TRUST GOD

God has me testifying more than I imagined I would but He definitely knows best. Someone reading this is getting a breakthrough!  

In July 2011, my family and I were struggling to pay bills. I was recently laid off from my employer and that was the only income for our family of three. We fell behind in the bills a few months prior, for reasons I cannot recall. As a result, we could not pay our rent in this particular month.  Here is a little information about apartment communities; rent is due on the 1^st, late after the 5^th and court filing for eviction is usually around the 15^th of each month. Of course I did not want a court eviction filed on us. Rental agencies RARELY rent to anyone with prior evictions. You cannot hide a court ordered eviction; it appears on your credit report.

Anyhow, we were past the 15^th but there was still a chance to NOT be evicted. Court papers were filed on us but the court date had not yet been set. As long as you pay in full prior to the court appearance, the case is dismissed.  I tried my hardest to not worry about the situation but instead cast my cares upon the Lord. I prayed about it often and immediately after praised God for his help in the situation. He inhabits the praises of His people. One morning, as He woke me from my sleep, God says “Go to the bank and take out a personal loan for the rent.” I quickly got out of bed, and got ready to head out. Before I did, I went into my husband’s music studio where he and our son were. Now at this time, we were not praying as consistently or effectively that we do now. But God met us where we were. He saw our hearts and our faith in His Word. My reason for entering into the music studio was to read the daily devotional with my husband. I informed him that we HAD to read so I could go get our rent money. Reading was really the only thing we were consistent in at that time but that’s okay. Thank God for growth.

My husband was focused on finishing one of his songs so his mind was not completely on what we were reading. Also our son was being very distracting during our reading. Because of these things, I feel some negativity in my spirit laughing and saying “You may as well forget about it. They don’t care, you are in this by yourself.” In spite of, I CONTINUED to read and do the ending prayer and headed out the door.

I rejoiced during the car ride to the bank because I felt a sense of peace about the situation. As soon as I feel this, of course the enemy tries to tear it down. “How are you going to get money FROM a bank when you OWE them?! Not going to happen.  Turn the car around.” There was a bit of truth in that statement. The devil does speak true things with some distortion in the midst. ((Remember his conversation with Eve?)) Let’s not forget, the devil is a liar. (John 8:44) Here is the truth: at that time, I owed my salary advance. This is exactly what it sounds like; the bank advances me a portion of my paycheck and I pay it back when my funds are direct deposited into my account. Whenever money is requested for an advance, a percentage is deposited in my checking account and a percentage is deposited into a separate account that I cannot use. Also, my account was overdrawn. In total, I owed about $600 TO the bank. The lie: I was not getting any money from the bank. I knew in my spirit what God had spoken to me. I also knew that He had already worked out our situation.

 Too often, people hear from the Lord and without realizing it, allow the enemy to steal their blessings. When Satan speaks, he often puts it in “I” or “me” to make it appear that those are your words but they are not! Ask the Lord for discernment to know when you are under attack!

So I arrive at the bank. I write my name on the sign in and wait to be seen by a Loan Officer.  I go in, I fill out the credit application for $400 (the remaining portion of the rent needed) and waited as she processes it. To the Loan Officers surprise, not mine, she mentions all my college debt as well as recent accounts that were unpaid. She explains that she cannot give me a loan based on my credit report. I say okay and remain in the chair with my hands in the praying position as instructed by the Holy Spirit. She then gets an idea. (Of course she does) to write my situation (needing rent money, one income, and a plan to pay back in a couple weeks) on a sheet of paper so she can present it to her boss. This is not a typical thing that is done in this company. 

I sit there for maybe five minutes, praying and praising God for whatever He was doing. I had no idea but I was not leaning on my own understanding. She comes back to me with a WITHDRAWL slip for $400. She explains that while they are loaning me the money, they will GIVE it to me. They took the money from my salary advance account.  With the salary advances I performed I accrued enough to total what I requested as a loan! This money is usually not available unless you close out your salary advance and pay off whatever is owed but those are man’s laws. God has his own set of laws for His people! So here I am, with a withdrawl slip for $400, STILL having a salary advance account, STILL owing the bank $500 for my previous salary advance and STILL owing $90 in my checking account. Ain’t God AWESOME?!?! He is worthy of ALL praise!!

I sincerely thanked her (as if she had a choice) and went to the teller station. Now this teller, bless her heart, was just doing her job. I hand her the slip and give her my account information. She looks at my account info, looks back at me and says “I will be right back. I have to call upstairs and verify this slip.” I laughed and said “I understand, do what you have to do.” She thought I forged the slip! But why wouldn’t she? I owe money to the bank yet I have a slip from one of the big wigs to be issued money. She returns a few moments later and hands me the cash with a smile. Here comes Satan once more, the hater that he is, and tries to make me fearful that someone will steal my money on the way out the bank. Satan, get thee behind me!!

