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See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 3:1 (ESV) The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Romans 8:16-17 (ESV) Blind Bartimaeus, ex-spouse, ex-boyfriend/girlfriend, beggar, spinster, homeless person, Drug addict, Alcoholic, ex-offender, obese man/woman, etc. There are so many labels others use to identify people by their current or past circumstances. Some of these labels are used with a negative, descriptive connotation however, some are positive and encouraging in their usage. In writing this I want to focus on the negative labels that society may have placed on you. Are there particular labels, you find others using when they seek to describe/identify you? Now at times, labels will have to be used to describe a person to another who may not be aware of whom they are referencing. That of course is understandable, especially if they choose to use those Identifiers respectfully. However, when a person chooses to use descriptors from a negative/condescending standpoint, that is when God is not pleased. One needs to be careful not to allow their emotional state to become affected by the negative words/labels uttered by others. We must not allow the labels people may use to define who we are based on the current circumstance/situation. In not allowing others to place negative labels on us, we must also refrain from using negative labels when describing others. We need to always keep in mind every person has had inner and outer battles and/or struggles while dealing with life. They may be in a situation where they have no control over the outcome of a matter or because of wrong choices in life, they find themselves in unfavorable circumstances. As a child of God, one must believe in the labels God has given His children as referenced throughout the Bible. Being that God is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and we are His children, our true labels should be either Prince or Princess; the true labels for children of the King. In the Bible verse for today, it says as children of God, we are His heirs, meaning heirs to His heavenly kingdom. So, if others try and place negative labels on you due to your past or current circumstances, know for certain those labels do not define who you truly are. Remember you are a son and daughter of the King of the Universe, the Most High God. Always remember you are royalty, you are loved. Blessings, Angélique To contact: Angelique@21stcenturygodlyliving.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) The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:31 (ESV) The series of shooting events in the United States and other racially charged incidents that have occurred must have God crying over the behavior of His children. Shooting someone who’s ringing the doorbell, someone turning around in a driveway, killing someone asleep in their bed, harming a person who’s walking home with a hoodie on their head, killing someone who is jogging, and many other instances, is absolutely, positively, ludicrous!! People’s prejudice and biases are running rampant in the social construct of our current time in Earth’s history. Of course, it is not new to our country or the world but, it is tiring and getting old. It causes one to think and ask the question, “Haven’t we moved beyond these toxic ideals/thoughts that one race is better than another, due to the lighter pigmentation of skin tone?” It’s really disturbing and shocking to realize people are being radicalized by listening to and/or watching various people and media pundits, who are putting out sick/toxic extremism, and racially charged narratives. Individuals are allowing this toxicity to infiltrate their mindset and their thinking, and then looking to act out against someone different from their class or group. I’ve written a couple of blogs a while back titled God‘s Kids that touched on this topic. God made each and every one of us with different shapes, hair/eye colors, as well as skin colors. As the Father of all creation, He has the right to color this world, as He wishes. When we look around at all of creation, we don’t see only one type of plant, animal, flower, etc. We see an array of various created species, all over the world. So, with other non-human creations that God made, why can’t people accept the concept that He too can have variety as it relates to His human children? It baffles me how people can feed on and allow false/toxic narratives to permeate their minds and in turn cause their irrational thought patterns and behaviors. They falsely believe lies about others and their superiority because they happen to belong to a particular racial group and/or religious class. However, we all must understand and get this in our minds, no one race or group of people is superior to another. All of us are fallen, sinful human beings, who need salvation. And that salvation has come to our world through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. No one who has lived, is living or who will live in the future is perfect except for Jesus. No one else can boast that they are perfect and have it all. Every person will have ups and downs in life and we all will have areas in our lives, that we need to work on by God’s grace. As we look to God and His holy precepts, may we allow His ways to infiltrate our minds and our hearts. May we pray constantly and work on our attitudes and our actions and behaviors toward our fellow human beings, so that we will not behave in a manner that will bring harm to ourselves or others. Blessings, Angélique To contact: Angelique@21stcenturygodlyliving.com

