2018

Ark / 2018
Black woman working

Stop Talking! Start Doing!

How many times have you said or heard someone say I'm waiting on God? That saying irks me because that is such an excuse that allows procrastinators to continue to put off what God said to do. It's a way for people who just talk to continue to be all talk with no action behind anything that they say. Before you continue reading this blog might annoy you if you're one of those types of people! In the age of social media where people are trying to "prove" they are somebody not realizing that they're thriving off a complete strangers validation people can make themselves look like anything but the question is what are they actually doing? Have you ever noticed the people who talk the most often are the people who do the least? I'm not saying to share your wins and be excited about the things you're actually doing but some people just aren't doing anything. It's time to stop talking and start doing! So many of us have goals we want to accomplish before this year is over and it's possible to accomplish those goals you just have to take the first step. I want to share with you three ways you can start doing more today!

1. Figure out your why.

Your why should be the thing that keeps you going when you feel like you want to quit. Your why should motivate you daily! My why for working out is good health. My why for starting my business is to empower another Queen not to give up. My why for strengthing my relationship with God is so my faith won't fail me when hard situations arise. You should be motivated daily to get up and make the best out of each day! It's what helps me to keep going even when it seems all hell is breaking loose in my life.

2. Finishing is better than starting!

How many times have you started something only to quit later on? How many times are you going to keep allowing procrastination and self-doubt keep you accomplishing your goals? It's July and one thing you can't get back is your time so stop wasting it on people, places and things that don't bring any value to your life. You've got to make moves and take serious action if you want to see a change. Become intentional about the things you say you want to accomplish and don't stop until you've done those things.

3. You lack nothing! Use what you have!

One of the biggest excuses people use is I'm lacking what I need to start. You lack absolutely nothing use what God gave you! Before I became an author I had no idea how to write a book. I knew I needed to write but I didn't let that stop me. I wrote my book in a big $5 notebook and as I continued to write the resources I needed to complete the book became available. You don't have to have a lot of money or a lot of support to start. Use what you have and you'll have what you need!

How much longer are you going to just talk about the dream instead of making the choice daily to become the dream? Figure out your why, finish the goals and stop making excuses that you're in lack to begin! The life you want to live is on the other side of your comfort zone but no one can help you get on the other side if you don't move. Your life is a gift from God and what you do with it is up to you. I want to thrive and not just survive! Someone needs to see you make it so they can believe they can too. What are you willing to do differently so you can see different?

Confidence - 07/09/2018
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God, I Need Your Help!

They say the teacher is quiet during the test but what if you have a question? What if you need clarity? What if you feel lost and confused and you're just not sure what to do? This is apart of the process and it doesn't feel good. Social media will have you fooled thinking everyone is "living their best life" but honestly, a lot of people are lying, posting while depressed and confused. We've become a society that cares more about what people think than what God say's about us. It's sad what people will lie about things just to get people to like them. When you're being real with yourself you will realize that you are nothing without the help of God and you will live a life according to his will not your own but what do you do when you feel stuck? What do you do when the bottom of the bottom falls out and you feel attacked on every side. While on this journey of releasing the Queen within test will continue to challenge you and you've got to surrender to the process. It's not easy being the Queen but you've got to adjust your crown as many times as needed. When you feel hopeless and helpless you have to know that you can call out to God for help and he will hear you. I want to share with you three reasons why it's so important to stay connected to the one who crowns you and to boldly ask for help!

1) God is the source!

Absolutely nothing can be done on this earth without God. He is the source of everything! We can try to make things happen in our own strength but those attempts will not be successful. Everything we need is found in God and everything else is a resource. God has everything we need but are we asking him for what we need? Are we praying in faith or in doubt? We have to remember in tough times to keep our eyes on God and trust him to provide everything we need.

2) Ask, Seek and Knock!

We have not because we asked not! Why are you asking everyone else for help but God! God is the source so why do we go to resources when we have a direct connection to the source? Are you speaking to God through prayer on a consistent basis or do you use him like an emergency kit? God is a good father and just like a good father when we ask he provides according to his will. Have you prayed about it instead of talking or posting about it? Are you waiting on God or are you jumping ahead of him trying to find a solution to a problem only he can fix? What have you been asking for? God will grant you to desires of your heart when you delight in him! Do you really trust God's plans? A delay is not a denial we have to learn to trust God's timing and know that all things are working for us even the things we cant see. We must keep the faith.

3) God has the solution!

As we remember that God is the source and seek his will we have to remember he has the solution because he is the solution! God has the answer and if we seek him and just ask he will provide the answer! I have so many situations where I had no idea how things were going to work out and God stepped in and gave the answer! We can not look to resources or try to do things in our own strength because that's temporary. God is enteral when he speaks it's finale! No one can stop the blessings of God from happening in your life but you! You have to trust that he will provide an answer. You have to have patience and get in proper position to hear from God. In order to get the answer, you may have to log off social media and open your Bible, go on a fast and take that first step without having all the answers but trust me when God sees your faith it will provoke him to answer.

I don't know what situation you may be facing but I know with God's help you can overcome anything! You're not waiting on God he is waiting for you! Life has its way of attempting to knock us down and sometimes we fall hard but in the midst of it all God can and will work everything out for you. Maybe you need clarity about a relationship, your career, your business, your family or just in life connect with the one who crowns you! God will crown all of your efforts with success when you put him first! Don't allow this situation to cause you to get weary. Just ask God for help and don't be ashamed of it. A Queen seeks wise counsel and God's wisdom is so much better than man. Keep the faith, keep your head up and adjust your crown.

Love
Natalie

Confidence - 05/26/2018
wrong2

I Was Wrong!

One thing about a real Queen is she's able to adjust her own crown by being real and honest with herself. Real maturity is when you check your own self. Self-inventory is mandatory for growth. If you're really trying to become better you've got to get serious about being honest about what's going on with you. So many times we wear a mask to cover up what's really inside. We try to hide the negative things because we're ashamed that people will judge us based off poor choices we've made. Releasing the Queen in you is a journey and it takes time to own up to your poor choices and bad thinking patterns. When you confront it then you can conquer it and be free to be the Queen God called you to be.

Since my 32nd birthday, I've been doing a lot of self-reflection and I realized I had a negative pattern that's been hindering my growth. I felt so many different emotions and became angry with myself for allowing certain things to happen. I had to acknowledge my feelings and face them head-on. I've always prided myself on taking care of myself mentally, physically and spiritually and I realized I haven't been doing the best at that lately. I was helping women become their best self while I wasn't fully doing it for myself. I am able to see the gold in other people but wasn't paying attention to gold in me. I allowed situations with people to cause me to shrink and in some cases put down my crown. Overwhelmed by life becoming stressed trying to make things right I became my own enemy. I took some time off to just breathe. Time to think about what was best for Natalie. Time to think about relationships that needed to end and how I kept holding on to dead things. I found myself frustrated, feeling like I wanted to give in to the thoughts of quitting. Give in to thoughts that what I've been through is going to get the best of me and that these cycles in my life where never going to end.

 

I was wrong!

 

I had to remember that I'm a daughter of the King! I am royalty! I decided to reclaim my crown and get in my rightful place! I was out of position because I allowed my circumstances to overpower me. I was so close to going back to the old me. The old me who was bitter and full of resentment. The old me who quit too fast and too soon. The old me who didn't know her value so she settled for relationships that didn't return the love she deserved. I was wrong! I was wrong for allowing people time in my life when their time was up. The expiration date was past yet I still wanted to hold on. I was wrong for allowing him to think he could just creep back in and not value the Queen that's within. I was wrong to preach and teach what I wasn't fully living up to being a hypocrite! Wearing the mask that I allowed pride to blind me I couldn't even see! I was wrong so wrong and since I've reclaimed my crown I promise I'm going to get things right.