When I get home, I explain everything that happened to my husband. He has this shout/dance/praise that he does when things like this happen. It is comical to me but I know God receives it. After I explain everything God speaks to me again. He reminds me of why I started the salary advance; to get married in August 2010. He explains that He knew this day would come so He had us sowing into ourselves for almost year in preparation! Hallelujah!! If we can reap a few hundred bucks by sowing into ourselves, how much more will we reap by sowing into His Kingdom?!!

Yo Gabba Gabba originates from WHERE???

Don’t want to read this in its entirety? Ok, here is the summation. The name comes from a chant spoken in a movie surrounding adultery, attempted murder, people being picked on and called freaks because they were different and the love of money. It is then placed in a rock song that changes a few letters in the chant and allows a man dressed in a pinhead mask and women’s clothing to hold up the sign with the chant written on it during their concerts. It is then chosen as a name of a children’s show that mimics God. If you would like to continue reading, by all means, please do… 

I must admit, I enjoy watching some of my son, Zion’s television shows with him. He is not in daycare so we watch Nick Jr. and Disney Jr. daily for lessons in learning. In the beginning, I watched the shows along with him to insure we were not exposing him to anything not of God, i.e. Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, Halloween. This sensitivity to television shows came to me from the Lord. I would feel convicted when watching shows surrounding homosexuality, murder, violence, etc. So much so, that I could no longer watch any of my previously favorite shows.

             

As soon as Zion, began to pay attention to the television, the same conviction came upon me. Please understand; God’s plan is not to take our fun away but if we are to serve Him, there are things of this world that must be dismissed. We are in the world, not of it. (John 17:14) They are taking you away from God and that is not good for anyone. Aside from that, evil spirits attach themselves where they can easily deceive. Television is no exception.

             

A couple of months prior to this revelation, my husband Reggie, and I did briefly ponder, “what does Yo Gabba Gabba (Y.G.G) mean”. Sad to say, we left the situation as just a ponder and Zion continued to watch it from time to time.

 On this one particular night, as the show was ending, I noticed Zion’s attention focusing elsewhere. Now that I think about it, he may have always looked away during this time. Zion hears from the Lord as well, ya’ know. Seriously. But that story is for another article. For those not familiar with the ending of the show, all of the creatures of Gabba Land , who are miniature in comparison to DJ Rock, return to their area of the land. DJ Rock stands, watching over them and says Y.G.G., meanwhile spreading his arms wide and sprinkling a glitter like substance over them. After this, they return to stiff figurines. At the beginning of the show, this same chain of events from DJ Rock causes the figures to come to life.

             

So, I, noticing that Zion looks away, say “look Zi”, and begin the motion that DJ Rock does at the end of the show. This is my first time, attempting this motion. As I begin to spread my arms, God immediately stops me. He says “Don’t do that. They are trying to imitate Me.” It is as if my eyes opened immediately. I replied, “Wow God, they are! Forgive me.” And then, “I rebuke you, Satan.” God does not take too kindly to anyone imitating or trying to replace Him. In fact, He detests it. He is a jealous God. (Exodus 34:14, Deut. 4:24, Deut 6:15) There is no other god before Him. (Deut. 32:29) He is God alone.(Isaiah 46:9)

Now at this point, I am sure some of you are saying, it is not that serious, it is just a children’s show. Please never forget that the enemy is out to kill, still and destroy (John 10:10) The verse does not go on to say, “…the voting age only.” Also, keep in mind that he prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) Children are somebody. We ourselves, were taught to say “I am somebody” at an early age. Only God creates life. (Isaiah 42:5) And He used words to do it. (Genesis 1:26) That’s how powerful words are, so be careful what you speak.

             

Once the revelation from the Lord came to me, I decided at that very moment to do some researching. I am always in research mode, according to my husband. To my surprise, he began a search as well. Here is what we found: unlike other Nick Jr. shows, Y.G.G is not produced by Nickelodeon but two fathers out of California.(1) One, Christian Jacobs, is a former child actor and current lead singer in a rock band. The other father is Scott Schultz. I did not find much information on him outside of producing Y.G.G. The name the of the show comes from the 1977 song by the Ramones named “Pinhead”, by way of the 1932 movie “Freaks”. (2) (3)

  

