Hello everyone, hope yall have been enjoying and/or making the best of your week thus far. 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: My organization is hosting another campaign in which we will select 2-4 families as recipients for our annual Christmas meal box this month; my solicitation is for nominations of deserving families - not limited to the meal box itself, but also including one gift per each child living in the selected household - and/or a monetary donation and/or item contribution(s). If you know of a family in true need of assistance, please submit your nominations ASAP: ALL nominations, contributions, and/or monetary donations MUST be submitted NLT December 22nd to allow time for us to purchase the items necessary to pull off this blessing, as well as time for us to delivery the boxes to the families before the actual holiday.
HEALTHY LIVING TIPS:
"Vitamin B5 is one of the most important vitamins for human life. It’s necessary for making blood cells and helps you convert the food you eat to energy. It’s got other uses too... Vitamin B5 is one of eight B vitamins. All B vitamins help you convert the protein, carbohydrates and fats you eat into energy. They're also needed for healthy skin, hair, and eyes, and help the nervous system and liver work properly. Vitamin B5 has other important functions, too. It helps you maintain a healthy digestive tract and is critical in making red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. It's also needed to make sex and stress-related hormones in the adrenal glands. Vitamin B5 is the easiest vitamin to get in your diet. It’s found in most vegetables — especially broccoli and members of the cabbage family — plus white and sweet potatoes and whole-grain cereals. Other good sources include [but not limited to]: mushrooms, nuts, beans, peas, eggs, and dairy products. All B vitamins are water-soluble, which means your body can’t store them. The best way to make sure you're getting enough vitamin B5 is to eat a healthy, balanced diet every day..." (Morris, R. (2014, December). Vitamin watch: What does b5 do?. Healthline. Retrieved from http://www.healthline.com/). That article is quite interesting, and continues further past what I've shared in today's healthy living tip. If you find some spare time, I'd encourage you to locate the article and read it in its entirety, to find out more about vitamin B5, symptoms of vitamin B5 deficiency, its connection to clearing up acne and lowering cholesterol, and so forth.
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 - II CORINTHIANS 4:8-10:
"We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body."
***Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible***
REFLECTIONS:
"You have most likely heard the old saying, "Behind every cloud, lies a silver lining." There is more truth to that in the life of a Christian than perhaps anywhere else. But it is not because God has sheltered us so that we will not experience pains, troubles and trials--but because He has come to show us a new way to do life. Paul writes, "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." We are at times shattered. The pieces of our lives lay in disarray. But within the pieces there are the fingerprints of God, moving to keep you from being utterly destroyed. Even as the death of Christ was Victory, so also the valleys of a Christian’s life can carry significant triumph. It’s often a matter of perspective. God’s wisdom seems like foolishness to the world. Because of that, followers, like Paul, can be bound in chains and hold a deep assurance of victory. It can be the same for us. When we are in pieces, that's when we should say, "Now then, all is laid open for God to arrange things in a fashion to bring victory'" (Chambers, R. (2014, December 8). Pieces [Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://reflections.daybyday.org/).
Why is it that the the majority of the time we spend trying to get closer to God, is when we are in despair? Then, we have the nerve to get upset if or when God doesn't answer our prayers quickly or to our liking. What I find even more humorous, is that even atheists, idolaters, and other non-believer's of Christ, at some point call on Jesus or God. Ever hear someone who claims not to be religious, shout out "Jesus Christ" when someone startles them? Or, what about "oh God please no," when they are in trouble? Why is that? If you don't believe in the Savior or the Almighty Father, why call out the name "Jesus " or "God," for the sake of fear? Doesn't make much sense, but it's prevalent. But, are we so different? Just because we believe in Jesus Christ, doesn't excuse our tendency to call on Him only in the time of trials and tribulation. Yes, He does want you to trust and go to Him when you feel that your life is in shambles, yet, He also wants you to be able remain faithful and grateful, even when your blessing(s) isn't wrapped-up the way that YOU want it.
"... though we may think we are at the end of our rope, we are NEVER at the end of our hope. Our perishable bodies are subject to sin and suffering, but God NEVER abandons us. Because Christ has won victory over death, we have eternal life. All our risks, humiliations, and trials are opportunities for Christ to demonstrate His power and presence through us... we must carry out our ministry, looking to God for strength. When opposition, slander, or disappointment threaten to rob you of the victory, remember that NO one can destroy what God has accomplished through you" (Tyndale House Publishers. (2004). II Corinthians. Life Application Study Bible: King James Version: Notes 4:8-12 (pp. 1749). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.).
PRAYER OF THE DAY: