BOLD Testimony: Lady Felicia "DaFaithPusher" Dotson

 

 

Whew! a powerful testimony!

Certified Christian Counselor Lady Felicia "Da Faith Pusher" Dotson shares her amazing testimony of how GOD used an app to expand her ministry, and help spread the gospel of faith. During her LIVE Testimony Interview she additionally shared a candid story of how she learned to walk in faith and other gems. 

Check out Lady Felicia's Interview on Breath Of Life Daily's YouTube page in addition to having a listen on the podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts. 

Resources mentioned in this Interview: 7 Day Prayer Journal: Recording Your Journey With GOD: https://linktr.ee/Ladyfe72 Where you can connect with Lady Felicia Dotson online: Clubhouse: 'Lady Felicia Faith Dr.' YouTube: @LadyFelicia

Connect with Breath Of Life Daily online @BOLDJournal for more empowering updates, BOLD Testimonies, uplift and more.

Keep Letitia Wright In Your Prayers

Pray For Letitia Wright | original background image: Hollywood Reporter

Letitia Wright is an Actress that stands firmly in her conviction of faith and she is open about having given her life to The Lord. She made a major breakthrough after the fact when she landed a key role in the blockbuster film Black Panther.

As reports are circulating of an injury on set and many mainstream news outlets are posting contrary to the truth. Now is the time for believers to stand together with each other, and Letitia in this moment. 

May she be encouraged that the same GOD who brought her to one breakthrough can bring her to many more.

Praise GOD for her resilience and the resilience of the saints. We are keeping Letitia in prayer.

Check out her interview below talking about the pressure of being an Actress in the film industry and giving her life to Christ:

Lean Into Your Elevation

Listen to the Audio here below:

Audio Link

This morning I shared some thoughts with the BOLD Prayer community about toxic relationships, how Jesus actually dealt with them according to the bible. 

Ultimately, we all relate to other people based on the love level we have within ourselves. How our love tank is filled is based on our relationship, consecration, and submission to our creator through Jesus Christ. If know toxicity, then we will relate toxically. If we know love, then we'll relate to love.

Lean into the love today. Lean into the love and Only into the love in life. Scripture says GOD loves us so much that he sent His only beloved son to lay down his life for us. That sacrifice is an ultimate profession of love. When we take the time, make the sacrifice of time to lean into and prioritize this love in our lives, we're elevated. 

So lean into your ascension. Lean into that loving relationship that feeds you the most, the one with the Holy Spirit that provides the most comfort.

When we consecrate, we elevate, when we are elevated we manifest differently. We manifest from a place of elevation, not worry. Sometimes we're so stressed we find ourselves getting into those mundane situations, habits, relationships and accepting less than our Creator's best for our lives.

Manifestation is the fruit of our relationship with our Creator. Lean into consecration, and the divine, vital connection.

It will shift you, but open up to the possibility of it uplifting you. Change may hurt only because it's uncomfortable, it's unfamiliar. But our consecration is for the greatest good. Flow with the change and transformation Jesus died and arose to produce in you. When you do you'll find yourself living better, producing better, and functioning better.

Cheers to an elevated, fruitful life!

If you have any questions feel free to reach out to me at april@breathoflifedaily.com

Songstress LaTonya Meori Release New Single "Superman"

Inspirational artist, La’Tonya Meori has released her highly anticipated single "Superman" which is now available on all digital platforms. 

La’Tonya credits her inspiration for writing Superman by reflecting on the sacrifice, grace, and mercy of God, the words to the song naturally came.“Superman was inspired to reveal the ultimate power and love of God. He is our ultimate hero and savior! In times like this, we must remember that we have hope in Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life”, says La’Tonya.

La’Tonya Meori is an Artist from Raleigh, N.C. who has a heart for God and his people. She found her passion for singing as a child and continues to share her gifts. Her music will inspire and uplift anyone. Her motivation is to see people blessed through the ministry that the Lord Jesus has placed within her. La’Tonya understands that without faith it is impossible to please God, and she is a true testament to faith in Christ!

When God Speaks...And Then You Listen

by Carla Marcelle

I had an inkling in my spirit this morning spend some time with my creator in prayer and worship. How my spirit has been blessed because I listened.

A quote that particularly caught my eye, in my morning devotional said,

"To grow tall spiritually, a Christian must first learn to kneel"

In my spirit, I find myself beginning to feel a purging of toxins that are hindering my growth in life. All the natural physical signs say that I am not happy because truth is, the things that once made me happy were all carnal, and simple minded. Earthly pleasures, drunken intoxication, lust, and immorality. As these layers of distractions begin to fall off, I find myself focused and intrigued. Focused on the fact that I have a purpose, and have all the tools necessary to accomplish my life goals. And then intrigued by the fact that these goals cannot be accomplished without a strong foundation with my creator. Since he created me, I have to truly seek him to carryout my destiny.

So it just so happens, my daily devotional for today is entitled, Happily Humble, which encompasses a series of reviews of past readings from the previous recent days. Since I haven't really read my devotional all year, I figured it couldn't hurt  for me to go back a little.

One particular reading that stuck out to me was,

   1 Thessalonians: Stay on Target, (Don't become distracted or discouraged as you seek to make faith)

Hmm, A word from my creator, directly associated with my current position in life. As a young woman with so much vision and purpose, who has an assignment specifically created by God for me.
So His words for my spirit showed me how to focus my attention on him, and how not to be distracted.

Turn from idols

What can you give up today that may be an obstacle in your life holding you back from accomplishing a goal you have for yourself. Is there something preventing you from going deeper in your connection with the creator? Perhaps someone or something?

My take away from my moment with God showed me confirmation in everything I seek to do in my life. From my characteristics, to the reason I love to write, to the way that I am. When I give up the things that separated me from my God, I naturally have a connection. When God speaks, and then you listen, there is a spiritual appointment that takes place, call it Divine Intervention, Many people gripe and complain they do not hear from God, but is it that the spirit of God is not talking to you?, or is it that you are too caught up in your pleasures or everyday hustle and bustle to listen to what the spirit has for you?

Broken Crayons Still Color

by: Ruthann McKenzie

Have you ever witnessed young children coloring? At some point, the inevitable will happen where a crayon will break. For some small children it is heart breaking if it is there favorite color. Nonetheless, you will never see a young child stop coloring forever because one crayon broke. They may fuss, but if it is their favorite crayon they'll continue to use that crayon.

I love the analogy of the broken crayon still coloring. When we get older we begin to lose our ability to dream and life begins to break us down, year after year. Eventually we begin to forget we are beautiful and created to shine. We can still be used for remarkable things when we yield to our Creator who can restore us to fullness. It does not matter how we became broken beings, we can still be used for greatness.

In Psalm 51, King David is writing of his brokenness. At this time, he had sinned and felt the remorse of his actions and was broken hearted for his actions. Even in his brokenness, he knew that God could restore him when he repented and sacrificed his broken heart to Christ. King David knew that his broken and contrite heart could draw him closer to the Lord instead of driving him further away. The sacrifices of God can be our broken spirit and through the broken pieces light can shine through.

Today, in this moment, your future is brighter. Your broken pieces can be used for more than regret and shame, but instead to inspire and uplift another soul. Brokenness brings us closer to Christ. At the valley, the lowest point, the Lord restores when you hand those broken pieces to Him. If you don't believe this, perhaps in time you will, but know broken crayons still color.

10 Best Motivational Quotes by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Let your freedom ring!

You're only destined to become what you decide to be. sounds simple enough, but with that decision is the recognition that we have the light and the power on the inside of us to be everything God says we are.

As we honor Dr. Martin Luther King's life on this particular day that has been set aside. We should realize we don't have to be a phenomenal amazing public figure or an amazing super hero with a day honoring our name, to be of service and achieve our purpose, just doing the small things we're able to do is what makes us extraordinary. Dr. King left us motivational words that we can use everyday to be of service to the world and fulfill our highest calling.

• Step out on faith: 

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

• Never give up:

“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”

• Hard work pays off: 

“Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.”

• Be resolute: 

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

• Stand up for justice above all:

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

• Keep your head up:

 “Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness.”

• Be dedicated to service:

"Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’"

• Be gracious with yourself and others: 

“Forgiveness is not an occasional act. It is a permanent attitude.”

• Stay strong, and keep the faith:

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”

• Keep God first at all times:

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”

What are some of your favorite quotes or sayings from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that inspire you everyday? Let's us know in the comment section below. You can follow the latest updates on Facebook and the Breath Of Life Daily Newsletter. 

Is It Tough To Follow Christ?

There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man and only God can fill it.  -Blaise Pascal

Clarence and Robert McClendon were two Christian brothers who did well in their careers. Robert was a prominent lawyer and Clarence was the author of a popular book. Clarence was deeply involved with the interracial action-groups of the 1950's and 60's, in Georgia, USA. Once Clarence asked Robert, now a politician, for legal help, which he refused, because his political ambitions would be jeopardized. To rationalize his refusal, Robert told his brother: I follow Jesus up to a point. I follow him to the cross, but not on the cross. I am not getting myself crucified. To which Clarence replied: Robert, you are not a follower of Jesus; you are only an admirer of his.

     
Perhaps Clarence could repeat those words to us. We bear the name of Christ, Christians, but prefer to formulate our own code. In Europe, the Christmas Holidays are called the Winter Holidays. Why? Ostensibly, they do not want to wound the sentiments of people of other religions. Perhaps some segments of Christians, in other parts of the world, have joined their European brothers in switching to the changed terminology, for the same reason.

     
The Hindus have not changed their festival Diwali to something more akin to Christian idiom. The Muslims have not renamed Ramzan to appease their Christian brothers. Why are we ashamed of the word Christmas? Is it because we are ashamed of being identified as Christians? To those of us, who are embarrassed of being Christians, Jesus has a warning. In Matt. 10:32, He says that in the presence of His Father He will not acknowledge those who are ashamed of Him, in the eyes of men. The Master never makes empty threats. Do we hear the alarm bell?

      
We are Christians, but will not attend Church Services. A Christian young man I know tells me that he goes to Sunday morning service only when there are no good movies on TV. Some offer an excuse for their non-Christian attitude. They say that they are scandalized by the behavior of some Pastor/Priest and dissociate themselves from anything Christian. Are we Christian because of some Priest/Pastor, or even because of the Pope? We are Christian because of Christ, who is sinless and blameless. Do we stop using our family name or stay disconnected because of some black sheep in the fold? We refer to Biblical Stories as Christian Legends to distance ourselves from their veracity. We are Christians who do not want to profess Christian beliefs. Do we not profess our political affiliations? Democrat or Republican (USA), Labor or Conservative (UK), Congress or BJP (India)? We join elite clubs and are proud of our membership. We work for Fortune 500 Companies and will let others know of the connection. But Christ, the Son of God, we leave out in the cold. We exclude Him from our network. Alone, He will hang on that cross.

      
We try to run away from Him, but He comes panting after us, as The Hound of Heaven, whom Francis Thompson faithfully portrayed. In an unhurrying chase, at an unperturbed pace, He will not give up following us. Gently, He reminds us, all things betray thee, who betrayest me. We try to hide from Him, but He will seek us out. We shut our ears to His words, but He will play music that we cannot silence. We close our eyes to Him, but He will tenderly lift our hands off them, to lovingly gaze into our troubled eyes. What a Christ we have! Yet, we are ashamed of acknowledging Him. Would we do to our friends, what we do to Him, the truest of all?

 In my reckoning there are a few reasons why we behave the way we do.

1) We are the instant people who demand instant gratification. We want Him to be the genie we can command. He would willingly oblige us, if only all our wishes were for our good. Often, we desire that which will harm us. He sees it; we don’t. So, He shuts some doors through which we wish to enter and opens new doors, if only we have eyes to see.

2) We want to be in control, to march to our drumbeat. To surrender, to submit are against our grain. We like to be in charge of our lives; and extend that power by taking control of Him. The paradox is that He does not want to control us. He will not place limits on His gift of free will. Of our own, if we love Him and seek His protection, He will accept our friendship, and not a forced alliance.

3) We mistake His goodness for weakness, because He does not react even when we act in defiance or choose to ignore Him. His Infinite Patience and Forgiveness are never tested. For that very reason, we tend to take Him for granted.

4) We enthrone false gods in our hearts. Wealth, power, fame and pleasure are some of the deities we enshrine, dislodging the rightful owner. Does He complain? No, He waits for the time we will turn away from those false gods and return to Him, like the Prodigal son. In a question that also holds the answer, Job asks: Has anyone resisted Him and found peace? No wonder, the scholarly Saint Augustine wrote: Our hearts were made for you, O God, and they shall not rest until they rest in you.

      
Mistakenly we believe that we are doing Him a favor when we pray or live a life by The Book. Hugh Blair exposes our folly: It is for the sake of man, not of God, that worship and prayer are required; not that God may be rendered more glorious, but that man may be made better. We need to reflect on Hugh Blair's words, because a Perfect God needs nothing from us. He would not be God if He needed anything from us. He is complete in all respects. With unmatched love He persuades us to reform for our sakes, not His.

      How do we reform? By being the salt of the earth, and light to the world. Salt dissolves in food to lend it taste and flavor. Light dispels darkness. Like salt, when we make ourselves useful to others, and as shining examples, when we shed light for others, we become lovable. And when we become lovable, we can be sure that Jesus’ love is in us. Aptly, Bishop Fulton Sheen explains what that means: When the Lord puts His love in us, then we become lovable.

      There is no doubt that it is tough to follow Christ, but the rewards far outweigh the effort, and the peace that comes from it cannot be matched. Ordinary people have done it. Are we any less?

How I Found The Strength To Stay Pure For God

by April D. Byrd

I am on a fast (fruits, vegetables,water, etc.) and I wanted to add a little brown sugar to my sweet potato. I'm trying to do the whole completely pure and natural thing, but I was very tempted to add that brown sugar...just a little bit.

Thankfully I was able to resist. If i would have added just a little then, it would be ok to add just a little later and that would determine the course of my fast, I'll start to be ok with the "little things" then they will come more and more, and eventually evolve into big things. I thought about the verse: just a little just a little leaven leavens the whole lump, or in other words just a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough. When we make it ok to do the small things it becomes common place for us to continue to do them and the next thing you know we're doing much more than we expected. Because we made a small thing ok, we'll be cool with continually doing it. I've learned it's not good to play on the edge.

I came across one explanation for this scripture online that said:

“Leaven” is used in the Bible to denote sin or corruption. Jesus Christ told his disciples: “Watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees,” and, “Watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” The apostle Paul employed the same symbolism when he commanded the Christian congregation in Corinth to expel an immoral man from the congregation, stating: “Do you not know that a little leaven ferments the whole lump? Clear away the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, according as you are free from ferment. For, indeed, Christ our passover has been sacrificed.” He then clearly showed what he meant by “leaven”: “Consequently let us keep the festival, not with old leaven, neither with leaven of badness and wickedness, but with unfermented cakes of sincerity and truth.” (1Co 5:6-8)

That last scripture got me and rung a bell in my head "Cakes of sincerity and truth" This can be used in the case of purity as well, just like abstaining from delicacies in my time of "dedication". Cake is sometimes used as a slang term for women's body parts. For a young lady to take the purity of her body seriously is a blessing through God. The scripture talks about Cakes of sincerity and truth.

As a young lady, seeking sincerity and truth, being whole and pure before God is amazing. It doesn't matter what you've done, because being dedicated first starts in our spirit. When we seek to have a pure, clean, undefiled spirit the rest follows, including the flesh.  Even though we read the lament that "all of our righteousness is as filthy rags before God", it's His grace that makes us clean and white as snow. Its up to us to accept His love and dedicate every aspect of our lives to him, including our bodies. When we allow a little bit of sin in, it can ruin everything. There are ways I've found that tend to work for me:

• Remember a key goal you have in mind, and reference from there. When something pops up you can challenge it because you know what you wish to accomplish through your dedication. (ex: For God to bless your business, heal your body, etc.) People who have a clear goal in mind usually succeed. (Matthew 21:21-22)
• Run and pray!! seriously. the bible says flee from sin. When you see it coming run the other way. When something is happening to me and I run to talk to God about before anything. I usually find healing, solace, and comfort. (Psalm 91:2)
• Have an accountability partner. This should be someone you're comfortable to pray with. Pray with them regularly. Help give each other strength. It's very good to know someone is supporting you and you have someone praying with you, for you, and vice versa. (Matthew 18:20)

Whether it's through fasting, abstinence or simply honoring God in our everyday lives dedication and commitment is key. Within the time of this fast I was able to attend a purity ceremony in Birmingham and made the commitment to honor God with my life, It was an amazing experience. I feel so blessed. God rewards us for our faithfulness. When we're faithful to God, He is faithful to us and then some. Though His grace exceeds our actions, God set up a life of righteousness and abundances as a reward for us. When we aspire towards a life of sincerity and truth, God's blessings are what we reap. Purity is walking in truth, and truth is the foundation for everything good. Be encouraged to honor God and continue walking in a life of abundance.