The plot of Freaks circles a trapeze artist, Cleopatra who marries a midget, Hans, for the sole purpose of taking his inheritance. Meanwhile she has an affair with another man, Hercules and together, they plot to have her marry Hans, poison him and take the inheritance. During the wedding reception dinner, the “freaks” chant “We accept her, Gooble, Gobble, one of us.”  During the chant, they are pounding on the table, passing around a glass of wine to each “freak” at the table and a hysterical laugh is in the room. This enrages Cleopatra. She mocks the freaks and leaves. Hans is saved by the freaks from being poisoned and Hercules, whom they castrate (not in the DVD version) becomes a soprano singer while Cleopatra is transformed by the freaks into a feathered hen. (4)

The Ramones wrote the song entitled, Pinhead in 1977. In this song, there are these lyrics “Gabba Gabba we accept you, one of us.” The song ends with “Gabba Gabba hey!”  Pinhead received its name after one of the freaks in the movie named Schlitzie.  As a result of the name, one of the concerts roadie named Mitch “Bubble” Keller began appearing on stage during the Ramones concert. He would wear the Pinhead mask while holding a sign which read “Gabba Gabba Hey”.  It became popular so the band continued the appearance of Pinhead. As time went on, added to the Pinhead mask was a brightly colored polka dot dress which is worn by Keller and sometimes celebrities. (5)

So there you have it, written or should I say typed in black and white (and the few other colors I used). Knowledge is power. God says His people are being destroyed for LACK of knowledge. (Hosea 4:6 KJV) I plead the blood of Jesus over all children! May we as parents seek God daily to cover our children from snares of the enemy. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

References:

(1)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo_Gabba_Gabba!

(2)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabba_Gabba_Hey

(3)   http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/2008-10-20-gabba-gabba_N.htm

(4)   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022913/

(5)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinhead_%28Song%29

I am Victorious!...call me Vicky for short

I am Victorious!….call me Vicky for short

With my head held high and smile all wide

Defeating demons as if it were an easy sport

Due solely to whom I have living with me on the inside.

I feel the sun rays thru my window shade

Knowing that once again God has the sky lit

This is the day the Lord has made

I will rejoice and be glad in it.

A day for Vicky is always prayer minded

For the family, my friends and one’s self

To not only seek God’s will but find it

And not just for things to display on a shelf.

Now I’m sure those 'things' bring slight happiness

And are short term pleasures for you

But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness

And all these 'things' shall be added unto you.

Now you can’t be Vicky without being a light

To this evil world we live in

Walking by faith and not by sight

Telling of how Jesus bled and died for all sin.

The “Good News” is, He rose from his grave

And conquered death for you and me

To serve Him is to be saved

And to be Vicky for all eternity. 

I will serve You in spite of…a Peachanda DuBose testimony

For those who do not know Peachanda aka Peaches, she is the Founder/CEO of Mayan Productions. http://mayanproductions.webs.com/ This woman of God uses her platform to express herself as an author, playwright and concert promoter. I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. DuBose in the summer of 2011. She graciously extended an invitation to my husband, Reggie, to perform in a concert she promoted, entitled Power Expo(losion).  It was during this time that she was going through her test. I will admit that I was floored to find out what she was dealing with at that time. She never appeared to be down, in the least! Aside from this, she pressed on and continued performing the duties assigned to her by the Lord! It goes to show, you never know what people are going through, but God does! He knows our hearts (Psalm 139:1NLT) and our situations. He never forsakes the righteous. (Psalm 37:25) Jesus felt her faith and ending her suffering. (Mark 5:31,34) God has truly blessed Peaches with a victory! Below, is her story in her own words. I pray her story inspires you as much as it has inspired me.

In March 2011, shortly after my last production, "Even a Wretch like Me", my children and I became homeless. We remained that way for the next six months.  After losing my home & two vehicles, I slid into a deep depression. My misfortune came as a result of a few things. To start, I sponsored and promoted events that benefited others & not my family. Also, there was a lack of support from a city I poured so much of myself into. Lastly, there were unwise investments on my part. Destitute and not a dime to my name, me and my children had nowhere to go. If it had not been for a good friend, we would have been on the street.

During this time, many of the same people that I blessed/provided platforms for, began to attack my character and integrity. Not knowing my situation, they spoke harshly toward me and abandoned me. These people, whom I helped, were the very ones who hurt me. Many times I wanted to retaliate, and defend myself, but I had to remember who I was. God dealt with me, reminded that vengeance is His (Romans 12:19) and told me to remain silent.

