the instructions according to His plans, His purpose, His power letting it work within us – then we will truly understand what Life Abundantly means.

So How Do I Set Things In Motion:
  1. Recognize that God’s design is bigger than Texas
  2. Our passion and desire must match God’s special design for us
  3. Come into submission by P3: Planning, Practice & Persistency
    • Daily Prayer
    • Intimate Relationship (Spiritual Growth Plan)
    • Affirm Who God Has Made You to Be // Portray Positivity (bring someone to Christ) Spiritual Maintenance
    • Planning & Practicing Persistency with Passion
    • Activate Self-Discipline to Mold Successful Interactions & Relationships
    • Match Passion w/God’s Purpose

Visit this series here for more information on our 40 Days to Wholeness Tour!


40 Days, Week 5 | Balance: Relationships, Boundaries, and Self-Discipline

When we talk about planning, preparation and persistency, we are really describing the word DISCIPLINE. Before we can achieve true balance in relationships or personal intricacies, we must have at some level conquered balance in its simplicity (P3 – Planning, Preparation, Persistency) – right? Let’s define this word discipline:

Discipline \ n-‘di-se-plen \ training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character

Self-Discipline \ Wikipedia \ qualities are willpower, hard work, and persistence; it is the product of willpower; it has been noted that self-discipline is the ultimate path towards success

Scripture References: Proverbs 12:1 (KJV & NIV) & Galatians 5:22-23

Simple Solutions to Effective Boundaries
  1. Practice Discipline to Mold Yourself for Success & Effective Relationships
  2. Apply Practices to Real-Life Interactions & Relationships
  3. Make Time for You (God-time, Self-Reflection, Preparation)
  4. Practice the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) Share this Experience with Others

Balance: Taking Inventory

40 Days, Week 4 | Balance: Planning & Practice

It’s Week #4 of our 40 Days to Wholeness Tour & today, we’re talking about Balance: Planning & Practice.

#PassionPitch Question: Do you take time to adequately prepare for the intricacies of life, and how well do you keep in alignment with those plans?

When you plan and practice balance, you are able to reap the valuable rewards it has to offer. What are some rewards of practicing balance?

  • Live, laugh, love – in peace
  • Clear mind – we make better decisions
  • Restful vs Restless – achieve better sleep
  • Better Relationships – seamless, two-way conversations
  • Better Attitudes – less irritated because of fewer irritations
  • Live life uninterrupted!

Perhaps you’ve heard this phrase before:

“PRIOR PLANNING PREVENTS POOR PERFORMANCE – OR COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE 5 P’S.”

This phrase is VERY true. As you know, Coffee Connection has a Biblical base, so we’re going to go to scripture to find out how God has designed this topic of balance – I am going to share TWO simple steps which effectively add ONE additional “P.”

Step 1)) PLANNING. The first step to achieving anything is planning. This first step is integral to achieving the dynamic balance that we desire in our personal lives and for our space.

Matthew 6:33-34 | So if I am trying to figure out how to balance getting more rest, eating properly, my work life, home life, social life and everything in between – all in effect to have a more peaceful, well-rounded life – what should I do? I should seek God first. Put those very things before God during our daily prayer time and ask Him to show us what unique steps we should take to achieve success – these steps are unique to us, to me – MY situation. But just before I go grabbing my pen & paper, I need to grab a spot on my knees with God and ask Him just how I should lay out my “Perfect Balance Plan.”

QUICK RECAP – 1ST STEP: PLANNING
  1. Identify What You’d Like to Achieve
  2. Put it Before God through Prayer, Seeking A Unique Plan for You (Matt 6:33-34)
  3. Look for God’s Answers/Instructions through “Nudges”
  4. Write-out Your “Perfect Balance Plan”

Step 2)) PRACTICE. YOU OVERCOME BY BEING PERSISTENT IN YOUR CONSISTENCE. We have to be passionate and fervent about putting our action plan in motion! Through practice, we are simply laying the foundation to reap the rewards of our work.

Matthew 25:1-13 (Wise/Foolish Virgins) & 14-30 (The servants with talents) | What are you doing with the time and resources that you are given? If you haven’t passionately practiced and consistently pursued your action plan, then your time, resources and talents have gone to waste. You will not reap the benefits of your Perfect Balance Plan, the manifestation will never come to place, and you will not reap the rewards of achieving success in balance – ultimately, this greatly displeases God.

QUICK RECAP – 2ND STEP: PRACTICE
  1. Be Persistent about Your Consistent Motion
  2. Begin Laying Your Foundation through Passionate Practice
  3. Desire to Please God in Your Activities
  4. Reap the Balance Rewards in Your VIP Account

Visit this series here for more information on our 40 Days to Wholeness Tour!


Get an Accountability Partner

It’s Day 21, and it’s time to start the second half of our 40 Days to Wholeness tour! BUT, just before we move forward, let’s take inventory of what we’ve done so far:
»Connecting with God Through Prayer
»Personal Health & Spiritual Growth Plans
»Positive Thinking & Attitude Management

We’ve taken time to have a deeper connection with God, so let’s use that momentum as we move forward implementing God’s strategy, balance and organization within our lives to truly live life abundantly through God. I also petition you to take on an accountability partner as a supporter and value-add to any challenges!