5 Signs You're Settling For Less Than You Deserve

by: Iyanla Vanzant

Some years ago, I was shopping and came upon a beautiful red dress. The color, style and length were perfect. But the store didn't have it in my size. It did, however, have the same dress in navy, which I wasn't crazy about. Then I noticed a pair of blue shoes nearby that complemented that blue dress. (I didn't love those, either.) So what did I do? I bought both. I was afraid I wouldn't find anything else, so I settled. (It won't surprise you to learn that I've never worn the dress or the shoes.)

You've probably heard the saying "Better the devil you know than the devil you don't." Here's a question: Why put up with any devil? Why not give ourselves only good things? When we believe we cannot have what we desire—when we lack faith in ourselves and in the goodness of life—we settle for less. We decide that whatever is in front of us is better than nothing. But believe me when I tell you that better than nothing isn't good enough.

I often see people settle for less than they deserve in personal relationships: accepting bad behavior, excusing broken promises, accommodating people who take more than they give. Why? Because doing things we've grown accustomed to is familiar, comfortable.

Which is why sometimes it can be tough to gauge whether we're settling: When we tell ourselves that things are fine, we soon forget that they could be better. Here's how to know whether you're putting up with less than you deserve:

• When you have to work yourself into a state of excitement rather than naturally experiencing joy and passion, you're probably settling.

• When you bargain with yourself about what you can do without rather than feeling gratitude for what you already have, you're probably settling.

• When your focus is on the time and energy you've invested in an endeavor rather than the love, joy and gratification you've gained, you're probably settling.

• When you're making excuses about why you should stay put rather than going for what you truly want, you're probably settling.

• When you spend more time complaining about what you have than appreciating it, you're definitely settling.

But there is a lesson to be learned in everything. When we realize we've been settling, we discover what we actually believe. We learn that we perhaps think ourselves undeserving of happiness and find how susceptible we are to outside influences—because often we settle when others convince us it's the right thing to do. Most important, we learn that we are not standing fully in our truth. Armed with this information, we can make new choices that support our desires—by beginning to believe that we can have what we really want.


Iyanla Vanzant is the host of OWN's Iyanla: Fix My Life and the author of  Peace from Broken Pieces.

This post was originally published on Oprah.com

8 Lessons I Learned From Volunteering At A Homeless Shelter

by: Ruthann Mckenzie

Six months ago, I felt strongly compelled to help volunteer and teach at the homeless shelter. I figured that there may be something within me to help teach others through my life stories. Well, six months later and I realized I relate quite a bit to those I have the pleasure of teaching. However, instead of it being lessons I teach from the bible, the life stories I hear from others share Christ to my heart. 

I wanted to share some of the lessons I have learned so far. What teaching at the homeless shelter has taught me so far is...

Ministering by feeding the homeless

• Preach to a world that is dying. Yes it is important to go to church and hear the word and study for yourself. Yet, if we sit in the pews week after week, then we will miss effective opportunities to spread the word. 
• The love of Christ needs to be shared. If you have hope, then share that hope with others who may not have experienced it before. 
• We all go through hardships, but you can always bless someone else. Hearing a story from a homeless individual who was blessed with a gift card and bought food was nice, but hearing him share that blessing with someone else he didn't know was amazing. He was selfless when he was also in need. It doesn't matter what situation you are in, you can always afford to help someone else.
• We are all gifted and have a purpose. You can find yourself in the service of others. It's a humbling, but rewarding experience to empower others to aspire for more again and use their giftedness.

• Jesus made friends with those we consider "outcasts". Perhaps He did so because those people were pretty cool and just needed someone to talk to and show them love. Jesus didn't look down on people in pity, but he was compassionate and through his love showed others the way up. By being more Christ-like,  perhaps we can socialize with those we may consider "outcasts" to the world and share love.
• Get out of your comfort place. When I began speaking at the shelter I stuttered and cried my first teaching. I was so overwhelmed with speaking in front of others. It was uncomfortable to say the least. At the end, I spoke with the director and she commended me on my effort and told me next month would be better. I could not help but think, "next month? Did she not see me cry?" But next month was easier, and months later I can no longer use the excuse I do not know how to speak in front of others. Which brings me to my next point...
• God can use the least of us. You do not have to be highly educated or rich in much. All you need to do to help others is be willing. A willing heart will take you far. People appreciate authenticity and realness over pretentious fluff of those who think they are better than everyone else. We all are broken vessels, but we can all be used. 
• If you want a change in the world, be the change. Stop complaining of how bad things are and actually make a difference in some way. You were not just placed on this earth to acquire things, be filled with self, worship for your own gain, or mope about how bad things are. No you and I were placed here with a purpose to worship Christ and love. We can display the love of Christ by helping those in need.

The smallest step in the right direction is significant to the kingdom. You don't have to know the most or be the best, but a willing heart is all you need. I trust that when you yield to service of others you may discover more about yourself than ever before. Be the change you wish to see and dare to make a difference!



Ruthann McKenzie is the creator of justbeconfident.com where she blogs and coaches others to be confident and live victoriously. Follow her updates on Facebook and Instagram:@theconfidentyou 

He's Worth The Wait Review + Giveaway!!!

by: April D. Byrd 

Often people spend a lot of time looking for things outside of us to fulfill us, to make us whole. However there is so much satisfaction when we come to realize that our fulfillment is in God's will for our lives. Whatever the situation is that has caused emptiness, hurting, or longing in our lives it can be overcome by embracing the love God had for us first, from the beginning of time. Our fulfillment is in Christ's purpose and passion within us.

A great change took place in Writer/Minister Fanny Quioto's life when she accepted Christ's love. She began to come into fullness and wholeness in God. She was delivered from hurt and addiction, so much so that she was able to encourage other women. I know God connected me with Fanny Quioto for a reason, I am so blessed by her updates on social media and watched as her new book "He's Worth The Wait : Confessions and Notes About Your Future Husband" came into fruition. In He's Worth The Wait, Fanny Quioto shares her testimony of how she overcame her sex addiction and her decision to remain celibate until she says, "I do." She also shares her very personal and candid confessions and notes concerning her future husband directly from her journal. This book aims to encourage other women to remain abstinent until they are married and to remain strengthened in the process.

Gratefully, Breath Of Life Daily was able to attend and cover The "He's Worth The Wait" book signing event. You can check out the coverage here if you missed the action. One of my sisters in Christ surprised me and bought a copy of the book for me at the signing. I'm so glad she did. I was blown away! "He's Worth The Wait" is powerful and insightful. Fanny Quioto goes deep with the transparency in her testimony and the revelation from God, given to her during her struggle. She keeps it 100% real which made it easier to relate to, especially if you've ever struggled with addiction, thoughts of suicide, depression, low self-esteem, or the like. It's encouraging because of the powerful declarations pulled from her deeply rooted confidence and faith in God. The book also provides insight into why pre-marital sex tends to fail us every time. Through research, rejoicing, prayer, and accentuating the positive this book reminds us why it's so important to wait. It's a great resource to be used while in waiting. It's so awesome because it encourages everyone to recognize how worthy we are in God's eyes, so we can realize exactly why we deserve the best He has for us.

If Fanny can overcome and empower others through storm you can too! So, on to the part you've been waiting for... THE GIVEAWAY!!! You can enter for a chance to WIN a free PERSONALIZED copy of the He's Worth The Wait book in Breath Of Life Daily's free giveaway! There are so many ways to win. You can start by re-posting this picture below using the hash tag #HesWorthTheWait.

You can win a copy of the book by entering through Breath Of Life Daily's rafflecopter giveaway

1. Tweet about the giveaway. (ex: I'm worth the wait! Just entered for free copy of #HesWorthTheWait book from @BOLDImpactNtwrk #BOLDJournalgiveaway) 

2. Follow @BOLDImpactntwrk on Twitter.

3. Leave a comment on the blog post. (ex: I would love to win a free copy of He's Worth The Wait! God loves me! I'm worth the wait!)

4. Like Breath Of Life Daily on Facebook.

 Good Blessings! (I don't believe in luck) The contest has officially begun!!

The Power of a Mentor: Following the Pattern Set Before Us.

By: Paul Horne


As a student preparing for ministry I am coming to a greater realization that having a mentor who is in ministry is vitally important. The set of verses that constantly come to mind are the words Paul wrote to Timothy in his second letter, “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:1-2, ESV) Listen to how Paul speaks to Timothy; he calls him my child, showing such a deep loving relationship. We know from human standards that a father is to teach his children how to live in all aspects of life. We need mentors the same way we need to have fathers in our lives to set the patterns for us to follow. Without them we have the tendency to go astray. 

The relationship of mentoring is not a one-way street; it is one that branches off to others. We should be learning from our disciple maker while at the same time taking what we are being taught and teaching it to other men (and women) in the faith.  In order to be in a disciple making relationship it requires work to be put in, along with time. Jesus invested his time in twelve men whom he would send out into the world to teach others. He not only sent out twelve but at one point he sent out seventy-two men two by two (Luke 10:1). The best way for us to be sent is by a man we are learning from so we can implement what is being taught.  

  

What does a mentor look like? A mentor is going to look different for each person; you may not have just one mentor in you life or at one point of time. There will be areas in life that you need to have the footsteps of someone else to follow whether it be in a hobby, in your profession, or in general guidance for your life. This person should be some type of authority on the subject; not necessarily having to have credentials but having done a what ever it is you are seeking them for a period of time with a good track record. You do not want to start following after someone or seeking their help when they have no idea how to handle the struggles you are facing because they have just started the activity themselves. 

Do you have an idea on how this association should look? It is imperative that when you enter into a formal mentoring relationship that some standards be set. The type of standards I am referring to are like how often will there be contact made, what forms of contact are best for this relationship. What kind of accountability is going to be set in place if any at all? Are you both going to keep this association merely about the mentoring/disciple making or is this going to become more of an intimate friendship where lives overlap? 

I would recommend depending on the type of commitment being made, that lives become intertwined with an at least weekly (if not several times a week) contact. It does not matter where the contact comes from be it a phone call, text message, social media interaction. And no less than once a month interaction face to face in a setting that is not sterile, but inviting conversation and allows the relationship to feel more organic and real. 

It is my hope that this work will inspire you to strengthen those relationships that are in place and to possibly form new ones. I leave you with this: who is investing in you and who has the Lord placed on you heart to invest into?



Paul Horne is a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband, a father and expositor of Scripture. You can find more of Paul's writing at preachdatruth.blogspot.com

#Rescue2Restore: An Evening Of Music Event

From $150 to Priceless…

I know a young woman who once believed her value was $150. That’s the amount of money she was paid for 30 minutes of ‘work’. Let’s be clear. She didn’t get to keep the money; she had to give it to her pimp. You see, she was caught in the underground sex trafficking trade. At the time, she was 14 years old.

You may wonder how this sort of thing happens – right here in the U.S. of A. Girls are being approached near schools, at the mall, on social media, in neighborhoods and social circles by predators seeking to build their ‘business’. The story often begins with a cute guy in a smooth ride approaching a pretty girl promising a good time, gifts, freedom, and love. The promises turn out to be nothing but abuse and exploitation.

Often, human trafficking is seen as limited to foreign countries; but it’s a growing epidemic in the United States. You may think it’s not your problem; however, what affects one directly affects another indirectly. You may think that it’s on the ‘other’ side of town; but girls are being lured into the dark underworld of sex trafficking in broad daylight all over town. Pretending the problem doesn’t affect you is short-sided. It can trickle into your neighborhood without the slightest warning. The young woman in this story was able to break free and is now ten years removed. Her passion is to help other girls caught in the trade. She declares, “I used to think my worth was $150; now I know I’m priceless.”

A report, conducted by The Urban Institute for the U.S. Justice Department, looked at the underground commercial sex economy (UCSE) in eight major U.S. – Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, Miami, Seattle, San Diego, and Washington, DC. They aimed to uncover its magnitude. In their findings, Atlanta was ranked the top city with a $300 million sex trafficking economy. Let’s put it in perspective: that’s more than Atlanta’s illegal drug and gun trade combined. Further, they found on average pimps in Atlanta make $32,833 in cash per week and the average age of girls used in the sex trade is 14.

You can help stop sex trafficking by joining others in the fight. Plan to attend Rescue 2 Restore: An Evening of Music. Grammy, Stellar and Dove award-winning artists Daniel Winans (of the legendary Winans family, singer-songwriter, producer) Billy Dorsey (Outreach Pastor at Lakewood, singer-songwriter, producer with notable recording artists, including Lecrae, 2 Chainz, Pretty Ricky and Day 26); Deborah Hightower (worship leader, singer-songwriter, author); and Dr. David Cooper (Senior Pastor of Mount Paran Church) with Open Door Band will grace the stage in Atlanta on Thursday, October 2, 2014 at Mount Paran Church of God to raise awareness and benefit Wellspring Living (www.wellspringliving.org). Wellspring is a 501c3 organization whose mission is to confront the issue of sexual abuse and exploitation.