You're NOT alone (11/28/2014)

Hello everyone, hope yall had a wonderful day of "thanks" and "giving" yesterday, and I pray that no one forgot to give honor and glory to God for His everlasting mercies. If you didn't take a moment yesterday to share with God and your loved ones that which you are grateful for, it's not too late. PRAYER REQUESTS: As I struggle with trying to get my home business off the ground, I ask that you pray for me and my endeavors as the Spirit leads. Please also remember to pray for the other recipients of the SOD as well. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Remember that I'll be hosting another campaign to select 2-4 families as recipients for my annual Christmas meal box, beginning next month; my solicitation for nominations of deserving families is not limited to the meal box itself, but also includes one gift per each child living in the selected household. If you know of a family in true need of assistance, it is NOT too early to submit your nominations, contributions, and/or monetary donations. 

HEALTHY LIVING TIPS:

For any sufferers of GERD or acid indigestion, this tip's for you... "The easiest way to prevent an acid reflux attack is to identify and avoid common or personal triggers. There is some evidence to suggest that consuming the foods and beverages listed may bring on symptoms... it could be worth avoiding these "suspects" if it helps with your GERD symptoms. Common known acid reflux triggers include: citrus fruit; spicy, fatty, and fried foods; alcohol; caffeine; orange juice; chocolate; lying down after eating; overeating - a full stomach can make stomach contents press more against the lower esophageal sphincter (LES)" (Healthline Editorial Team. (2012, June). Acid reflux causes. Healthline. Retrieved from http://www.healthline.com/).

JOIN OUR CAUSE: Fostering Mind, Body, and Soul Incorporated (FMBS Inc.) is on a never-ending quest to locate deserving individuals to extend our services to. Therefore we are always in need of monetary donations and/or contributions of hygiene items, sealed snacks, bottled water, winter items (gloves, scarves, blankets), mini bibles, etc.; our YEAR-ROUND mission is to serve homeless and/or needy individuals and families in underprivileged communities throughout Southern California. We are a NON-profit 501(c)(3) federally exempt organization, which means that ALL donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE. NO matter how big or small your contribution or donation is, YOU are helping someone in need. We encourage YOU to participate in our ongoing campaign whenever and however you can. If you were on the receiving end and needed a helping hand, wouldn't you want someone to reach out to you? Accept this opportunity to HELP LIVES. If interested in supporting our organization in helping others, simply make a donation and/or a contribution; make all checks payable to FMBS Inc., provide one of our representatives with your cash donation/contribution, or use the PayPal link located on our website. We are successful because of YOUR continued support. Please join our cause!

 

For more information about our organization, visit our website at http://www.fmbs-inc-bytye.org and/or add our Facebook page, Fostering Mind, Body, and Soul Incorporated (and/or Fostering Mindbodyandsoul), and follow us on Twitter @FMBSInc. On behalf of my team of volunteers, I thank you in advance. ~Tylesha "Tye" Allen, CEO/Founder, FMBS Inc. Est. 2012~

 

BE ENCOURAGED: TRANSFORM your body, mind, and soul TODAY because tomorrow is NOT promised; by feeding your body healthy nutrition, and being cautious of what things you allow your eyes, ears, and spirit to be exposed to (e.g. media, books, TV, music, etc.), YOU can start anew and become a better you. CHANGE BEGINS WITHIN... Continue to keep one another in prayer, thanking God for the victory, and refraining from claiming defeat from the enemy; ALWAYS pray for your desired result, NOT the unfavorable outcome. Do NOT lose sight of God in the midst of adversity. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, "be the change that you want to see in the world." Have a blessed rest of the week.

Lord please clear our minds, and open our eyes, ears, and hearts so that we may see, hear, and receive your intended message from this fellowship. In the name of Jesus, Amen!

 

PASSAGE - ECCLESIASTES 4:9-10: 

"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up."

***Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible***

 

REFLECTIONS:

How many times have you felt that you were alone in your cause, your work, or your beliefs? Did you ever feel stronger because of it? Or did you feel isolated and like you just wanted to withdraw from the world for a while so you could get your strength back? Maybe you felt like your thoughts were yours alone and that no one else understood, and so you would just keep your mouth shut and wait for everything to blow over. You are not alone. God's plan for us is to have a support group of which He is the coordinator. He (not us), directs the course of His work. He shows us the what, where, who and how of something to be done. Then He provides us with people in our lives that will encourage and pray for us, and sometimes work right along side of us" (Chambers, R. (2014, November 28). You're not alone [Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://reflections.daybyday.org/). 

"Cooperating with others has advantages. Life is designed not for isolation, but companionship; not for loneliness, but intimacy. Some people prefer isolation because they feel they cannot trust anyone. We are not here on earth to serve ourselves, however, but to serve God and others. Don't isolate yourself from others and "go it alone." Seek companionship and be a team member" (Tyndale House Publishers. (2004). Ecclesiastes. Life Application Study Bible: King James Version: Notes 4:9-12 (pp. 968). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.).

I do agree with the Bible notes above, but only to a certain extent; I believe that we are here to work with others and for others, which would validate our avoiding isolation. However, it is NOT my opinion that we are to "seek companionship." The fact that "companionship" can be found in any individual or group of people, means that we could be setting ourselves up for failure if we sought companionship in the wrong place. For instance, being in a relationship is a form of companionship. Yet, that "relationship" - be it family, friend, foe, or affectionate (partnership) - may not be the most appropriate affiliation for you as it pertains to God's will. Ask yourself if your companionship encourages self-improvement, or promotes self-loathing? Does your companion(s) lift you up, or keep you down? Does your companionship influence you for the better, or for the worse? When you surround yourself with your companion(s), are you effected by greatness, or, are you infected by and pressured into self-destructive behavior? If your answer is the latter of any of those questions, then you may want to reevaluate your companionship, and then SEEK God's guidance and approval for who, what, when, and how you should exercise your companionship with others.

PRAYER OF THE DAY:

Father God we thank you for life, health, and strength. Lord provide the courage and strength we need to remove the guilt we've placed on self, and for removing every negative thought that has held us captive in our own minds. We thank you for transforming our image into one that mirrors Jesus, so that His goodness is reflected in all that we do. Thanks for blessing us with a double portion of your Spirit, and for closing every unnecessary door that is open in our lives. Thanks for opening supernatural doors to peace, prosperity, clarity, contentment, and happiness. We thank you for providing each of us with the clear and concise revelations we need in order to overcome the adversary. Please continue to help us see, hear, and feel your presence through every trial and tribulation, and for discernment to know the difference between good and bad, right from wrong, and your will vs. our own desires. Thanks for provision, guidance, and protection from Satan’s attacks. By the authority in our words, we reverse all the negativity spoken into existence within our individual lives and the lives of our loved ones and associates. We take back everything the enemy has stolen from us, and bind every evil and malicious plot, plan, and scheme devised against us, in the matchless name of Jesus. We grant your angels permission to do our bidding on earth, asking that your protect us from its recourse. This is our affirmation of faith Father God, we submit our petition to you, and claim all these things in the name of Jesus, Amen!

Respectfully,
Tylesha "Tye" Allen

CEO/Founder

FMBS Inc. Est. 2012
Ministry Blog: http://sodbytye.blogspot.com/
Non-profit Website: http://fmbs-inc-bytye.org/

Follow FMBS Inc. on Twitter: @FMBSInc

Change begins within; work on becoming a better You
"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." (Psalm 118:8)

Chew it up (11/26/2014)

