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Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (ESV) But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14 (ESV) When asked what they crave, most people think of their favorite foods. For some, it could be their looks, attention, money, people, power, or any combination of all of these. In this materialistic society with the constant commercialism and consumerism, what people crave/desire is ever before them and most often, within an easy reach. Unfortunately, many cravings/desires that the world and other people promote are not aligned with God’s will for our lives. In addition, many will do whatever it takes to satisfy those cravings and lustful desires, no matter the cost. Once a person obtains the object of what they crave, initially, they feel satisfied and a feeling of accomplishment. But after the excitement is over and things settle down, they will realize these objects and/or other people, cannot truly satisfy the deep longings of their soul. God has said throughout the Bible that His children need to seek after Him, His ways, and His precepts. We must realize that the things of this world and even the people will eventually pass away. No other human nor various objects or situations, are capable of consistently quenching our thirst and/or our cravings. To achieve the deep-down joy and peace that surpasses all understanding, one must seek and maintain a connection with God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. So, as we move forward in life, may we look to have our ultimate yearnings and cravings directed to God; the only one who can truly satisfy. Of course, we live in this world and will have certain cravings, however, may we be aware of God’s will and seek to keep a guard over our lustful wants and desires, now and always. Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. Psalm 18:6 (ESV) Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5;7 (ESV) I read this statement during my worship time: “Venting to others may satisfy the flesh but, venting to God is worship.” The young lady expressed how this is something her father had always told her and in time she began to understand what he meant. As I pondered this statement, I also realized it is true in many ways. Many people feel they have to come to God when everything is good, or when they are not angry or upset. They feel they are not being a good Christian or a good person if they come to God venting and angry. But that is so far from the truth. None of us should feel that we must have the perfect attitude and posture when we come before Him. God knows what is going on in our lives and in this world; He understands our frustrations and our anger. He is an awesome and magnificent God who understands and can handle it all. When we come to Him through our prayers and by crying out, we are acknowledging that He exists and that He can fix our situation. By venting to God, we must trust and believe He is there, He is listening, He cares, and He understands all our needs. Of course, we should have respect for our Father in Heaven just like a person would for an Earthly parent. God wants His children to turn to Him with their frustration and with what is happening in their lives as well as the lives of their loved ones. Now, we must realize God is not a genie that we control and will do what we want. We must also understand that when God responds, the answer can be yes, no, or wait. I can recall many times crying out due to heartbreak and venting to God my frustration, but I did not receive an immediate answer. The answer did come but it was perhaps weeks, or even months later. Through it all however, I never gave up and continued praying and crying out to Him. Now looking back, I can see that He was there with me throughout the journey. And having gone through the trials, I was strengthened as I moved forward with my life. That strengthening was not only a positive impact in my life, but it also positively affected those in my concentric circle. So, as you approach God and cry out to Him, do not feel you have to be in a certain mindset or posture to go to Him. You can come to Him as you are, knowing your Father in Heaven loves you and will hear your cries as you vent your frustrations to Him. He can handle it, and He will answer. Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child, and he was healed! 2 Kings 5:14 (NLT) The story in the Bible about Naaman and the Prophet Elisha is a powerful one that teaches us about obedience to what God commands. In the story, Naaman, who was a commander in the Aramean army, had leprosy and was sent by the King of Aram to Samaria in the hopes of seeing the Prophet Elisha for healing. When he finally gets to the Prophet’s home, Elisha does not come out and greet him but instead sends a messenger to tell Naaman to go to the Jordan River and dip seven times, and then he would be healed. Naaman was furious at this response for two reasons. First, because Elisha did not come out to greet/talk to him as Naaman expected due to his rank and the distance he traveled. And two, the Prophet told him to go and dip in what he considered a dirty and inferior river to the ones back in his own country. Luckily for Naaman, his servants/advisors convinced him to try and see what happens. So Naaman listened and as a result, was completely healed of his leprosy. The story is powerful in that it shows that if we are obedient and do the tasks that God has told us to do, we will see God’s blessings for us as well as others. In the Bible story, not only did God want Naaman to go and dip in the river, but He also instructed him to do it seven