Be Careful What You Pray For!

“I asked for strength...
And God gave me difficulties to make me strong.

I asked for wisdom...
And God gave me problems to solve.

I asked for prosperity...
And God gave me brains and the strength to work.

I asked for courage...
And God gave me danger to overcome.

I asked for love...
And God gave me troubled people to help.

I asked for favors...
And God gave me opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted.
I received everything I needed.

My Prayer has been answered.”


I love this poem. Very true.

My True Essence

Your Presence…

You’re here and I can feel it
You’re all in my spirit
Your presence is so strong
I can still smell a hint of your cologne
It's as if you are right here
Far away but yet so near
I smile as I think of you
The crazy things we would do
The memories of the good and bad
The love we shared and fun we had
Those wonderful days and passionate nights
Nights where we loved each other right
I can almost feel your touch
Oh how I miss you so much
Even though you are gone
Your presence still lives on

My True Essence

I Thank You

I thank you for life, health and peace of mind

I thank you for your mercy and for always being kind

I thank you for my family and my friends

I thank you for your love that never ends

I thank you for loving me inspite of my crazy ways

I thank you for strength to make it thru the dark nights and long days

I thank you for understanding my cries in the middle of the night

I thank you for waking me up each morning feeling new and bright

I thank you for picking me up when I sometimes slip and fall

I thank you for carrying me when I can’t even crawl

I thank you for lifting my burdens when they are too much for me to bear

I thank you for never leaving and for always being there

I thank you for the chance to praise and worship you

I thank you for doing what you said you would do

I thank you…

My True Essence

TRUST

"TRUST. It's A GIFT. It's to be vigorously guarded. When someone opens up to you...They are trusting you with what's inside of their Vault. Their Life Garden. It's to be cultivated and well-kept. And when the Keeper has planted ONE SEED OF DISTRUST...Weeds begin to GROW. And CHOKE THE TRUST THAT WAS GIVEN. So when someone TRUSTS YOU...Protect it. Guard it. Wear your TRUSTWORTHY as a Cloake of Honor. Because once it's gone...It's harder to win than a strong city".

Everyone Is Not Your Friend

I say this all the time and I will say it until the end
Wake up and stop thinking everyone is your friend
Everyone does not have your best interest at heart
So stop trusting them with everything right from the start

Telling them secrets they haven’t earned the right to know
Before allowing the friendship the time to develop and grow
When your business gets put out there, it won’t be nice
By then it’s too late to wish you would have thought twice

About trusting and believing everything everyone tells you
Don’t listen to what they say just watch what they do
If they always talking about others, they are talking about you too
I hope you believe what I am saying because it’s true

So keep your eyes open, mouth closed and trust your gut
Until you are sure they can be trusted no matter what
Having great, trustworthy friends is a wonderful thing
Just be careful because everyone is not sincere with what they bring

My True Essence

Security (Guest Post)

This piece was written by S. Bell, a talented friend of mine. I thought it was worthy sharing.



Communication
Trust
Intimacy

Yea, they all sound great separately. It is funny how anytime you ask that age old question “what does it take to make a relationship last” those 3 words are normally at the top of the list, uttered by millions alike because well, we all KNOW the answer right. What do they have in common though? I’ll tell you from my own personal experience its “security”, yup, that’s right security.

In a relationship where two totally separately entities must come together for “each other”. It’s a place where there is no “I” in team. We gave up the “Me” for an “US”. A real relationship, the institution that transforms ones focus on “me” into a focus on “you” or “the kids” “or OUR” future. Something has to be said about a man or woman who will subdue his/her desires for the desires of another whom (s)he loves ON PURPOSE, It’s priceless. What I love most about this thing, this concept, and this principle- is that no matter what the relationship- it works………it just works. We all say trust , communication so on and so forth is what keeps relationship fresh but, really its security.  Follow me into to my mind for a minute.
Communication on a basketball court is one of the most intangible skills a complete player needs to be more than just a name on a roster. A player who can master the English language in such a way that it manipulates fear into motivation is a player a force to be reckoned with. Leaders have it, followers need to heed to it. A missed assignment, one late step all can be corrected with communication. Has anyone of you ever been on a receiving in of a devastating pick/screen. I have, it’s not joke to be hit from your blind side and will literally knocked the wind out of you in such a way that you’re normally in complete disbelief when you get off the floor. You first thought is never “man that hurt” Your first thought is Man, why didn’t anyone let me know the pick/screen was coming?  <———marinate on that ball players

When I worked as an admissions rep for Miller Motte Technical College, our director was huge on team building exercises. I’m sure there was a purpose but, if you know anything about them, you know they sucked and were a waste of time because most adults find a way to complete the task without learning the lessons associated with each exercise. There was always one exercise in particular that EVERYBODY HATED collectively. You know which one I’m talking about too. Go ahead and say it, I’ll wait……………Yup, that was it, the good old trust fall. No one ever wanted to do it because secretly we really didn’t feel “secure” in knowing the person responsible for catching us would actually catch us. It was always about MORE than trust, always but, if it’s about more than trust, what were we missing? <———-marinate on that team builder participators, I’ll be back

Hmph, here we go, you want to know the real reason why you can’t get your s/o to dress up for you? Ladies, you want to know the real reason why your man won’t cry in front of you or express any other emotion beside anger, of course you do. Ignore all the cliché reasons for why you feel the way you feel about it and work with me here. Fellas, she loves you to death or life, she honors you, she respects you so, and why won’t she do the little extra special things that you think will take your intimacy level to the next level? Think on it….  Ladies, look at you thinking you’re all perfect and innocent in this matter hahahahaha phooey on you. The real reason your man has a hard time expressing the FULL scale of emotions that humans are capable of with you is simple. You haven’t proven to him that it’s ok to. It’s not because he doesn’t want to. Were not machines by any stretch of the imagination, I can promise you that. So, if it’s not because the desire isn’t there and it’s not because you do not love him, what is it? <——- marinate on your “real” answer for a minute, I’ll come back for it

Not listed above is a response that should be a given “GOD”- He sustains any relationship and without him you have nothing. It’s like building a house on quicksand. You need him – period. Funny thing though, for those who know him and believe in the power of prayer will stand by his word because they know something that a nonbeliever doesn’t. They usually fail to communicate “that” which they know because honestly it’s not a popular notion. Everyone wants to preach miracles and blessings but not this ONE thing that separates him from all others. A few of my favorite scriptures have solidified my relationship with Jesus Christ that I would like to share with you. I don’t want to convert you or convince you that you should believe in what I believe in but, its humbling knowing that when you focus on the meaning behind the words its gives you peace. Gen 28:15 And, behold, I am with you, and will keep you in all places where you go, and will bring you again into this land; for I will not leave you, until I have done that which I have spoken to you about.  Ps 18:2,3 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in Whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from my enemies. Lastly and my personal favorite is Ps 32:7 you are my hiding place; you shall preserve me from trouble; you shall compass me about with songs of deliverance.

^^^^^ you see that ^^^^^^^^ that right there^^^^^ that’s what it’s all about^^^^^^ people IN THE KNOW call that “SECURITY”. That is the difference between everything.
What a beautiful feeling it is to know that “someone” has you. Yes, there is something to be said that when I look in your eyes I know “you, got me”. On the basketball court it’s never about picking yourself off the floor after the pick, it’s the fact that you didn’t have him/her. You watched them walk into harm’s way. I trust you as a co-worker but, for some reason I don’t feel that you “got me” if I fall. If we don’t complete the task will we remain a team or will you be all too eager to point out my mistakes in the matter to get yourself off the hook. How do I know that if I give in to my inhibitions in the bedroom, throw caution to the wind and attempt to explore my true fantasies with you that I won’t be ridiculed or teased. I swear I want to cry in front of you, I want to cry WITH you, but when my eyes are dry will I still be the same man you respected before? Erika once said that “All those factors equal a sense of safety and security with you words shared that express you deepest secrets to the ability to kneel and pray together before bed and when faced with the most difficult of situations”

