Trust Your Gut and Go For What You Want - Dating Advice

 


Last night we were introduced to Real Housewives of Potomac cast member Ashley Darby.


The 26 year old blogged about how she started her relationship with her now husband.

"Bravotv.com: How did you meet your husband?
AD: I met Michael when I was 22 and bartending at L2 in Georgetown. At the time, I was working at night, going to school during the day, and enjoying my youth 24/7. I was talking to my manager in the main office when I watched Michael walk in on the security camera. Sweet baby Cleatus! Even with a blurry, black and white picture, I was hooked. Love at first sight is real, y’all!
There was never any confusion about his age – I knew Michael wasn’t a young stallion, but he has this je ne sais quoi quality about him. When I (nervously) approached him I couldn’t say, “You should wife me up,” so I asked about a marketing internship at his company. After a few months, I gathered up the courage to ask him out for a real drink and that’s all she wrote! Moral of the story: trust your gut and go for what you want!"

GOALS

As we approach 2016 and leave behind 2015, I think it’s important to reflect on our pass and future goals.  Did you accomplish what you said you would in 2015?  What are your goals for 2016?  Ms. Badu wrote on twitter “Write it down on real paper with a real pencil. And watch shit get real.”

 

I love this quote because the older I get, the more I value setting goals.  Not only should you write your goals down, but you should make them specific (i.e. I want to save <$5,000 in a credit union account).  You should also share your goals with a friend or a family member.  This will make you more accountable for your goals.  Going forward not only will I write my goals down, but I will read them everyday to ensure I'm on the right track.  I have already written my 2016 goals and I plan to accomplish all 7 of them. 

Why wait till 2016 to start working on your goals?  There are 4 weeks left in 2015, use this time to complete unfinished 2015 goals, and/or start working on your 2016 goals. XOXO –Angelle

How To Be More Productive At Work

I don't know about you guys, but I sometimes struggle with my productivity in the work place.  I have the attitude that as long as I make all my deadlines I'm good.  Even though this is true, I know I can be doing more.  Below are some tips that help me get on track when I fall off.

1.  WORK WHILE AT WORK- this sounds simple enough but I want you to really think about it.  Are you really working while at work?  If I was to answer that question truthfully the answer would be 'no'.  I spend a good amount of time at work socializing, surfing the web, lurking on social media, on the phone, and group messaging my friends.  That sounds horrible but it is the reality of most employed people.  In this economy we are blessed to have a job, so we should treat our jobs as a blessing.  So remember, from 9:00 - 5:00 (or whatever hours you work) you are not on YOUR time, you are on your employers time.  Colossians 3:23 says it best "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters". 

2.  SAY NO- Now I'm not telling you to be the mean co worker but you need to know when to say no.  Think about this, was there ever a time at work when you stopped working on what you were doing to help a coworker?  I know I have.  While this is the nice thing to do, it is not always the most productive.  You should help your coworkers AFTER you help yourself.  You don't have to be rude, but next time a coworkers ask for your help while you are busy, try saying "I'll help you as soon as I finish this report".  By doing this, you'll still be a great team player but you'll accomplish what you need to do first.

3.  GET ORGANIZED - This seems easy enough but you would be surprised how many people are not organized in the work place.  When someone asks you for something you should know where it is IMMEDIATELY, not search though different files on you computer to find it.  One way I stay organized is by scanning everything...I mean everything.  Once I scan the document I save it in a named folder so I can easily find it.  Another way to stay organized is by keeping your workplace clean.  I don't know about you but I feel way better when my room is clean, the same goes for my office at work. 

Hopefully these tips can help you be more productive at work.  Let us know some things you do to increase your productivity.  XOXO Angelle

Your Circle! Who are the five people you spend the most time with?

 Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Will Smith said it best: “You can tell how far in life you’ll go by the 5 people you spend the most amount of time with.” This quote has been said in many ways but the theme is still the same. I remember when someone special to me told me and a relative this, I received it more than my relative did but I still hadn't took it to heart and applied it to my life. My relative on the other hand laughed and said so you're telling me, "I'm going to be and they listed all the worst scenarios possible referring to situations their friends were in. As time went on those things came true. They found themselves in a series of unfortunate events and I quickly learned the importance of  "picking friends like you pick your fruit"- Erykah Badu.

Similar to the law of attraction, you are the sum of your thoughts and the images you see daily. If you constantly fellowship with people in negative circumstances you're attracting that into your life. You ever been in a good mood then encountered a negative co-worker or friend that complained about life and had "woe is me " complex then you find yourself not feeling as happy and good as if their negative energy leeched on to you?!  Well that's a sign you need to limit your time with a person, pray for them, and  possibly love them from afar.


