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Your Business Matters-Malaika Paul
It's time for Black Girlz Productions annual $500.00 scholarship announcement. Who can apply? High school seniors or current college students. Requirements: Write a 500 word essay on the below topic. Email all essays to blackgirlzproductions@gmail.com. Please include your name and email address. The deadline to submit is 01/01/15. The winner will be announced February 2015.
Topic: Is affirmative action still needed in higher education?
There's a new series , the Cookie Castle Kids features the Huggable Cookies! Chocolate Chip Chelsy and Channing the Cookie Boy, both are magical tales that leave positive messages for little ones. Give the gift of reading. There is more info at www.cookiecastlekids.com
You are God wrapped in flesh…
I was thinking of you today.
I want to give you something beautiful.
I don’t know what that is.
I don’t know what it looks like or tastes like.
I thought about sharing a spoken-word piece I wrote when I was doing my dissertation at Stanford.
I thought about including a monologue from my solo performance piece that went up off-Broadway.
I want to give you something.
Something beautiful.
As powerful Black Women who have walked through life’s fire, we spend our time feeding others—yet very seldom do we have the experience of being fed.
I want to feed you.
I want you to know what it feels like to be nurtured and supported for no reason.
I want you to feel the texture and caress of being loved—just as you are and just as you are not.
Have I told you lately that I love you, Black Woman?
I love your swag, your genius. Your quick wit.
I respect your walk.
I honor your heart.
Today I want to give you something beautiful.
I want to give YOU to YOU… through my eyes.
YOU are beautiful.
You are magnificent.
You are perfect.
You are divine.
You are God wrapped in flesh.
You may not know this, but you are the answer to our prayers.
You are the reason the ancestors bowed their heads.
You are the inspiration that kept our men alive.
You are the life force for our children.
You are so special and so unique, being in your presence is simply splendor.
You are God’s promise fulfilled.
You are the reason Jesus wept and rose.
You are the future.
You are the world made anew.
If you could see you through my eyes, you would be so proud of the women you have become.
Not in spite of your walk, but because of it.
Here are 3 “Giving YOU to YOU” Defy Impossible practices so you can see you … beautiful:
1. Mirror Love: Go to your mirror (as soon as you can, I invite you to go in the buff so you can’t hide from yourself) and look you in your eyes. The most powerful statement in the Universe is “I am.” Affirm you with the following “I am” declarations:
I am a good person.
I am becoming the best me possible.
I am the truth and I live my truth out loud.
I am perfect in my imperfections.
I am the answer to people’s prayers.
I am wanted.
I am adored by God.
I am prosperous, affluent, and abundant.
I am the way, the truth, and the light.
I am open and ready to receive all the goodness of life.
I am magnificent—no matter what the past says.
I am loved.
I am deserving.
I am trustworthy.
I am kickin’ butt and taking names.
I am doing God’s work.
I am the one the world has been waiting for.
I am… (fill in the blank with the highest possible truth about you that you can own.)
2. Scented Secret Santa Love Note. Take a moment. Think about how you want someone else to value you, acknowledge you, understand and appreciate you. Now give it to yourself. You are your own best thing. Put it on pretty paper. Spray the love note with perfume. Then hide it from yourself. Put it at the bottom of the clean sheets closet or in your winter coat pocket. Then forget about it. When you get to the last set of clean sheets or winter comes, your love note will be there to remind you that you are special and you are loved… by you.
3. Tend to your body with tenderness. Your body is God’s temple. It is the only one you get. Most Black Women who have walked through life’s fire don’t know tenderness. Not with our bodies. I was so used to my body being in pain, I associated pain with being alive. It took purposeful, conscious, and deliberate tender attentiveness to love my body back into wellness. Scented baths, foot massages, energy healings, aligning chakras, rolfing, body work, body wraps, facials, yoga, boxing, weight training, walking, meditation, hand rubs—start small. Touch your face. Your hands.
Take a deep breath.
You are here. You are alive.
You are the miracle.
Cherish you.
You matter.
Please post below which one of these practices you will take on this week and why. I bear witness to you seeing you… beautiful, whole, and precious.
With all the love my heart can hold…
Dr. Venus
You are God wrapped in flesh…
I was thinking of you today.
I want to give you something beautiful.
I don’t know what that is.
I don’t know what it looks like or tastes like.
I thought about sharing a spoken-word piece I wrote when I was doing my dissertation at Stanford.
I thought about including a monologue from my solo performance piece that went up off-Broadway.
I want to give you something.
Something beautiful.
As powerful Black Women who have walked through life’s fire, we spend our time feeding others—yet very seldom do we have the experience of being fed.
I want to feed you.
I want you to know what it feels like to be nurtured and supported for no reason.
I want you to feel the texture and caress of being loved—just as you are and just as you are not.
Have I told you lately that I love you, Black Woman?
I love your swag, your genius. Your quick wit.
I respect your walk.
I honor your heart.
Today I want to give you something beautiful.
I want to give YOU to YOU… through my eyes.
YOU are beautiful.
You are magnificent.
You are perfect.
You are divine.
You are God wrapped in flesh.
You may not know this, but you are the answer to our prayers.
You are the reason the ancestors bowed their heads.
You are the inspiration that kept our men alive.
You are the life force for our children.
You are so special and so unique, being in your presence is simply splendor.
You are God’s promise fulfilled.
You are the reason Jesus wept and rose.
You are the future.
You are the world made anew.
If you could see you through my eyes, you would be so proud of the women you have become.
Not in spite of your walk, but because of it.
Here are 3 “Giving YOU to YOU” Defy Impossible practices so you can see you … beautiful:
1. Mirror Love: Go to your mirror (as soon as you can, I invite you to go in the buff so you can’t hide from yourself) and look you in your eyes. The most powerful statement in the Universe is “I am.” Affirm you with the following “I am” declarations:
I am a good person.
I am becoming the best me possible.
I am the truth and I live my truth out loud.
I am perfect in my imperfections.
I am the answer to people’s prayers.
I am wanted.
I am adored by God.
I am prosperous, affluent, and abundant.
I am the way, the truth, and the light.
I am open and ready to receive all the goodness of life.
I am magnificent—no matter what the past says.
I am loved.
I am deserving.
I am trustworthy.
I am kickin’ butt and taking names.
I am doing God’s work.
I am the one the world has been waiting for.
I am… (fill in the blank with the highest possible truth about you that you can own.)
2. Scented Secret Santa Love Note. Take a moment. Think about how you want someone else to value you, acknowledge you, understand and appreciate you. Now give it to yourself. You are your own best thing. Put it on pretty paper. Spray the love note with perfume. Then hide it from yourself. Put it at the bottom of the clean sheets closet or in your winter coat pocket. Then forget about it. When you get to the last set of clean sheets or winter comes, your love note will be there to remind you that you are special and you are loved… by you.
3. Tend to your body with tenderness. Your body is God’s temple. It is the only one you get. Most Black Women who have walked through life’s fire don’t know tenderness. Not with our bodies. I was so used to my body being in pain, I associated pain with being alive. It took purposeful, conscious, and deliberate tender attentiveness to love my body back into wellness. Scented baths, foot massages, energy healings, aligning chakras, rolfing, body work, body wraps, facials, yoga, boxing, weight training, walking, meditation, hand rubs—start small. Touch your face. Your hands.
Take a deep breath.
You are here. You are alive.
You are the miracle.
Cherish you.
You matter.
Please post below which one of these practices you will take on this week and why. I bear witness to you seeing you… beautiful, whole, and precious.
With all the love my heart can hold…
Dr. Venus
I would like to share with you all how the TRINITY Flag was created. Growing up, I have always enjoyed art, especially colors. I’d received the highest grades in Art, than any other subject. Not because everything I had drawn or made was good, but because my teachers saw something, whether it was potential or my passion in doing my best. Their encouragement helped me to grow & explore more.
History of Business (how it started to where it is now) … Isaiah 48:17
The Kingdom of God Flag Company is a for-profit ecommerce company.
I know now that God has been directing my steps (Psalm 23). The Kingdom of God Flag Company started step by step. As I look back, I can see how it came together. In the 1960’s, as a child in school, everyday, we all sang the “Pledge of Allegiance”. This song’s lyrics included “One Nation under God”. Also in school, we read about Betsy Ross as being the woman credited with making the first American flag. I am realizing now, what an impact that song and the United States flag had on me at a young age. I believe this is where the concept of making my flag with my God came from.
As a teenager in the 1970’s, my sisters and I joined a neighborhood church called Holy Trinity Church of God in Christ. During this time, my grandmother gave me a sewing machine and I took sewing classes in high school. I began altering my clothes. My sisters & I were in the choir, so I made at least four skirts (we wore long skirts to church at that time, they were called “maxi” skirts). I believe this is where the name of my flag originated in my heart.
Also as a teenager, one of my sisters and I participated in the Junior Achievement in our community. I believe we had made those round plastic lamp shades and those flat wooden bat & ball with a rubber string stapled to the bat. We even had the opportunity to sell them at a trade show sponsored by Junior Achievement. I remember when the class was over; we were taught how to liquidate our merchandise. Years later, I had the great opportunity to work for Loyola University Medical Center. We had the most wonderful Administration, who taught us self manage skills. I got elected the co-facilitator for our department’s Patient Care Team. We typed up our own agendas and took the minutes of the meetings. We accomplished a lot for our department. When an issue that involved another department arose, we were able to sit down together for the resolution. I believe all of this combined with the fact that my husband & I have been landlords for over 30 years; my taste for business has only gotten stronger and better. I am ready to learn & do more.
I graduated in 2007 from the Joseph Business School, a program at my church; Living Word Christian Center. I know this is where I discovered the purpose for The Kingdom of God Flag Company / TRINITY Flag (Psalm 35:27).
I am being transformed; here is how I know …
I have always enjoyed dancing, when I was worldly. Now, our TRINITY Praise & Worship Banners and Streamers gives me the opportunity to continue to dance. There is not a more joyful way to dance than to dance before the Lord.
I never really felt comfortable in the lounges, but I enjoyed dancing. I would definitely have to have a strong drink just to relax myself to fit into the environment. I never once felt comfortable enough to go out by myself.
What I am pleased to discover is that I could go to church alone with ease. I didn’t need any type of drink other than having my thirst quenched by the Lord. I have finally found where I belong. I really enjoy being drunk in the Spirit. The first time I experienced this pleasure was at one of our Women Fellowship nights. It was time to leave the sanctuary to go to another area to eat, & when I stood up & I was actually dizzy & begin giggling. Of course, no one could see this from just observing me. They told me I looked fine, even though I felt that my eyes were half closed.
Now, here is where I was heading …
Our niche is to cater to dancers. I get so much pleasure watching our praise & worship dancers glide around the sanctuary, wielding their flags in love for God, with power, authority & in spiritual warfare, but more importantly I see how much they are enjoying themselves. This is the reason that the TRINITY Praise & Worship Banner and Streamer was created and is dedicated to the Kingdom of God; the TRINITY; God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. Because the TRINITY Praise & Worship Banner and Streamer is a point of contact to God, such as a cross or rosary beads, any dancer can dance like David before God, with confidence & unashamed (2 Samuel 6:14).
The Kingdom of God Flag Company’s success is by keeping God first in everything I do, which is doing business God’s way (Matthew 6:33 AMP).
God’s Word is the CEO of The Kingdom of God Flag Company. I have diligently worked on The Kingdom of God Flag Company to where it is now. Now, the time has come: Presenting the TRINITY Flag as a point of contact to God, such as a cross or rosary beads, for the purpose to help align us with the Word of God. All governments have a flag. Now, the Kingdom of God has its governmental flag on earth as it is in Heaven. The profit from the purchases of the TRINITY Flags & TRINITY Praise & Worship Banners will be used to show the Love of God. These funds are sown into established ministries, whose projects meet the needs of people (ABOUT US page).
THERE IS SOMETHING INSIDE OF EACH OF US FROM GOD, NEEDING TO COME OUT. GOD IS WAITING !!! 
Isaiah 48:17 King James Version (KJV)
17 Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I AM the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.
Psalm 23:1-6 King James Version (KJV)
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Psalm 35:27 King James Version (KJV)
27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.
2 Samuel 6:14 King James Version (KJV)
14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.
Matthew 6:33 Amplified Bible (AMP)
33 But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.
Genesis 1:26 King James Version (KJV)
26 And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Acts 10:34 King James Version (KJV)
34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
James 1:17 King James Version (KJV)
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
James 1:16-18 The Message (MSG)
16 So, my very dear friends, don’t get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. 17 The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. 18 He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all His creatures.
1 Peter 4:10 Amplified Bible (AMP)
10 As each of you has received a gift (a particular spiritual talent, a gracious divine endowment), employ it for one another as [befits] good trustees of God’s many-sided grace [faithful stewards of the extremely diverse powers and gifts granted to Christians by unmerited favor].
http://www.TRINITYflag.com/
First there was Black Friday, then Cyber Monday. November 27, 2010 was the first ever Small Business Saturday. Small Business Saturday (the Saturday after Thanksgiving) is the day we celebrate the Shop Small movement to drive shoppers to local merchants across the U.S.
For more info: http://www.smallbusinesssaturday.com/ and http://facebook.com/smallbusinesssaturday
Tips for Small Businesses & Soloprenuers:
*Use Social Media to heighten the awareness about your Small Business - post at least 1 to 5 times a day on Facebook leading up to Small Business Saturday.
*If your products or services are for sale ONLINE, always include the direct link to purchase from your website.
*If you have specials during this time, make sure your current customers know about them, so send out emails!
*If you don't have a full website, have a one page (i.e. landing page) created to sell your item, book or service. Contact us for this service.
*Set up a PayPal and or Square account so you can accept Mastercard/Visa in person or online.
Since the new year is quickly approaching, I felt is was time for another calendar feature.
The Walking By Faith 2015 Wall Calendar features the beautiful artwork of artist and sculptor, Darlington Dike Ike (DD Ike). As a graduate of one of Nigeria's most prominent art schools, DD Ike's work has been displayed in galleries around the world. He is also the recipient of both local and international awards. You will enjoy the rich and vibrant African American art images of the Walking By Faith calendar each month as DD Ike’s art encourages all to walk by faith and not by sight!
Calendar Features
- 12 months of full page colorful art images
- Four (4) months (September 2014 - December 2014) mini calendars without images
- Measures 12 x 12 closed; 12 x 24 open
Like your cranberry sauce tart? Then you'll love November's "Sister Under The Feathers": Cherie Noire. She's just the right amount of wrong! After you read all about how she's shaking up the pinup scene ,grab yourself a pretty pinup goodie.
Happy Thanksgiving!
