2010-The Year of Promise and Promotion!

Happy New Year Everyone! 2010 means many things to many people. For me, it's the year of promise and promotion! Hopefully during last year, you've set up some things. Let me explain: On your job, you should have laid some foundations, made some connections, put your best foot forward to show your colleagues that you have the skill set it takes to push your company or organization to the next level. All the while, you kept a smile on your face, didn't ruffle any feathers, but let your actions speak louder than words. You understand?

Maybe in your relationships, whether business or familiar, you've helped others along the way who were down and out, needed a place to stay, or a little extra to get them through until next pay day, or better yet, gave them advice for a major problem they were having. All the while, you continued to smile, even though deep down inside you were crying on the inside needing someone else to give you a helping hand.

But understand that in your patience and overwhelming love for someone else, God has counted all of your tears, has seen what you've put your hands to at your job, and in the community, knowing you never wanted anything in return.

Now in 2010, my friends, God is getting ready to do more than you could even ask or think! Hallelujah! You are being set up for the Promise and the Promotion. For as we know, Promotion doesn't come from man, but from the Lord (Psalms 75:6-7)! Keep on keeping on! Continue to put a smile on your face, for God is going to come through for you!

I know as I look back to 2009, I've had some down times in some areas of business, but I've had some extraordinary times in other areas. I had to decide that with all of the hats that I wear, which hat(s) could I put down and which ones do to hold on to in order to focus my efforts on things that gave me the most enjoyment, and where my gifts and talents really were. By doing that, I found myself many times with Favor from God and Man! I praise God for that because now within weeks, God is going to elevate me even further!

So get ready everyone! Change is coming and you are about to embark on an incredible journey this year that you will look back on and get excited about all over again! Happy New Year and God Bless!

A Thanksgiving Story

A Thanksgiving Story
Author: Andrea Nannette Mejia

It was the day before Thanksgiving ­ the first one my three children and I would be spending without their father, who had left several months before. Now the two older children were very sick with the flu, and the eldest had just been prescribed bed rest for a week.

It was a cool, gray day outside, and a light rain was falling. I grew wearier as I scurried around, trying to care for each child: thermometers, juice, diapers. And I was fast running out of liquids for the children. But when I checked my purse, all I found was about $2.50 ­ and this was supposed to last me until the end of the month. That's when I heard the phone ring.

It was the secretary from our former church, and she told me that they had been thinking about us and had something to give us from the congregation. I told her that I was going out to pick up some more juice and soup for the children, and I would drop by the church on my way to the market.

I arrived at the church just before lunch. The church secretary met me at the door and handed me a special gift envelope. "We think of you and the kids often," she said, "and you are in our hearts and prayers. We love you." When I opened the envelope, I found two grocery certificates inside. Each was worth $20. I was so touched and moved, I broke down and cried.

"Thank you very much," I said, as we hugged each other. "Please give our love and thanks to the church." Then I drove to a store near our home and purchased some much-needed items for the children.

At the check-out counter I had a little over $14.00 worth of groceries, and I handed the cashier one of the gift certificates. She took it, then turned her back for what seemed like a very long time. I thought something might be wrong. Finally I said, "This gift certificate is a real blessing. Our former church gave it to our family, knowing I'm a single parent trying to make ends meet."

The cashier then turned around, with tears in her loving eyes, and replied, "Honey, that's wonderful! Do you have a turkey?"

"No. It's okay because my children are sick anyway."

She then asked, "Do you have anything else for Thanksgiving dinner?"

Again I replied, "No."

After handing me the change from the certificate, she looked at my face and said, "Honey, I can't tell you exactly why right now, but I want you to go back into the store and buy a turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie or anything else you need for a Thanksgiving dinner."

I was shocked, and humbled to tears. "Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yes! Get whatever you want. And get some Gatorade for the kids."

I felt awkward as I went back to do more shopping, but I selected a fresh turkey, a few yams and potatoes, and some juices for the children. Then I wheeled the shopping cart up to the same cashier as before. As I placed my groceries on the counter, she looked at me once more with giant tears in her kind eyes and began to speak.