Refresh & Reflect, Day 20

We are 20 days into our 40 Days to Wholeness Tour – that’s halfway through, folks! I just want to encourage us as we move forward in the remainder of our tour. Let’s simply take a moment to reflect upon what we’ve chatted about so far:
»Setting a daily meeting time & place with God
»Making the right health preparations and focusing on spiritual growth
»Self-Affirmation & Spiritual Transformation

As we move forward, we want to ultimately feel enlightened, refreshed, and renewed as we complete our tour. As we add more of God to the daily mix of our lives, we will be able to live life abundantly through Christ-like, wholesome, transformed lives!

Find out more information about our 40 Days to Wholeness Tour here.


40 Days to Wholeness, Week 3

It is so important for us to have a positive self-image, and God is leading me to do it this way for a reason. But a lot of the times we get thrown so many examples of what we should do, how we should react, how we should live, that we may forget about ourselves in the process. So, how does God say we should live, and how does this affect our self-reflection, our behavior and our relationships?

Romans 12:1-2 | Commit yourself to God, then experience your transformation (your metamorphosis)

TRANSFORMATION \\ a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance; conversion, metamorphosis, change, alteration

1) Desire a change – a newness for ourselves 2) Commit to God – no matter who you think you are 3) Experience true joy within your transformation

Ref. Galatians 5:22-24 | Spiritual Maintenance. These are the things that help moderate our behavior and interactions with others.


40 Days to Wholeness

I wanted to introduce our newest series at #CoffeeConnection, our Monday morning devotion: 40 Days to Wholeness. Over the next 6 weeks (from October 8th to November 16th), we are going to be chatting about what it means to live life abundantly, how necessary it is to add God as a resource to our lives, and what “wholeness” really means. We want to get down to the core of living a balanced, Christ-like, wholesome life!

So here’s what we’re focusing on from now until then:
Week 1: The Importance of Prayer & Bible Study
Week 2: Cleansing & Healing
Week 3: Positive Thinking, Self-Restoration, Attitude Management
Week 4: Balance – Scheduling, Time Management, Task Management
Week 5: Balance – Family, Friendships, and Me!
Week 6: Living Abundantly – What It Means to Be Made Whole


A Faithful Lifestyle = Successful Living

We often strive for much success in life, and we may perhaps try many different alternatives to obtain heightened success within our passions. Because success is often associated with class structure, intelligence, and who we are socially, we may feel as though we are inferior to others when we don’t achieve the success “we think we should.” But…why should all of this matter? And how can we achieve success within our passions and callings while being happy where we are right now?

As believers in Christ we not only have to be hearers of the word, but we must also be doers. Our faith/belief systems should set the standard for our actions and situational outlooks. We must now live the life of faith through Christ’s example so that we can live our BEST LIFE!


Create Your Very Own “Faith Box”

As we move forward in our Faith Series, we want to also remember to come in agreement with God for what we need or desire, allow Him to mobilize us through Faith Reactions.

Faith Reaction = giving God the reigns, letting His power & authority give instructions to mobilize us

How much do you believe in God acting on your behalf? To activate our minds and spirits, we’ve created our challenge for this week: Create Your Own Faith Box.
»Write out your concerns & passions
»Place the list in a special box of your choosing
»Pray over it
»Let God Work!

In a nutshell, our Faith Box is to help us practice – you got it – Faith! Once the list goes in the box, don’t let fear or immobilization overcome your thoughts. By leaving our concerns in the box and trusting in God’s instructions, we will initiate Faith Reactions. Watch as God begins to move – don’t forget to share it with us!


Forgiveness Challenge

We’ve just wrapped up our Forgiveness Series, but I have a “simple” challenge for you. This challenge involves “Practicing Forgiveness Today!” We want to take what we’ve learned and practice it on a daily basis so that we can get our restoration, our offenders can feel love and release, and so that ultimately God can get the GLORY!

Let’s stand together to:
»Pray for those who have offended us
»Put into practice what we’ve learned throughout our Forgiveness Series
»Ask God for a pure heart so that we refrain from offending others


New Coffee Connection Series: Forgiveness

There comes a time in life when we have to give up everything that has held us back, hurt us, or caused moments of pain. First up? Forgiveness!

This may seem REALLY hard, because what someone did to us may have been just as soon as yesterday – the wounds are still fresh. But here is your moment of supreme and ultimate growth – the perfect time to live out your purpose!

Join us as we discover forgiveness, and embark on this new journey with us! Let’s find moments that help us to let go of the past and things that we personally hold onto that are not going to help us along the way. We will find ways to help each other live out our passions successfully WITH God in the midst! Coffee with us May 7th @ 7am!

3 Ways to Log Into Coffee Connection:
  1. Live/Chat on Ustream: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/coffee-connection
  2. Live/Chat on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PassionSeries?sk=app_196506863720166
  3. Live/Chat/Listen on Blog Talk Radio: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/passionseries

How Should I Approach God?