That’s what it is all about –security; you need to know that when all hell breaks loose in your life someone’s “got you”. When you let down your defenses someone will “take care” of you. The single most underappreciated notion in a relationship is security. You ever felt like a roommate in a house where your husband/wife rested? You ever loved a person you didn’t feel like you could be vulnerable with? Trust or lack thereof is easy to lose and gain back but, it’s the security that you forgot about. I trust you with my life but, I don’t feel safe leaving it for you to guard.

I asked my girlfriend Latasha “why am you so comfortable with me” and the gist of her response was simple, I feel like you “got me”. Well, in all honesty I get that and as simple as that is I understood everything that phrase meant.  And yes I do “have you” and I ALWAYS will. Another great thing about security is this “it all will come so naturally like Mother Nature or something that is already ingrained in a person that makes it an autopilot response, reaction, responsibility. Nothing forced.” – I believe that with all my heart
Sometimes, It’s not about picking the most compatible mate, Another friend Sandra once said “CHOOSE YOUR PARTNER CAREFULLY, BECAUSE WHEN ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE IN LIFE, THAT’S WHO YOU WILL GO TO WAR WITH”,

Do they “got you”? For you sake I hope the answer is yes.

Source: http://weareironmen.wordpress.com/2012/04/10/security/

A Man's Message for the Ladies

Someone posted this on FB and I had to share it.

"Ladies when seeking a good man, if you don’t see where he is adding to your life, then don’t say, “Yes” and become his wife. It’s better to be single and not mingle than to be married to a man that brings you down, makes you sad, and wish the day you never had that man. But just in case, God has a contingency plan just for you. You made a decision and now those hurts and pain that you just went... through was designed specifically for you. You had to have that man because you said, “He was just to fine, so I had to make him mine.” Now you see what can happen when you allow yourself to go blind. But God can open eyes to thoughts that are usually closed and He can open minds that couldn’t see Him because of previously sinful thoughts. He did this because you finally put your faith in his Son.

When you give God your pain or problems he doesn’t need your help, but he does need your attention. If you continue to focus on the problems then you’ll always have dissensions. So start managing your feelings and stop allowing your feelings to manage you. Because if you don’t then you’ll find yourself back down the aisle saying, “I do.” Same mess different person.

Jeremiah 29: 11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Lead the Way

Take my hand and let’s pray

Then you lead the way

I really don’t care where we go

I will follow you anywhere I hope you know

That I’m here for you always

To help you make it thru the days

To hold you throughout the night

Until everything is alright

Trust enough to give your heart

Believe that we will never part

Hope for nothing but the best

Pray for strength to deal with the rest

What we have is one of a kind

It just keeps getting better with time

So take my hand and let’s pray

And I will gladly follow every step of the way

My True Essence

30 Day Guide to a Better You

Day 01 → Something you hate about yourself.
Day 02 → Something you love about yourself.
Day 03 → Something you have to forgive yourself for.
Day 04 → Something you have to forgive someone for.
Day 05 → Something you hope to do in your life.
Day 06 → Something you hope you never have to do.
Day 07 → Someone who has made your life worth living for.
Day 08 → Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like shit.
Day 09 → Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.
Day 10 → Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Day 11 → Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Day 12 → Something you never get compliments on.
Day 13 → A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough ass days. (write a letter.)
Day 14 → A hero that has let you down. (letter)
Day 15 → Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it.
Day 16 → Someone or something you definitely could live without.
Day 17 → A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.
Day 18 → Your views on gay marriage.
Day 19 → What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
Day 20 → Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21 → (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Day 22 → Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23 → Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24 → Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25 → The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26 → Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27 → What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28 → What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?
Day 29 → Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30 → A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself

I saw this list in one of my Facebook groups. I thought it was a good tool and wanted to share. Hopefully, one day soon, I can start this ... agfain.
 
My True Essence