R I S E
You have the power living within you to rise. Rise above the statistics, the mediocrity that surrounds you, rise above the mishaps and setbacks that you may have believed for a very long time, disqualified you for what God has for you. The ability to be stagnant, due to multiple attacks that were formed against you but never prospered (they never prospered because you’re still here) is no excuse to not dig deeper, shift your poor thinking, take heart, put on the full faith armor to RISE!
Women of God, you’re exactly where you need to be to see God’s hand moving, and the power of God effective in the weakest moments in your life. Never despise the process, the process is proof that God prepares those He’s called. So, if it’s tough for you right now, take heart and have a made-up mind, cheering yourself on, affirming to yourself daily, “I’ll rise above the thing that wants to steal, kill, and destroy me.”
I am writing this blog to encourage, inspire, and honor women who are cultivating a conscious and little faith daily, as small as a mustard seed, that will eventually grow into BIG faith: a decision to R I S E daily. And to shed some light that you’re not meant to continue to live with a defeated mind, but rather, to live victoriously.
I am so thankful that I am surrounded by women who have been, and are still being, processed, but also made a decision to trust God and to rise from where they are. One woman, specifically, who I call a friend and sister in Christ, who I’ve witnessed stop allowing the disrespect of the enemy from utilizing her past to halt her from moving forward and to NOW, using the same weapon formed against her as a tool to better herself and to empower other women.
Like many of us who can attest to this in our personal lives, Ashley has faced different attacks that should’ve kept her in bondage today. You name it, from being diagnosed with a mental illness, dealing with depression, betrayal from loved ones, being heart-broken, overlooked, just overall dealing with issues that had often pushed her to isolation from people - even from people who genuinely loved her - because of fear, fear of not being understood or becoming a burden to others.
Point is, you can still R I S E from where you are!I am in complete awe, witnessing the growth of Ashley! As I look at my friend's life, I am witnessing her use the weapon of mental illness, by taking and passing a course that then opens a door to becoming a facilitator, teaching, and uplifting others who are presently dealing with this illness. I am witnessing Ashley using the weapon of brokenness and pain to allow God to heal her in the process of birthing a ministry/movement through her - “Cupcakes and Chill.” The purpose of Cupcakes and Chill is to promote self-love/worth and togetherness among women (bringing women of different backgrounds together). To properly convey this message, Ashley will be using different outlets such as Events, Apparel, Social media, and more.
You see, ministries, God-dreams, long-term goals, are often born from a place of pain and discomfort. But, in order to see the outcome of something great taking place, you must be willing to endure and persevere in the process. For instance, child-bearing is painful and it is also uncomfortable, but I guarantee if you were to ask any mother about their experience of child-bearing, they’d gladly say to you with a cheerful smile, that the gruesome pain in labor, the sweat and tears was all worth it. Guess what?
You, too, can R I S E and give birth!
Check out this encouraging quick video on the “Sharpen Yourself” page!
