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WHAT are you SAYING?????

 

By Kameshia Stokes Thomas 

 

     Once I leard the POWER of my WORDS, it was the key to opening doors in my life! God formed the world with WORDS not with tools as in hammer, nails etc. but He simply SAID, let there BE and it was SO!  Well, if we are made in His IMAGE ... then our Words are powerful too. We can literally create ourselves a world with our words. We can decide to have a good day or a bad day. We can look for Joy or we can look for doom. 

 

    Each year we begin with NEWNESS in our systems. We DREAM of how are next year will be, our Finally Moment Year. This year 2018 I was determined that this would not be the same old year of excitememt in the begining only to have it fade in a few weeks or months. NO! I wanted to see God manifest Himself in my life in a major way so I could give Him praise and honor!!  I wanted a huge praise report! 

 

    So, in January of this year 2018, I gathered our ladies together for our monthly, " DOING THE GIRL THING GOD'S WAY!".  We had our vision boards, our magazines, glue etc.   

I challenged the ladies to put something on that board that was so major, that when it came to pass it would be something that obviously only God could do. I was not matter of fact about it either I was so excited and I encouraged the ladies to envision, to believe, to not doubt, to move the mountains in their lives  that kept them from these goals.  It had to be something that we could not achieve in our own power. 

 

    We applied our Words! We declared and decreed, we gave God His Word back believing that it would not return to Him void. We placed our pictures on the board that would remind us of our goals, we prayed and we agreed in Jesus Name! 

 

    Personally, I took it upon myself to say EXACTLY what I was believing for, I wanted to go to AFRICA! I specifically wanted to go to Kenya. You see, my brother's name is Kenya and my mom told me she named him after the African Chief. My dad made a trip to Africa and it sparked in me that I could go one day. So, it was a life long dream even as a child. So, this year I decided to announce exactly where I wanted to do, I added that it had to have a divine PURPOSE. I wanted more than just a vacation but I wanted God to use us in some way meaning my husband too of course. I didn't want to go without our assignment from God. 

 

     I spoke with a lovely elderly lady about two years prior. She was at my husbands job and she told me to be careful of this desire I had in my heart because people were persecuting Christians in some areas of Kenya. I listened to her intensely of course because I love to sit at the feet of wise people. 

 

    Somehow, it didn't sway me though, it was in my heart profoundly to go to Kenya. I closed out our DOING THE GIRL THING GOD'S WAY meeting and got in the car with my husband to head home. I guess about 5 or 6 minutes later we were on the expressway and my husband out of the blue not knowing what we spoke about in our women's ministry, said, " Oh yeah, by the way ... We got an invite from Bishop Rutivi to come to Africa all accomodations are taken care of. "  I said, " WHAT??? are you kidding me??? "  

 

    Now, why is it that when we pray and belive and God comes through then we respond almost in DISbelief?

    " WHEN???" I said. 

 

My husband said,  " Kameshia,  he wants us there in April, and keep in mind though accomodations do not mean ticket."  I explained to him what happened in our women's ministy and I KNEW that the tickets were on the way.  Money is relative, and like most people it was not going to be easy to go to Africa in about 3 months or so with our prior planning. My husband added that we would need shots and that it would cost about 5 or 6 hundred dollars. 

 

    Of course, I could not WAIT to give my praise report to everyone I came in contact with!!  We do our prayer confessions each Sundy and it mentions that we expect checks in the mail so do understand that next Sunday I applied my faith as I SAID out loud my expectations.  A FEW weeks later I indeed got a ck in the mail of $500.00.  I could not make this up if I tried. You see I was asked to sing back ground in a show for Lee Daniels. They only needed my voice. I am not a psalmist but I'd been takung singing lessons to improve my voice for praise and worship at our church. My voice coach reached out to me and convinced me my voice was good enough and I did it. I had no idea on that day I would get a check in the mail for $500.00!  It had been quite some time and I forgot about it.

 

       I told that praise report as well and a few weeks later we got a call from yet another person saying that our tickets would be taken care for this trip.  I begain to praise God. I did not forget to pray for purpose once again and yes, our safety. I didn't know what to expect but I was not afraid. 

 

    It just so happened that we stayed in a lovely lil bread and breakfast place, the food was excellent.  We visited very very nice restaurants and we got a chance to see things different from the usual things we see on television about Africa. We got a chance to visit with the people, we worshiped with them. The church was a packed tight seating capacity of 5k people who had to go though a metal detector in order to come to church and worship freely. How blessed are we in the United States?  We were asked to minister and share to the congregation and yes we had something to share!  