After a while, the depression subsided, and I began to move forward. Even though I was going through, I continued on with the assignments He gave me: The Kingdom Social, Power Expo(losion), Pay Per View events, and my book signing...He told me not to look at my situation and to trust Him. Only people close to me knew that during this time, I suffered chronic body pains. But I continued to press on. Shortly after that, I had a health scare with my son and a near fatal car accident. Eventually God opened a door for me to be employed with the Charlotte Observer Newspaper and He led me to continue to look for a home.

I looked at my present situation and began to ask God “How am I going to make it? Let alone get a home in my present situation?” His response, "Trust me."

So, I continued to look. He told me, "That house that you think you can't get, yes that one, it's yours."  I admit, I was very nervous about going forward, but I did. To make a long story short, on September14th, I picked up the keys to my new home here in Charlotte.

I share this with you to encourage you today. No matter what your situation, no matter who you are, no matter what they say about you, whether they support you or not, even if it doesn’t make sense, pursue your dreams. Tell depression to be still & trust God. He did it for me, and my children, Lamont Quinton DuBose, Maya Chale Whitfield.  He will do the same for you!


God bless you.

Peaches with new home and SUV!

You are Victorious over this Holiday Season!

The holiday season brings a lot of good things, but they can bring bad things as well. Listed below are a few things to be mindful of throughout the year, especially during holidays. 


Gluttony(Over Eating)


The holiday season is upon us. Along with the holidays comes the holiday eating. Know your limits! Pound Cake is the name, not the required eating amount! The Spirit of Conviction will speak to you as you are approaching too much, please obey. You may be saying that you have never felt conviction. Here are some clues that you've reach your maximum food allowance: when you begin sitting back, rocking to and fro, loosening your belt buckle, or when someone looks at you and say "which helping are you on?!". 


There is nothing wrong with a To-Go plate. If you are like me, you will pack SEVERAL To-Go plates from SEVERAL gatherings to be eaten over the next few days. Better this than to be gluttonous. Gluttony was one of the reasons God destroyed Sodom. (Ezekiel 16:49) 


All I am saying is keep that wonderful figure! Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself. (1 Corinthians 6:19) And if you're saying to yourself, "It's not that wonderful", work towards making yourself feel BETTER not WORSE? Also, overeating can cause health issues such as diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol. Check out this link for a full detail>> http://www.livestrong.com/article/363603-what-are-the-dangers-of-overeating/ .


One more thing: don't fall into the trap. Fitness companies are well aware of  the overeating that occurs during the holidays. They are also aware of those "New Years Resolutions" people declare each year to lose weight. Because of this, they advertise fantastic "New Year" specials on your favorite television channels. "Act now, and blah blah blah" "No enrollment fee and yah-da yah-da." Before you know it, you are locked into a contract and a monthly payment to a gym you haven't stepped foot in, in months. Don't get me wrong, I am not being a Negative Nancy. There are some of you who may very well stick to your resolution. If that is you, hooray! I rejoice with you! But if it is not...keep your money and your waistline! 


Over Debt:

There are some of us who have well thought out budgets, some of us with decently planned budgets, and others with...well...no budget. At all. No matter your budget type, things always seem to get hectic during the holidays. It is understandable to desire traveling to see loved ones, eat good meals and buy nice gifts. These things, however, should all be done in moderation. Your bills will not cease just because little Johnny asked for the latest video game console. Nor will they cease when your honey strategically places the sales papers of their fave store around your home and vehicle. Sometimes, it really is the thought that counts. I know this maybe easier said than done but use wisdom. Wisdom is more valuable than rubies(Proverbs 8:11NLT) Wisdom can save your life (Ecclesiastes: 7:12). It will multiply your days and add years to your life.(Proverbs 9:11) 

To ensure you stay on course, you may want to begin a holiday savings account. This is a service offered by my banking institution. It offers a holiday account in which a dollar amount of your choice is placed into a special account from the months of January through October. At the end of October, the funds are automatically placed into your regular banking account. Just think how $5/week for about 44 weeks plus compound interest adds up! Or, look into purchasing gifts and visiting loved ones throughout the year to avoid being overwhelmed during this time of year. 

Better planning and using wisdom allows you to bypass stress, depression and any other illness or negative state-of-mind. This CAN be done! You are victorious! It is much better to avoid a bad situation than to enter into it and attempt to find a way out. 

FOOD for thought

When Zion was about 6 months old, he began the habit of crying as his meal was prepared. I know, you are thinking this is normal for an infant but you don’t understand. He started to cry not when he decided he was hungry but when he realized that we realized it was time for his feeding.  Now this was not a whimper but a loud wailing in which he would throw back his head, and with tears streaming down his face, would turn red in the face. This happened not just once in a while but EVERYTIME he ate. At the time he was eating every 3 hours. Needless to say, this routine of his became slightly annoying. Reggie and I would always try to calm him down but to no avail.  The crying would not subside until we gave him his bottle. Before you go calling the authorities on us, do not assume we were malnourishing him- the meals took a minute tops to prepare. And might I add, we have never missed a feeding.


