Author Archives: LaShawnda Jones

Awareness of Nakedness

For a number of years on my journey, I embraced the pain of honest self-exposure. At that time, I continually made myself vulnerable in my relational interactions. Truthfully, I can’t say that my vulnerability was well-received or treated well. I can’t report that my availability was appreciated or taken advantage of in a positive manner.ContinueContinue reading “Awareness of Nakedness”

“It was all worth it.”

A young woman I’ve been helping this year asked me the other day, “Ms. Jones, If your life were to end right now, in this moment, and you were taken up to Jesus immediately to see Him face-to-face, what would be the first question you ask Him?” She had asked the question so earnestly, IContinueContinue reading ““It was all worth it.””

In Loving Memory of My Brother, Antoine Jones

It’s very hard to believe it’s been five years since my brother passed away. Life is just so fleeting… so elusive – especially when you don’t attend to it. It’s interesting to me that I was just summarizing the last five years of my life in terms of my spiritual growth – learning to obey,ContinueContinue reading “In Loving Memory of My Brother, Antoine Jones”

Sermon: THE LIFE OF FAITH

We serve a God who not only speaks to us, but desires intimate conversation with us.

The Life of Faith: Sermon by Pastor William Carol

But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.  ~ John 20:31, NLT

Follow the link to listen to the sermon. Be blessed.

http://sermon3a.tscnyc.ws/2011/mp3g/20111120S2.mp3

Khalil Gibran on Joy and Sorrow

Khalil Gibran on Joy and Sorrow (from The Prophet)

Then a woman said, “Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow.”

And he answered:

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.

And how else can it be?

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.

Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter’s oven?

And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

Some of you say, “Joy is greater than sorrow,” and others say, “Nay, sorrow is the greater.”

But I say unto you, they are inseparable.

Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.

Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.

Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.

When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.

Meister Eckhart on love…

It is a hard thing to practise this universal love, and to love our neighbours as ourselves, as our Lord commanded us. But if you will understand it rightly, there is a greater reward attached to this command, than to any other. The commandment seems hard, but the reward is precious indeed.

He who has found this way of love, seeketh no other. He who turns on this pivot is in such wise a prisoner that his foot and hand and mouth and eyes and heart, and all his human faculties, belong to God. And, therefore, thou canst overcome thy flesh in no better way, so that it may not shame thee, than by love. This is why it is written, Love is as strong as death, as hard as hell. Death separates the soul from the body, but love separates all things from the soul. She suffers nought to come near her, that is not God nor God-like. Happy is he who is thus imprisoned; the more thou art a prisoner, the more wilt thou be freed. That we may be so imprisoned, and so freed, may He help us, Who Himself is Love.

 

MEISTER ECKHART

Blog transition: from “My God and Me” to “Shawnda’s Spirit Harvest”

Welcome to my new blog home! I am transitioning from My God and Me Blog (aka mygodandme.info/blog). I hope this transition adds more readers than I lose. Please share the word in your circles – you will find great content here regarding Christian lifestyle, spiritual growth and word study. I share as I am inspiredContinueContinue reading “Blog transition: from “My God and Me” to “Shawnda’s Spirit Harvest””

Facing down bullies

Bullies are cowards at heart. They are masters of hiding their hurts, pains, and insecurities from others while projecting the same onto others. They prey on the fears of people they PERCEIVE to be weaker than them. My solution? Change the bully’s perception. Stand up to him/her. Speak up. Fight back. When you hold your ground, they will back down.

***Follow the link to read the whole article. If you like it, please share it. Thanks, LaShawnda!***