"Now I can tell you. This morning I prayed that I could help someone today, and you walked through my line." She reached under the counter for her purse and took out a $20 bill. She paid for my groceries and then handed me the change. Once more I was moved to tears.

The sweet cashier then said, "I am a Christian. Here is my phone number if you ever need anything." She then took my head in her hands, kissed my cheek and said, "God bless you, honey."

As I walked to my car, I was overwhelmed by this stranger's love and by the realization that God loves my family too, and shows us his love through this stranger's and my church's kind deeds.

The children were supposed to have spent Thanksgiving with their father that year, but because of the flu they were home with me, for a very special Thanksgiving Day. They were feeling better, and we all ate the goodness of the Lord's bounty ­ and our community's love. Our hearts were truly filled with thanks.


"Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone, from my family...to yours!"

God's Message to Women

When I created the heavens and the earth, I spoke them into being. When I created man, I formed him and breathed life into his nostrils. But you, woman, I fashioned after I breathed the breath of life into man because your nostrils are too delicate. I allowed a deep sleep to come over him so I could patiently and perfectly fashion you.

Man was put to sleep so that he could not interfere with the creativity. From one bone I fashioned you. I chose the bone that protects man's life. I chose the rib, which protects his heart and lungs and supports him, as you are meant to do. Around this one bone I shaped you. I modeled you. I created you perfectly and beautifully.

Your characteristics are as the rib, strong yet delicate and fragile. You provide protection for the most delicate organ in man, his heart. His heart is the center of his being; his lungs hold the breath of life.

The rib cage will allow itself to be broken before it will allow damage to the heart. Support man as the rib cage supports the body. You were not taken from his feet, to be under him, nor were you taken from his head, to be above him. You were taken from his side, to stand beside him and be held close to his side.

You are my perfect angel. You are my beautiful little girl. You have grown to be a splendid woman of excellence, and my eyes fill when I see the virtues in your heart. Your eyes - don't change them. Your lips how lovely when they part in prayer. Your nose, so perfect in form, your hands so gentle to touch. I've caressed your face in your deepest sleep; I've held your heart close to mine. Of all that lives and breathes, you are the most like me. Adam walked with me in the cool of the day and yet he was lonely. He could not see me or touch me. He could only feel me. So everything I wanted Adam to share and experience with me, I fashioned in you: my holiness, my strength, my purity, my love, my protection and support.

You are special because you are the extension of me. Man represents my image - woman, my emotions. Together, you represent the totality of God.

So man - treat woman well. Love her, respect her, for she is fragile. In hurting her, you hurt me. What you do to her, you do to me. In crushing her, you only damage your own heart, the heart of your Father, and the heart of her Father.

Woman, support man. In humility, show him the power of emotion I have given you. In gentle quietness show your strength. In love, show him that you are the rib that protects his inner self.

Did you not know that WOMAN was so special in God's eyes? Now we really know! Hallelujah!!

What a long time coming...Huh!

Well, well, well...it's truly been a while since I've come up for air to post another update in the Life of Lily. I've missed you guys and only no one but God Himself, has sustained me. But nonetheless, I'm back and ready to embark on a continued journey of events, victories, and revelations that I hope will be a blessing for you as well.

What's been happening to me lately? Well, I have taken a hiatus from the literary world and have focused on my day job: teaching our youth. But during these last two months, God has opened up the gates of Heaven and poured out many blessings! First, I was awarded and given the title of Standards-Based Model Classroom Teacher! Teachers and district personnel come through for observations, workshops and seminars with me on Best Practices and Teacher Assessment and Learning. How did all of this occur? A few months at the end of the school year, I was observed by district personnel, and one day via email, it was announced that I displayed excellence in teaching, and wanted to compensate me by not only giving me this role, but also be given the opportunity to go to any conference FREE, in the continental United States! So in October I will be flying out to Washington, DC, to the Annual Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development's Conference-all expenses paid! What an honor!