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17 (ESV) So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV) I recently saw a video where a young pastor mentioned that in his youth, he was in charge of getting portfolio packets together for various teams. He was a newly baptized Christian and he was in charge of stapling the packets together. As he worked, he felt impressed to have everything lined up perfectly and to make sure each staple went in with precision. Looking back on that behavior, many would shrug and ask ‘What’s the big deal’? But to him, he was doing this for the glory of God and it was important. When I thought about that story I wondered, how many of us take to heart the tasks that we do daily? No matter where we are, no matter to whom we are working, and no matter the task; as we do the work, are we working to honor God? The task could be something menial, it could be something complex/of great importance or anything in between. The point is, our focus should not be the work itself but, our attitude and thoughts while performing our tasks. Are we seeking to perform to the best of our abilities? Are we seeking to honor God? Or, are we just giving the bare minimum in effort? Our challenge for today and going forward should be to seek to have God and His principles always before us. Let’s always seek to tell ourselves that as we work, let’s strive to give glory and honor to God, with everything we do. May we look to perform our daily tasks, no matter what they are, with the attitude that we will do our best as if we are working directly for our Father in Heaven. Blessings, Angélique To contact: Angelique@21stcenturygodlyliving.com

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29 (ESV) With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. James 3:9 (ESV) Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer Psalm 19:14 (ESV) Did you know King Solomon (the wisest man that ever lived) wrote 31 chapters in the book of Proverbs and within those chapters, he devoted 150 proverbs to the subject of controlling our tongue/our speech? Do we realize, our words have the power to heal or to destroy others, as well as ourselves? We think some of the hurtful things we say only affect others but, in some ways, it harms us as well. Being human it is understandable that we will get angry from time to time and want to say hurtful words at another, in an attempt to “get back” at them. To lash out and seek to hurt them as they have hurt us. In the past, I know I have been guilty of this behavior; lashing back at others with angry words, because of the harm they caused. However, we all know this is not the behavior we should have and, we must work to master our reactions to others, most importantly our speech. We need to make sure to not allow uncontrolled anger and resentment to build and fester inside. If we do, and we allow it to build up, there will come a point where it will unleash in the form of uncontrolled words and actions. And then, after everything calms down, we can very well experience hurt, sadness, and regret over our behavior. To be successful in life we all must learn to control our tongues and our speech. We must learn how to communicate with others in an effective, uplifting manner while learning how to avoid using destructive speech patterns to communicate. As the Bible verses above state, as humans, we have the capacity to give blessings to God and then in the same breath spew out curses to others. This should not be and our Father in Heaven is definitely not pleased. My prayer is that we seek to get closer to God and His word daily. May we put into daily practice the usage of uplifting and kind words, as our normal speech pattern. When we seek God’s ways and put into practice His words of wisdom, we will gain strength and understanding so when those trying times come our way, we will find ourselves better equipped to respond in a manner pleasing to God. Blessings, Angélique To contact: Angelique@21stcenturygodlyliving.com

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:8 (ESV) 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) What comes to mind when you think of proximity to someone, like a spouse/mate, relative, or friend? Usually, you look up to these individuals and want to be like them in some way; especially if they are loving, kind, and healthy people to emulate. Having proximity to certain individuals and/or groups of people, will usually cause one to take on their characteristics, their values and possibly mimic their personality to a very great degree. As we grow and mature in life, all of us should look to emulate positive role models to help in honing our character and life skills, which will be needed as we interact with others throughout our lifetime. But, before looking to emulate fallible human beings, has it ever occurred that we should look to emulate God? Have we given a thought to developing proximity to God and His son Jesus Christ who lived on this Earth, and who gave us an example of how we as humans should behave? With all that goes on with life’s, ups and downs, it would behoove us to seek to shape our personalities and to adopt characteristics based on Godly principles. It’s tempting at times to emulate worldly, famous people, or those we see on social media. But what we fail to realize, is that all of us were created by our Father in Heaven. He knows us inside and out! He knows all of us better than we know ourselves. So who better to emulate than our Creator? When seeking other people to emulate, choose wise, Godly individuals to follow/to copy. Now, there may be some good characteristics of those who are worldly and who do not lead Godly lives but, be wise and use Godly principles to discern what to emulate and allow into your life. However, the best decision for all of us would be to seek proximity to God and His principles and emulate the Divine Creator of us all. Blessings, Angélique To contact: Angelique@21stcenturygodlyliving.com

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2: (ESV) But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 1 john 3:17 (ESV) In many societies of the world, there is an underlying thinking that is constantly being pushed and encouraged and that is ME, ME, ME!! Thinking that says it’s all about me!! It’s all about what I want/need to make ME feel good, what makes ME happy, and the meaning of life is ME, ME, ME!!! How utterly contrary this thought is to the Bible teachings and the example Jesus lived while He was here on Earth. When we look at babies and little ones whose brains and emotions are not fully developed, it is acceptable and understood their reactions will always center on me, me, me. This of course is to be expected. But when it comes to adults, who should be emotionally mature and/or maturing, it’s unacceptable. Not saying anything is wrong with at times needing to pamper and take care of ourselves when needed. Even Jesus took time out to pray and be alone with God. The time he needed to regroup and recharge. So taking time out to care for yourself is essential/necessary. But the pervasive thought of ME, ME, ME, goes way beyond that! God would long for His children to stop placing major focus/concentration on ourselves and for us to look around at those in need, and place some of that focus on helping them. Not saying we can take care of all the ills and problems of this world but, we each can use some of that energy/focus, into helping those in need. To make it a life practice and/or habit of reaching out to others and helping them. Whether it be financially, physically, or just emotionally, God would love for us as His children, to seek to be available to assist others. Every one of us has gifts and talents given by God that we can use to help our fellow human beings. How beautiful it would be to bless another by utilizing our natural gifts and abilities. There is beauty in our world however, there is also a lot of darkness and pain. If we would be willing to shine our lights, and our talents into the craziness of this world, what a different place it would be. Think about this, if every human being adopts God’s ideals of how we should behave, this world would already be heaven on earth. So in going forward in this life of course, take some time to care for yourself but do so in a healthy and balanced manner. And then, seek to make it a practice to use your gifts/natural abilities, to reach out and help someone in need. Some of us may never know how our acts of kindness made a positive impact on another’s life. Blessings, Angélique To contact: Angelique@21stcenturygodlyliving.com

We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. Psalm 78:4 (ESV) Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord: Palm 102:18 (ESV) As we go through life, there will be periods of dealing with ups and downs and, dealing with the monotony of everyday happenings. We all have times of not being sure of God’s leading and the call for our lives. I listened to a podcast where the speaker mentioned as we go through life it would be a good idea to build monuments acknowledging God’s presence and His promises, just like the Children of Israel and many others in the Bible. Throughout the Bible, after witnessing countless miracles, many would erect monuments acknowledging God and His wonders. And whenever other travelers would pass by, they would see the monuments and remember (from stories being told from generation to generation) the awesomeness of God and His presence in their lives. Now, as we fast forward to our present day, wouldn’t it be wonderful for us to also create Godly monuments in our lives so we will remember His faithfulness? So when we have those tough days, we too can look back on the monuments we created, and see God’s faithfulness. Our modern-day monuments or benchmarks could be in the form of a journal, an object we made or purchased, or a special place we go to; all of these, and perhaps others, could be used to commemorate God’s faithfulness and His blessing in our lives. And when we look back and view our monuments, those benchmarks, we can take comfort in remembering how God brought us through our testing and trials. Even if He does not deliver us the same way as before, we still can take comfort and have our faith sustained, by beholding the Godly monuments/benchmarks of the past. As we go forward in life, may we all seek to memorialize God’s awesome presence in our lives by creating special monuments/benchmarks. I encourage us to seek to share our stories and may they be passed down from generation to generation. May they become a blessing and encouragement to others, as they walk their own life’s journey. Blessings, Angélique To contact: Angelique@21stcenturygodlyliving.com