One day, Zion was in the living room, sitting on the couch, watching one of his favorite shows. He was happy, smiling, and content. I knew it was close to feeding time and I figured now was my chance.  I was visible to him, since our kitchen and living room are connected, but I was hoping he was too into the show to notice me. Boy was I wrong. I go into the kitchen as discretely as I could. ((Apparently, it was not discrete enough.)) As soon as Zion sees me reach for the kitchen cabinet door, he begins to holler. I yelled from the kitchen, “Be quiet, Zion! I am making it as fast as I can.” Of course, he didn’t care what I had to say. If he had a window, he would’ve hung his head out of it to say “It’s my bottle and I want it NOW!”


Exhausted from Zion's yelling, I hand him the bottle and say "Lord, why does he act like this?? He should know by now that I will not forget to feed him." God's response. "Why do My children act this way? Don't they realize I would never forget them either?...Hmmm. In God's Word, He says:
  
   

 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

 (Matt 6:25-27, 31-33 NLT)

We have to remind ourselves that God is always with us and He loves us dearly. He does not forget about us even when we forget about Him. God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:19) He knows our needs before me do and gives good gifts to those who ask of him. (Matt 7:11)

FYI: Zion no longer cries during meal preparation. Talk about a prayer answered!

Tithing...not a suggestion but a requirement

A 2007 study conducted by, The Barna Group, only nine percent of born again adults tithe 10% or more of their annual income. Only nine percent! Why is this so difficult thing to do? I could sum my entire reason for this article up with one verse. “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! But you ask, What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you? You have cheated me of the tithes and offering due to me.” Malachi 3:8 NLT. 

I will however, elaborate per God’s command. Why tithe? you may ask. Because God says so! Well...if you must know, read 2 Corinthians 9:10-13 which explains giving as a ministry. In my paraphrase: this is a ministry that meets the needs of others and gives thanks to God. Tithing is not for God but for His people-the needy, the sick- and also keeping His institutions running. He requires it because He is God. His kingdom work must be done. I am not sure if we need currency  in heaven but here on earth, monies are used in business transactions. For some of you who are still blah about it, believe it or not, it DOES benefit you ! ( as you will read below) And we should never give grudgingly but “always be cheerful” 2 Corinthian 9:6,7. I would suggest reading verses 6-15. This section is even titled Generosity Encouraged. And never give expecting something in return. NEWSFLASH: God doesn’t owe you anything. He chooses to give because of His grace and mercy toward those who obey Him. When you do give, here is what God has to say. “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do, says the Lord of Heavens Armies, I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you wont have room enough to take it in!” Malachi 3:10a NLT. Is that awesome or what?! He then goes on to same, in the same verse, mind you “ Try it! Put me to the test!” Malachi 3:10b NLT Amazing! God’s words, not mine! 

Proverbs 3:9-10 reads “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops: then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. Now I’m sure you’re not concerned about vats of wine in this day and age but you get the point. That was the desired thing back then. Although God is Almighty, He knew that if He spoke about getting new iPhones or 2 story brick homes to King Solomon, it would not have been as effective.  There’s even a verse about getting what you give in Luke 6:38. It’s all about reaping what you sow. If you sow sparingly that is how you will reap. 

Bottom line, give to God what belongs to Him. In the words of Joyce Meyer, “if you don’t, the devil’s just going to take it from you anyway.” My husband, Reggie and I can attest to this. We would save money for all the wrong reasons and not give God his 10%. During this time, it never failed. Not giving God His 10% allowed the Satan to come in and take the full 100%. Paying tithes WOULD have had us covered from attacks but not paying was a different story. The cars were breaking down, we were getting parking tickets, bills seemed to be showing up faster and for larger than normal amounts, nothing at the grocery store was on sale, etc. But once we realized whom we served, God and not Duke Energy, it all changed. The favor of the Lord goes further than any form of currency in this or any other universe!

