Woke up this morning with a headache

I woke up this morning with a headache.

I’m not exactly sure why, but it bothered me.

When I closed my eyes last night, I must have fallen into a deep sleep quickly because it was now 5am and the lamp on my nightstand still illuminated our bedroom. I could hear the gentle hum of Byron’s c-pap, an indication that he was in the deep realm of REM sleep. 

Now, I am usually an early riser.  Sometimes this perimenopausal woman wakes at 3 am, with tons of energy, ready to clean the kitchen or throw a load of dirty laundry in the washing machine.  But this morning was different, the 5am wake up call was disorienting to me.  It was almost as if I had been running in my sleep and woke up in a strange place. I didn’t feel sick. I hadn’t had a beverage, the previous evening, that could prompt a headache. I hadn’t eaten late into the night. But I had a headache. Hmm?!

I must have been so tired last night that when I reached for my bedside water bottle this morning, it wasn't there. So, I got up and walked into the kitchen to retrieve the thermos that I had left on the table.  I guess Royal heard me moving, so he met me in the kitchen. We gazed at each other, eyes piercing through the dark, fixated on one another. After refilling my bottle with filtered water, more ice and a squeeze of lemon juice, I walked Royal to the back door, so he could relieve himself in our backyard.  

At 5 am, there were birds already singing a beautiful melody and I quietly stood there, watching him, listening to them, and taking deliberate sips of the refreshing lemon water. He knew the routine, so as he re-entered our home, he simply waited for me to make my next move. Whether he was going to follow me around, as I cleaned something, or if he would saunter back to the bedroom to get another few moments of rest, he was right there by my side.

Well this time, I decided to go back into the bedroom and get back in the bed quietly, beside my husband. The headache was slowly subsiding as I intentionally took sips of fresh water.  As I lay in bed, I decided to do some box breathing to recenter myself, but quickly realized that I needed something a bit more sustaining, so I did 4-7-8 breathing.  I needed more time to exhale and allow the toxins to exit my body. I needed those extra seconds to hold space to feel any emotion, but then spend more time releasing any internal tension. I reached for my phone, put my earphones in, and turned on my audiobook. I have both the hard copy and the audiobook of Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration by Tracey M. Lewis-Giggetts; so I can have it on hand when I am sitting in a public place and want to read, or in times like this, when the lights need to be off, but I still want to engage with the book.  So I took deep breaths, as I listened to the author reading her book to me. She read and I listened intently to the inflection of her voice. And it hit me!

The nagging headache that came out of nowhere and startled me out of the sleep realm, was my body’s way of letting me know that I was in the process of RELEASE.

Releasing the frustration of the Whiteness framework that often plagues the psyche of Black folks who recognize when Whiteness is at play.

Releasing the hold of this ignorant ideology that seeks to undo years of progress for all people.

Releasing the notion that somehow I would have to prove myself to individuals, who are ignorant, at best.

Releasing myself of the pressure to keep documentation, have evidence, and show receipts, but still operate in a framework of white supremacy that can repeatedly tell lies all around the mountain of truth that sits before them.

Releasing myself from the burden of the information that in the State that currently ranks 50th in education, an all-white Charter school board, (the majority of whom are NOT educators) voted unanimously to close a 2-year-old Charter school led by a competent Black, female turnaround school specialist and a Board of qualified educators ranging from K-12 through the collegiate level.  

Make that make sense! Nope, it doesn’t!... Actually it does, within the Whiteness ideology. Geesh, we're back to that!

Releasing myself of the notion that these people would ever understand what our Black and Brown children & families need and deserve.

Releasing myself from the stress of performing for anyone, when on my worst day, my intellectual prowess always outperforms them.

And at the end of the day, releasing myself of what anyone may ever think of me.

I am released and I don’t care. 

And after those 5 am realizations, I chuckled to myself. Not a deep laugh that would have woken my husband, but a silent rumble that simultaneously soothed my nervous system. The type of laugh that made my toes tingle and my belly rumble. This chuckle resonated within my chest cavity, as it forced those nagging toxins out of my body, causing the remnant of my headache to dissipate.

I am free.

I am whole.

I am brilliant.

I am intentional.

I am beautiful.

I am dynamic.

I am powerful.

I am Black, bald and absolutely beautiful. (Hello somebody!)

I am an answer to my mother and father's prayers.

I am a solution for Black & Brown education that thrives.

