#famecosts

[08lionden]

GIF ethos forever 🖤 From a music video visualiser for my song “Cool Boys Play With Voodoo Dolls”. Which I’m gonna share soon.

Cool Boys Play With Voodoo Dolls

[philluzi]

#comedygold #dance #famecosts #andrighthereiswhereyoustartpayinginsweat #comedybar #dangaleaawards #2017 #comedy #yyz @comedybarto @thesiddiqs @ellecilly (at Comedy Bar)

[famecostsblog]

ALIGNMENT...& the lack thereof.

If you follow me on Instagram you may notice that I’ve started posting photos of my daily devotional. On a routine trip to BJ’s with my mom during the holidays, I came across the book “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young and tossed it into the cart with the rest of my other bulk items. I purposed in my heart to start reading it at the top of 2016 and so far I’ve been pretty consistent. Although I think it’s an incredible devotional and would recommend it to everyone I know, this is not a book review. 

What has stuck out to me the most since making the book an intentional part of my everyday life, is how aligned I am with the heart of God. For Moses, it was a burning bush. For Saul, it was a donkey on the road to Damascus. For me, in this season, it’s been “Jesus Calling”. The vehicles might be different but the end result is hearing a word from God that sets you on the path of your purpose. 

I originally started this blog upon relocating to LA last year. It was the best of times and worst of times. Lots of highs and lows came with that move but one of the best things was me becoming a part of the ONE Church LA family. The constant attendance at weekly services and involvement in the worship leadership team kept me locked in to a constant rhythm of spiritual encounters, both at service and in my own personal moments. Those encounters inspired me to share my stories with you through this blog but then everything shifted. Then I heard God, clear as day, tell me to pack up my stuff and go back to Atlanta. I hadn’t been working. My money was running extremely low and my morale had dwindled to match. That wasn’t God’s best for me. He wanted to show me another side of myself in Him...but that was a hard step to take.

I thought I had found my resting place. The space where I could commune with God and be around other people who had the same connection. What I didn’t realize was that my moment in LA trained and fortified me for the next leg of my journey. As soon as I said yes to God, everything changed. I stared working on music and ended out the year of 2015 having released two songs and accompanying visuals.

Now that may sound good as a whole but deep inside I knew that I wasn’t committing enough time and energy to my devotional life. I wasn’t setting aside time to pray and read my Bible. I wasn’t listening to Gospel music to inspire me throughout the day. I was just going. Driving down the road of purpose but not in alignment. That’s not how I wanted my 2016 to be. That’s not how I want my life to be. I want to be in tune with God. In tune with the Creator who knew my end and beginning before I was formed in my mother’s womb. The architect of my soul. 

So, I made it a point to integrate certain tools, like “Jesus Calling” into my daily routine and the feeling has been amazing. I’ve been listening to Kierra Sheard’s “LED” EP and Kirk Franklin’s newest album, “Losing My Religion”. I’ve been staying connected to my ONE Church family through their weekly podcast and YouTube postings. I’ve even gone to an earlier service at Impact Church, here in Atlanta, that lets out early enough for me to make it to service at my church on time.

God is standing in front of us with all the glory of our 2016 in His Hands but we can’t receive it unless we are aligned with His Spirit. Alignment is the only way we can produce the fruit of our purpose and truly see our divinely-ordained dreams become reality!

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away;[a] and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will[b] ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

John 15:1-8

[famecostsblog]

The Pep Talk

It's bigger than you. Your purpose. Your calling. It's greater than what you see when you look in the mirror. But you have to LIVE. Live outside your comfort zone. Live beyond what comes to you with ease. There's so much greatness in you that it spills over to multiple generations who will only see photographs of your face. You're fighting for them. For strangers that will share your bloodline and legacy. The value of your pulse far exceeds today's to-do list. Conquer today for the next millennium. They're counting on you.

