Be Encouraged: William Becton

Be Encouraged! No matter whats going on. He'll make it alright, but you gotta stay strong!

3 Affirmations To Kickstart Inner Work

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." -Romans 12:2 

I'm starting to realize that the more truthful I become about honoring divine purpose and love within myself, The more my spirit serves me and provides good vibes. Yesterday was a divine intervention of the holy spirit. During the mountain top experience with a few friends (we hiked up stone mountain), one of them asked us to write down a few things we wanted to release, and proclaim them on the way up the mountain at each resting point. 

Once we got to the top of the mountain we discarded the things that we wanted to release and replaced them with what we wanted to go forward in. The three things I wrote down to release were procrastination, fear, and disbelief.

Everything that I wanted to progress in moving forward, were the opposite of the things I wanted to release. What I wrote down to walk forward in turned out to be affirmations and came out more defined than I expected. The receiving was more powerful, than the releasing. I wrote down:

I embrace productivity for divine purpose and call forth divine guidance.

I receive courage.

I believe that I'm worthy of an abundance of love, and love is always working for me.

I encourage you to embrace, receive, and believe If you want to release similar things like fear and procrastination. 

Remember, love and fear can't operate in the same place. Feel free to use these affirmations mentioned whenever you're feeling doubtful. 

What are some affirmations that you use for yourself. Share them in the comments section below or let me know online @BOLDJournal  on all social media networks.

10 Things That Can Separate You From GOD's Love

Nothing! ALL ten things are nothing. Nothing can separate us from the love of GOD!

I messed up royally yesterday, I mean bad! I messed up so bad that a "Come-to-Jesus" moment was inevitable! The truth of the matter is that what I did missed the mark and wasn't in Godly character, I let myself down and it's ok to be sad about that. It's NOT ok to stay in a place of bitterness, remorse, and regret for too long. Misery is where the spirit of evil wants you to dwell, if you stay there you'll suffer. Suffering is outside of GOD's plan for our lives.

Repent and aim to be better. Honestly, everything that leads up to what we might consider "Big sin" is sin just the same. Operating from whatever spirit that's not GOD, is missing the mark. We will always fall short of GOD's glory, but Jesus died to be our covering.


Romans 8, details that we are not condemned by sin and confirms that Nothing can seperate us from the love of GOD. While we should not condemn ourselves or allow anyone else to do it, it's ok to be convicted. It's up to us to Boldly use our lives for the service of GOD. Using them for any other reason is useless.




The truth that nothing can separate us from GOD's love was also recently shared by Dr. Cindy Trimm on Twitter . . .

There's no wall God can't kick down,  no shadow He can't light up, no mountain He can't level, no confusion He can't bring peace to and no lie He can't reverse! Stand firm and secure in faith knowing what the devil meant for bad God willl turn it in your favor and for your good!

— Dr. Cindy Trimm (@cindytrimm) November 26, 2018

GOD is so good! Whenever you get a chance read Romans Chapter 8 in the Bible, it is so powerful!

If you've made up your mind to end this year being committed to honoring GOD's will, and going into next year even stronger than you were this year, consider registering for Dr. Cindy Trimm's End Your Year Strong Empowerment Summit. Visit www.endyouryearstrong.com to register. 

Praying you stay empowered. motivated and loved. Subscribe to BOLDJournal E-news Blasts for the lastest updates from breathoflifedaily.com

How Would You Encourage Sophia Greenleaf?

What would you tell Sophia from "Greenleaf"? Yes, Greenleaf is fictional TV show, but that puts the scripted family in the public spotlight. Honestly, up until episode five of the shows 3rd season, for me the show's content had no real substance. 

However, the particular episode was a dramatic turning point in the season for all the characters on the show, and I'm guessing some on-the-fence viewers like myself, but especially for Sophia, the character played by Desiree Ross. She received a diagnosis that left her sterile and unable to conceive kids of her own. Doctors removed her ovaries, leaving no hope for natural babies and at a low point with her faith in GOD.

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The diagnosis is definite, but the believer in me wants to see a miraculous breakthrough in Sophia's plot so bad! The initial shock of the news left me speechless and caused me to think on what good can come from this kind of news. The issue fortunately changed my view about the show's content because it's dealing with real life issues, but it left me with confusion on how to address this with real life people. 

why are some people born with disabilities and disorders? Why does GOD embed these issues in the master plan? I really had to think about the situation before responding too quick, to avoid being insensitive or being attacked by some random twitter trolls. What can actually be said in these situations thats encouraging?