times! So not just once, or twice, or four times, but seven! The same could be said for us as well. Perhaps God wants us to keep going in our various ministries even though we want to give up after a while. We may not see the whole picture or understand why; however, God knows that if we press on and do not give up, the blessings and rewards await. By being obedient and dipping seven times as instructed, Naaman was completely healed and restored. Also, an important part of this story is not only Naaman’s physical/spiritual healing and restoration, but those who traveled with him were more than likely affected as well. They came from a culture that worshipped pagan gods with their various rituals and practices. Even though the Bible does not record it, I truly believe most of them (if not all) were also changed by what they witnessed. How many times in our lives has God spoken to us and asked us to go, using our gifts and talents to spread His gospel to a sinful and dark world? Often, we do not want to go because of our feelings and what others may say or think. For some, they agree to go, but they want a “one and done” scenario; however, God is saying continue. There are many instances in our lives where God wants us to be obedient and follow His precepts as outlined in the Bible. For example, in romantic relationships, many will follow the dictates of the world or mix worldly views with God’s word to fit their wants/desires into their lifestyle. But in doing what we want and what we feel is right, is that being obedient to God? Prayerfully, just like Naaman, may we choose to be obedient, and may we have individuals in our lives that will guide us with wisdom and council according to God‘s word. God may not ask us to go and dip in a river seven times but whatever He is asking us to do, may we be obedient and gladly seek to follow Him for the rest of our lives. Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) When a person has a lot of buildup of calcium deposits and hardening of their arteries, they are usually headed for a heart attack. For their bodies to get to that point, many have made poor choices in their regular diet and lack regular exercise. Of course, these bad choices did not appear overnight but, were habits consistently followed over time. Similar to an unhealthy physical heart, our spiritual heart can also harden if we are not careful. Our hearts can gradually grow hardened toward God and His people due to our daily choices over time. The scriptures references this in Hebrews 3:7-8 which says, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts...” God provides for all of us daily in so many ways that we just take His blessings for granted. And in return, all He asks is for us to spread His message of light, love, peace, hope, and faithfulness to this dying world. However, the habits and choices we indulge in usually cause a hardening of our hearts and pull us away from God and His message for the world. But thanks be to God, He offers an exchange of our hearts of stone to hearts of flesh, softened by the gift of His love (see Ezekiel 36:26). As we move forward in life, may we continue to make decisions and choices that keep our hearts soft and full of God's love, grace, humility, and mercy. Having a heart of flesh softened by love does not mean we will allow people to take advantage of us. As the Bible states we are to be wise as serpents but innocent as doves (see Matthew 10:16). However, it does mean we are willing to listen to God's voice and obey His commands so that we can live our best lives. May we continue to ask forgiveness for choosing the wrong paths in life and continue to ask God to give us a clean and soft heart to serve Him in whatever ministry He has for each and every one of us. So, what is the state of your heart? Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (ESV) Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 (ESV) Have you ever heard someone say now that you are a Christian, everything in your life is perfect and you will not have seasons of discomfort or pain? I have had acquaintances, friends, and even family members, say this to me and believe that once someone becomes a Christian, everything in life is easier and there are no problems or pain. Not sure where this thought originated but the Bible clearly does not teach this concept. We all will go through seasons of emotional and physical pain that can come from various sources, whether you are a Christian or not. There are those who have lost loved ones through death and still others who have lost life partners through divorce. Some have suffered financial destruction, harsh medical diagnoses, emotional and spiritual battles, and the list can go on and on. So, the question is not just what pain/discomfort you are experiencing but how are you going to respond to what life brings to your doorstep? Many will choose to deal with their pain with worldly solutions: being promiscuous, drugs/alcohol, gambling, online adult sites, and the list can go on and on of the various vices people will use in an attempt to soothe their pain. Then there are others who choose God’s way that involves going to a Bible-believing church, prayer, and daily reading/studying of the Bible. We are given free will/free choice to choose how to deal with the pain we encounter in our lives. The first choice will definitely lead to further pain and destruction of one’s mental, emotional, and physical body, and the second choice, will lead to the uplifting and upbuilding of one's mental, emotional, and physical body. We may not understand now nor during our lifetime why God allows pain and discomfort to come into our lives. We just