God said, He would give you favor with man! I praise God that I can use my hands, and what I do with them for HIM, gives HIM the glory! But that's not all, now the District Office calls me to help with other district workshops, and expertise that I never thought possible. And I'm also up for another promotion. (Shhhh, don't tell anyone). I'm just claiming it now. But I have an interview on Sept. 28th!

Next, a few months back, as my first children's book was released, I got in touch with a charity called EMBRACE, which is a Georgia Foster Care Initiative that trains and mentors potential foster parents. Since I'm an adopted child, and my main character in the book, "An Act of Forgiveness" is a foster child, I wanted to find a way to use my book to give back to the community, and hence this charity. Well, it turned out very well, and all was benefited. A friend of mine, shortly thereafter ran across a contest called "The Pine sol Powerful Difference Contest." It's a contest honoring women who have made a Powerful Difference in their community. Well, my friend nominated me, and GUESS WHAT? I was a winner! Not the Grand Prize, but First Place, which entitled my charity to win $2000 and I to be featured in an upcoming issue of EBONY MAGAZINE (December issue).

So as you can see, I've been busy in so many ways. And I'm sorry to not have been more active with my blog. A lot of reflecting have been going into my business and writing career. All I can say is that a HUGE SALE will be taking place, bigger than the one you see on http://www.everythingthatslily.com now (presently at 40% off until end of the month). More details will come as to the reason for the sale and what to look out for! Be sure to tell all of your friends and family about it!

Know that I love you, and look for future posts to warm the heart and bless your spirit!

In God's Grace,

Where are your eyes focused?

This gave me a great sense of encouragement today. I hope it does the same for you. Where are your eyes focused? You should keep your eyes on the Prize! Enjoy and be blessed!



Keep Your Eyes On The Prize
Deshawn Snow


Action is fierce.
Action does not give up.
Action prepares you for opportunity.

One of the most common vision killers (and joy stealers) is being distracted from the action you’re supposed to take. When you take your eyes off of Jesus and what He’s placed in your heart, your strength will fail.

Romans 12:4-8 says, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.”

In other words, stay in your lane. Do what God has placed in your heart to do, and let others do what’s in theirs.

Another common dream killer is failing to tap into the anointing and power of God. Romans 8:19 says that the whole creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughter’s of the Most High God. That’s you and me. The same power that raised Christ from the grave is available to you and I today. We have to tap into that anointing and power. Not just tap into it a little bit, but let our entire lives be influenced by God’s anointing.

Don’t block your anointing by trying to do everything in your own strength. As God’s children, God’s anointing is available to us all, but it is up to us to invite Him in to help and strengthen us. Sometimes we let our own guilt and shame keep us from seeking God’s anointing. This is ridiculous. God loves us all equally, and no one is more entitled to God’s anointing more than another. The Bible says that once we ask for forgiveness, all of our sins are on the ocean floor. We can’t let guilt keep us from flourishing in God.

Be careful, though. You can have incredible vision, purpose, scriptural knowledge and more; but, if you do not forgive yourself once God has forgiven you, you will not be able to completely fulfill your vision. Avoid these other vision killers, too: thinking someone else can do it better, fear, lack of drive, insecurity and jealousy.

We get to come to the Father daily and give him all of these issues. He, in return, makes us able to overcome. The Bible is clear that our spirit man wages war against our flesh. This isn’t an abnormal thing. This is a daily thing! But the stronger we get with God, the easier it is recognize when our flesh is fighting us.

God wants to enlarge your tents, so to speak. His plans for all of us are huge, and He wants to see us enacting them. Get in agreement with Him, daily fight your flesh, and let Him use you. You’ll see your vision becoming action, and your action become the opportunity of a lifetime!

Here are just a few reminders to keep you on the path toward your destiny:

• Don’t be distracted from your God-appointed action.
• Stay in your lane. Don’t try to direct someone else’s actions – focus on your own.
• Use God’s strength. You don’t have enough of your own to create real action.
• Give all of your personal issues to God.