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 1 Corinthians 15:33 (ESV) Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. Proverbs 13:20 (ESV) But test everything; hold fast what is good. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 (ESV) Have you heard it said that you can become like the people closest to you? In other words, you can take on many of the characteristics of the people with which you spend most of your time. If one spends time with people who engage in illicit activities or behaviors, chances are high that they will in turn engage in those same behaviors. Those in your circle of influence can be family members, close friends, people from work and/or school, church members, etc. Despite the roles they may play in your life as your mature, you can decide how influential you will allow them to be, as you move forward in life. One can easily pick up the mannerisms, integrity (or lack thereof), and life choices of those whom you hang around the most. If one allows it, an influential person’s outlook on life, their thoughts about other people, etc, can and oftentimes will, rub off on you whether it be for good or bad. When allowing others to impact and/or influence your life decisions, make sure you have the truth of God’s word as your guiding light. Having God and His truths always before you, as well as you deciding to follow His precepts, will help you when you are being influenced to make contrary choices/decisions. These unwise decisions can lead you away from God; away from doing what is right, good, and holy. Now, we all will encounter individuals who are not safe and who routinely make questionable and/or unwise choices in life. When one must interact with these individuals, do so in a way where you are kind and respectful but, you will not allow their behaviors/choices, to influence your decisions in life. As the Bible verses state above, do not allow bad company to influence you. Seek to walk with the wise and those who give Godly counsel. Also, be wise with everyone and everything you encounter. Make sure to test all against God’s Holy Word. Blessings, Angélique To contact: Angelique@21stcenturygodlyliving.com

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. James 1:2-3 (ESV) We all will face trials and temptations in our life. In James 1:2, the Bible emphasizes when you face trials, not if. Whether it is our upbringing or the media content we consume, we sometimes have the faulty knowledge that if we work hard, we can achieve this perfect drama-free life. However, we cannot go through life with a Pollyanna attitude thinking we will never have problems or face trials. Every single human being that ever lived, that’s living currently, and who will live in the future, will face trials. Even though no one likes trials, they are present in life to make us stronger for what may come and, to help others when they are going through difficulties. As we go through our trials, may we seek a closer relationship with God and develop the strength and maturity needed, to weather life’s storms. It is imperative to have faith and believe God is there when we go through our various tests and trials. We can pray and hope for the outcome we expect but, we need to trust and allow God to be God, and follow His ultimate will. If we get upset when God does not give us what we expect, we must realize it is not God’s decision but it is our expectations and wants that are flawed. When there are trials to be faced, we should not look to quit. For example, if we are looking to have a better physique and better health, it will not just come to us magically. We have to work out, eat right, and stay the course, to achieve our goals. We will not be able to quit and still think we will have the results we desire. Sticking to difficult tasks or situations in life is what we all must do if we are to become stronger and more resilient. Quitting is just not an option. This thinking does not apply only to physical fitness, but to all of life’s challenges; physical & financial fitness, relationships, spiritual/emotional/mental development, etc. Not saying we need to go about life always waiting for trials to pop up. We do not need to look for them as they will come to all of us. But, may we seek to grow spiritually daily, so that when they do come, we will be better prepared to handle them. Blessings, Angélique To contact: Angelique@21stcenturygodlyliving.com

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. Colossians 3:1-2 ESV This notion may sound crazy but it’s not. So much of what we believe and/or think, really came from someone else and we just latched on. At times we have allowed other people’s pervasive thinking to permeate our being, without really deciding if those ideals/thoughts are what we believe or if they are what we just “roll” with because that’s all we ever knew. Of course from birth to adolescence and moving into adulthood, we will take on many thoughts and ideas that we have received from those closest to us. This is normal and to be expected. The problem comes when some of these thoughts and ideals, are contrary to God‘s holy word and how He expects His children to behave. Once we reach adulthood, and perhaps just before, we need to take time to assess who we are, and what we believe. In taking an assessment of ourselves, this should not be thought of as a one-time event but, an activity that is to occur throughout our lifetime. We should always evaluate our thoughts/beliefs and measure them not against the world’s ideals, but against God‘s principles. It is tempting to “go with the flow” of popular opinions that are circulating, and not stand on the side of God, and His ways. A popular term that labels persons that have differing views to the world’s “accepted” viewpoints is called canceled culture. I would like to pause here and say as God’s children, even if we do not agree with others (their lifestyle or choices), we still should behave as God would have us, with love and kindness toward all. Having said this, however, it does not mean we have to “bend” and follow along with the current worldly viewpoints that are contrary to God’s principles. We still should stand firm in our belief and conviction regarding God’s holy word. As you go forth through life, seek to formulate viewpoints that are based on God’s wisdom and not what is popular right now in the world. Of the many beliefs and opinions that were passed down from generation to generation, may we assess these against God’s word, to formulate the right thinking. May we strive to have God’s thoughts and beliefs be an integral part of our lives always. Blessings, Angélique To contact: Angelique@21stcenturygodlyliving.com

Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding. 2 Corinthians 10:12 (ESV) For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10 (ESV) Do you at times find that you compare yourself to others? I believe we all are guilty of doing this from time to time. And in this digital age of constantly consuming vanity-driven images, it is a little hard not to. Even when we are not being bombarded with various media platforms, we will at times compare ourselves with those close to us; those who are in our concentric circles of life. For example, we may try to compare ourselves to a family member, a friend, a classmate (this is a given when in grade school), a co-worker, or strangers on social media and the list can go on and on. However, what we need to always remember is that we are God’s beautifully created children and, He does not want us to compare ourselves to one another. It is a waste of time and energy to do so. He created each of us to possess unique qualities and abilities that should not be compared. Now, some of us will share similar gifts and talents however, we are still a different and unique creation from one another. Now when dealing with comparisons it is safe to say that even if we do not compare ourselves to another, other people at times will. In school, the workplace, social circles, society, etc. What they are doing does not make it right and, their behavior can affect your emotional well-being. When this happens, you must always realize whose you are and who created you, the Awesome Creator of the universe!! Be strong during those times and not allow another’s misconceived ideals to dictate the beautiful person you were created to be. So as you go forth in life, seek to not compare yourself to one another and seek to be the beautiful child of God you were created to be. Go forth and spread God’s message of hope and love to the world, using the gifts and talents He has given to you use. Blessings, Angélique To contact: Angelique@21stcenturygodlyliving.com

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3 (ESV) Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27 (ESV) Life is not about your being comfortable, and happy, and successful, and pain-free. It’s about you becoming the man or woman God has called you to be…Charles Swindoll When I read the above quote in one of my morning devotions, I had to stop and contemplate this thought. This world is so geared toward promoting and advocating for us to strive for our pleasure and happiness; and at times, encouraging us to pursue those feelings, no matter the cost. A story comes to mind of a man who told his wife of many years, he was leaving to seek happiness. My friend shared how her husband sought this “happiness’ in the arms of another married woman. The two of them in this quest of seeking happiness destroyed two families, and the ripple effect reverberated to church members, as well as many family and friends. The shock and devastation felt by the two remaining spouses were tremendous. Another sad part of the story is that the two who engaged in the adulterous behavior ended up not staying together for very long and, have since moved on to several other individuals. And to add to this sad story, it is questionable if they will be staying in their current relationships. This destruction depicts the devastating cost of their behavior, in the search for happiness and pleasure. When people choose to go against God’s will and seek worldly lust, pleasure, and happiness, little do they realize they are being led down a destructive path in life. Perhaps they will escape physical harm but the emotional, psychological, and spiritual scars, as well as the hurt to those they wronged, will remain. Some also fail to realize if they continue willfully making wrong decisions, fueled with the idea of always pleasure-seeking, this could very well determine how they will spend eternity. I have read many articles and heard song lyrics that state happiness is usually always based on what’s happening to you, at that moment. It is not a long-lasting feeling that goes on, and on, and never goes away. It would be nice if that could be true but, in this sinful world, that is just not the case. Now does God want happiness and peace for His children, of course!! It was never His intention for there ever to be sin and destruction in the world He created. That choice was made by human beings, from our first parents and through time, by each of us. And those sinful choices have led to a lot of destruction since the world was created. God wants us to seek to follow Him and His instructions on how to live our best lives. He wants us to seek to be the best versions of ourselves, and to think, pray, and follow His word, before we make decisions. To try and do what Jesus would do in various life situations. When we seek to make the right choices that honor God, we will have His peace and joy, which is strong and deeply rooted. It will be there even when the surface of happy feelings eventually fades. So, always remember when you have God’s joy and peace, (as opposed to fleeting happiness) it will keep you steady, as you go through life’s ups and downs. Blessings, Angélique To contact: Angelique@21stcenturygodlyliving.com