have to trust and believe that He has a reason and a purpose for what we go through in life. We may never know how our lives/our testimony, can impact others and give them the strength to move forward in life when they come across various challenges and problems. They may have been watching us and how we maneuver life with God's grace and because of this, they will choose to pattern their response to pain in the same manner. Also, our pain does not just strengthen others, but it also strengthens us for whatever may lie ahead in our future. May we never forget the life of Jesus Christ and how He came here to endure pain so that we may have access to Heaven and eternal life. Jesus did not want to be tortured and put to death however, He stayed with God's plan for the salvation of His children. My prayer is that once we have come through pain and hardships, may we share our testimonies and seek to uplift God's mission to reach others and encourage them on their life’s journey. I pray that after we have gone through our fiery trials of affliction, we will come through stronger and determined, to spread the good news of the gospel to this dying world. Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:26 (ESV) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8 (ESV) I believe many of us were raised (whether in the church or not) with an innate sense of right and wrong. Some of us may have even been told we have a good angel and a bad angel on either side of our shoulders, and we are to always listen to the good angel. In truth, God does give to every human being, His children, His breath, and His Spirit. In addition, we all have the gift of free will and free choice as well. Meaning we can choose to listen to God‘s Holy Spirit, who is telling us the right way/right path to choose, or to listen to Satan and his angels who are tempting us to make wrong choices based on lust and sinful behaviors. When we choose to listen to the Holy Spirit, we want to do what’s right for our lives as well as those around us and those entrusted to us. People who seek out God and His Holy Spirit are also seeking to rid themselves of their sinful behavior. They are not harboring secret sins but are looking to confess their sins and turn away from them. It is not just confession that we need. Many confess and ask for forgiveness however, the key part of confession is to turn away and not continue the sinful behaviors/patterns going forward. When we choose to hear and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us on the right path, we are not hardening our hearts but are opening up to Him and to God‘s Holy Word. We are trusting and believing that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, are seeking the good of all Their children, despite our constant fighting and rebellion against what He says. Going forward, I pray that we all allow the transformative power of the Holy Spirit to lead us into God‘s truth, and to share this truth with the rest of the world. By allowing this transformation we can turn from our dark path to His light of love. Then empowered with the Holy Spirit's power, we can turn and share God's transformation and redemption with others we meet in our concentric circles of life. Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. John 13:34 (ESV) And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. Luke 6:31 (ESV) Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8 (ESV) In these crazy times in which we live, more than ever God needs us to spread His love, peace, and hope to this dying world. There is so much evil and hatred all around that has always been there but seems to be more prevalent in recent years. People are boldly stepping forth and unleashing their anger and hatred towards other human beings. God does not call any of us to spread hate and division, He calls us to spread love. It is so astonishing to me that people who call themselves Christians, will say and do hateful things toward certain groups of people because they are different from them. That behavior and mindset are not Christlike and are the exact opposite of how Jesus Christ behaved and what He taught. If we call ourselves Christians, we should behave and treat others the way Christ did as he lived and walked on this Earth. Hating others because of their physical features, their culture, their religion, their sexual orientation, etc. is not being Christlike. We may disagree with some of the fundamentals that other people believe however, that does not give us the right to be hateful and evil towards other human beings. What many do not realize is that all of us were created by our Father in Heaven. As the Master Creator of humanity, He decided who was to belong to a certain race, tribe, culture, ethnic group, etc. From our head to our toes, God formed us in our mother‘s womb and we are all His children. Whether some like this notion or not, we are all His sons and daughters, and therefore, we are all brothers and sisters. Some of us may think to ourselves that we are not like others, we do not spread hate. This may be true, you may not actively spread hate however, are you actively standing against hatred, racism, and division? Many will sit in a comfortable life bubble and continue to stay silent in the face of egregious behavior towards others. We all need to step up and say that this evil and hatred towards others is not okay. Of course, in the times in which we live, we definitely need to be safe when speaking up and standing for what is right. There are many ways we all can help each other and especially people who are being targeted and mistreated. From this day forward I encourage us to seek to spread love to everyone we meet. If we all spread the light of God’s love and peace, the evil of this world would grow dim and could be totally eradicated. Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NLT) In my reading of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 and particularly verse 12, a thought occurred to me of being in the center with God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit being a three-strand cord, a shield that surrounded me. In reading these verses, the Bible is bringing to light the differences of an individual walking alone, versus two together, or even three joining together to face life’s challenges. One person walking alone through life and not connecting with anyone can easily be attacked. When two are together, it is a little bit harder for them to be overpowered, if there are three, they are not easily taken. There are many meanings, but basically, the passage emphasizes companionship and community over isolation. Of course, we need to make sure it is the right companionship and community that we are joining. You want to be joined with those who have high morals and integrity; those who show Godly intentions towards you as well as anyone they encounter. When you build a strong cord or community with individuals of this caliber, it is easier to walk through life and its difficulties. When we allow ourselves to develop a close relationship with our Father in Heaven, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, they will be our buffer, our strong cord as we journey through life. As stated, we all will face difficult and trying times. Sometimes situations will end not in the way we would like however, this is when we must trust in the Heavenly Trinity and believe they know far more than we ever could. With the current state of this world, we all need to align ourselves with God and like-minded individuals and allow the strength of this cord to help us withstand the craziness that is all around us. May we form a cord so that when we encounter the ups and downs of life, we will not be shaken and destroyed, but will be able to move forward in faith and trust in God and our fellow companions. Blessings, Angélique To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)   When you think about royalty, most of the time we think of people in countries that were born into a certain family and given royal titles of king, queen, prince, princess, etc. But have you ever stopped to think that as a child of God, who is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, that you are also royalty? In the craziness of this world, living our day-to-day lives, it is so easy to forget who we belong to and who is our Creator, our true Father. What we sometimes forget, is that as the children of the King of the Universe, we too are royalty.   The second word in today’s title is priesthood as mentioned in the verse above. When you see the word priesthood, many believe it applies to those chosen to be in full-time ministry and dedicate their lives to spreading God‘s word. However, every human being is a child of God and was born to be His ambassadors and to spread His message of hope, love, and peace to this world. God does not expect just those who are in full-time ministry to spread His gospel. We are all called to spread His message using our unique talents and gifting abilities, to everyone we meet.   This world is dying out, and people are starved for words and actions that give hope, encouragement, and show brotherly love to one another. This is something all of us, God’s chosen children, His royal priesthood, can share with the world. As His ambassadors/messengers, we do not need specialized training/schooling in order to spread the gospel message. By being humble, kind, loving towards others, and helping others whenever we can, this is God‘s love and faith in action.   As we move forward in life, may we never forget that as God’s children born into His royalty, we must seek to daily share His message of love, hope, and peace, with the world.     Blessings, Angélique To contact:   21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

“ Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? Exodus 15:11 (ESV)   When we look at our world and all that is happening, it is hard not to feel negative and a little down in spirit. Wars all around, anger, hatred, as well as division as some groups of people feel they are better than others.  Because of the turmoil and chaotic time of Earth’s history, it is easy to forget or overlook all the wonderful things God has done, is doing, and continues to do every day. God continues to show us despite everything that is going on, that He is here and He continues to show His goodness, His mercy, and His love.   When we look around this earth, we can see God‘s love and His blessings all around. Yes, there is sin and wickedness due to the fallen state of this world however, despite this darkness, there is still light, love, and beauty as well. When we look at the wonders of nature, we can see God’s gifts and blessings on display, from the clouds and stars in the sky, to Earth’s various surfaces: land and sea, to His animal creations, and to His crowning wonder, the human body. God’s wonders still astound many to this day and a lot of His creation is a marvel and cannot be fully explained.   God created this planet and us because of His love. Not only does He want us to respect and care for this earth, but He also wants us to love, respect, and care for one another. Our ultimate purpose of being born is not just for self-centered desires but for us to spread His message of love, peace, and hope, to the entire world. In times past as well as today, that message of hope and love is needed now more than ever. Of course, it is hard not to be jaded and discouraged when you look around at the current world events. However, this is when we must look to God and the beauty of His creation and focus on spreading love and not hate or division. In times like these, we must focus on being the positive change this world so desperately needs. If everyone focused on being positive and uplifting towards others, the many ills of society and this world would be eradicated.   As we continue looking for hope of a brighter tomorrow, we must look to the beauty and wonders of God‘s creation and share examples of His love, with everyone we meet.   Blessings, Angélique To contact:   21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.   Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. James 1:14-15 (ESV)   Temptation is all around us. Many of us face all types of temptation daily. It can be in the form of lying, stealing, cheating, gluttony, engaging in sexual encounters that are not according to God‘s word, recreational drugs, other illegal/ illicit activities, and the list can go on and on. We need to realize that every human being is born with a propensity towards sin, and Satan and his evil angels have made it their mission to tempt us into doing what is wrong. They have studied us since birth, and even though they cannot read our minds, they watch our movements, our speech, etc, in order to find ways to tempt us into wrongdoing. They will look to “dangle” the temptation carrot, that is specifically tailored for each of us, in order to get us to sin and hopefully travel down a dark road of no return.   Even though we humans have a propensity to sin, we also have a powerful gift given to us by God called free will. We have been given the ability to make the choice to do what is right, or to do what is wrong. Even though we are given the choice to do what is right, sometimes it is not easy to do. Temptation at times can appear enticing and exciting and something you want to enjoy, despite it being wrong. Take for example a married individual having an adulterous relationship unknown to their spouse. For a while, the sneaking around and not getting caught can be exciting however in the end, the secret tends to come to the light, and families and various individuals are devastated by the fallout. It is not just the married couple or the other person who engaged in the adulterous affair that is affected; it is everybody who is connected to the two guilty people.   As we move forward in life, I am encouraging everyone to follow God and His inspired teaching and knowledge to resist temptation. Make up your mind that you will turn away and not go down that path. Whatever situation and/or person that is causing you to sin, turn away and do not allow yourself to be drawn in. Do not get into situations, go to certain places, and/or hang around certain individuals that will lead you down a path of temptation, sin, and darkness. Exercise your free will of choice and say no, turn away, and if you must, run in the opposite direction.   We all have the ability to resist temptation, so let’s exercise that free will of choice!   Blessings, Angélique To contact:   21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 (ESV) You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. Isaiah 26: 3-4 (ESV) I heard a sermon recently in which the pastor discussed having total faith and trust in Jesus, and that He will guide us through life’s journey. He used an example of being a frequent flyer and how he had become familiar with certain flight crews and pilots he had flown with many times in the past. As a result, he stated he knew some of the pilots' patterns: their take-offs, their landings, etc. He stated that he always arrived at his destinations and returned safely home. He then thought to himself how he never once felt the need to ask for their flight plan ahead of time or question the routes they chose. He and the other passengers placed their trust in the flight crew and trusted that they knew what they were doing. In using that analogy, it is the same with us when we look to trusting Jesus with the ‘flight plan” of our lives. Years ago, there was a trending bumper sticker that said Jesus is my copilot. But in all honesty, Jesus is the  pilot!   With human nature, we want to know what will happen in our future right now. We want to have foreknowledge of our lives and have it mapped out ahead of time. But this is not how God works and quite honestly, we probably should not know what is ahead as that knowledge will definitely impact our current decisions. It can be difficult living in the present and not knowing the future, especially when you have to deal with present challenges and difficult news. In order to trust Jesus now, we need to strengthen ourselves in His word and believe in His promises, despite not knowing the future. Just like we do not know the flight path of a plane, we will still fly and place a lot of faith in fallible humans and the plane itself. We need to take that same thought process to trusting in God for our life’s journey. We need to study, pray, and get close to Him daily, so that we will be able to withstand any tests and trials that lie ahead.   I pray that we all will allow Jesus to be the pilot of our lives and we will do our part to listen, be obedient, and follow His leading. May we share this encouragement with others and gain strength as we move along life’s journey.   So, as you fly with Jesus, buckle up, sit back, and experience your life’s flight plan!   Blessings, Angélique To contact:   21stcglmediateam@gmail.com