I am unique.

I am creative.

I am God’s masterpiece.

I am divine.

I am encouragement.

I am a warm hug on a chilly day.

I am calm.

I am a fresh wind.

I am more than enough.

And now I’m sleepy…. And I’m going back to bed.

The headache is gone! This is #BlackJoy

...Now walk it out

Find Rest as you Embrace the Climb

This picture represents the patience & timing of God. Notice the dates at the tops of the pages.  The picture on the left was colored on 8/25/23 and its companion page has today’s date, 7/31/25. Uh ma’am…these are nearly 2 years apart!!! What have you been up to?

Allow me to take you back to July 2023…

I was invited to speak at the G2G Women’s conference in Cancun Mexico.  The entire conference was designed around ”Embracing the Sabbath as Sacred”. I preached the opening worship service and talked about finding your Sabbath Songs. Remembering those songs that carried you back to the feet of Jesus and allowed you to rest and linger there.  This coloring book was one of the thoughtful items in the conference gift bag.  I can recall sitting in the room during the conference and coloring one or two pages, but lost track of it when I returned back to the States.

A few months ago, I began therapy.  Not for any particular reason but to have someone to check in with from time to time.  I go, go, go and rarely pause to consider what I truly need in this season.  Byron and I are technically “empty-nesters”, except for the 8-month-old puppy in our home. (That’s an entirely different story. Ha!)  She encouraged me to find something that I liked to do for fun that totally relaxed me; but It couldn’t be tied to any type of outcome other than it brings me calm and pleasure.  I REMEMBERED that coloring was one of those things that allowed me to lose myself with every stroke of the colored pencil, as I followed the curvature of the lines on the page. I scoured my home looking for the mandala coloring books that I used to own, but when I lifted a book, I ran across this miniature, yet powerful coloring book from the conference, two years ago.  So for the past couple of months, I periodically flip through the pages and find one that speaks to my mood at the moment. Each page has a different phrase or saying and I choose which page to color, based on my head space at the time.  Now if the page on the left was colored in 2023, what prevented me from coloring the adjacent page? Hmm?

As I sat up in bed coloring the right side of the page this morning, I chuckled upon noticing the 2 year gap between the dates.  I think I had been intimidated upon first glance.  

If you look closely, you’ll recognize the various patterns and geometric shapes, which meant that I would have to pause long enough to consider every pattern and choose the correct color.  I had to completely focus and settle into what I was doing.  The page on the left, “I am embracing the journey” was lighthearted and carefree.  Notice how there are larger patterns and more open space. All I had to do was trace the outline and then color the interior. The woman in the picture was whimsical and carefree, she acknowledged that she can embrace the journey, but that was only the first step.

When you embrace the journey, you are saying yes to more. Yes to freedom. Yes to revelation. Yes to Sabbath. Yes to the cross. Yes to blocking out naysayers because all she did was put on her shades.  Notice how her neck scarf is blowing in the wind.  She is embracing the journey.  Let’s go get it God!  Looking at the picture on the left, you can imagine her sitting in the passenger seat of a convertible about to take to the winding roads on an even terrain.  Carefree!

But in the right picture, there is no woman. The carefree nature has seemingly disappeared because the shapes and patterns have overtaken the page and the entire thing seems rather intimidating at first glance.  I probably passed this page for such a long time because I was unwilling to pause and consider what it was going to take to complete it.  I wear  transition bifocals, so sometimes my eyes don’t adjust as quickly as I’d like and I find myself taking my glasses off to see up close.  As I began to color this page, I noticed that I was spending more time with my glasses off than on.  This page required total concentration and up close interpretation.  I shifted the book ever so slightly to reach different aspects and angles of the page.  Then I picked a color and allowed it to determine where it needed to be placed.  Something about that dark blue started to hit differently.  The more I colored, the more boldly I embraced the assignment!  I, in fact, was “Embracing the Climb”. 

That woman on the left reminds me of the joy, rest, and the freedom in resting in the journey, but the picture on the right reminds me that there are ebbs and flows, ups and downs in life.  There is no straight path to this climb, but when you rest and enjoy the winding road there is joy and brightness along the way.  None of our paths look the same, but we’re still climbing. The patterns might be similar, but we each have our destiny.

Rest has been unfolding for me for the last 2 years and I think I’m finally beginning to grasp it fully.