If I could help encourage Sophia I would say a few things and hope they could be of some significance.

Real Sympathy

First of all, "I'm so sorry." point blank. period. I can imagine that it's extremely hard to get news like that. Who could imagine that something like this would happen. Please know I'm here for your support.

Sincere Encouragement

Keep believing and aiming to fulfill GOD's purpose.  Circumstances cannot stop you from thriving. Keep searching for a solution despite what the "experts" say. Keep praying. Keep researching, because you getting a breakthrough might be the key to helping somebody else's redemption with the same plight. 

The "woman with the issue of Blood" in the Bible is not so much a story of miracle healing power as it is a story of tenacity, determination, and UNYIELDING faith. For 12 Years, she never stopped being persistent and focusing on healing. Stay strong at all costs.

True Reference and Witness

Go all the way in! If you've ever had any reason to go crazy trusting GOD, the time is now! If we really want what GOD wants it has to be completely what GOD wants, not mixed with a tinge of what we want. Surrender to GOD's will, keep trusting He has your best in mind. Seek to know GOD's thoughts. Whenever I've trusted GOD that's where my peace has come in. Scripture says:

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”declares the Lord.“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9

I personally have never expereinced a drastic health situation, but I've been through enough to trust GOD in any situation. It seems like Sophia is losing her faith. We don't ever really lose faith, we just supress it. Although Sophia is really giving up hope at this point, I'm looking forward to seeing how the story progresses. The writers of the show can still take it in any direction, just like GOD can do with our real lives. GOD is the ultimate show runner, the Author and Finisher of our faith!

How would you encourage Sophia Greenleaf? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and let us know @BOLDJournal on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #EncourageSophiaGreenleaf  

Catalysts, Vessels, and Change Agents

I attended a "Christian Women In Media" networking event yesterday to spread the word about the Kingdomwood International Film Festival that I'm helping to produce. At the event I was sitting next to the moderator, so it was funny to see that during the "introduce yourself and what you do" period, the majority of the women who were there went on tangents about what divine coincidence it was that brought them to the meeting or gave testimonies about the why they were passionate to do what they do. 

I laughed as the moderator tried to get them to be quick about their turn to introduce themselves, but after a while as the introductions continued in the same format of a longer "why" instead of a quick "what" and "who", I was inspired by it.

It was touching to see that the default mode for a room full of women who were believers was to explain the "why" behind what they did. I think knowing and understanding the "why" is the key to doing what we do with excellence and staying motivated to do it. 

When it was my turn to go, although I said who I was and what I did very quickly, because of the moderator: what I would have loved to have said was: "I'm grateful because I believe that I'm a catalyst for GOD's voice, and a change agent and an agent & vessel of God's voice. So this is why I want to be involved with Kingdomwood, this is why I want to be involved with media and sharing my voice." 

I think that would've been great for a "Christian Women In Media" event, but we're all catalysts of GOD's voice. I listened to the "Jesus and Jolloff" podcast for the first time and heard Yvonne Orji say her blessings are "not because she's so special, but because she's available." It's essential to make ourselves available to the will of GOD. 

We are catalysts, we are agents, We are vessels of GOD and that's what this film festival brings about to me. It's why I believe in what I'm doing. It's why I'm happy about what I'm doing. Iyanla Vanzant shared a tweet that said: 

"The key to success is not what you do, it is how you feel about what you are doing."

Yes!! https://t.co/UxzZycWr6h

— Breath Of Life Daily (@boldjournal) September 21, 2018

It's up to us to Boldly be a vessel for what GOD is doing in the earth. Orji also says in the podcast" Somebody is waiting for your supply, that they didn't even know they needed." 

"We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same." - Marianne Williamson

It's up to us to know who we are and be consistent in how we present who we are to the world, but also to definitely know our why? Do you know your why?

Don't Open That Box

If you give the devil an inch, he'll take a mile...

or 10.

Note: Don't give the enemy ANYTHING. Try your best to refute the enemy inside. Negativity that pops up in your mind, or on the outside is not worth your time. Go toward the light.

Temptation is real, but the divine glory of God has the power to eclipse that.

Anything dark that you don't need in your life, let the power of God overpower it.

Peace and Blessings,

April

Goodmorning Texts To God

Just yesterday my beloved cellphone was stolen, even though at some point it hit me that I could stand to be on the cell phone less and in the holy spirit more. I'm really feeling it now more than ever.  The reality that a cellphone takes up so much of my time, so much of my energy. not to mention all the information that's poured in.

Maybe I got a little bit too overzealous with the time I was spending on it, hopefully I can use it's absence now as an opportunity to get closer and "refresh" my relationship with the creator, the one who manufactured me, who can download information and input more data into my soul, and give me just the right recharging I need to thrive.

It would be very beneficial to spend more time with God instead of giving those extra minutes to Facebook, Instagram and snapchat.

what we look at, interact with and spend time with the most continuously affects us. We are shaped and molded by all these thoughts, ideas, and images that we see, so it's best to get the vision from the truest and purest source.

Cellphones have reshaped the way people get involved in and have romantic relationships as well. Nowadays a key indicator that a guy may be actually serious about pursuing a relationship with a woman is a consistent good morning text. Notice I said consistent, not random whenever the thought may come to mind or they may be just looking to have a good time, but intentional consistency.

If a guy sends you a consistent goodmorning text it's pretty serious...and they're more than likely sincerely interested in getting to know you more. The search and courting process has been redefined.

So, what if more people had that same attitude and became seriously interested in the will of God for their lives every morning. What if we pursued God's presence as such? consistently, every morning never skipping a beat, never missing a chance or an opportunity to check in?

What would happen is there would be great a greater sense of stability, the stability that makes a "happy" home -- in this case a content and peaceful spirit in our beings which are the houses of God.

A lot of people understand that in a loving, committed relationship, better yet a marriage one of the key benefits is stability. In having a committed, consistent relationship with God through prayer and practicing faith, the stability we need presents itself better than being in a relationship with any person ever could.

Wholeness within ourselves is beneficial before we start a partnership with anyone else.

Maybe I got a little bit too overzealous with the time I was spending on the phone, and can use it's absence now as an opportunity to get closer and refresh my relationship with my creator. I'm sure I'm not the only one who may spend a little bit too much time with the cellphone, heavily attached to it.

I'm still keep hope alive that the phone resurfaces but I'm gonna enjoy this time where more life is being poured directly into my spirit and not just needless information. It's in the presence of God where we find life and we attract true peace into our lives EVERYDAY.

Overcoming My Struggle With Depression

by: April D. Byrd

It's this paralyzing, overwhelming feeling of not being able to move, particularly after I've had some sort of perceived success. I laid in the bed the majority of the day, thoughts rummaging through my head and more bad news coming by the minute, one of my young cousin's is dying in hospice, more is being requested out of me that I'm not sure I can provide, more being piled on top of the list, on and off social media looking at whatever, to just laying..."this" feeling had always happened to me. The feeling of being incapable and stuck, the "depressed" feeling and I'd spend hours just doing nothing.

It's not the "doing nothing" part that's so concerning, but the helplessness. "Why do I feel so helpless?" After 10 or so years, or maybe the majority of my life doing "this". It really jumped out to me that it's NOT ok. It really clicked that: It's depression. And on the eve of my 27th birthday this month, I just realized that the battle I've struggled with for so long was depression.

This is a time in my life that I really felt like I was pushing through to my breakthrough, but all hell is breaking loose as it usually does. Simultaneously when I decide that I can make it, and I'm gonna go for it...all hell is breaking loose. The odds stacked up against me seem insurmountable. I couldn't help but hear in my spirit. "God puts you in chaos to bring the best out of you".  If that's the case then there must be something amazing in store. I honestly do feel like my breakthrough is around the corner. Because of my desire for God to use me, I suspect that this issue had to come out. I couldn't keep living in bondage, but wanting success and quality at the same time. The unction received from the holy spirit: "God will never take you where He can't sustain you." Of course God can sustain me anywhere, but I can't keep getting in my own way.

It really just hit me that I struggle with depression. Sitting there feeling helpless, feeling useless, feeling lost...for most of the day. In an instant, my eyes were open, I felt revelation and pain, and something had to give, I got up in tears. For the first time I realized that this was a struggle. The crazy thing is, with the revelation I got up. I felt embarrassed, ashamed, and hurt, but I got up. The next thing I did was call my pastor so she could pray for me. The next step from here will be to get some professional help or counseling, I also want to explore the issues relating to depression how it has affected me and so many people.  I praise God that I had the strength and the direction to call my pastor. I feel a breakthrough, and now more than anything I have a sense of direction.

God gave me a vision and an organization before, a platform, that I really didn't know what to do with. Now I have my voice and no devil in hell will stop it... I won't either.