 

    We were able to hear praise reports and testimonies of how God kept people safe from persecutions, it was not really that bad in the area where we were, it was in some parts. We had security, a driver etc and we were very well taken care of, going into the home of the Bishop was just heart warming. To see their children do just like we did we my parents were alive, we would often sing God praises and blessings at our meal. It was our family tradition.  They did the same thing creating a sweet Spirit in the place. We did a bit of shopping and we got a chance to enjoy ourselves over the 24 hour flight going and returning. Yes, words have power, I kept SAYING over and OVER that it would happen. It makes me walk more FEARLESSLY in my assignment now than ever. I KNOW now that the power of God lives within me for ALL things and ALL persons. I listen closely now to conversations and often I find my self asking the question I am about to ask YOU now and that is ... " WHAT are you SAYING?????" 

 

 

 

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    There are so many times in our life when we have  what I call, " FINALLY" moments.  I'm sure you have had your share, FINALLY you turned 16 or 18 or 21.  Finally your first kiss or your first boyfriend, the first time you get your driver's license, your first car, your first house, Your wedding day, your first child you FINALLY hear for God yourself!!!  THAT was a HUGE one for me, knowing when it was really okay really that was the voice of God!   I wrote my first book  while ago and I can tell you there were so many Finally Moments that led the way to the birthing of the book. I just wanted to blog a bit and share it with you. I hope you are encouraged to birth your own bouncing baby what ever God has placed inside of you. You may not have all of the info at one time but just do as He says. Trust God, you will ALWAYS win that way!

I was about 14 years old when I had this pressing in my spirit to become an author and write. I wrote from my heart and soul and I lost the material. It was in my notebook and I lost it. I was devastated and really never thought about writing a book again because it hurt too much to think about all of the work I did and it was just gone.

    Over 25 years later, I was still thinking about that from time to time. So many other things were in my Spirit and I just swept it under and did nothing about it. Then one day I was in Houston, Texas and the Pastor in that service suddenly said,  " If you KNOW you have a book inside of you and you have not written that book, raise your hands."  I raised my hand. Then he said, " Now, everyone else, go to the person with their hand up in the air and say, ' I NEED THAT BOOK '.   Wow... point taken. For the first time in my life, I realized that the real reason I had not written my books was because I was not going to write it for the right reason. It needed to have Purpose.  How would it help / minister to anyone?

    People who were following me on social media and people I met in person as well were asking me questions.  They were the same questions basically over and over and I found myself giving the same answer/wisdom over and over. FINALLY, the Lord placed in my Spirit that, THAT is your book. If you would write it in a book then you wont have to keep repeating yourself and the wisdom could be shared with others.

    I knew NOTHING about becoming an author, I simply followed God's leading and began to open up Microsoft Word and I began writing. When I finished, all I knew was that I was finished. Now what? I dare not let a manuscript sit!  SOMEone needed my book!!  How miuch is this going to COST? I didn't think about the cost when I was writing.

 

      My first thought was that I guess I needed to do a copyright. How do I do that? I looked it up and the cost.  I didn't want to ask my husband for the money. I just prayed and I didnt hear God say anything. There was nothing even in my Spirit about how I was going to do anything. Out of the blue, a lady wrote me a letter, she was one of the persons who would write to me occassionally via email and she said the Lord told her to send me $100.00 and that I would know what to do with it, that it was not for my bills. Wow, God is really clear when He makes a move sometimes. I got the copyright then I looked at my lap top and I thought. I have no idea of what to do next. All I knew was that I needed to get it off of my lap top and make it look like a book, right? So, I literally picked up my lap top and took the entire thing to the printers, I told the guy I needed him to please take my manuscript off of the lap top and make it look like a book. He said, " Okay, do you have a cover?"  I thought...ohhh yeah that would be nice. lol So I sat down and I typed the name of my book and realized I needed a picture. I had no money for an illusrator, I didn't look into it really all I could think was, that is going to be money I don't have right now.  I will just put my picture on it. So, I left and went for a drive. I was on the expessway and I heard Shirley Ceasar on the radio singing a song about her mom. I had a moment when I thought, how I miss my mom and I wish she could be here to see me about to do what she always wanted to do, but for some reason just didn't.  I began to cry and there were so many tears I couldn't even see, so I pulled on the side of the road to finish my lil moment I was having.

    I heard God say, " Kameshia, you have a coupon on you. Go to the mall now and do a photo shoot for your book."  I was thinking, ' TODAY?'  Really??? There I was in my jeans and a Summer top.  I'd been crying and I thought ohhh my eyes are going to look bad from crying. So, I went to the store and I bought some lashes. I knew I was not going to be able to put them on myself for a multiplicity of reasons. For some reason when I turned 40 I suddenly couldn't see as well and then to top that all, everything that use to stand up on me was either falling down or sliding around. So, I went to the Mall and I asked this lady at the counter who seemed to look really pretty with her lashes,  " Will you put these lashes on me, plz?"  She said, ' ok'. 

   She began to put them on then she said, " What are you getting all dolled up for?"  I told her I wrote a book and I needed a cover right quick so I was there to do a photo shoot for the cover. She said, ' wow what is your book about?"  I began to tell her and as I was talking another lady from another counter came over to listen. They were so into what I saying that the first lady said, " I am going to give you are free make over, I'd love to read your book when you finish everything please come back." I told her I would. The second lady just left, didn't say anything just left, so I assumed she went to work to help someone. When she finished with my make up, I looked in the mirror and I am telling you, I don't know who that person was. I could not believe my eyes. I began to tear up a bit, and the lady said, " YOU BETTER NOT SIT UP HERE AND CRY AND MESS UP THAT MAKE UP I JUST DID!!! "  lol Good thing she made me laugh. I was about too. I thought she did a really good job.

    By this time the second lady came and she had two fists full of CASH money!!  She had been walking around the department telling my story of how God had me to write the book. How He was moving in my life etc and she actually had PRE orders for me for my book!! YOU are talking about pressure?  There was no turning back at this point. If I took that cash.... I HAD to birth the book!!

   Isn't if funny how God will work through people?  You see, I'd been a member of the First Ladies Network under Dr. Bridget Hilliard for about two years I guess. I had a wonderful time posting and made connections via email that led to the book. There was something about Dr. Bridget. I was never sure what the connection was about but I grew to love her dearly as someone I looked up and admired, not to mention her ministry was one that encouraged me in so many ways and areas. Before my parents died, my dad was my only pastor I'd ever had in my life. We were connected to Bishop and Dr. Nina Bronner and listened to their wisdom over the years, it was so interesting that the very persons God used to do my make up and get pre-orders for me with out my asking were both members of Word of Faith where Bishop Bronner is the pastor.

   You see, sometimes God will connect you to persons, upclose and even from a distance, the point is to find the purpose in the connection, not just to figure out what you can do for each other or how that person can just propel you to your next destiny but really what is it that God is unfolding for HIS purpose? What is your assignment in it all? There were too many things happening for me to just chalk it all up to coincidence. It was clearly God!  God said to me, ' Kameshia, when there is divine purpose in the connection, there is a DIVINE reason to connect." ~kst  From the day God gave me that quote, I began to look at each connection differently. I looked for God's purpose and often I found it.

 

       I took my coupon to the photo shoot and do you know, I didn't have to pay one dollar? I had two pictures that I chose for the book and I was not even charged a SITTING FEE!! I just walked in and took the pictures, I got the rights to use the pictures for media and that was it.

 

    I think I ordered about 25 copies. It was expensive but I had it in book form, 'Finally!'.  I was so excited, I was telling everyone around me about how I was birthing out this brand new bouncing baby boy with information in that could help any women of God. One lady listened to me and asked if I would come to her state and minister and afterwards I could sell copies of my book. I took her up on it, after wall she was there with me from the begining and helped to keep me encouraged to do it. I had a great time and several persons took the time ou to thank me for writing it siting how much it'd helped them. I began to wonder, how could I get my books in a book store?

 

   I went back to the Mall and delivered the pre-order books the ladies paid me for earlier. They were so excited for me and to receive the book. I took it to the photographer in the mall so he could see his work in print as well. I was on the way out and i saw Borders Book store. I stood there and I could just envision in my mind, my books on the shelf of that store. God led me to go in and ask the manager. He came out and spoke with me. He asked me if I was self published. I slowly said...yess.  I was thinking I guess I was self published no one else helped me at all. I went through this entire process with out any professional help, just being God led. It's interesting how when God leads you to your purpose, He will make sure the right doors open up for you to walk though. So many times we get discouraged because things don't happen fast enough or the way we want them to heppen. However, waiting on God is best and ends up being exciting to just watch it all unfold knowing it was ONLY God!

