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Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.  Romans 12:6-8 (ESV) We all can agree that when we see/hear dynamic preachers, as well as singers sharing uplifting worship music, it can be said they have been gifted with wonderful abilities/talents from God. And sometimes when we see these larger-than-life individuals, whether they are involved in preaching, evangelism, writing, music ministry, etc., at times we will compare our talents to theirs and feel we are lacking. But this thought process is so far from the truth.   God wants us to allow ourselves to be available  to go out and uplift the people in this world. God does not want us to be concerned about our abilities versus others. He wants us to focus on our naturally gifted talents and to use those abilities to spread His message to the world. For example, if you’re an individual that has a sunny-uplifting personality, and likes to greet people, being a greeter at your church is a wonderful ministry for you. Outside of the church, one can look to spread that emotional sunshine and happiness to others you meet. You may not preach a sermon but, by giving someone a wonderful greeting can touch the other person in ways we may never know.   In another example, there are those gifted in cooking. One can seek to make meals for other individuals. They can take it to an elderly person/neighbor who doesn’t get out much or an elderly church member. They can bless a new mom who just gave birth or a single mom who is tired and overwhelmed with caring for herself and her children. By sharing a meal, one could spark a conversation or even a friendship and in time, share God’s message of love, hope & peace. In addition, there are those who are good with crafts and making items with their hands. They can look to give gifts to others and/or sell their crafts and use the money to help other people in need.   The point is, God is looking for individuals who will not focus on their talents or lack thereof but, will focus on being available  to be used by God. Look to pray and ask God to show you the talents He has given you and how they can be used to further the gospel. God does not want us to compare our gifts/talents with others. We are all individual and unique and need to be content with what talents we have been given. God just wants us to be available to use them to shed His light and positivity, to change the world.   So, go out and spread God's messages, using your beautiful abilities/talents that you have been gifted from our Father above.   Blessings, Angélique To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 (ESV) The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5 (ESV) When humans engage in darker emotions of hatred and “othering” people, a deep divide and polarization can occur. People can become so entrenched in their evil and dark thoughts towards others, that they begin to think this is reality but, it can be so far from the truth. They conveniently “forget” that people different from them are also humans created by God who have feelings, the same body functions, etc. Instead of realizing we are stronger together as God’s children, they allow darker thoughts to prevail and then division and dissension arise.   God knows the children and the world He created. He knows our thoughts as well as what the future holds. Throughout His Holy Word, He has made it clear that He wants us to walk in the light of love and spread hope, peace, respect, integrity, etc. With His light we can crush darkness, which is hatred, division, arrogance, envy, malice, destruction, and the list can go on and on.   One of the ways to shine God’s light of love is to daily fill up with His word and to pray. We need to constantly ask for guidance on handling evil and negativity that we will encounter, and to know how we are to respond. Eventually, many people who have hatred and dark thoughts in their hearts and minds will turn from their darkness into the light of love and hope. Honestly, this is part of the great commission God has called us all to do; to spread His message to all the world.   Seek to show kindness daily to all you meet. Especially reach out to others who do not look like you and seek to help and /or get to know them. Volunteer to help in various programs that serve the underprivileged, the elderly, and people who are marginalized.   When we look to daily shine God’s light of love, it will definitely crush the darkness of this world.   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. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”  John 13:24-35 (ESV) Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”  John 7:24 (ESV) I recently saw a movie called Origin that is based on the book Caste: The Origin of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. Before seeing the movie, I had not read the book, nor did I know much about the plot. However, the movie was a moving story of how God’s children seek to “other” or subjugate those different from them to a lower level in society. By using untold cruelty, they look to promote themselves as being better than another group of people, basically a caste system. Examples she used were the slavery of Black people from Africa, the Nazis and their plan to exterminate the Jewish people, and the cruelty shown to the Dalit people of India. My heart was cut to the core seeing people being so evil and cruel to other human beings. And if I, a mere human am upset, I can just imagine how God feels about the behavior of His children.   “Othering” is a term used to describe how one set of human beings will try to differentiate and make themselves seem better than others. God made us different races, shapes/sizes, religious backgrounds, cultural differences, gifts/talents, etc. He never intended for any segment of the human population to make themselves out to be better than others. God is not pleased when one group of people will make it seem that another group is strange (in a bad way), weird, dangerous, etc. They do this in order to promote themselves as being the opposite. As being perfect, great, the savior, etc., just because they belong to a certain group of people. Honestly, their thinking and behavior toward others are really sick and twisted. We all should be concerned about a person’s integrity and character, as opposed to mostly external factors that differentiate one group from another.   Here in the United States and of course, all over the world, people are continuing to try to make themselves out to be better than the other group or class of people for various reasons. Recently in the United States, we just held a presidential election that showed polarization of various classes of people and how groups of people were pitted against each other. It is expected that going into the next year and beyond, this divide and polarization will worsen.   My hope and prayer are for people to wake up and realize that we are all human beings; we are all created by God; we are all God’s children. Hopefully, the message will get out that despite our differences, we need to respect and care for one another as opposed to engaging in the practice of “othering” each other.   Next week I want to share ways we can bridge the gap and look to connect and not to divide.   Blessings, Angélique To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV) In the news recently was the death of an entertainer who apparently died because of numerous substances in his system. This brings to mind this question, do you allow addictions whether it be substance/drug abuse, sexual addictions, pornography, food, other people, etc., to rule your life? People allow themselves to get into such a position where these vices and/or individuals have significant control over them, and in many cases to the point where they may lose their life.   God does not want any of us to allow addictions to control our lives. There are many tools to use to master our addictions and control them, and not allow them to control us. But we must be willing to shut down any hold or access these various addictions have in our lives. In life, we will have ups, downs, and plateau periods. There are times (whether you are a Christian or not) when everything is not going to be happy and perfect. However, despite the ups, downs, and plateau periods, you can still have peace and deep-seated joy from God and not look to try and obtain it with artificial substitutions.   God’s word states that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). As such, He does not want us to ingest just anything into our system, our spirit. God wants His children to be pure and to seek to dwell in a wholesome environment, only allowing what is good to be internalized.   If you struggle with addictions, please look to get professional help to overcome the stronghold that is in your life. There are professional counselors, Christian counselors/groups, other groups, and/or organizations that can help you with whatever addictions you are facing. Know that God is with you every step of the way and will help you as you learn to lean on Him and His word.   Please, do not allow addictions to rule or even take your life.   Blessings, Angélique To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 (ESV) I listened to a recent sermon where the pastor talked about standards. He inferred that depending on your standards, it could be the difference between having integrity and being morally upright, versus being a person that lies and is morally bankrupt. He stated in order to be clear on your standards, you need to be clear on who you are, and your identity. Our identity consists of our story (the past, up to the present) and our standards.   People in their quest to be successful financially, to be famous, to obtain power and influence, have sold themselves and lowered their standards, in order to achieve these goals. One must ask themselves the question, what are my standards? What are my standards based on? There are those who will base their standards on the world’s ideals of how to succeed in life. They will sell their souls as well as their bodies, in order to achieve the elusive goal of “getting ahead” in life.   However, God does not want His children to follow the world’s prescription of how to get ahead in life. Of course, we all will have desires to build wealth, obtain an excellent job and/or have a successful business, build a family, etc. Most of those are fine desires and goals to have. The problem comes when you lower your standards and do whatever you have to, to achieve all the above. If one follows God’s outline and precepts on how to live, one does not have to lower their standards to obtain success. We all need to be really clear on who we are and what we stand for. Because if not, those who are in positions of authority will have a strong influence over you and sway you to do what they want. They may use and abuse you to please themselves, and you may never get the chance to achieve your goals.   Going forward, be clear on who you are and your Godly standards. Do not allow anyone to sway you to their position, knowing what they stand for is immoral, to say the least. Stand for what is honorable, what is true, what is noble, and what is right. By not compromising your standards, God will pour out abundant blessings into your life.   Blessings, Angélique To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:  Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ESV) For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV)   How were your emotions this past week? How were your emotions during the last few weeks, especially if you dealt with the hurricane/storm crisis or any other unexpected and unwelcome circumstance? Anyone dealing with situations that are upsetting and out of control will have various emotions as they navigate their current situation.   We all will go through anger, resentment, frustration, sadness, etc, and wonder where is God. Does He care or see what is happening? Trust and believe God knows exactly what has happened, what is happening, and what will happen in the future in our lives. Read through the verses of Ecclesiastes 3:2-8. It shares the various up and down emotions and/or stages of life. God will be with us through all these stages. More often than not, it is He who is carrying us through. We may never know why things happened as they did but when we make it to glory, we will have an opportunity to talk with our Father in Heaven and understand why certain things unfolded as they did while we were here on Earth.   In the meantime, we need to trust that God understands and can process our emotions. The Bible gives us countless stories and testimonies of what others went through and how they made it through with their faith and their trust in God. They did not see the future and didn’t know what was happening to them would be a testimony to help other people, thousands of years later.   However, not just during sad and upsetting times do we turn to God, but do we turn and thank Him during high and happy times as well? Or do we feel our blessings are the result of what we did to gain that achievement, that victory, or reward? Many will turn to God when they are in anguish and pain but, many will also forget Him when things are going well, and everything is wonderful.   So, remember, do not be afraid to go to God with your emotions. God wants us to come to Him and share our extreme happiness and celebration or the depths of disappointment and despair. Through it all, God will help us to process, go through, and understand our emotions. He will be with us every step of our life’s journey. 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)   As I write this, people in Florida are feeling the force of Hurricane Milton. Just several days before, the state as well as other Southern states dealt with Hurricane Helene and were still trying to recover from that devastation. The hurricanes were so close together that the cleanup of debris from Helene had not been cleared before Milton descended upon Florida. Newscasters were saying the Category 5 Hurricane was the strongest and worst hurricane to hit the state, in the Central Florida area, in many years. Due to its size and intensity, many were told to evacuate and to prepare and brace for this monumental storm.   I felt God leading me to share encouragement on how one is to get through what could be a crisis. It is not just physical damage, many will suffer physical harm to themselves and/or their loved ones, and even some will be dealing with a loved one's death, all related to this storm. There will be many other crises in life that we all must deal with from time to time, not just this storm. In researching crisis management, many articles will tell you to make sure to have all important papers, insurance information, emergency phone numbers, etc on hand. And of course, this advice is crucial however, what about the mental, emotional, and spiritual state one should be in, to prepare for a crisis? The following are just some tips that one can implement to keep a sense of calmness and peace, as one “weathers” their crisis: 1.  Limit media to just necessary consumption. Do not overload on watching, reading, or listening to the media. This can reduce your anxiety if it is limited to only essential consumption.   2. Gather important paperwork and phone numbers together. Whether it be a paper or digital folder (I prefer digital on your cell), have it at the ready.   3. Reach out to your social network for support. Look to family, friends, church family, etc. One can look at various Christian organizations/programs as well.   4. Try to get proper exercise and sleep and keep a balanced diet.   5. Even as you are going through your difficulties, still seek to express kindness and compassion to others. Look to encourage them and try and help if you can.   6. Incorporate a rest period. A time to rest physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, to recharge and re-energize yourself so you can continue the tasks ahead. Every day one should have moments of connecting with God. But just as God rested from creation on the seventh day (see Genesis 2:1-3) we too need to do likewise.   These are just a few tips to help in navigating this and any other challenging time in life. As always, constant prayer and connection with God daily is key for any of us to deal with life and the various challenges that it brings. My prayer is for everyone to be strengthened as they meet daily challenges and that eventually, they will have a testimony to share on how God brought them through.   Blessings, Angélique To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, Romans 7:22 (ESV) That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, Ephesians 3:16 (ESV)   I read of a tribal legend where an Elder was passing on wisdom to the young. He stated: “There is a battle between your two inner wolves, one good, one evil. When the student asked which wolf wins, the Elder answered, whichever one you feed". Of course, this is a metaphor, a lesson about the inner conflict or the battle within each of us. It is one everyone must deal with and with the help of God, we will be able to feed the “good wolf” within.    