This past Sunday, I preached and talked about a recent train ride that I took from OKC to Fort Worth and how God spoke to me through my times of stillness and reflection.  Now ya’ll know that I sho’  wanted to yank that Sermon and kill the house, but I was in a different head space.  I was more reflective and taught in the midst of my rebirth.  If I hold on to God’s promise, change my perspective, and praise God for the provision of the Spirit, I will find Sabbath rest. Rest lives in the silent spaces between my heartbeat and my breath. Rest is in the wisdom of those who walked before, speaking through my instincts, guiding my steps before I even think to ask for direction. Rest is not panicking during the climb, but embracing every straight or curvy, light or dark, simple or difficult path that is set before me.  It took 2 years to arrive here, BUT I AM HERE!

I invite you to Embrace the Journey, but also learn how to Embrace the Climb gracefully.   As you settle into the embrace, you will definitely get bolder.

Now walk it out…

TAKE UP SPACE!

    I was reading a post last night that mentioned the upcoming nationwide silent protests.  I have also seen various media outlets where the hosts discussed next strategic steps for Black people.  Then I was reminded of what many Black women decided after the election. We are resting!  For centuries, Black women have had to figure out how to “make a way out of no way”.  We had to find ways to not only survive through the cruelties of life, but to thrive so that future generations could be guided by our light.

    In the last few days, I have spoken with Black women who are just trying to make sense of the current political climate. We KNEW what saying yes to this current administration would cost us and this country, yet so many people chose not to listen.  The religious right got so caught up on the issue of abortion rights, which we know was a foil to distract us from the real issue…human rights for people of color.  I listened and watched in horror as Black preachers endorsed this administration solely on the basis of abortion and the discussion of whether or not it was moral.  They cheered as legislation was overturned that gave women a choice to handle their own bodies. They quoted the 10 commandments “thou shall not kill”, trying to determine when a fetus was considered a human, but easily overlook the grown ass men and women who have been gunned down in the streets or are currently sitting on death row waiting to be killed.  Y’all were duped and now we’re here!!!  The last time I checked, God gave us free will and Jesus never isolated anyone because of their choices.  Jesus loved them through their individual choices and then went to die in our place.  Jesus sacrificed himself; he didn’t sacrifice others so he could gain power or get glory. So “what would Jesus do?”....not this!

But I didn’t come here to argue the various political points or comb through scripture, I came to encourage you to TAKE UP SPACE. 

I admit that I have not been watching the cable and TV outlets that I used to watch because I am deliberately protecting my peace.  I do, however, listen to Urbanview on Sirius XM, catch highlights of The View, Roland Martin, and the Scholarship College Mama just to stay slightly aware of what’s going on in the world. I refuse to be swallowed up in the minutiae of idiocy from this administration.  Yet, I am keenly aware that so many, especially government workers, must stay on top of the news because their livelihood is at stake.  But just like I told a dear sister two days ago, turn that damn laptop off at 5pm.  There is no need to continue working until 7 or 8 o’clock at night, missing dinner and time with your family, just to respond to one more email. That email will be there at 8 am and you probably won’t have all of the information to answer the questions that need to be addressed anyway, so log off now.  I am glad to report that yesterday, she clocked out and decided to TAKE UP SPACE by the fireplace with her husband by 5:30pm.  One tiny step towards protecting her peace. (Girl, you made Mama proud!) 

So, I was lying awake in the bed in the middle of the night, after letting our new puppy outside for a potty break and I decided to find an audiobook that would uplift and enlighten me.  I ran across the book “The Abolitionists” with Kellie Carter Jackson. The book opens by highlighting the various roles of abolitionists.  They were not all the same!  Yes, we know the familiar names like Harriett and Douglas, but there were so many other individuals who lent their voice, expertise, and their particular slant towards freedom.  Abolitionists were working before Africans were even brought to the Americas.  Any act of #resistance was the work of an abolitionist!  This got me thinking back to what I heard Tamika Mallory mention on the Karen Hunter show the other day.  When she was forced into the spotlight, due to tragedy,  Rev. Al Sharpton cheered her on and encouraged her to do HER work, while he continued with his own work.  He encouraged her to act on behalf of the people according to her slant and perspective.  In both of these instances, I was reminded that I, too, have a perspective that is specifically mine to share.  I too am an abolitionist, lending my ear towards resistance and freedom.  When I choose JOY, I have decided to TAKE UP SPACE in the world to be a light to someone overcome by darkness. Whether I decide to boycott or participate in silent protests, this Black woman has decided to share my Joy. I used to always say, “don’t play small”, but today my spirit wants to encourage you to TAKE UP SPACE in your individual communities.