Love,
Christina

Joyce Meyer Daily Devotion James 5:12

Today's devotion speaks to me! 

Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned. (James 5:12 NIV)

Be Decisive! 

Indecision is a miserable state to be in and certainly is not a fruit of the simple life. The apostle James said the double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. 

Never making a decision because you're afraid you'll make the wrong one will get you nowhere. How much time do you think we waste when we can't make up our minds? 

We often labor over the choices before us when we just need to make a decision and let it stand. This may be a simple example, but think about it: When you stand in front of your closet in the morning looking at all your clothes, just choose something and put it on. Don't go back and forth until you make yourself late for work! 

Let me encourage you to start making decisions without second-guessing yourself or worrying about the choices you make. Don't be double-minded or wishy-washy because doubting your decisions after you make them will steal the enjoyment from everything you do. Make the best decisions you can and trust God with the results. 

Prayer Starter: Holy Spirit, thank You for showing me that indecision doesn't really get me anywhere. Help me to let my "yes" be "yes," and my "no" be "no." I know I can't go wrong when I make decisions the best I can and simply trust You with the results.

Photo credit: www.freedigitalphotos.net/cooldesign 

Joyce Meyer Daily Devotion; Ephesians 4:23 NIV

to be made new in the attitude of your minds; (Ephesians 4:23 NIV)

Experience a New Beginning 

The Bible is filled with stories about people who experienced new beginnings. Moses became a leader after being a shepherd for 40 years. Paul hated Christ until God renewed him and made him the greatest apostle of all time. 

When we receive Jesus as our Savior, it is the ultimate new beginning. We become new creatures with an opportunity to learn a new way of living. But the first step to experiencing that new life is believing that it's available to you. 

Ephesians 4:23 says we must be constantly renewed in our minds and attitudes. It's easy to read about great people in the Bible and think that you are nothing like them, but when you start to think that, you need to renew your mind right away. 

Choose to think according to God's Word, not how you feel. Receive His love and experience a new beginning. Life will become so much sweeter if you live with an attitude that says "God is completely changing me from the inside out. He's giving me a new beginning and there are greater things ahead." 

Prayer Starter: Lord, I renew my mind in You. I know that You have a new beginning and a calling for me just like you did for Moses and Paul. I receive it today, believing that You can bring it to pass.

Joyce Meyer Daily Devotion, 2 Corinthians 10:3

I loved today's devotion! Some days are just bad days for me, someone disappoints me, annoyed by my job, things may not always go my way and then I find myself in a bad mood. When I'm in a bad mood I try to list all the things I'm grateful for and it usually helps but I often remember to do this hours later lol. So when I read today's devotional I thought this is perfect! Next time I'm in a bad mood I will refer to this devotion! Please enjoy!

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. (2 Corinthians 10:3 NIV)

Your Three Best Weapons 

Through careful strategy and cunning deceit, Satan attempts to wage war against you and keep you in a mindset of defeat. But God has given you spiritual weapons to use against him. Here are the main three spiritual weapons you can use to fight off the enemy: 

1. God's Word: Receive it through preaching, teaching, reading and private Bible study. Continue in the Word until it becomes revelation given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 

2. Praise: This defeats the devil faster and more efficiently than any other battle plan, but it must be genuine heart-praise, not just lip service or a religious ritual. 

3. Prayer: Prayer is relationship with the Godhead. It is communication with God, asking Him for help or talking with Him about whatever is on your heart. To have an effective prayer life, we must develop an intimate, personal relationship with the Father. Know that He loves you and that He wants to help you. 

There is a war going on, but God is fighting on your side and has given you the weapons you need. Use them to send Satan running! 

Prayer Starter: Lord, thank You so much for giving me the spiritual weapons I need to fight my enemy. With Your help, I know that I can win the battle today!

-Joyce Meyer

Summertime Chic

Hey Ladies! It's finally summertime! While we love going to the beach, some of us dread what to wear to the beach. Most of us focus on our swimsuit but I think the most important beach accessory is our swimsuit cover-up.  The cover-up is so important because not only can it be worn to the beach/pool but also around town running errands. Below are some hot cover-ups to get you through the summertime:

 These cover-ups can be found at your local H&M or www.hm.com. Hope you all have a fabulous summer! XOXO -Angelle

Start The Day Off With The Spirit of Expectancy

Good Morning!!!!

I like to start my day off with a daily devotional reading from Joyce Meyer. Today my reading essentially was about having the spirit of expectancy, hoping for good things to happen in our lives. So, I hope today's devotional spiritually feeds you and is a start to a great day! 

Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. (Zechariah 9:12 NIV)

What Are You Hoping for? 

I have a question for you: What are you hoping for? What are you expecting in life? Are you looking for something good to happen or are you expecting to be disappointed? 