You have heard it said you are what you eat, as relates to your physical body. But that can also be true for what we allow to come into our minds and our thoughts, what we allow to affect our inner being. What we watch, listen to, and the people we surround ourselves with have a definite impact on what we are feeding our inner selves. Are we ingesting God’s word, (the Bible), wholesome programming, movies, music, and other forms of entertainment? Are we being mindful of the people or groups we follow or allow in our inner circle? Or do we constantly ingest worldly programming/entertainment, and hang with people who do not have wholesome characters?   Life is hard at times and due to our choices, it can be harder if we are not careful. We can cause unnecessary stress and grief if we are not wise in our choices of what we ingest physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. When you study God’s word, attend a Bible-believing-teaching church, and surround yourself with like-minded individuals, you will be able to discern what is good and wholesome to feed your inner self versus what is not. Depending on what “wolf” you are feeding, will show in your behavior, your values, and your character.   I pray that we all will look to feed our inner “wolf” with honesty, integrity, and Godly values. If all of us on this planet did this, what a wonderful world we would occupy.   Blessings, Angélique To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. James 1:19-20 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31-32 An angry man stirs up strife, And a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression. Proverbs 29:22   Anger. It is a destructive emotion that has the potential to wreak havoc on anyone or anything in its path. Recently in the United States, outside of Atlanta, Georgia, there was a recent school shooting where four people were killed and nine others injured by another student.  It is still unclear what was the student’s motive to do such a heinous act. Currently, the police are investigating to figure out the student’s motive. Whatever his motive, you can rest assured that anger, resentment, and any other negative emotions, were definitely involved, which led to this minor obtaining a gun and shooting/killing others. His anger-filled rampage caused untold damage to the families, classmates/school personnel, friends, society at large, and possibly others in various parts of the world, who have heard this horrific story.   As the verses state above, as well as many others in the Bible, it is imperative that we as human beings, control our anger as well as any other powerful/negative emotion. In life there will be situations where one will become angry and upset due to events and circumstances however, what is most important is how you control your response to those emotions when they arise. No one has the right to act upon their anger to the extent that they cause bodily harm and/or physical property damage to others.   Some steps to take to diffuse your anger can be: 1.  Walk away from the area that is causing you stress/anger. Change your environment. 2.  Do a strenuous workout. 3.  If you feel your emotions are getting out of control and that feeling is frequent, seek out professional counseling. One can call SAMHSA, #800-662-HELP (4357), 24/7 and they will gladly speak with you. 4.  Journal. Write (or type if digital) everything that you’re feeling. You can express yourself however you like as it is yours and no one needs to know. However, if you express that you want to harm yourself, or others, or cause major damage, call the hotline listed above and speak to a professional. I pray that for all of us reading this awful news as well as other devastating news happening around the world, we will vow to do the following: ·      Keep the families involved in constant prayer. ·      Look to champion responsible gun laws and perhaps volunteer to help in areas that can assist others in mental, emotional, and physical need. ·      Look to monitor ourselves and any powerful/negative emotions we may be feeling. Seek to channel/release these emotions in healthy ways. ·      If we feel our emotions are growing and seeming on the verge of being out of control, let us seek professional counseling as needed.   Please keep your anger in check. Your life and the lives of those around, you depend on it.   Blessings, Angélique 💐 To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out. Proverbs 10:9 (ESV) Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”  1 Corinthians 15:33 (ESV) The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.  Proverbs 10:7 (ESV) Definition of character:   is the way a person thinks, feels, and behaves. Definition of reputation:   is the general belief or opinion that other people have about you.   Which would you rather have, an awesome reputation with those around you or a Godly, wholesome character? Of course, we all want to have a great reputation to follow us as we interact with others. However, having a great reputation is not necessarily an indication of having a morally upright and Godly character. As outlined by the definitions above, one could have a fantastic reputation amongst other people but, have a morally corrupt character.   All of us should desire to strive to have Godly characteristics as opposed to a popular reputation. In the current times in which we live, people who seek to have high integrity and Godly characters, are at times ridiculed for their principals and their values. When a person follows God and His precepts, as opposed to worldly ideals, they may be teased and given unflattering nicknames like Mr. or Ms. “holier than thou” or “holy roller.”  These are just two out of many derogatory comments people will use.   In the current political, as well as the entertainment world, there are many people who may have popular reputations but, how do they behave with others? Do they show good values and a morally upstanding character? The way a person speaks and behaves, on a consistent basis, will usually tell you, their character. As God’s children, He expects us to move through life showing upstanding values and morals. In addition, He expects that if we do follow or associate with others, they too should seek to have Godly characteristics and values as well. Of course, no one is perfect, and we will slip up from time to time however, even in making mistakes, people with integrity will own up to their mistakes and look to make amends. People who are the opposite, seek self-gratification and will blame others for their mistakes. They will exhibit behaviors that show they do not care about anyone, only themselves.   Character or reputation? Pursue a Godly character and you will naturally have a great reputation.   Blessings, Angélique 💐 To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, …Titus 2:7 (ESV) For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.   1 Peter2:21 (ESV)   Who is your role model? As humans, we always will look to other human beings as role models. And that doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. Other people we look up to can be very inspiring on how we should live our lives. They are not perfect ( no human born into sin will be perfect ) but, if they are consistently seeking to be good, morally upright, Godly individuals, then these are people we can definitely seek to model after.   Now, seeking good  role models is not the issue. It becomes an issue when the people we idolize/look up to, do not model good behavior and Godly standards. There are many people in pop culture that are extremely popular, entertainment figures such as actors, singers, sports personalities, business leaders, etc. A lot of people will look to them as role models because of their popularity and will overlook their characters and how they conduct themselves on a consistent basis. This can become a problem for the individual looking up to them, as well as their concentric circle of family, friends, and acquaintances whom they influence. This is especially true if the person being influenced starts incorporating the bad behaviors of their role model. Instead of spreading love, goodness, and holiness, they are spreading disinformation, lies, hate, and divisiveness.   I say all the time to look to the Bible for good role models and this is true however, there are also bad role models listed in there as well. The Bible gives us examples of people to follow and emulate, and those not to follow due to their behavior and their choices. So, what was true in Bible times is true for us today, looking to follow people who are seeking to consistently choose to have integrity in everything they say and do, as their normal way of interacting in this world. And actually, the one person listed in the Bible we all should follow and seek to emulate is Jesus Christ. As Christians, that is what our title means: to be Christ-like in all we say and do.   So, as we go forward in life, may we seek to first and foremost have Jesus Christ, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit as role models for all of us to follow. May we seek to live our lives so that others will see Godly characteristics in us. We too are role models for others, whether we know it or not. None of us are perfect but, if we intentionally strive to live with integrity and God’s precepts, we can be good role models for those who come behind us.   Blessings, Angélique To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com

“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; Luke 6:37 (ESV) “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment, you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.   Matthew 7:1-2 (ESV) Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; Romans 14:10 (ESV)   Who made you the judge of other people? That is a strong question that a lot of people will be taken aback if you ask them. But it is a question all of us need to think about and ask ourselves. At some point in our lives, we’ve all had opinions regarding others. We want to judge them on their looks, the way they speak/carry themselves, their life choices, how they move/operate in this world, and the list can go on. Many times, we judge and criticize others on what we consider to be the “ideal” of how someone should live their life. Because of this belief, the question must be asked again, “Who made you the judge”?   Looking at the Bible verses mentioned above, God makes it clear we are not to judge others. We are all God’s kids and being our Father, the Creator of us all, He and He alone should be the only true judge. We are not to point fingers and judge anyone but ourselves. What God does call for is our humility and a willingness to spread His message of hope, faith, and love to all the world. Witnessing and sharing His light and love to others should be our number one priority. If we focus our energy and time on establishing good, wholesome relationships with others, we could then lead them to Christ and His principles on how to live a righteous life.   When people choose to taunt and bully, this behavior will not bring about a positive change in other people, nor will God and His word be glorified. By calling ourselves Christians, we are telling the world ( or we should be ) that we are Christ’s followers, and we are acting/behaving as He would in all we say and do. Christ never made fun of other people, called them names, bullied them, made crude jokes about them, etc. He won them over by showing love and kindness and, how they can turn from the darkness of this world, into His marvelous light.   So, as we go about living life and interacting with others, let us keep in mind that as God‘s children, we are not called to judge others. God does call for us to live honest and humble lives so that we can be a witness to those around us. He calls for us not to judge but to spread His message to all the world. Blessings, Angélique To contact:  21stcglmediateam@gmail.com