#JOANSTRUTH

I was heading to San Diego and the plane was caught in a little bit of turbulence. This was not the first time that I experienced turbulence but like every unique situation that is repeated or a book that is read more than once or even a movie that is watched a third time; there is always something that strikes you unexpectedly. It was always there but we never noticed it before. As the plane pierced through the turbulence for a few seconds, the pilot announced  "due to the turbulence,  we are going to go up a little bit higher  but we are advising all passengers to be seated at this time  and fasten your seat belts until the seat belt sign is turned off".  This struck me like a tonne of bricks because as humans we tend to run to and through the turbulence. We ostracize people avoiding conversations and situations but just like this pilot who spotted the trouble ahead, he decided to take us a little bit higher.  The person on the outsi...

Normally after days, even months of working, we get drained. Our productivity slows down as our bodies tell us it is time to hibernate. However, society tells us that success requires commitment, consistency and never slowing down. We see hashtags everywhere on social media promoting constant work such as #teamnosleep #alwaysonthegrind and the list goes on. These phrases are normally interpreted by us to mean 'never rest or you will lose everything' but even animals have mastered how to operate in this world. After a day of work they all unwind. We too as God's people need to unwind through recreation and rest. Lack of sleep affects our health and our productivity so it is okay to rejuvenate. Do not let society determine who you should be because you are not of this world. I used to think that I was an energizer bunny and I kept going, and going, and going..., but it always led to weight loss, not remembering to eat and even #nosleep. "But what was the purpose of pus...

We all struggle with the fear of not knowing, which leads to many questions we ask ourselves. We send ourselves into a panic and then we ask God the questions that we could not answer. What if this doesn't work? What if I am not good enough? What will others think? We all are imperfect in the sight of God yet we try to stay in complete control. We try to look perfect to the world without being honest with ourselves. We want God to drive the car called 'our life' yet we always seem to grab the steering wheel. For some reason we feel He doesn't know where we should go. God loves us so much that he gives us second chances, third chances and he continues to give us the ability to make our own choices but what if we give him everything back? Give him the control and put complete faith in his hand. Let Him guide our choices. In our relationships; whether family or intimate, the longevity depends on trust. If friends cannot trust each other, if spouses lack tru...

I have always thought about the reasons why we hold ourselves back from our purpose. Why is it we block our destiny even when we know what is ahead? This time, we look in the mirror at a fearfully and wonderfully made gift and talk ourselves out of dreams, visions and purpose.  These reasons are locked in our trust. Who do we trust? Have you ever stopped to ask yourself? Really, in whom do I put my trust. But remember.....Be Honest with yourself! The way we talk to people, treat people, the way we act, the way we think can all be lined up with who we trust and our priorities. Here are some things that trouble us, whether it is one, a few or all of these... Self Esteem I remember always comparing myself with great people which propels me to work extremely hard but this can be both a blessing and a curse.  The good side: We become better as we see our role models as a future reflection of ourselves. So we strive and grind as they did. The bad side:   We starve...

Today, you may not be feeling like your usual self. You may be down thinking there is no possible way to get back up again. As a result, we continue to feed our disappointments with constant feelings of doubt and hopelessness. Why do we do the things we do? We hope for the best BUT we expect the worst. We start off a task with a Plan A (the ultimate desire of our hearts) BUT, we still have a Plan B "just in case things do not work out". Are we not trusting God enough to order our steps? Are we failing to recognize the fact that we are fearfully and wonderfully made? Jeremiah 29:11&12 states.. . " For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the   Lord , thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you." As prosperity flows, happiness grows. As pain expands, FAITH demands, so leave everything in God's hands. I thought about som...