Welp, tomorrow is Thanksgiving, so I know most of yall will be prepping tonight for tomorrow's dinner. I just wanted to remind everyone, that just like all the other pagan holidays such as Mother's and Father's Day, or Valentine's Day and Christmas, NOT to get caught-up in using that one day out of the year as an excuse to show your loved ones your gratitude; EVERY DAY that we are blessed with life, is an opportunity for us to reach out to the ones we love, to do something nice for someone outside of our circle, and more importantly, to show our "Thanksgiving" and praise to our Father in Heaven for His grace and mercy. May your time with family and friends be a joyous and safe occasion. PRAYER REQUESTS: Although I am practicing letting go of pagan traditions, there are many people out there who are still very conscious of societal norms when it comes to the "holidays," so in lieu of those individuals, specifically those without loved ones to spend tomorrow with - pray for their spirit to be lifted and at peace this season. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Unfortunately, I did NOT receive any nominations for this year's Thanksgiving meal box. However, there will be another campaign held in the same manner for Christmas; I will solicit nominations for deserving families not only to receive a meal box, but also one gift for each child living in the selected household. If you have any families in mind, it is NOT too early to submit your nominations, contributions, and/or monetary donations. 

HEALTHY LIVING TIPS:

Seeing as how tomorrow is a day mostly spent devouring good eats, today's tips may help you avoid overeating this Thanksgiving. Enjoy! When "you're surrounded by tempting food... (1) Sample only the special stuff: There's a big difference between eating homemade rugalach made by your office mate's Great-Grandmother Sadie and a box of store-bought Santa cookies with sprinkles. Eat what will give you the most satisfaction; (2) Listen to your body before, during, and after you eat: If a cookie looks good to you, ask yourself: Do I want it because I think it will curb my hunger or because I want to treat myself? If you really are hungry, then eat it. Enjoy the taste, the texture, and the whole experience of devouring it. But be sure to pay attention to how you feel 10 to 15 minutes afterward. If you're tired, spacey, or depressed, it wasn't really a treat, was it?; (3) Learn to recognize hunger cues—an empty feeling or rumbling in your stomach: As you become more aware of what your body is telling you, you'll be better able to eat only when you're hungry and stop when you've had enough" (Geneen, R. (2011, November). 12 Real-world tactics for dealing with the season of overeating. Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.prevention.com/).

JOIN OUR CAUSE: Fostering Mind, Body, and Soul Incorporated (FMBS Inc.) is on a never-ending quest to locate deserving individuals to extend our services to. Therefore we are always in need of monetary donations and/or contributions of hygiene items, sealed snacks, bottled water, winter items (gloves, scarves, blankets), mini bibles, etc.; our YEAR-ROUND mission is to serve homeless and/or needy individuals and families in underprivileged communities throughout Southern California. We are a NON-profit 501(c)(3) federally exempt organization, which means that ALL donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE. NO matter how big or small your contribution or donation is, YOU are helping someone in need. We encourage YOU to participate in our ongoing campaign whenever and however you can. If you were on the receiving end and needed a helping hand, wouldn't you want someone to reach out to you? Accept this opportunity to HELP LIVES. If interested in supporting our organization in helping others, simply make a donation and/or a contribution; make all checks payable to FMBS Inc., provide one of our representatives with your cash donation/contribution, or use the PayPal link located on our website. We are successful because of YOUR continued support. Please join our cause!

 

For more information about our organization, visit our website at http://www.fmbs-inc-bytye.org and/or add our Facebook page, Fostering Mind, Body, and Soul Incorporated (and/or Fostering Mindbodyandsoul), and follow us on Twitter @FMBSInc. On behalf of my team of volunteers, I thank you in advance. ~Tylesha "Tye" Allen, CEO/Founder, FMBS Inc. Est. 2012~

 

BE ENCOURAGED: TRANSFORM your body, mind, and soul TODAY because tomorrow is NOT promised; by feeding your body healthy nutrition, and being cautious of what things you allow your eyes, ears, and spirit to be exposed to (e.g. media, books, TV, music, etc.), YOU can start anew and become a better you. CHANGE BEGINS WITHIN... Continue to keep one another in prayer, thanking God for the victory, and refraining from claiming defeat from the enemy; ALWAYS pray for your desired result, NOT the unfavorable outcome. Do NOT lose sight of God in the midst of adversity. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, "be the change that you want to see in the world." Have a blessed rest of the week.

