THEIR SUCCESS IS NOT YOUR FAILURE

This weekend I finally watched the movie Jumping The Broom. What was interesting to me was that I had already considered writing a blog about someone else's success having nothing to do with your failure. The movie provided a couple of perfect examples of that. Sadly, I think more so in the African American community people down one another that are doing well instead of celebrating them. On top of that instead of using someone else's success as motivation and asking them to mentor or give advice on how they did it most people point fingers, snicker under their breath, and become jealous.

I don't remember any of the characters names in the movie but I do know their real names. So Laz Alonzo comes from what would be considered humble beginnings and his mother is played by Loretta Devine. Paula Patton comes from a wealthy family and her mother is played by Angela Bassett. Before even meeting Paula and her family, Loretta Devine has already written them off as goody two shoes uppity black folk that think they are better than everyone else. She even goes so far as to let them know at the rehearsal dinner that they are black.

I always wonder, what is black? Meaning many people have their own perception of what it means to be black and they don't all agree. Some people feel if you use proper English you are speaking white. If you dress a certain way etc you are trying to be white. Do does that mean being black means using slang/ebonics?

Then I think about schools, how children that receive good grades are sometimes ridiculed for their achievements. They hear things like she/he isn't all of that because they get good grades. Well of course they aren't they are just as human as the children who don't receive good grades. Chances are those who do receive good grades aren't walking around with their noses up in the air pretending to be better. They are simply automatically being labeled and judged based on their achievements and the others lack of.

THEIR SUCCESS IS NOT YOUR FAILURE.

In the movie DeRay Davis was Laz Alonzo's cousin and they had been best friends. Laz Alonzo completed school and ended up with a great job and he was successful. He had a party to celebrate his success and everyone showed up but DeRay. Laz explained to DeRay that he didn't change, DeRay did. DeRay was the one who didn't show up for the party and became distant. Laz let DeRay know that his money didn't change him, it changed DeRay, Laz was the same person. In essence

Laz SUCCESS WAS NOT DeRay's FAILURE.

It is time for us as a community to learn to celebrate one another and strive for our own successes, victories, and accomplishments. Especially if you are in the body of believers. If you are in Christ you were blessed before the foundations of the earth were made. If you look at someone else's success and feel jealousy and envy you really need to examine yourself and your motives. As long as you have breath in your body you have an opportunity to make changes in your life.

Use other's success as inspiration to create your own success story.

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials

GET UNCOMFORTABLE

Discomfort leads to comfort! Happiness comes out of being uncomfortable. In comfort one finds complacency. It is only when we become uncomfortable that we are able to change, grow and develop into who and what we are supposed to and or want to be.

I am now reading Tim Ferriss' The Four Hour Workweek and that sparked this blog post today. I am right now doing the first comfort challenge in the book. Tim says something that makes perfect sense, the most important actions are never comfortable.

Let's see how can I put this. For the person who is slight overweight or considered obese the thought and action of changing one's diet and exercising is uncomfortable. Its uncomfortable because watching one's diet and exercising seem to be difficult for those who don't do it on a regular basis. However, the end result is a slimmer and more importantly healthier being that will emerge from proper diet and exercise. Instead of doing those simple things that will cause temporary discomfort but lead to possibly eternal comfort many choose to stay in their current state. Why? Because the action required to produce the results requires work one is not used to doing.

My advice, GET UNCOMFORTABLE!

There are many people working jobs that they absolutely hate. They have thoughts and ideals of what they would like to be it looking for another job or starting their own business. Yet, they come up with tons of excuses as to why they can't accomplish their goals. While they hate their current situation, they have found a level of comfort in it and simply put would rather stay comfortable in hell than become slightly uncomfortable to experience shall I call it heaven. How so do you ask? They come up with excuses like.....

• 
  
  
  
  
  I don't have time to look for a job because of the time restraints on my current job. I can't interview for a new position because of the time restraints on my current job.






• I just can't quit to follow my passions I will I eat and survive.






• I can't work on my business plan I'm tired from my job and don't have the time or energy to do anything on the weekends and when I do I like to watch TV, movies, read etc.

Well, here is a newsflash if you never find the time and get a little uncomfortable you will be stuck in a miserable state of comfort.

So my advice....GET UNCOMFORTABLE and more importantly STOP COMPLAINING.

Complaining leads to nothing, instead of complaining, take action and develop a plan with specific accomplish dates and then put your energy and time into finishing what you have set out to accomplish.