[famecostsblog]

Planted For Purpose

Consider the flower. It's most complete manifestation of self only comes from growth and it's capacity to blossom. Without those two exercises it's merely a seed full of potential.  Whether it ends up hand-picked by a child to adorn her hair, gathered in a bouquet to be carried by a bride, or arranged in a beautiful display for decoration is not known when the seed is planted. Only through being buried, watered, fed, and pruned can it get to the next dimension of it's existence. The final step of this stage is blooming; forcing it's petals to open so that the beauty of it's process can be displayed. Essentially, the process is what turns the simple seed into a gorgeous specimen.  Seeds that remain seeds become food and get get devoured. While one can argue that might be their purpose, I would counter that they illustrate what happens when you avoid purpose. When your potential remains in it's seed form it eventually becomes nourishment for somebody else's purpose. Either way, the potential that's inside of you will be unlocked. Whether it's used to benefit your destiny or that of someone else relies on your choice to be planted and to blossom.

  The journey will undoubtedly be an interesting one but the strength and beauty that will manifest inside of you is exactly what you need to walk this journey of life. Find the shovel my friend. It's time to start digging!

[famecostsblog]

Tenacity In Transition

   As a child, I was always excited about story time. Being read to was one of my favorite past times whether it was at home or school. As each page turned I sat on the edge of my seat anticipating what would happen next. The joy of it all came from the journey. I had no idea of what would happen in the end but I trusted the author. I trusted that their expertise would weave a narrative that left me smiling in the end. In the same way, we have to trust The Author and Finisher of Our Faith. Every good story is filled with ups and downs but God wrote out our legacy before we were even a thought in our mother's mind. You can live your life with the same excitement that my younger self had during story time when you trust The Author. 

   The most uncomfortable place in transition is the in between. The Israelites knew they preferred the freedom of the Promised Land over the slavery of Egypt but the trials and tribulations of the wilderness almost caused them to turn back. God's strength is perfect in our weakness and His provision will sustain us through our own wilderness experience but we can't turn back. Milk and honey is much better than chains and whips. Stay the course. Reap the rewards.God has your best interest at heart. He'll never put more on you than you can bear. He knows the plans that He has for you and no matter what comes your way, you can trust that your happily ever after will be with Him

.

Romans 8:18 (NASB)

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us.

[famecostsblog]

Eye Exam

I looked at someone Wednesday night and said to myself, "It must suck to be ugly". I know. That's not nice to say at all. I admit it. I had a low moment but God reminded me of my favorite childhood scripture, Psalms 139:14

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

   your works are wonderful,    I know that full well.” I was immediately convicted. The entertainment industry's fascination with beauty, or rather their standards of beauty, has completely overtaken the world. Everywhere you turn, society is being airbrushed and augmented to fit into a box of what's considered pleasing to the eye. Yet, the Bible informs us that man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart. In our attempt to be like Christ, we must make every effort to see how He sees and to value others the way that He does. We are all special to Him. One of a kind creations on loan to Earth as we are displayed in our destiny.  Don't let the appraisal of earthly opinions deny you of your heavenly value...and don't let your earthly eyes lessen the value of someone else! Be aware. Be Christ like; in this world but not of this world. Seeing everyone and everything through the eyes of love.

[famecostsblog]

Patience vs. Persistence

The Bible reminds us to "be anxious for nothing". It highlights the benefits of casting our cares on the Lord and the peace that comes with it but sometimes we rest on our Christian laurels to our own detriment. We apply all the faith but forget the part about the works; the physical activation of our belief.   This week, I had an experience of asking God for a breakthrough in a certain area. I prayed and spoke His promises over my life but then He reminded me that He had already provided what I was asking for. LITERALLY! I just had to put forth the work to manifest it. After digging myself out of a slump and acting in persistence, I saw the very thing I was praying for become a reality in my life...and all it took was a little elbow grease.   We can't allow our faith to make us lazy. There's a thin line between patience and persistence. You have to remain still enough to hear God's voice but when He speaks you must relentlessly PUSH towards your promise. When you plant a seed the harvest is sure to come if nurture it but then you have to REAP it, as well! The fruit doesn't just jump in the basket. You have to water it, pick it, clean it, and prepare it before you can enjoy it. We can't drop the ball! We have to continue to ask, seek, and receive all the promises God has for us. Have patience in the process but persistence in procuring the incredible blessings that God has already sealed for you in heaven!

Philippians 4:6 (NIV)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

James 2:17 (NIV)

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.