RELATIONSHIP WEDNESDAY'S - WHO'S MOST IMPORTANT

Welcome to another edition of Relationship Wednesday's. One of my loyal followers asked me this morning was I doing Relationship Wednesday's admittedly I wasn't going too but here it goes.

A good friend of mine tweeted in the wee hours of the morning today that she'd been focusing on the wrong thing. In essence while she should have been thinking, praying, spending time with her father she was worried about a man she was dating and focusing her energies there. See yesterday her father was rushed to the emergency room and at first he didn't want to go.

Many of us know when a crisis happens in our lives that is when we take the time to ponder and reflect. Well she began to ponder and reflect and she said "I'm worried about my dad...today it really is hittin me!!!! I been worried about the wrong man!"

Many of us women worry about how our significant other sees us, if they love/like us, if we are pleasing them, if we measure up (the same is probably true for men and how they feel about women). We spend so much time nurturing and developing a relationship with them so much so that sometimes we focus/spend more time with them than anyone else in our lives sadly often times this includes our children. We are so focused on them sometimes we can't think straight or function.

Imagine if we spent that time focusing on God and pleasing Him how much better our lives and our relationships would be? God wants to be the head of our lives and Jesus should be the center of our joy. When we have those things in balance than everything else in our lives fall in line. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all good things shall be added to you (Matthew 6:33).

Our focus should be as follows

• God
• Ourselves
• Spouse
• Children
• Family
• Church/Community
• Others (boyfriends etc.)

Yes I am sorry I put boyfriends way at the bottom. There is no where in the bible where God gives boyfriends or girlfriends priority. I don't think there is a scripture that mentions boy/girlfriends. Seriously, and this order doesn't mean to be selfish and neglect others it means to spend time with God getting to know Him, then spend time getting to know yourself, if you are married God is the head, than the husband, wife, then children. However if we don't know who we are and are not in right relationship with God/Christ we cannot fully be there for others.

So I ask what is your priority and before you answer this question. Think about the last few weeks and who/what you spent most of your time with. Who you spent the most time talking to and fellow shipping with. This includes taking into consideration the media.

Examine yourself and your life. Unless you are married your significant other isn't all that significant, of course that is just my opinion.

Trust this doesn't mean not nurturing and developing a relationship with the opposite sex after all how else will you end up married if that is your desire. What this is saying is make sure your priorities are in order.

I heard a saying don't make someone else a priority when you are only their option!

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Epiphany Essentials

PRAYING SINGLE MOTHERS

Yesterdays blog introduced you briefly to Laveda Jones the founder/creator of Praying Single Mothers.

Saturday, March 6th was the 1st Annual Conference for Praying Single Mothers: Restore Me. Pastors from across the US came to the event to pour into the lives of single mothers using the Word of God. It was a blessed, spirit filled occasion and I cannot wait to go to more events that Praying Single Mothers has throughout the year.

Everyone was welcoming and inviting. Laveda made sure she met every woman in the room whom she did not know already. She also made sure that us newcomers participated in some way in the event.

The conference included speakers, a fashion show, free and paid raffles, as well as free gifts just for participating. It was all about fellow shipping. Breakfast and lunch were also served. The conference was well planned and executed in decency and in order.

The speaker who stood out the most for me was Carla Walker, Florida. She preached out of Acts and referenced when Dorcas died and how the women of the church washed her up and laid her in the upper room because she was dead. They cried and moaned and weeped over her death. Then Peter came, when Peter arrived they showed him all of Dorcas things that she'd made or worn and they were still mourning over her death. Peter went into the upper room where Dorcas laid and he put everyone out of the room. He then spoke to Dorcas and said Dorcas get up! She opened her eyes and when she saw Peter she got up.....

Carla went on to say that there are things in your life that you have considered to be dead ( a business, invention, idea, plan, etc.) go and resurrect it and bring it back alive as you have the Power!

She also told us to get weeping women/people out of our lives. Those people who continue to bring up things that you have long forgotten about or gotten over that you sometimes relive because they have brought it up. She also mentioned how the women of the church instead of weeping could have did the same thing Peter had done and done it days earlier. They could have been praying/confessing/speaking over Dorcas and told her to rise but they simply declared her dead and prepared her for her homecoming.

Single Mother's don't give up on your dreams and don't give up on your kids. You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength.

Please visit www.psmothers.ning.com and become a member of the group there are also pictures and information from the conference as well.

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials

A MESSAGE TO MY SINGLE NEVER WED MOTHERS

I was blessed to attend the 1st Annual Praying Single Mothers Conference under the leadership of Laveda Jones. For some background, Laveda Jones is a member of Covenant of Faith church in Plainfield, Illinois. She became a single mother through divorce and a year ago she formed the group Praying Single Mothers http://www.psmothers.ning.org/.

At the conference during lunch I was able to meet and speak with a couple of ladies. One of the women said something that I have heard many single mothers say before and have said myself.

She spoke to me of how it gets frustrating and difficult, how she becomes tired and is in need of finding balance in her life. She also mentioned how it is unfair for her to have to raise her son alone.

I completely understood where she was coming from. And realize that a lot of single mothers feel that way.

I tell women, When you make the decision to have a child make the decision because you want to have a child. Not because your mom wants grandchildren, or because your boyfriend wants a baby. As the brunt of the responsibility for the children falls on the mother (married or not).

When you decide to become a mother you are deciding to give up your life for the life of your child. You are deciding to put certain things on hold/give them up for the sake of your child. In essence you are making a commitment to put your child 1st in your life.

As mothers we carry our children for 9 months and birth them. Trust and believe that there is no love like the love a mother has for her child. The love that we have and the joy we experience we want our child's father to share in and feel the same way.

While there are countless fathers that step up to the plate everyday and our great parents. As well as those fathers who are raising their children alone or doing more of the raising than the mother.

There are also men who completely walk away or they parent when it is convenient for them. As a single mother this can be frustrating, this may anger you...

I ask you as you read these words to accept and believe what I am saying

• do not argue with your child's father
• do not try to dictate what type of father he should be
• do not bad mouth the father in front of or around the child nor allow others to do so
• pray for your child's father
• pray for the relationship that your child has with his father
• meditate on the scriptures that God looks after children and fools, and also that God is a father to the fatherless

I have been there, had knock out drag out arguments with my sons father. I have dealt with the issue of if you date me I will be the model parent if you don't date me I will do as I please. Truth be told they are going to do what they want regardless. I deal with a father that comes around when he wants and calls when he wants. Nevertheless my son didn't choose his father, I did and I knew what type of person he was before I decided to have a child with him so there are some things that I have to just accept. I cannot make my sons father be the model parent, I cannot make him have regular visits etc.

What I have done is left the door open for my sons father to parent as he sees fit. In the end when my sons grows older he will know who was with him, who was always there for him etc. I don't have to say a word.

Anytime he goes and spends time with his dad I ask him how his day was and he gets excited explaining all of the things he and his father did. I end up by telling him what a great father he has! Speak those things that be not as though they were. My sons father has a lot of great qualities and some that need work as do I.

Nevertheless I came to learn that the only person we can control and change is ourselves. I have come to learn that I am not and will never be the perfect parent. As the custodial parent the brunt of the responsibility is mine and mine alone. Which I accept glady and cheerfully as God has bestowed this great responsibility upon me.

This is the time to accept your situation without complaining. This is the time to embrace your life as a single mom and pour into and love your child as much as you can. Surround your child with positive role models and pray and speak over your child daily. Come up with a plan/schedule daily, weekly, monthly. Find balance in being a single mom as well as being the woman whom you are. Definitely take time for yourself regularly. If you are not 100% or happy you cannot be the best mom. If you are not rejuvinated, renewed, and restored you cannot be the best mother.

We must understand that God intended for children to be born in wedlock to a mother and a father. As single mothers we have to realize that having children out of wedlock is out of the Will of God. Does this mean that we are doomed to have dead beat dads or that we will be punished for that sin for the rest of our lives. Of course not, I am saying however we have to recognize that we have chosen to take the bumpy road.

Take heart in knowing that all things work together for the good of those whom love Him. God has great things in store for you and your children. God has plans to prosper you all and give you hope and a future. He never puts more on you than you can bear. He is your shepherd and you shall not be in want.

Take courage and be of good cheer for your name is VICTORY. I see your children as god fearing, godly men/women of God, faith filled if only the size of a mustard seed, good citizens, filled with the fruit of the Spirit, whose beliefs, principles, morals, and life are rooted in the Word of God and in Jesus Christ. I speak life right now into your life and the life of your child. Believe it and receive it.

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials

FAITH FRIDAYS - RAIN ON US

This song is one of my favorites of the year. I don't know about you but I need the Lord to shower down and rain upon me daily and especially when I am not feeling my best or 100% about things. I pray you are blessed by the Word below and if you get a chance google the song and listen to the lyrics. POWERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rain On Us Lyrics
Performed by- Sha' Simpson

Let your glory fill this placeLet your all-consuming fire fill this tabernacle And purify our hearts Surround us in this place And breathe new life within us Send a refreshing glory Saturate our hearts Rain on us, breathe on us Shower down, shower down Send your spirit, Lord

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Epiphany Essentials

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SPEAKING LIFE UNTO YOU

To all those reading these words today, believe and receive that your families, finances, relationships, homes, cars, minds, hearts, complete beings are blessed! You are blessed in the city and in the field, when you come and when you go! You are the head and not the tail, above and not beneath, a lender and not a borrower. You leave no debt outstanding except the debt to love.

Speak the Word and only the Word for God's Word will perform and do exactly what it says. Remember God FAVORS YOU!!!!!!

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials

TEAM TO END AIDS MARATHON - TRAIN TO PARTICIPATE

First you TRAIN, then you TRIUMPH!
Join the TEAM TO END AIDS (T2) endurance training program. In a few months, we can train YOU to complete a marathon, half marathon or triathlon, whether you are an experienced athlete or you've never trained for an endurance event before.
We will train people at all levels of endurance event experience. Some of our participants will want to beat their own personal record. And, many of our participants are first-time marathoners or triathletes, and some haven't run a step in years. Whether you're fast or slow, our experienced coaches will be with you every step to make sure you get to the finish line.
T2 will prepare you to go the distance and raise money in support of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Simply choose your challenge marathon, half marathon, or triathlon and our staff will guide you through everything, from training to nutrition to fundraising.
With T2, you train without intimidation and triumph with elation. Register today! We welcome and accept all experience levels.
Training starts May 8, 2010.First you TRAIN, then you TRIUMPH!
Join the TEAM TO END AIDS (T2) endurance training program. In a few months, we can train YOU to complete a marathon, half marathon or triathlon, whether you are an experienced athlete or you've never trained for an endurance event before.
We will train people at all levels of endurance event experience. Some of our participants will want to beat their own personal record. And, many of our participants are first-time marathoners or triathletes, and some haven't run a step in years. Whether you're fast or slow, our experienced coaches will be with you every step to make sure you get to the finish line.
T2 will prepare you to go the distance and raise money in support of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Simply choose your challenge marathon, half marathon, or triathlon and our staff will guide you through everything, from training to nutrition to fundraising.
With T2, you train without intimidation and triumph with elation. Register today! We welcome and accept all experience levels.
Training starts May 8, 2010.