 

Releasing the Queen within is about becoming the Queen God called you to be. I couldn't fully be me until I decided to set myself free. I let go of the stress and frustration. I let go of that man who just kept giving false hope and never meet my expectations.  I couldn't let my crown shine because deep down inside I wasn't really living the royal life. I know I'm not alone and I want you to know it's okay not to be who and what everyone want's you to be. You're going to disappoint people and people are going to disappoint you. You're going to make poor choices just don't allow those choices to take over you. Learn, grow and continue to adjust your crown. Trade the mask for a crown and reign. You owe it to yourself to free yourself from the heartache and pain. If people aren't pulling you up they are holding you down. Don't be afraid to make adjustments in your life. I could have allowed life to knock me down again but I refuse to back down. I refuse to throw in the towel.

 

It's Queens all over the world waiting for me and guess what they are waiting on you too. Somone needs to hear your story on how you overcame the hurt, dealt with the pain and let go of shame. I'm a flower and I bloom wherever I am planted.  I had to arise so I can be all of who God called me to be. This journey isn't easy but it's worth it and no matter how hard it get's I know that God is going to finish the work he started in me. It's one thing to talk about living a royal life but it's another to actually be bold enough to live it.  I'm in chapter 32 I'm focused on me and what God placed me here to be. I want you all to take back your power and reign. I'm all in and I'm not playing any games. You can watch me rise or you can join me. I hope your ready because this fire just ignited a new me! So this is my public apology to me. I'm going to rise up and allow God to continue to pull out the best in me so he can continue to use me.

 

Love

Natalie

Confidence - 05/21/2018
joy1

Choose Joy!

There's something beautiful about a Queen who's overcome so many challenges yet still is able to smile with style and grace! Joy is something you must choose daily. It's different from being happy because happiness is based on what is happening. Joy can exist even when all hell is happening around you. Joy can help you overcome any challenge you face. Challenges will come but it's how you get through them that can make you better or bitter and the choice is yours. I've had so many challenges in my life but one thing I've learned is to have the proper perspective and to know that if I can make it out of the last situation that this situation is no different. When challenges come into our lives we often back down but that's not the way proper way to handle them. The weapons may form but they will not prosper and if we trust that they won't prosper why do we give away our joy? I want to share with you three reasons why you must choose joy! Seasons are changing and just like the season's things in your life may be changing but choose joy!

1. Joy Changes your perspective.

You ever hit your foot on the edge of your bed or a table and though it hurt you laughed? Joy will help shift your thinking from a negative into a positive. The more you embrace joy the easier it becomes for you to see things from a positive perspective instead of a negative one. It's easier to think of the bad over the good but if you choose joy and apply this to your life you'll soon be able to see the good in every situation. Yesterday I lost my wallet with my ID in it and I could have been upset but I literally laughed and said I guess God doesn't want me to shop. Humor doesn't remove the fact that the situation is there but it helps take the focus off of it. I changed my perspective and didn't allow that to ruin my whole day.

2. Joy Is Attractive.

I don't know about you but I do not like to be around someone who is always complaining, moping around and talking about how much they're going through! Truth be told we are all facing some sort of challenge and I don't want every conversation to be about "the struggle". That is so depressing! It's so unattractive to be a negative Nancy! Joy is attractive! Smiling is attractive. So many women say they want a King but a King needs a queen who has joy! A Queen who can uplift him not talk negative and tear him down. Nobody want's to be around someone who is negative. You will block so many opportunities just because of your attitude. Be attractive to people by who you are from the inside out.

3. Joy Keeps You Saying The Right Things.

As you shift your perspective you'll also need to speak the right things. You will have what you say and if you're speaking negatively then you'll see negativity manifest in your life. You will have what you say. Life and death are in the power of your tongue. When you speak things you are literally breathing life into what you're speaking. When you've allowed joy to leave your heart you're opening yourself to speak something you don't want to see in your life. Joy will help you to speak life over every situation.

When you let go of bitterness and make the choice to choose joy you will see things change in your life. Your perspective on things could be the reason why you're not attracting the right people and why you keep speaking bad things into your life. Joy is a choice but you've got to be willing to make that choice daily. When you allow joy to be your choice you're saying though this situation isn't the best I'm going to make the best out of this situation. When you're able to have joy no matter what comes your way you win. Don't allow anything else to remove joy from you anymore.

Confidence - 05/01/2018
waiting

Start Over With God.

Remember all those promises you made yourself about how 2018 was going to be different because you were going to do things differently but we are now in the second quarter of the year and you've done nothing different. You said you were going to leave that toxic relationship, you said you were going to lose the weight, you said you were going to start the business but you haven't. I want to encourage you to start over but this time start over with God. If you think you can be successful in anything without God's help I hate to be the one to tell you that you've been mistaken. Take a quick snapshot of your life and ask yourself how has it been going with you trying to make things happen on your own? If you're honest I don't think you've been that successful.

People say being a believer is so hard but it really comes down to making a better choice. For years I was confused, frustrated and annoyed with myself because I didn't feel like enough to God. I felt like I was forever a failure until I developed a real relationship with God. I got tired of doing things my way because my way kept leaving me frustrated and caused a lot of unnecessary pain. Some of you are upset with God about where you are in life but God didn't make those choices, you did. What's so beautiful about God is he gives us the grace to continue this journey and get things right. You may have experienced hell these past three months but don't allow your circumstance to cause you to give up hope. I want to share with you how starting over with God will help you become successful.

1) Trust in his guidance.

Just like you made the decision to trust in yourself try Jesus. Every single time I tried to "make things happen" I made a mess. Every time I allowed God to open a door I was able to walk through it stress-free and the opportunity was right for me. When it's God you'll have peace when it's forced you'll be frustrated. This applies to every area of your life. God knows what's best for you so don't get caught up in what you want because what you want may not be what you need. Trust that God's plans are the best plans for you.

2) Trust in his timing.

Just because God shows you something doesn't mean it's at that exact moment. Trust that what he showed you is already done but you have to trust in his timing. He may have shown you being a wife but you may not be ready to be one right now and that's okay. Relax it will happen just focus on becoming the best you! If God gave you everything you prayed for would you be able to handle it? I'm sure the answer is no. Trust in his timing!

3) Trust in doing things his way.

Obedience to God may not be popular because so many people are doing things their way but it's safety in your obedience. You can't keep expecting God to bless you if you're not honoring him with your life. It wasn't until I became obedient to doing things God's way that I was able to receive the blessings he has for me. So many people are living life outside of God's will and expect God to do everything for them. When they feel God didn't answer their prayer they got the nerve to be upset with God when he doesn't deliver. God is not a genie in a bottle to grant you your every wish. You will not win when you're not operating from obedience to God's word.

In order to trust God's guidance, trust in his timing and do things God's way you have to seek a real relationship with him. Going to church is great, listening to gospel music is great and knowing a few scriptures is great but have you asked God to come into your heart? Have you given him the invitation to have complete control over your life? We are officially in quarter two of 2018 and I refuse to continue to be in my own way. I surrendered to God and made the choice to stay committed to a life that brings him glory. I was frustrated in the month of March because it seemed everything I planned failed then I realized it failed because I wasn't seeking God first. I kept trying to make things happen instead of asking God who should be in my life, what should I be letting go of and what direction I should go in. I found myself trying to handle life by myself and I was wrong. Sometimes we put too much faith and trust into people when we need to put our faith and trust in God. People will lead us astray but God will always direct our paths and crown our efforts with success if we put him first. So the first 90 days of 2018 may not have been great and that's okay but learn the lessons and move on. Start over with God this time!

Love
Nat

Confidence - 04/02/2018

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