Now we are in a place where we are always covered by the God’s favor. For example, we have an annual event at church; the Rainbow Garden. It is a wonderful event where each church member is placed into a group, named for its color themed teams, developed to raise funds for the ministry needs. At the end of the event, we have a concert and tons of scrumptious food provided by each group. At the most recent Rainbow Garden, my husband and I’s team fell short of our monetary goal. Both Reggie and I were only receiving unemployment at the time. Our portion of the money was slightly less than a week’s pay for Reggie. We did not let that discourage us and still agreed to pay the money. In fact, we were prepared to pay it that day but we did not because the treasurer went home. We prayed about it once we got in the car and did not mention it again. The very next day I go to the mailbox. I had just mentioned to Reggie that I would no longer say “let me see what bills came today” , rather I’d say “let’s see what checks we got today!”. Sure enough, there was a check in the mailbox! It was sales check from my previous job that I was told I would NOT be receiving. It came a month after the bonus and supposed last monies were received.  But it was right on time! After taxes, it was still almost $100 more than what we needed for our team requirement! Look at God! Look at God!

On a final note, let’s not kid ourselves by saying “if I had more, I could do more.” If you don’t give $50 you probably won’t give $500. Luke 16:10 speaks on this. God has answers to any excuse we could possibly think of for not being obedient. We must set them all aside and obey the Lord. 

God Is Right Behind Us

God sometimes uses my infant son, Zion, to explain things to me. One lesson in particular occurred one afternoon when Zion awoke from his nap. He looked at me as he was awakening, but apparently he was still in sleep mode. When he sat up his back was to me, and he began yelling for me as he always does when he gets up. I laughed a little because I feel he should have remembered that I was sitting right next to him. He should know by now that I’m never far from him. I calmly said, “Here I am, boo boo.” But by this time he was yelling as if he was asking, “Where are you, mommy? I need you.” Because of his loudness he didn’t hear me speak to him, despite the fact that I was literally right behind him. So I spoke again in a calm but slightly louder voice. “Turn around Zi Zi. I’m right here.” He still did not hear me, over all of his yelling. I shook my head in amusement and got louder, this time placing my hand on his back. Then he quickly turned around and leapt into my arms.

Zion’s actions that afternoon were similar to the way we react to God. We find ourselves in certain situations and think we’re alone when we’re not. He is always with us, even to the end of the ages. (Matthew 28:20) He hears our cries. (2 Samuel 22:7)He comforts us. (Isaiah 40:1) So calm down, be quiet and listen. God is replying to you. And if you’re still uncertain, turn to Him. He is ALWAYS right there! 

Top Nine things I Wish I’d Known BEFORE College

Okay, I’ll admit it. In high school I was a know-it-all about everything, and in college I was the same way. The fact that I was the first in my family to embark on the wonderful, challenging journey of attending college didn’t matter to me one bit. As far as I was concerned, I had it all under control…Yeah, right.

Below are nine tips I learned during or after college – when it was too late to change things. Hopefully after reading this you will avoid some of the mistakes I made.

 Refund Checks: If you don’t need a check, don’t accept it

When I first discovered refund checks, classes had already begun. “You mean to tell me I get money... for GOING to school?” I thought. “This is GREAT!” But you know what happened? Those five, yes five! years quickly flew by and before I could blink I was receiving a monthly bill to repay my “FREE” money. It’s commonplace to think you can wait a few weeks after receiving the bill to pay, but when you receive the next bill you quickly find out the meaning of “compound interest.” On http://www.studentloanconsolidator.com/ projects subsidized loan interest rates for the 2011-2012 academic year will average 3.4% and increase to 6.8% in the 2012-2013 academic year. Waiting a few weeks longer to pay to pay the bill increases the amount you owe AND tampers with your credit score. BIG NO NO! Unless you have beau coup money (outside of your refund check) expecting to finance anything with bad credit will be just one more miracle for The Lord to perform.

Be wise, people. If you don’t NEED it, don’t KEEP it. Plain and simple. Not to mention, there’s an actual MAXIMUM amount of loans available to you from the government. ((Found that out the hard way)). If you’re considering furthering your education after receiving your undergraduate degree from where will the money come if you’ve exhausted all of your available loans??? You can forget about Pell grants once you receive a bachelor’s degree.

Try finding scholarships for which you qualify. There are plenty of them available, and you don’t always have to have a 4.0 GPA to be awarded one. Most high schools employ people who are highly knowledgeable about available scholarships, and colleges and universities also have comprehensive lists of scholarships and grants, including many offered by alumni. And if that’s not enough, search online. Scholarships.com may have exactly what you’re looking for. And trust me when I tell you there are scholarships for virtually everything.

Unless your dormitory is a hotel, there is NO wake-up call

This is pretty self explanatory guys and gals. I was a little spoiled by the teachers at my high school, which compared to some high schools, was small. If I was out sick I could simply get a message to my teachers who would set aside makeup work for me or give me additional time to complete my assignments when I returned. And believe it or not, I’ve even heard of educators taking work to students’ homes to keep them on track with class work! And at my school we took the same six classes all year versus four classes each semester, so the pace as very slow. Trust me, being absent from class for a day in high school is nothing like being absent in college. Classes occur only two or three times a week, so when you’re absent you miss a lot of information. In high school you could get by when you missed reading a chapter or two, but in college you may be assigned five or six chapters a night and it’s easy to fall behind very quickly. This may sound like common sense, but things have a way of “sneaking up” and if you don’t know what to expect you could be in for a real shock. The bottom line: Don’t get in the habit of missing class!

The college experience is actually necessary

I hear the college experience is awesome. Sadly, that’s all it is for me: hearsay. I worked one full-time job or two part-time jobs my entire college career, so needless to say I missed out on college games, functions, parties and simply hanging out with my classmates. I had such a rigid work schedule it was even a hassle to get off on weekends and holidays to visit my family! I was too submissive on my jobs and rarely stood up for myself. I worked before and immediately after classes. Basically, I worked all of the time. I wish I could say the money was good, but the truth is... I can’t. Please don’t be like me! It’s okay to work while you’re in college. And if you’re like most people nowadays, your parents’ financial status may necessitate it. But remember it’s not wrong to ask for time off – especially while you’re a student. Just don’t abuse the privilege. Asking off once a month is fine, but every weekend is way too much! 

Internships

Companies always ask for experience even from new graduates. More than likely, your experience will come from an internship during college. Everyone dreams of an internship that pays great money with minimal work. Keyword: DREAMS. Brace yourself. In reality, you will probably get an internship with little or NO pay. It may sound like a bummer, but if it’s in your chosen profession, it can definitely be an asset to your career and will look great on your resume. Companies are looking for candidates that require little training, meaning they have some idea of what they’re getting into when they accept the position and won’t have to be “ABC’d” on every little thing. Almost all positions – unless the person is starting at entry level – ask for experience.

Hang with people you can actually “hang” with

Okay. Let’s get personal. I never fit in. Like NEEVVEERR. I tried for most of my childhood, but it just DID NOT WORK. It is because of the calling on my life, but it took me 24 years to realize that. See, I was chosen by God before I was in my mother’s womb. (Galatians 1:15) And the world hated me because it first hated Christ. (John 15:18)

College was no different. Although I despised clubbing and ALWAYS felt awkward at clubs, I still would sometimes go to the club with my friends. I had this one friend who we’ll call “Lucy.” Now Lucy could club with the best of them! Actually, in my opinion, she was the best of them. I went out with her more than I went with anyone else, mainly because we lived near each other and she could really party. She would regularly go to the club, drink and dance the night away, get in around 3 a.m., be on time for her 8 o’clock class and earn ALL A’s every semester! Truly, it was mind boggling! I, on the other hand, would try to drink – notice I said try – complain about the drink, drink it and too fast, I might add, waste my money, get tipsy off that one drink, hope no one asked me to dance because I have no rhythm and was disgusted by a sweaty drunk man touching me ((GROSS)), get bored, get sleepy, go home, crawl in bed, not be able to sleep and go to class tired and feeling ill. I wouldn’t be able to concentrate in class and would eventually pass with a C...minus. I went clubbing only once every blue moon, compared to Lucy who went just about every weekend! I just could not hang. All I am saying is know your limits, people. Know your limits. Looking back on it, I now realize I wasn’t able to enjoy clubbing because God was convicting me and not allowing me to enjoy it. Although I didn’t understand it, He was showing me that I am in this world but I am not of this world. (John 15:19) It’s not until you know better that you do better.  

Major in a field because you’ll actually enjoy it and not because someone recommended it or “it’s safe” 

Okay. Here’s another personal story. I majored in marketing. Why? I was in DECA, an Association of Marketing Student. ((I have such fond memories of those days (= ))in high school and really enjoyed it. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed the courses, but taking them in college was far different than taking them in high school. I never thought to go online and research different majors. And there was no one in my family with whom I could talk about college life. As I mentioned earlier, I was the first one in my family to embark on a college journey. I had no idea what I could do with a marketing degree, but being “undecided” and listing that on my college application was out of the question for me. ((Remember the know-it all part? SMH)). **[[[SN: One of Reggie's aunt, who is now my auntie too (= listed “undecided” on her application to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, despite strong objections from one of her guidance counselors. She was accepted, earned a journalism degree in four years and has been a writer since graduating from Carolina in 1986. So i GUESS, there is nothing wrong with listing yourself as undecided. Just kidding Aunt Laurie (= ]]]** But I was too afraid – or perhaps too ashamed – to admit I didn’t know what I wanted to do at the time, so I majored in marketing. A know-it-all like me couldn’t have people thinking she was unfocused and not sure of herself, after all. Pah-leeze. Things worked out for me, but in retrospect I think my college experience could have been very different with better, well-thought-out planning. My suggestion to you: Research, research and more research. Spend time thinking about what you want to do and why. Weigh the pros and cons. I recently did a Google search for “deciding a college major” and numerous sites appeared. I actually tried out one site that offers a quiz to help people decide a major. I must admit the site was pretty good and on point. My results indicated I would enjoy a career in teaching ministry and counseling, and a few other areas. Check it out:  http://homeworktips.about.com/library/maj/bl_majors_quiz.htm You never know. It just may help you tremendously! 