It is not selfish to think about yourself. Take care of yourself before you can take care of others. You can't give love with hate in your heart. You can't give things away that you don't have. Be true to yourself, Love yourself then spread that love. Have an abundance in order to share. Be happy with where you are now, Be happy with where you were, Be happy with the people in your life, Be happy with what you have And you will be happy with where you will go. If you don't accept these things, then you become unhappy. You then compare your life with someone else's definition of happiness and when you achieve this (their definition of happiness), you'll still be unhappy! If you are not happy with your life, then you won't be happy at all. Be Happy to Be Happy #BHTBH #LoveMore #JoansTruth

"OMG!!!! My day was horrible! Nothing that I planned was done. Something always came up!" Do you ever have a day like this? You are extremely upset at the way your day went or should I say THE day because you never owned it! Why does this happen? You plan to go to the store, your brother calls you to help him out with an urgent situation. You plan to go to the beach after bringing home a family member but the family member becomes ill and you need to stay a little longer. WHAT IS UP WITH THAT??? Maybe there was something that God was trying to keep you from, had you gone to your planned destination. Maybe you would have hated the experience more than these unexpected happenings which detoured your plans. Instead of quarrelling about how bad your day goes, be grateful! DARE: I dare you to welcome unexpected changes, just say: "Lord, I trust you because you alone know what's right for me and you alone can take care of me and my situation better than I can". ...

The Holy Spirit has a time when it reveals things about our friends, our enemies, family and even our dreams! How many times have we toiled in order to reap the harvest in our lives and in our future. We go beyond ourselves and we run before God, even when God says "Slow Down!". Did you know that God has your worries all figured out? Therefore it makes no sense to worry. You prepare and keep working until it is time to reap but do not try and speed up the process. The quality of our lives are so important yet many of us remember when it is too late. So STOP! SLOW DOWN! TAKE YOUR TIME! God wants to walk with you.  Oh house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord. (Isaiah 2:5) At times, the waiting period for our blessings may get us weary, but it is at that moment when we are completely broken that we get our breakthrough. Continue working and walking with the Lord. We all have big dreams, continue to dream big and be not afraid of the endless possib...

Do not live selfishly, believing that everyone one is catering to himself. Be powered by service or your living will be in vain. Inspire others. You were inspired by someone who lived before you. Teach others and your legacy will forever live on! Thank you forefathers! Someday, someone will also tell you #THANKS #LIVEALIFEOFPURPOSE #BEPOWEREDBYSERVICE #JOANSTRUTH

Do not allow bitterness, anger and ignorance to eat at your emotions. It makes you MORE BITTER, ANGRY AND IGNORANT . Talk about it and LET IT GO! #MoveForward #BeHappy #JoansTruth 

Do not make assumptions or draw conclusions on the behaviours and decisions made by the persons around you because these things DO NOT define who they are. They may shock you, whether negatively or positively! So keep your eyes in the mirror and not on other people. #BeBlessed #LiveYourLife #JoansTruth 

It is a challenge to look in the mirror and analyze how we treat people and how we treat ourselves because we know that w hatever we give, it will always come back to us in one way or another. It is a truth we know but always seem to do the wrong things expecting positive results. But it is true!  LOVE EQUALS LOVE!   Whether it is taking a day (or hour) off to prevent an overload or illness. Or it is a favour for a friend coming back to us in the form of a caring gesture from a co-worker when we needed it, or when we give someone money (especially when we are compelled to hang on to it) and it comes back as a gift from a relative, etc. We often argue about the things persons are not doing for us and we then choose to return that negative energy in the same way which eventually affects everyone around us, but stop! You can change your energy, ONLY if you want to. Let us choose to operate in love! God is love and we were made in His image. Sow love and you WILL reap love i...

We can all know the REAL wealthy persons in this world, the strong ones, the successful ones. They are the persons who do not spend time trying to impress or convince others that they are successful. They are always simple in their demeanor. No excessive jewellery, not a loud speaker (especially in crowds), you never know his or her next move. TIME is a successful person's most important asset and they ensure that they use it wisely. What are you doing with your time? Are you failing or succeeding in life?  #BeTheBoss #BeSuccessful #SayNothingAndDoIt #JoansTruth

Life and death lies in the power of the tongue but Success and failure is ruled by our thoughts! #BeTheBoss #JoansTruth

Be careful of the one who gives you advice. The persons that we associate ourselves with WILL AFFECT OUR FUTURE! #TakeControlofYourFuture #JoansTruth

There are NO coincidences in life. There are opportunities that are met through preparedness as well as God's Divine Favour.  #BePrepared #JoansTruth