    Taking up space is a form of abolition work and resistance because it catapults you into action. Taking up space does not allow you to wallow in the fear of the uncontrollable, but rather forces you to handle that which is under your control…your actions and emotions.

Let me break it down for you.

If you like to write, TAKE UP SPACE and write a blog or an article to educate readers.

If you like to write, TAKE UP SPACE  and write a grant that will help fund projects in your community.

If you like to write, TAKE UP SPACE  and contribute to the local newspaper in the opinion column.

If you like to cook, TAKE UP SPACE and cook a meal for your family and take a leftover container to the unhoused person that you pass on the corner everyday. 

If you like to bake, TAKE UP SPACE and bake little treats for the Seniors in your apartment complex or neighborhood.

If you like to talk, TAKE UP SPACE and encourage someone by preaching or teaching, not just how to get to heaven but how to live & love abundantly while here on Earth.

If you like to talk, TAKE UP SPACE by calling someone to give them a word of encouragement.

If you like to talk, TAKE UP SPACE and record informative shorts or reels on social media.

If you like to sing, TAKE UP SPACE and learn the Black National Anthem, along with songs of freedom and sing them to your children or grandchildren.

If you like to read, TAKE UP SPACE and read to students at the local school or church.

If you like to read, TAKE UP SPACE so you can educate and advocate.

If you like to dance, TAKE UP SPACE and choreograph a song to abolitionists’ words.

If you like to dance, TAKE UP SPACE by turning the music up loud and dancing in your living room.

If you like accounting, TAKE UP SPACE  and offer a budgeting course at your local church or organization.

If you like to plan, TAKE UP SPACE and plan an event centered around Black joy.

If you like to solve things, TAKE UP SPACE and volunteer your services to a school, church or organization who might need assistance. (No more complaining about them, it’s time to help.)

If you like to take pictures, TAKE UP SPACE and photograph things that bring you joy, then share it with a friend to make them smile.

    We each have a gift to be shared with the world, so TAKE UP SPACE  and claim your spot in the field of abolitionists.   We are not monolithic, so each of us has a voice to lend towards freedom. It’s time to break free from the negative thoughts that have kept us bound.  It’s time to break free from the self-limiting mantras that prevent us from advancing. It’s time to break free from generational curses of lack. It’s time to TAKE UP SPACE and share your joy!

Now walk it out...

Four Degrees, One Family: Celebrating Our Unique Graduation Journey

     When we walked across that stage, we did not walk alone; the angels and our ancestors

were right there with us. This school year has been nothing short of remarkable. My husband

and I are both educators, serving in academia and the community. My husband, Rev. Dr. A.

Byron Coleman III has been a senior pastor in Oklahoma City for 26 years. Every Sunday, he

uses the pulpit to preach the gospel and inspire the congregation to dream bigger. I am a

trained podiatrist who transitioned to education, becoming an adjunct professor at the

University of Oklahoma in 2006 and recently secured a full-time lecturer position. Our two

sons have benefited from witnessing their parents' dedication to lifelong learning, leading

them to choose college after graduating high school.

Educating youth and resting on our laurels has never been enough for us. The more we learned about helping our community through education, the more we realized the need to continue our own learning journey. When I accepted my call to ministry, it became essential to expand my mind further, so I decided to go back to school. I chose Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to gain the knowledge to accompany my passion. While it was a departure from fixing soles, it aligned perfectly with healing souls. This foot doctor went back to school to pursue a higher calling.

Similarly, my husband preaches a socially relevant gospel every week, so when the opportunity to pursue a Doctorate of Ministry in Social Justice arose, he seized it. He openly admitted that he was uncertain about his academic writing abilities, as it was a significant departure from weekly sermon preparation. Nevertheless, he persevered.

Chandler, our oldest, graduated high school in 2018 and began his college journey at the University of Central Oklahoma. Then, in 2020, the pandemic hit, forcing him to switch entirely to online learning, which was particularly challenging for an extrovert. He admitted he wanted to quit because it was so difficult, but he persisted. During Courtland’s junior year of high school, he studied online from our living room, graduating in 2022 as the world was reemerging. To help him transition smoothly to college life while maintaining close family support, he decided that Oklahoma City Community College was the best choice.