Lord please clear our minds, and open our eyes, ears, and hearts so that we may see, hear, and receive your intended message from this fellowship. In the name of Jesus, Amen!

 

PASSAGE - PSALM 1:2: 

"But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."

***Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible***

 

REFLECTIONS:

"It seems there are a great many questions in our hearts. We come to God’s Word and seek, and hope to find good Biblical principal by which to live our lives. If we don’t, we should. But when we do, what are we looking for? Perhaps we are looking for the answers to particular questions. There is much that God has prepared for those who will seek Him. But there are many simple truths within God’s Word that often become the “don’t blink or you’ll miss it” passages. They are often the treasures overlooked as we hurry to something more tailored to our wants. Moms are famed for instructing children to “chew” their food. God’s Word is something to be savored—something for us to consider—to reflect on. As we meditate on His Word, His answers are revealed. Sometimes we are looking for wisdom, but He is leading us to worship. Sometimes we seek purpose, while He is leading us to simply praise Him. The question we must ask when we come to His Word is foremost, “What does God want to say.” And with that, it would be wise for us to take the advice of moms to heart—and simply chew our food" (Chambers, R. (2014, August 11). Chew it up [Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://reflections.daybyday.org/). 

"You can learn how to follow God by meditating on His Word. Meditating means spending time reading and thinking about what you have read. It means asking yourself how you should change so you're living as God wants. Knowing and meditating on God's Word are the first steps toward applying it to your everyday life. If you want to follow God more closely, you must know what He says. This "law of the Lord" includes ALL of Scripture... the more we know of the whole scope of God's Word, the more resources we will have for our daily decisions" (Tyndale House Publishers. (2004). Psalm. Life Application Study Bible: King James Version: Notes 1:2 (pp. 804). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.).

Have yall paid attention to the prayer preceding our "reflections"? Note that is says "so that we may... receive your intended message..." The purpose behind that prayer is so that God will remove us from self, so that we may be filled with the Spirit, allowing room for God's true message to enter-in without interruption from our own understanding, and/or preferred interpretation(s). We often times are in search for answers, yet when we pick-up the Word, we focus on Scripture that is tailored toward a favorable outcome, desire, and/or explanation - we only review the Word according to what is appealing to us, rather than asking God to lead the way, and actually waiting for and accepting His response. The more we "study to show ourselves approved" (refer to II Timothy 2:15), the more we will meditate on the Word, and the more equipped we will become with the whole "armor of God" (see Ephesians 6:10-18); God's armor - the Word - is our shield of protection and our guidance map; knowing and abiding by God's Word will prepare us for the test of trials, and guide our decisions according to the Will of God. To obtain and maintain a closer relationship with Christ, you must get to KNOW Him first.

PRAYER OF THE DAY:

Lord we thank you for your grace and mercy. We thank you for the peace that passeth all understand. Father God we thank you for the ability in our words alone to defeat the enemy. We thank you for your continued love, forgiveness, and protection. We thank you for the ability to smile when we are hurting. We thank you for revealing what darkness has kept in the shade. We thank you for providing clarity in the midst of satan's confusion. We thank you for the victory over sin, defeat over the enemy, and deliverance from a heavy load of burdens. We thank you for the strength to keep on keeping on, and the power in our words to make the devil flee. We thank you for reversing all the negativity in our lives, and for transforming and restoring complete positivism into every facet of our lives. We thank you for keeping us filled with the Spirit, that the words that depart our mouth no longer posses corruption. Instead, help our words to speak life into every circumstance, and may they always prove acceptable and pleasing in your sight. This is our affirmation of faith Father, we claim these things and thank you in advance for the victory, in the matchless name of Jesus, Amen!

Respectfully,
Tylesha "Tye" Allen

CEO/Founder

FMBS Inc. Est. 2012
Ministry Blog: http://sodbytye.blogspot.com/
Non-profit Website: http://fmbs-inc-bytye.org/

Follow FMBS Inc. on Twitter: @FMBSInc

Change begins within; work on becoming a better You
"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." (Psalm 118:8)