I was watching Bill Winston one morning and he mentioned that your wealth is tied to the amount of television you watch. It was a thought provoking statement especially to me as I have watched a great deal of TV since I was a child. So I began to think to myself, I am watching people on TV shows and in movies that followed their passions, are living their dreams and have their dream careers/jobs and many are rich, well-off, wealthy, some are even in the elite class. So instead of me watching them on TV maybe I should be doing something to achieve my own goals. Now have I completely stopped watching TV of course not however I have changed what I watch on TV. I now look at MSNBC, CSPAN, BTV, and the History Channel. I figure if I am going to watch TV I need to learn something. Now from time to time I will watch a TV show but for the most part I don't.

Also consider how many hours you spend watching TV, reading magazines, and pure fiction books. Add that time up and that is the time that you have to do the uncomfortable things necessary so that you can live in the ultimate level of comfort.

So again, what's my advice?

GET UNCOMFORTABLE!

Take time to examine in what areas of your life you can become uncomfortable. Figure out what you can absolutely live without that will allow you to go where you need to go.

GET UNCOMFORTABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials

SHERO SUMMIT 2011

The mission of Shero, Incorporated is to empower girls of various backgrounds through cutting-edge & thought-provoking programming within the greater Chicago area.


Our goal is to inspire girls by nurturing a sense of power and strength within to attain her biggest dreams. We want each girl to honor the hero within!

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials

MANIFESTING ABUNDANCE

There are a lot of things that I listen to and/or read that are thought provoking daily. This morning was not any different, thanks again to Bill Winston. Almost every morning I make it a habit to watch him on Channel 62 at 6:30A, right now the focus is on Manifesting Abundance.

I wanted to share scriptures and a comment he made that had me thinking I really need to change my thoughts!

The majority of us believe that we work for a living, that we cannot do things and cannot have things unless we wait on our paycheck and save money to get them. Now in the natural sense, this is partly true. Nevertheless in the Kingdom of God this is absolutely false. Of course I know that scripture says if a man doesn't work he doesn't eat. The thing is though our jobs should be our assignments. We should choose a job not based on what it pays but based on the will of God and how we can be effective in his Kingdom. To quote Bill Winston, he said "Your prosperity is not attached to your paycheck. Your job is not your provision."

I liked something else Bill Winston said yesterday, your job/paycheck does not supply your needs. Scripture says that God supplies all of your needs. The main issue is so many of us are focused on our jobs, thinking about ourselves and worried about how we will make ends meet instead of seeking first God and His Kingdom so that ALL things can be added onto us.

Galatians 4:1 "What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate." (You are a child of God and you are joint heirs with Christ as well as Abraham's seed!)

Galatians 3:29 "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Romans 4:13 "It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith"

Abraham as it states in Romans 4:13 is heir to the world. We are Abraham's seed so we are his heirs therefore the world belongs to us. "Why would you have to work to get something that you already own?" Bill Winston

It is time for us to stand on the promises of God, to choose jobs based on the Will of God and trust that whether we are making $30,000 or $100,000 per year from a paycheck that ALL of our needs will be met and in style. For all things are possible to him that believes and all things are possible with God.

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials

BANK OF AMERICA - STUDENT LEADERS PROGRAM

Student Leaders®

Some programs require books. This one requires heart. Recognized for their commitment to making a difference in their communities, Student Leaders will have an opportunity to develop leadership skills to help them turn their community passion into action. The program features:
Five young adults in each of the 45 markets (US: high school juniors and seniors, UK: secondary students in sixth form college or college of further education)
A week-long Student Leadership Summit in Washington, DC (July) to gain valuable civic, social and business leadership skills
Exciting 8-week paid internship program at a local nonprofit/charitable organization

2012 application period beginning October 1, 2011 through January 16, 2012 (8:00 p.m. Eastern Time).

Apply to be a student leader today http://www.cybergrants.com/boa/slselection/


Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials

YOU ATTRACT WHAT YOU ARE

Now as the saying goes, opposites attract. Yes we learn this from batteries the negative charge always goes with the positive charge in order for batteries to work. However in real life, we usually attract and draw to ourselves what and who we are in some way shape or form.

I began to think about this when I started examining the type of guys that I date. I either find myself dating someone that is emotionally aloof and somewhat unavailable or someone who is too needy emotionally for me. So I was doing some soul searching a few weeks ago and I had an aha moment. In some ways I am emotionally standoffish and unavailable and therefore that is what I have been attracting to me. People come into our lives in an attempt to help ourselves develop and grow and also to help them as well. There is a lesson that can be learned from everyone we meet or encounter, no matter how nice or mean or even evil we thought they were.