So many people are feeling hopeless these days. However, Jesus did not die for us to be hopeless. He died so that we could be full of hope. 

The devil wants to steal your hope and he will lie to you. He'll tell you that nothing good can happen in your life or that the things you care about won't last. If you're struggling with a difficult situation, he'll tell you it will never end. But you have to stay full of hope and remember that the devil is a liar. God can change everything! 

Our Father is good, and He has good plans for your life. If you will maintain your hope, especially in the midst of troubled and uncertain times, He has promised you "double for your trouble". So refuse to give up hope. Start expecting God to do something, something good! 

Prayer Starter: Lord, my hope is in You. Satan is a liar and I will not listen to him and lose hope. I expect You to do good things in my life.

Start The Day Off With Love

Good Morning!!!

Love attracts love, love is the main ingredient for supernatural, divine power. Practice love daily by thinking of all your loved ones and express how grateful you are to have them. Then, think about the love of Christ and how faithful and true his undying love is for us. Celebrate the fact that nothing can seperate us from the love of God! Now, take a moment and close your eyes(after reading this whole post lol). Slowly Inhale then exhale and visualize your most perfect dream setting, whether a new house, your wedding, a luxury vacation whatever dream setting you want and picture yourself there with all of the people you love. Really get in the moment, hear them say their favorite lines, hear them say they are proud of you and they love you, feel their hugs, feel the positive energy in the place. After you are finished you should feel the great power of love working in your life. You have now attracted more love into your life and that dream situation. 

Have a great week! 

Blessings to you, 

Chriss 

Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ? (Matthew 6:27 NIV)

You Can't Add One Inch to Your Height! 

Worrying does us absolutely no good. It doesn't change one thing, and we waste time by being upset over stuff we can't do anything about, things only God can change. 

The Bible says we can't even add one inch to our height by worrying. Yet, we worry, worry, worry, which gets us nowhere. 

Every time we get really upset, it takes a lot of emotional energy, tires us out, messes with our health, steals our joy, and still doesn't change one thing. We need to stop trying to fix things that only God can fix because the only one who's clapping is the devil, saying, "Ha, ha, ha! Got 'em again!" 

Jesus tells us to "calm down" in John 14:27 and"cheer up" in John 16:33. I think it's a one-two knockout punch to the devil when we do. When you realize you can't fix everything, that calms you down, and when You know that God can, it cheers you up! 

So don't worry. Instead, calm down, cheer up, and send the devil running! 

Prayer Starter: Lord, my worrying really doesn't accomplish anything, so I leave it behind. I'm so thankful that You can fix what I can't. You calm me down and cheer me up!

-Joyce Meyer, Daily Devotional

So true!

My bro Tony placed a dose of truth on my IG timeline today. 

I will like to further say, you can't change anyone but yourself so you should only be worried about yourself. If you can't take any responsibility for the relationship woes in your life then you are a lost cause and bound to have a life riddled with problems and no solutions. 

Love, 

Chriss

"Average Woman Falls In Love Twice - but You've Got to Kiss A Few Frogs First" , says expert on today show.

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Joyce Meyer Daily Devotion, 1 Corinthians 12:11

Good Morning, 

I read another daily devotion I wanted to share with you today. Enjoy your daily bread.

How to Develop Your Gifts 

People ask me all the time how to discover and develop the gifts God has given them. Here are a few helpful steps that I've discovered: 

1. Focus on the strengths God gave you. Concentrating on your strengths will help you fulfill the calling God has put on your life. 

2. Exercise your gift. Find something you like to do and that you do well, and do it over and over again. Want to know what will happen? You will feel better about yourself because you won't be constantly failing. 

3. Have the courage to be different. Unhappiness comes when you try to be like everyone else rather than embracing the unique person that you are. 

4. Learn to cope with criticism. Have enough confidence in who you are in Christ that you can listen to others and be open to change without feeling you have to agree with their viewpoint or attain their approval. 

God has planted greatness in you. Let today be the beginning of a great adventure as you step into the gifts He's given you. 

Prayer Starter: God, I want to cultivate and develop the gifts You've given me. Give me the courage to follow You and develop the gifts and abilities You've put inside me.

You Are The Prize!

When you understand you're the prize, you won't tolerate being treated like a punishment. If a guy is interested in you his job isn't to figure out why or if you like him the first moment you meet him, his job is to pursue you in a way so that he wins your attention and later your affection.

I hate when I hear stories of guys asking girls questions like why do you like me, what do you like about me the moment they meet a girl. Those questions and girls responding is subliminally sending a message that the girl is pursuing the guy when it should be the other way around. This isn't a job interview, he should ask you what kind of things you like and be interested in getting to know you instead of asking you why do you like him when you don't even know him. Don't forget, you are the prize and everything they do should be to impress you.






Image courtesy of digitalart /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Joyce Meyer Daily Devotion, Acts 17:28

Real Love - the Energy of Life! 

"Love is the energy of life. It's what motivates people to get up each day and keep going. It gives life purpose and meaning. 

People often have times in their lives when they believe they are unloved or have no one to love. They develop this mindset because they are looking for fulfillment in ways that seem good at first but often leave them feeling frustrated, disappointed and empty inside. 

Does this ever happen to you? Do you ever look for love and end up feeling unfulfilled? Let me ask you this: What kind of love are you pursuing? 

You may be looking for love, but really, you're looking for God, because He is love. Any love you gain that is disconnected from God is not really love and will leave you feeling unfulfilled. 

The Bible says that in Him we live, move, and have our being. That tells me that without Him, life is not complete. 

Everyone is looking for love, but are you looking for God's love? It's the only love that matters, the only love that lasts, and the only love that fulfills. 

Prayer Starter: Lord, I don't want to spend my life unfulfilled, pursuing love that's not from You. If it's not found in You, it's not real love, because You are love. Today, I find my love in You."

I'm a few days behind in my reading but the reading above is from May 1st and it was so good, I wanted to share! 

Love y'all! 

Chriss

Daily Spiritual Vitamin

Good Morning!

Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I know you already know this but I came to remind you, what GOD has for you is for you!!!! No bad decision, slick person, temptation, family member, competitor, corporation, school, organization, friend or foe can stop God and his plans! Get in alignment so you can feel that peace above all understanding and have the strength, courage, and wisdom to do your best and have the spirit of expectancy to attract Gods grace, favor, and mercy! 

Hallelujah! Thank Ya Jesus! 

Blessings and love to you and yours!

Love,

Chriss

Coconut Oil: Skincare

Let me begin by saying that when I talk about coconut oil, I’m referring to Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Coconut Oil. This stuff is a miracle oil! It’s so good I use it on my face! Yes my face. I have suffered with oily/acne prone skin since I was a teenager. I’ve spent money on dermatologists and high priced face products. Who knew the answer to my skin problems would come in the form of an oil.

I wash my face twice a day with coconut oil. It’s a supper easy process:

Step 1- take a dime size amount of coconut oil and massage it on face for about 1 minute.

Step 2- take a face cloth (I like to use a white one so I can see the dirt) run it under hot water. Wring water from cloth then wipe hot cloth over face to remove the coconut oil from face. I repeat this step until all of the oil is removed.

That’s it! If you suffer from dry skin you should take a small amount of oil and use it as a face moisturizer. Sometimes I use coconut oil to replace lotion when I get out the tub. My skin loves this stuff! Did I mention the smell? You’ll smell delicious with this stuff on.

"Commercial moisturizers contain lots of water, which makes you feel like your skin is being moisturized. But as soon as the water dries, your skin becomes dry again. Also, many commercial brands of moisturizers contain petroleum-based ingredients that can suffocate the skin. In contrast, coconut oil provides deep and real moisture. It helps strengthen underlying tissues and helps remove excessive dead cell on the skin's surface that makes your skin rough and flaky in texture.” (huffington post)

Restaurant Review: Tujague's

In case you didn't know I live (born and raised) in New Orleans, Louisiana. New Orleans is known worldwide for its food..so its no surprise that I'm a foodie ha ha. This year I decided to try new restaurants instead of just going to my favorites. To kick start my "new restaurant experience" I tried Tujague's Restaurant. I give this restaurant 4.5 (out of 5) stars! I really enjoyed the entire experience.

I reviewed the restaurant on 5 categories:

1. Service- the service was superb! Not only did our waitress wait on us but so did other staff
2. Price- I thought the price was pretty reasonable for all the food we had.  Our bill was $107.00 (2 people) BUT we each had a five course meal.
3. Taste- the food was delicious! I had a shrimp  remoulade salad, gumbo, brisket appetizer, BBQ shrimp and banana bread pudding...all of it was good.
4. Location-  Tujague's is located in the heart of the city, the French Quarters. This location is great for both tourists and natives. The only down side about this location is the parking.
5. Ambiance- The restaurant had a very nice and simple atmosphere. White table clothes and candles set the mood. see picture below.

If you're ever in the New Orleans area I  recommend you give Tujague's a try. XOXO -Angelle

http://www.tujaguesrestaurant.com/

Happy Birthday Christina!!!

Today is Faith and Chic's very own Christina's 28th Birthday!!! You all know her as Christina but to me she’s Tina. She is my partner in crime, best friend, idea sharer, sister from another and #1 supporter. Words do not fully express what she means to me.  Happy Birthday Tina… May this be your best year yet!!! XOXO -Angelle