None of us gave up! Throughout the 2023-24 school year, each of us continued reading books, writing papers, and studying. As we met with our advisors, we realized that we would all be graduating around the same time. On December 16, 2023, Chandler graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Media/Communications from the University of Central Oklahoma. Three months later, Byron defended his dissertation, “The Influence of the Black Church in Establishing Initiatives and Collaborations Aimed at Enhancing the Scholastic Achievement of Black Students.” On May 18, 2024, the remaining three Colemans graduated on the same day in three different cities. Byron graduated from New York Theological Seminary in New York City with a Doctorate of Ministry in Social Justice. Courtland earned an Associate of Arts in Diversified Studies from Oklahoma City Community College and will continue his education at Morehouse College in August. I graduated from Phillips Theological Seminary with a Master of Theological Studies. Because we were in three different cities, we couldn't attend each other’s graduation ceremonies, except for Chandler, who accompanied Byron and even hooded him during his ceremony. 

June 2, 2024, back in Oklahoma City,  at 5th Street Baptist Church, we dedicated the day to honoring graduates at every level: from Pre-K to college. It was an incredible honor to share this special day as a family. Dressed in our academic regalia, we recognized the uniqueness of our narrative. Our church members, family, and friends had the chance to witness firsthand God’s bountiful blessings and, hopefully, we serve as an inspiration to continue evolving, as you enjoy the journey. 

One Family, Four Degrees, Three Graduations, Same Day: Celebrating the Coleman Family’s remarkable graduation story.  To God be the Glory!

Exercising Discipline & Relying on Connection in 2024

 Happy New Year!

I am reminded of the sermon I preached just one-week ago during Watchnight Service at the church.  I exercised discipline yesterday, by not buying another pair of shoes and realized that I needed to share this to continually remind and encourage myself that I am on the right track.  Perhaps this will bless you as well as you aim to transform your life this year.

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Have you ever found yourself stuck by limiting beliefs?

1. You do things the way that your Mama did things because of a limiting belief that her way is the only way for things to be done. 

2. You don’t apply for certain jobs or positions due to a limiting belief that someone like you can’t have it all. 

3. You never reach beyond your circle because of a limiting belief that you must act a particular way or just accept certain things.

4. You stop showing up for yourself because of one failure and now you're stuck in the limiting belief that you will never be any better or do bigger things.

5. You keep doing the same things, yet you’re perplexed that you keep getting the same results, because of a limiting belief that “this is how I’ve always done it…this is just me”

All limiting beliefs.

But imagine for a moment and ask yourself.... WHAT IF?

WHAT IF…you tried something new?

WHAT IF…you stepped out on faith?

WHAT IF…you started believing God for the impossible?

WHAT IF…you started believing in your own capabilities?

WHAT IF…you let go of the way things were and embraced the possibilities of how things could be?

WHAT IF… your unique skills and talents are exactly what the world needs to solve its pressing challenges?

WHAT IF… the setbacks you've faced are just stepping stones to a remarkable success story that inspires others?

WHAT IF…your potential is limitless, and the only thing holding you back is the belief that there are limits?

WHAT IF… every failure or mistake was an opportunity to learn and grow, bringing you closer to your true potential?

WHAT IF…

It was early in the morning and I was still lying in bed thinking and talking to the Lord. The word that grabbed me and wouldn’t let go was DISCIPLINE. Why this word? It didn't make sense that this word would arrest me as I lay there rubbing my tongue across my fresh braces. I'd only had braces for 2-3 weeks after wearing Invisalign for about 18 months. Invisalign had been recommended by the boys' orthodontist after I noticed a ridge on one of my teeth, indicating that I had been grinding my teeth in my sleep. Week after week, I would insert a different clear tray that would hold my teeth firmly and settle in by the next week when it was time to change to another tray.

Week after week this pattern continued, but no one really noticed that my smile had been slowly changing, because my teeth were quietly shifting. Slowly, with each new Invisalign tray, my childhood smile was changing. 

That smile from my 8th-grade graduation pictures in my off-white lacy dress and cat heel shoes was changing.

That smile from my high school graduation pics where I wore that yellow taffeta dress and had an asymmetrical hairstyle was changing.

That smile from my graduation from Spelman College with my Anita Baker haircut was changing.