And for the record, I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, but you may be in a situation where someone is actually paying for your education and that person is mandating your course of study. If that’s the case, don’t WORRY ABOUT IT. PRAY ABOUT IT. (See James 1:5)

Take better advantage of available opportunities! You’re paying for it anyway 

There are so many opportunites and services available! During college, I attended a couple of basketball games and maybe one theater play. Because I was a business major I attended a class on business etiquette and also a resume-building seminar. And I also met with a very nice lady whose name now escapes me. Her department taught students how to effectively study. What I just described is nothing compared to the vast array of opportunities that the college I attended had to offer. There was so much more available for me to do and see, and I should have taken advantage of as much as I could without it negatively affecting my grades and health. Colleges provide athletics, religious and cultural activities and so much more, but it’s up to YOU to take advantage of what’s available. Stop by your student union. Go through your college’s directory. Talk to professors and other students. Do whatever you must to learn about the opportunities at your college and exploit them. Whether you want to be enlightened, productive or just have fun, I’m sure your college offers opportunities that can fulfill your needs. Take advantage! 

Having a relationship with God is vital! 

I could have spared myself of “so-called” friends, self-inflicted pain, no-good men and other tribultions if only I’d had wisdom from The Holy Spirit while I was in college. I’ll never know how much danger he shielded me from, but I can say I’m aware of a few things, people and organizations that would have undoubtedly taken me down a negative path on which I might still be today had it not been for Him. Whew! Thank you for, God, for not letting me go too far.

If only I had the discernment to know what is right. (Psalms 119:125) If only I knew how much He loves me and has always loved me. (1 Thessalonians 1:14) If only. The great news is NOW I know! And I absolutely refuse to forget! Trust The Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path. (Proverbs 3:5-6) Trust me when I tell you that your own understanding will have you all jacked up. There are many levels of having a relationship with God. You don’t have to be a veteran Christian to communicate with God. He can meet you wherever you are! One of the MANY great things about God is He can see directly into your heart! You may not like that if you’re not the kindest person in the world, but it’s wonderful to think that you never really have to explain yourself to Him. He gets you! He believes in you! He loves you!

Research colleges before going. Don’t choose simply based on family history or rumors

Yes, I’m guilty of this as that’s exactly how I chose the college I attended. “I’m going to VCU. Oh, out-of-state tuition is HOW MUCH??? Well, I’m going to Chapel Hill. Oh, they want me to do THIS MANY ESSAYS? Well, there are other UNC schools, right??? Let me just go through the college book in the guidance office.” Sad, but true. I chose UNC Greensboro because they had DECA…which I never joined. My plan was if I wasn’t accepted at UNC G I’d apply to Winston-Salem State University. Either I didn’t realize it was acceptable to apply to both colleges simultaneously, or I was just too lazy to apply for both of those schools at once. I never visited any colleges, mostly because I had no car and no one to take me to various colleges for visits. It never occurred to me that colleges accepted too many students and housing was not a given. I assumed I would continue getting free lunch and free textbooks. Boy was I wrong! God was definitely with me, because everything worked itself out on my first long day of orientation. I will never forget how overwhelmed I was with trying to find housing, getting my financial aid finalized and registering for classes. And as luck would have it, my first interaction with a professor resulted in tears – for me. I don’t think I ever saw him again after that day. He was a tad rude, but know that I think about it, he was probably a little stressed out because of the overload of freshmen, so I forgive him. (=

The moral to this story is make wise choices. I honestly didn’t know any better. I don’t regret going to UNC Greensboro. It introduced me to The City of Greensboro, where I still enjoy living today. I met friends with whom I still keep in close touch. My ignorant way of choosing a college could have very well ended badly, but fortunately it didn’t. 

Well, folks, those are the nine tips I learned the hard way. What experiences do you have? Submit them to p2tministry@gmail.com with “College Tips” in the subject line. Your responses just may appear in our next issue. (=

Be blessed and keep God first in your lives.