A motivational speaker, television personality, and philanthropist, DeShawn Snow lives in the metro Atlanta area with her husband-NBA player Eric Snow and three adored sons. A socialite-turned-servant, Deshawn is studying to earn her Master of Divinity degree. For more information about Deshawn, log onto DeShawnSnowEnterprises.com or DeShawnSnow.com/Blog

How Lily Ratliff Blossomed After the Rain

I'm really excited this month! I have been blessed to be radio interviewed and featured on the cover of Faith-Filled Stilettos Magazine! Please check out my feature story and my Secret Sistah Confession on this month's issue of Faith-Filled Stilettos!

Post your comments either here or on the website!

Be Blessed!

Day 4 of the Isaiah 40:31 Blog Tour!

Soar like an Eagle!

One of the most famous scriptures in the bible today is Isaiah 40:31 which says, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (KJV) However, we as a people recite this verse, not truly realizing the extent to what our God is really saying to His people, especially in these last and evil days.

Many of us today are facing a financial crisis that this world as never seen since the Great Depression. People are losing their jobs and their homes, their life savings from 401K’s and stocks and bonds are gone by the close of the day, and sickness and disease has crept up into many a families from the stress of all that’s going on around them. However, if we are children of God and truly living within the body of Christ, we are not a part of the recession. As children of the Almighty King, we shouldn’t have to claim that Egypt mentality. Oh no, we are living in Goshen if we are lined up to the will and power of God! Amen!

God wants us to wait on Him. And not just wait in the literal sense of waiting for Him to respond, which we know he will also do, but also waiting (as the Hebrew Qavah suggests-which means to hope or look for, or have great expectation in receiving His salvation and help in the time of need). We can’t do everything on our own accord and our own will, because it will do nothing but collapse and fail. God calls those people in Isaiah 40:30-youth or vigorous young men because they run like mad men trying to work up something, but fall flat on their faces from weariness and fatigue. Selfishness is something God will not tolerate. But if we are ready to receive all that God has for us, then God will grant us power to withstand-it’s the kind of strength that will move mountains! He will restore us to our rightful positions. Hallelujah! It says in Isaiah 40:28, and I will paraphrase this: Didn’t you know? Haven’t you heard that our Almighty God, who made heaven and earth, never fails, nor gets weary or weak in well-doing? You may not understand Him, in His infinite wisdom, but he’s asking for you to do the impossible! You may complain about the length of your journey, and feel you can’t make it. If you look at God through your circumstances, He will seem small and very far away, as if you can’t get a prayer through, but if by faith you look at your circumstances through God, He will draw very near and reveal His greatness to you. When the devil tries to come against us, with the authority God has given us, we will be able to step on his head, and make him our footstool as we mount up, rise, and fly like eagles, and experience life on a higher plane, a soaring supernatural life which is always available to every believer.

This scripture also takes me to another familiar scripture that’s similar and it’s Hebrews 12:1-4. In it, the Lord tells us to set aside every weight that so easily besets us, or the cares that you might have that you want to hold onto; you know the ones about your children, or your unfaithful spouse, or the boss on your job that’s giving you a hard time. Even though those things are disrupting your thought life, we are still to run this race knowing first, that God is there and will never leave us, but also two-God has been through what we’re going through and more.

2. “Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3. Just think of Him who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. 4. You have not yet struggled and fought agonizingly against sin, nor have you yet resisted and withstood to the point of pouring out your [own] blood. (AMP)

See in verse two and three of that chapter, he goes on to explain that he endured the cross, he despised and ignored the shame and endured patiently. He didn’t lose heart; he didn’t give up; he did it all for us! Think about what God had to struggle with each and every day. That should give us hope for a glorious future in His Kingdom! But don’t think for a second that that future couldn’t start today! Oh no! God wants us, while we are in this race, to live victoriously! An abundant life, health, wealth, prosperity, wisdom, peace, and joy are ours, right now! Just speak it, declare your faith towards God, and encourage yourself in this faith walk. Keep pressing Saints of God! We must not be moved. God is in control! Amen.


To see any of the other wonderful authors from the tour, go to Written Voices, All the Buzz, and Urban Christian Fiction Today!

Be Blessed!