   His next question was, do you have an ISBN number? Okay, he stumped me there. I said, no ...i was thinking WHAT IS AN ISBN number??  The man looked at me as if he was puzzled.  Okay I could not take this anymore, I said, " Look... I don't know what I am doing!"  He said, ' Well, why did you write the book if you don't know what you are doing?"  I said, " Because God told me to write it, but He didnt' give me all of the details on how to do it."  The manager looked the book over and read the back of it and thumbed through the pages and said, " Look, I am going to take a chance on you"   Go get an ISBN number and bring your book back and I will put your book in my store."  I was speechless.  Then I said, " Wowwww, okay."  He said, when you get it call me. Here is my card. Let me know you have it and I will set your table up so you can do a book signing.  I thanked him and ran out of the store.

 

    I did my book signing and had an amazing time. I sold quite a few books. The manager said that I did a wonderful job considering I was an unknown author. He loved the traffic and asked me to come back anytime I wanted to just let him know. He said I was good for business. Can you believe that?  God  is so amazing. I was wishing so much that my parents could be there to see me now. They were both gone. I had several friends and connectons who were congratulating me and buying books etc. yet there is nothing like your own mom and dad to really validate you and say, ' I'm proud of you" 

     I sat there signing autographs and who walked in but Bishop and Dr.Nina Bronner. My Spiritual parents. Not only did they take the time to come out on a busy day at their own church that Saturday. They actually stood in line and bought a copy or two of my book. I was so excited that It never dawned upon me to just give them a copy out of respect for our connection. They were gracious and excited for me and most of all, they said, " Kameshia, we are so proud of you."  That is what my parents would have done. I grinned so hard, because I knew God was using them to be there for me in that way. It made me just love on God even more. He just kept and keeps showing out. Over and over and over again. I could see my ' FINALLY!" Moments on the way to the big day of the birthing of my ' brand new bouncing baby book'. I Finally wrote the book, I Finally became a published author, I finally got my book in a major book store, I Finally learned to listen to God for the itty bitty things in my life that lead up the the bigger ones. And yet...as powerful as this praise report is about my Finally Moment, as much as you can obviously see God in all of the details...that is not even the most importand thing about it all. Wait until you read the BOOK!  It is all God led. I'm sure all of this was for me to get the word out about how to listen to God for your next steps to your dreams and goals in the purpose He has for you. I know now even MORE so that He needs you to read it. There is something in this book that YOU need.  God had me to write it for you and someone that YOU know. I hope you are blessed by it, mightily!

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2015  The Year of "

 

 

FINALLY!"

 

Finally!  It's 2015 in just a few hours!!   I am having my FINALLY MOMENT!  EVERYone needs a FINALLY MOMENT!  I worked very hard on somethings in certain areas in 2014.  Each day I posted to focus on just ONE thing towards miy goals and I reached my GOAL, Finally!!   This is so exciting. Just watching God open doors motivated me to continue and to encourage others to do the same. Was it rough? sure.  But it was soo worth it! I feel like I can just woo sahhh!   I achieved and met one  goal and another other blessings came along with it. That is just how God is...you are looking for that one thing to come to pass and He has things you never even THOUGHT about because our mind...our little mind compared to His can even HANDLE His very THOUGHTS!! 

 

This year I want you to walk with me through 2015. Make your list of things you want to see come to pass. Remember if it is believable...it may not even be BIG enough. We want to look for things that God MUST have His hands on in order for it to come to pass because we can not do it ourselves. I am looking for YOU to journey with me if you dare.  Dare to trust God in making things happen for you and for you to bless others with in 2015. Look this my mean, you have to let some folk go in your life, or at least put them off of your front row. I always say if you have people on your front row twisting in their seats and chewing gum, and talking nonsense and not listening, people who are a distraction from what you are trying to focus on that is right in front of you. You have to put the a few pews behind you. For the chaos folk you may have to put them in the balcony, forgive them and blow a kiss of 'much Love' and move on.  Other will have to be removed or will just leave from your entire Tabernacle. But it's ok, when you've consulted God and you are submitted to His Will and not just your own. Then there are the Divine Connections that you need to keep in your life because they are God ordained to be there for life! 

 

 

Well, don't get over whelmed, let's start with categories,  Health, Finances, Ministry, Business, Family, Purpose prioritize your own life list and prepare to focus!  Remember You don't get what you want in life you get what you PREPARE for! ~ Bishop Dale C. Bronner.

One focus this year will be my health. Ministry begins at home, what is it in your own life that you can improve on before you minister it to others?  We will talk to you about that in just a FEW hours. In the mean time...take the next few hours and just enjoy with family, church, alone time. What ever you decide...if you didn't have your Finally Moment, walk with me it's certainly where I am headed.  There is always room for a Finally Moment in another area of your life.  So...take a MOMENT ...

Enjoy the Journey

FINALLY!

~ Kameshia Stokes Thomas