That smile that beamed on my wedding day when I married my husband wearing microbraids was changing.

That smile that beamed in the yearly recreated picture of my boys kissing my cheeks was changing. Different hairstyles, same smile.

I finally recognized the shift when I took headshots, rocking a newly shaved head, my smile had really begun to change after months of wearing Invisalign.

I was pleased because I had wanted braces since I was a little girl, but my parents could not afford them. When I became an adult, I had this limiting belief that I was too old to change my teeth. (Honestly, the ONLY reason that I really pursued braces was that the ridge on one tooth reminded me of my mother who, by the time she died 10 years ago, had ground her teeth almost to the gum line. I did not want this to be my fate, so I decided to step out and make a change.)

After almost 2 years and several boxes of trays, the orthodontist suggested that we speed the process along because two of my teeth just wouldn’t budge.  I’d been doing the same thing and been in the process for months, but these two teeth just kept hiding and playing peek-a-boo behind the front teeth. With all the shifting, rotating, and correcting of the cross-bite, two of these teeth needed something more.

Lying in bed I was reminded of the scripture in Matthew 17:19-21 when the disciples were with Jesus ministering in the crowd and a man brought his son to Jesus. He said I brought my son before your disciples but they couldn’t heal him.  Jesus went  on to heal the young boy and when the family had gone on about their business, the disciples turned and asked Jesus “ Yo, why couldn’t we cast him out?”

20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief [LIMITING BELIEF]; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 [f]However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting [DISCIPLINE]

And that’s what the Lord showed me early that morning, laying in bed, rubbing my tongue over the back of my teeth, realizing that one of the teeth that had been hiding for years was actually shifting. The teeth that had been playing peek-a-boo were getting bolder and coming to the forefront. Just as Jesus told his disciples that some things require DISCIPLINE to change, the Lord was showing me that it was the guidance of the metal wire, attached to the brackets that were providing the DISCIPLINE for my teeth to come out of hiding.

You see with the Invisalign, I made all the decisions. I took them out when I ate. I was able to remove them when I got tired of them and needed a break. Sometimes, I would remove them for a little while, but other times I would keep them out for hours, only putting them back on at night.

But something happened quickly when the orthodontist put those metal brackets in, along with the guide wire,…the shift was no longer determined by my will, but it was determined by that to which I was connected.

And that’s what God wants me to share with you as you enter 2024.  You’ve been hanging out long enough playing peek-a-boo and hide-n-seek with your gift, waiting for something to happen and God says with a little DISCIPLINE you will see your change come.

~Coming to church in the building and online, week after week…you are in the right place but not seeing any lasting effects. God says try a little DISCIPLINE in 2024 and stay connected to me.

~Giving an offering every week, yet not seeing any real changes or benefits. God says try a little DISCIPLINE in 2024 and stay connected to me...give me a full tithe, just 10% of what you make, and watch that loan officer come back with a different story next time, allowing you to purchase your home or that car.

~Studying in school, but the GPA is not where it needs to be. God says try a little DISCIPLINE in 2024 and stay connected to me talk to your professors and attend the study sessions.

~Desiring a promotion on the job God says try a little DISCIPLINE in 2024 and stay connected to me get there early, leave late, and make it so that the job can’t be done without you, then go in and negotiate your pay raise,

~You say Lord I know that you have more in store for me but I’m not quite sure what I should do God says try a little DISCIPLINE in 2024 and stay connected to me.

 Jesus said in John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. It's all about staying connected as the branches are connected to the vine. Your sustenance comes from the power in the vine. The vine is your lifeline for growth and strength. You only grow because you are connected. So stay connected!

Stay connected to the one who loves you.

Stay connected to the one who saved you.

Stay connected to the one who delivered you and watch the shift begin to happen. 

Stay connected to the one who transformed you and watch the shift begin to happen. 

Stay connected to the one who redeemed you and watch the shift begin to happen. 

Stay connected to the one who gives new life and watch the shift begin to happen. 

In 2024 as you approach your new beginning, try a little DISCIPLINE and stay connected.

Btw, the orthodontist projects that I will only need to wear these braces for about 3 months. Another sign that as soon you take all of the decisions out of your hands and begin to rely on help from a stronger source, your time can be expedited.

Lord, please expedite our blessings in 2024 as we exercise discipline and stay connected to you.

Now walk it out....