Too often, we go before God with the wrong motives and with the intent to trick Him with our foolery. Let’s take a strong look at Ecclesiastes 5:1-7.

In verse 2, King Solomon warns us that God wants us to revere Him. I don’t address my parents or grandparents in the same manner I would approach my friends – out of reverence and respect for their position and wisdom. God wants us to have this same type of reverence and respect (and more!) for Him. Come into His presence with meaningful purpose, not just out of vain traditions that mean nothing to us once we complete our prayer! When we have the opportunity to enter into God’s presence (as verse 1 explains), be still and open your heart to hearing and receiving His will instead of injecting frivolous, useless vanities in His Holy presence. Don’t offer a fraud or what we don’t intend to deliver.


Coffee Connection: Seasons of Purpose

So here we are again – our Monday Morning Devotion! Today we are talking about Seasons of Purpose, and we are using Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 as our supporting text. It is great to know that incorporating God’s purpose into our functional areas of wisdom increases our purpose and gives favor and new meaning to the seasons we step into.

In the start of the chapter, verses 1-8 lays pretty clear foundational concepts of “everything in its right time,” and it lets us know how important it is for us to understand that every season (portion, timeframe, moment) in our lives is for a purpose that conjoins to fulfill a much greater purpose – what I like to call “A God Purpose.”


Coffee Connection: Let the Anointing Fall on Your Wisdom

Allo! We are still studying Ecclesiastes for February 2012. This week’s lesson, Let the Anointing Fall on Your Wisdom, is centered around Ecclesiastes chapters 2 & 9 which teaches us to allow God in our “mix” to grant us fulfillment and meaning in our pursuit of passion and labor. Our key verses for this week are Ecc. 2:9, 11, 13, 17-21 and Ecc. 9:3, 8.

Ecclesiastes is by far my favorite book in the Bible (besides Psalm & Proverbs), and I have read it over and over again. As you begin reading Ecclesiastes, it sort of sounds like King Solomon is complaining or maybe even being a bit selfish in his own wisdom. King Solomon was very wise and very successful. His desire to obtain the answers from God stirred up a few things. And he began to utilize his God-given wisdom to reveal a spiritual truth: without God in the mix, there is no fulfillment or enjoyment of our labor and the fruits thereof. Ultimately, the truly meaningless portion of our labor and our pursuit of knowledge is the fact that God is not in it, and we will never be satisfied with our labor or the fruits thereof without incorporating God.

The Final Thought?
We have an option to choose our position of the wise man or the fool. We also have a choice to let the anointing fall on our wisdom so that our labor pleases god; therefore, he will grant us true happiness in our works.

Your Challenge
What is your choice? How will you use your wisdom?


Understanding Our Gift of Wisdom & Our Pursuit of Labor

Hey Guys! This is a recap of the February 6th Coffee Connection: Understanding Our Gift of Wisdom & Pursuit of Labor. Our focus study for February 2012 is centered around the book of Ecclesiastes which sets a wonderful outlook on our approach to labor and spirituality. Today we discussed Ecclesiastes chapter 1. In the devotion, Kaye discusses our human pursuit of wisdom, defines our approach to labor, and poses a few challenge questions for us this week. Take a peek:

Q: In our quest for knowledge & wisdom, are we seeking the wisdom and knowledge of God?
Q: Why do we seek after wisdom and accomplishments?
Q: Is our heart settled in what we achieve; has what you achieved left a lasting, Godly impression?

For this week, focus on verses 9, 11, 13, 17 & 18.

The Answer:
We must replace our human, finite wisdom with Godly wisdom in order to open the doors for a Godly foundation. As you pursue your goals this week, month, year…give them to God, and let Him add the overflow to your life.


Keep It Stupid Simple & Dumb It Down

So I guess I can’t be too elaborate in this blog post, eh? lol! Sometimes we (yes YOU, ME, WE) can be our worse enemy! It is very easy to move throughout our goals, life, business planning, etc. having accomplished perfection and dynamic results but at the end of it feeling like it is one GINORMOUS day!

Sometimes simplifying your process (ie, Keeping it Stupid Simple) can help free up some of your time and energy so that you are even more effective – to the people around you, your clients, your family, and the biggest person who needs it all – YOU!


December RE-Connect

During the month of December, we are going to focus on reconnecting our purpose with our goals and effective actions. I am sure you know, as I know too well, the moment we declare purpose and new meaning within our lives, that is the very moment opposition shows its ooogly little face!

We’re taking back our rightful position, pushing opposition far behind us – STOMP IT OUT!, and effectively utilizing the resources, relationships and support groups God’s granted us with. When opposition arises, we can take these steps to get rid of it and never look back.


Passion Series: September 2011 Wrap Up

Here we are – officially one month down, eleven months to go! One month ago, I started this Passion Series to take a journey throughout the next year to tailor my passions and purpose while resourcefully connecting them to the unique skills and gifts I have been given. Additionally, I wanted to really shave away what’s time consuming, things that are not my passions, and yes – those “Latchers!” Throughout this month, I’ve learned a lot about myself and I’ve also learned so much more about how to fulfill passion. As we go further, I will delve into these passions in particular. But…here’s what I’ve learned so far!

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