I've been seeing that in many books and just different quotes that I read. So every morning I read The Daily Love and today it was about a woman that wrote in how she always attracts men that are more into themselves than into love. The first thing I thought was she is attracting something that is within side of her. And sure enough that was a part of the advice she received. "Now, on to the business of why you are attracting these types of guys. Chances are they are a reflection of you. They are showing you a part of your own psyche that has not fully integrated the humility of walking on The Path." Mastin Kipp

When people come into our lives we have to resist the urge to judge them. Mastin puts it well here "Also, when we resist and judge others, we are actually judging what we have been sent to heal. So the other question I would ask is, How can I be the presence of Love in this situation?"

So if you feel that you are attracting a certain type of mate or even certain kinds of friends look within first, determine what you need to develop change yourself and all things will come into order. "Don't make it about them. Change in yourself what you wish to change in them and all of a sudden they will become unattractive to you and you will set yourself up to attract a whole different kind of man (woman)." Mastin Kipp

Be blessed and be a blessing,
Epiphany Essentials

Manifesting Abundance

I am on a spiritual and personal journey of growth and maturity and I love it. Now for those who know me I have always believed and will believe to the day that I die that Yahweh supplies all of my needs and I will be ok. When I was pregnant with my son I spoke often that as long as there is breath in my body me and mine will be ok and I am a firm believer of that.

However, as I read Russell Simmons Super Rich, as I listen to Bill Winston speak on the Word, and now as I read the 4-hour work week I realize that my belief system has some flaws that need to be ironed out.

Many of us Christians and non Christians have been taught, go to school, get a good education and get a job. Choose your major based on the amount of money you could potentially make from it. Live a life that is better than your parents through hard work and sweat. Well I am here to tell you that is not the way to go about it. Too many people work 40+ years only to retire and then die 5 or 10 year later. The question is when did they really live? Do you find yourself up on Monday heading to work already looking forward to Friday simply to enjoy the weekend off? Again I question when do you live?

Mark 2:27 "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." What was the Sabbath the day God entered into his rest and that day was made for you and I. When Yahweh created the heavens and earth, the vegetation, the birds of the air, the land and sea animals Yahweh had not yet made man. Man was Yahweh's final masterpiece. After Yahweh created man He rested and has been resting ever since.

Pastor Winston says this often, Yahweh has already created everything that you need and has done all that He will ever do for you! Now you may be thinking that can't be possible, I have so much more life to live that is so much more Yahweh can and will do for me. Well let me tell you He is Alpha and Omega and there is no time in Yahweh. If 10 years from now you find yourself in need of a kidney trust and know Yahweh knew that before you were formed in your mothers womb and your provision was already provided before you were born.

Speaking of provisions, jobs are not, I repeat are not your provision (now this is where my faith is being stretched right now). Your job is an assignment Yahweh sent you to, to be a beacon of light and share His goodness. The good thing you don't have to say a word if you don't want to be a living example of the goodness of God. Get out of your mind that you have to wait until your job gives you your paycheck to buy things and also loose from your mind the ideal that if you make $40,000/year that determines the extent of your buying and more importantly blessing power. If you are a believer, you are a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20). That means you are governed by the law of sowing and reaping.

The law, what do I mean by that, well let's look at gravity. Gravity is a law in this earth. Simply put what goes up must come down. If you pick up a pen and let it go it will fall to the ground every time. Why? because of the law of gravity. So, if you sow you will reap every time. Why? because of the law of sowing and reaping. Now in no way is this simply about financial abundance, you can sow love, peace, joy, happiness, kindness etc. into others and you shall reap whatsoever (Galatians 6:7).

While you are not sowing for the sole purpose of reaping. Its a law that you cannot change and do nothing about so reap the blessings from it. "Give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour [a]into [the pouch formed by] the bosom [of your robe and used as a bag]. For with the measure you deal out [with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others], it will be measured back to you." Luke 6:38 (AMP)

What would I like for you to take from all of this, Yahweh is your Source and your Sole provider. Just as He provided manna for the children of Israel, shall He also provide for you. Just as he provides for the birds of the air and the lilies in the field so shall he provide for you. As Pastor Winston says even if you use up everything today, tomorrow is a new day and Yahweh will provide. That makes me think of the Lord's prayer it says give us this day our daily bread. This isn't to say don't save, invest, and plan for your future. It is to say don't do those things thinking one day there may be some lack in your life. You are saving and creating a nest egg to be prepared for the opportunity to bless someone else, to give to someone else, to help build for someone else. The more you help others and build the kingdom the more you help yourself as blessings will begin to chase you down and over take you.

So let us all confess, the blessing of the Yahweh makes us rich and he adds no sorrow to it. We are blessed and highly favored, the head and not the tail, above and not beneath, lenders and not borrowers, we leave no debt outstanding except the debt to love, blessings are chasing us down and over taken us, we are cheerful givers!

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials