When God Blocks It...

Today as I was driving back home from visiting my family it began to rain. It was just me and the boys and they had finally settled down from fighting sleep and I entered into a place of worship and dialogue with God. He began to take me back to the moment when I wanted to mend the broken pieces of my life and fill the voids with a relationship with my father that I came so close to meeting him but God blocked it.

Love and Marriage mini series- The Abrams

 Meet Shamar and Meoshia Abrams

Tell us your love story! (Include a picture of you two THEN and NOW)

Shamar and I met on the campus of UAB in the summer of 2001. I was an ambitious 18 year old ready to start my life away from home. Shamar played football for UAB and was enrolled in the summer term when we met. I saw Shamar in passing, however we never spoke to each other, until one day he followed me up the steps to my dorm room. Knowing I was being followed I hastily ran to my dorm door. Just as I reached for the door knob Shamar said, "Hey there, what's your name?" I nervously answered and said, "Meoshia." Shamar then asked me for my phone number, as I was stalling trying to decide if I should give him my number or not my then roommate yelled from inside, "Give him the correct number" Lol. So I gave him my number hoping that he wouldn't use it. I was only in summer school at UAB and therefore, I wasn't interested in engaging into a relationship that would have to end abruptly. Several days went by and Shamar tried to contact me via phone, however I ignored all his calls. Shamar became persistent in his endeavors to reach me. He started to send me roses weekly in an effort to get me to return his phone calls. The roses were so beautiful, I would take them to my grandmother because she loved them so dearly. After three weeks of fresh beautiful long stemmed red roses my grandmother encouraged me to go on a date with Shamar even though she had never met him. I was extremely reluctant to go on a date with this stranger and I made my roommate accompany me on my first date with Shamar. He was such a gentlemen, he didn't mind it at all, and he even paid for my friend’s movie ticket. It was like we were on a triple date. Hahaha! After the movie was over my friend encouraged me to have him drop her back off at the dorm so that we could go eat dinner alone. In that moment Shamar got his wish to take me on a date, just the two of us. While at dinner we got to know each other a little better. Ironically we ordered the same dish, and found out we had so many things in common. That night was the beginning of a friendship that has lasted longer than I could have ever imagined. Weeks went by and then a month in and it was time for me to transfer to the University of Alabama where I would start my college career. A few days before I left for the University of Alabama Shamar contacted me and said he needed to talk to me. While telling me he cared for me he gave me a promise ring and asked me to promise to never forget him. In that moment I knew Shamar and I had something special. We both completed college at our respective institutions while fostering a long distance relationship. We both became members of elite organizations, myself Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated and himself Omega Si Phi Fraternity Incorporated. Although very challenging we remained faithful to each other. We knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together but we also had career goals we each wanted to focus on. We vowed we would focus on marriage after obtaining our masters degrees. Four months after I graduated from the University of Alabama with my master’s degree in social work, Shamar surprised me and asked me to be his wife and spend the rest of my life with him. With tears flowing I said, "YES." On August 18th 2007 our commitment to each other became official.

Love and Marriage Mini Series- The Roberts

Meet Chris and Karolyne Roberts

Tell us your love story! (Include a picture of you two THEN and NOW)

When Chris and I first met we didn't honor God. He wasn't a Christian and I was new to college. I was backsliding from the faith because I had just gotten my heart broken from a previous relationship. I was engaged to a guy after dating for a year and being best friends for many years, and the day before leaving off to college I found out he cheated on me. I was devastated and I called the engagement off. I met Chris at an event that his daiquiri business was co-hosting with my poetry club that I joined in college. I asked him for a free drink and he gave me one. After the event, he asked me for my number and from then we hit it off. He started coming over to my house and I told him I was a virgin and waiting until marriage to have sex, but my actions and lack of boundaries said otherwise. Eventually I came across Heather Lindsey's ministry and learned about courting God's way, boundaries, self-worth, and honoring God before marriage. I started to put my foot down on Chris and I's casual relationship, but he didn't understand. We were unequally yoked and I had to obey God and cut off the relationship very soon. We were separated for 9 months and we didn't talk. During that time, God healed my broken heart from my previous relationship and cleansed me from a lot of stuff from my past. I chose to dedicate myself to Him and build a relationship with Him and shortly after, he revealed to me that Chris was going to be my husband. At the same time Chris got saved, baptized, started going to church, and moved out from where he used to live with his old buddies. God was completely transforming him in a short amount of time. A series of events happened that brought us back together nine months later. Chris was the first to say that God revealed to him that I would be his wife. I confirmed it to him by sharing with him what God showed me. In no time we were courting with purpose and boundaries, engaged, and married in just a few months. We got married on August 1, 2013 and now happily serve God together in ministry and share our testimony of how God was able to restore our relationship when we decided to put Him first.

Love and Marriage mini series- The Harris'

Meet Brad and Hillary Harris

Tell us about you and your love! (Include a picture of you two THEN and NOW)

We have been married almost six years, but known each other for over ten years! We were good friends in the beginning and now he is my best friend and husband. Our friendship reconnected years later after we had lost touch for a while. It started with a simple phone call which lead to dinner. That dinner sparked a series conversations, dinners, trips, church dates, meeting families, and then to a Valentine's Day proposal. That proposal made Valentine's Day special for us from that day forward. In our mind, nothing could top that Valentine's Day; little did we know that our first child would be born Valentine's Day years a few years later. Our love story gets better with each year.

Love and Marriage Mini Series- The Edwards

Meet Marlon and Kaaren Edwards

Tell us your love story! (Include a picture of you two THEN and NOW)

2001 (left); 2013 (right)

Marlon and I met while we were both working second jobs. He was paying for school and I was paying for a cruise. It was my first day at work and the manager was taking me around introducing me to all of the other employees. When she took me in the break room he was sitting at a table looking so handsome. I went home that night and told my sister I met my husband. I was never a person who liked to date my coworkers so we just chatted a bit here and there for a few months then my cruise was cancelled and I quit the job. On my last day Marlon offered me a ride home, we must have talked for hours that night. I knew that he was someone special. Here we are 6 kids later, a few gray hairs and lots of ups and downs but still as much, if not more, in love.

Love and Marriage Mini Series- The Spanns

Meet Micheal and Amy Spann

Tell us your love story! (Include a picture of you two THEN and NOW)

Micheal and I actually met online on Blackplanet.com ages ago. I was 15 years old, and I happened to run across his page. What drew me to him were the Christian based poems he had composed and displayed on his page. I also looked at his profile picture and thought that he was very attractive. Coincidentally, after we started conversing through messages and whatnot, we discovered that we both lived in Birmingham, AL at the time. He was 18 years old and a freshman in college. We managed to meet face to face, and while he didn't know my real age, he became a very good friend to me. As the years rolled on, we lost touch, but my freshman year at the BEST University in the world, (Roll Tide!), I emailed him, not knowing if he still used that same address. Long story short, we fell back in touch, and THIS time, because I was legal, we decided that we wanted to date one another. I fell hard and was totally consumed by this man. Things happened, and we fell apart for about 2 months. During this time, we both ended up feeling as if we couldn't live without each other. We got back together, and at Thanksgiving dinner, he popped the question!

Love and Marriage Mini Series- The Williams

Meet Brandon and Lakendria Williams

Tell us your love story! (Include a picture of you two THEN and NOW)

Brandon and I met in 2005 while attending THE University of Alabama (Roll Tide.) We passed each other walking to class every Tuesday and Thursday. I noticed him right away because of his cute baby face. I thought to myself that he looked really young but knew he wasn’t a freshman because I was at the time and didn’t know him. One day I found out that he noticed my staring at him because he said “Hi!” I thought it was the cutest thing, but wanted to see who this dude was. So I started asking a few upperclassmen I knew about him and found out he was a junior and a pretty cool guy. We danced a couple times at parties but didn’t really get to talk to each other for a while. That really piqued my interest even more but I was definitely not “about that life” when it came to approaching a guy, especially a junior!!! He finally approached me at the Business School Library where I worked and asked me for MY pen. I responded very sarcastically because he asked specifically for my pen even though there was another worker at the desk with her pen ready to give him. That is where he took full advantage of the conversation to ask me for my name and number and I’m so glad he did!!!

Love and Marriage Mini Series- The Holmes

Meet Nathan and Dana Holmes

Tell us your love story! (Include a picture of you two THEN and NOW)

Nathan and I met at Alabama A&M University in 2002. I was actually having lunch with my friend in the cafeteria when she noticed him looking at me. I thought maybe I had food around my mouth or something. I made eye contact with him and smiled, which opened the door for him to come to my table. He introduced himself and we had a wonderful conversation. The first thing he told me was that he was trying to change his life and live for God. When I heard those words that did it for me! As our conversation ended, he gave me his number, but didn't ask for mine. I was a little confused, because usually the guy asks for your number. I asked him if he wanted to have my number and he said that if I wanted to talk to him, I would call. I looked at him very confused and said okay, but told my friend I am not going to call him. She insisted that I should at least give it a try. Well, it's no surprise, I called, but he didn't answer. I quickly threw the number in the trash, but of course he called right back. So glad he did!!!

Day 15: I am thankful for LOVE

Hello #nomakeup community!!

Okay so I'm going to be honest and say my plan was to post every 5 days but on the 10th I was boogieing at Scott's cousins wedding in Philadelphia and we had to drive 13 hours back therefore I'm just now getting around to writing this post. *sigh*

Without further adieu I am thankful for LOVE!

Day 5: I am thankful for spaghetti

Have you ever had a Manic Monday that was manic every Monday? No? Well that's how Mondays are. But this Monday in particular was one of those days where all I could do was sit quietly and stare into the horizon. Lol!

Have you ever had one of those days where you didn't have to energy to go toe to toe with your toddler? Or family member? Or husband? Or friends? And all you could do was focus on something else. Well that's how my week has been and as I listened to my son have a meltdown about wanting oatmeal instead of spaghetti I realized how thankful I was for the food on my plate. 

30 days of thankfulness- Day 1: I am thankful for life

I am thankful for life...

I have been ducked off! In part due to the furlough because I fasted from social media and it's taken me some time to get back in the groove of reconnecting lol but also because I have been growing life inside of me and it has been kicking my butt!!! :)

I am the face: Pregnancy & Infant Loss Day of Remembrance

This day has flown by but I couldn't let it end without a small post for those who have miscarried or lost a baby. A year ago I would've never imagined relating to this demographic but as I shared in one of my most vulnerable and difficult posts here. I miscarried this summer. 

Tre's Bookshelf: September 26, 2013

Welcome to Tre’s Bookshelf! Let’s get started!

He wanted to get on the "puter" during our last library visit

As a refresher here are the books we read these last two weeks:

If You Give A Cat A Cupcake-Laura Numeroff

Bear and Bunny Grow Tomatoes-Bruce Koscielniak

Before I go to sleep- Ronne Randall

Time For School Mouse-Laura Numeroff

Just In Case You Ever Wonder- Max Lucado

Tre's Bookshelf: September 13, 2013

Welcome to the first post of Tre’s Bookshelf! Let’s get started!

This is an old picture!

First let me say that I never have time to read through the books I pick and I don’t have a particular strategy. I have a small window to pick books out because after a while my son is going to turn the library into a track. Lol! Therefore I look for books that seem different, that might encourage language development, books that expand on something we’ve already mastered and something he can have fun reading. It’s a mad rush to think about all of that, review the toddler section, and keep an eye on him while he plays in the puzzle area. Once we get home I will then sit down and read through every book I picked up and begin to work on my reading voice delivery just in case a book I picked is too “boring.” From there it’s an everyday adventure reading the library books and learning more ways to teach and discuss with him.

As a refresher here are the books we read these last two weeks:

Hippo says Excuse Me- Michael Dahl

Mommy Sing me A lullaby- Marci Butler

Swing like a Monkey-Harriet Ziefert

Morning, Mr. Ted-Crystal Bowman

My “S” sounds book-Jane Moncure

Miscarried Emotions...

The nurse told me that 1 in 5 women have had a miscarriage but in that moment I didn’t hear her subliminally saying you aren’t alone. All I heard was no; being told no never gets easy, especially as adults. We feel like if we do everything we need to do, in the way that we need to do it, according to the books, straight by the list, never going astray, we will have that thing we’ve wanted for what, at that point, feels like forever.

The Author: On The Heels... of an amazing encounter! (Book Release)

I’m back!!

You know when it rains it pours and after my son’s birthday our summer travels were non-stop!

The bachelorette party for one of my best friends

road trip to Cleveland

DST Centennial Celebration

Family Reunion

and finally the wedding

I have seen more of the highway than my house in the last month, not to mention, in the midst of all of this, I was pressed to complete the edits (huge thank you to my sister/June 21st mother twin Leah from 3 Girls with Curls! Two mothers with toddlers making it happen) and release my devotional On the Heels of My Father!!! Before I pick up blogging about what I’ve been doing since the end of June, what I’ve learned, trials I faced in the month of July, and sharing a message to encourage you along the way I must take this time to say THANK YOU to those who have ordered their copy of On the Heels of My Father.

Autographed copies: On the Heels-Autographed

Direct link: On the Heels of My Father direct

The Mother: Favorite Books and CD's

1st day of water play

My son will be turning 2 on the 21st of June and I wanted to do some mommy posts leading up to his big day! I have a lot of fun with him so much so that my sister tells me I need to get some friends my own age. But I enjoy laughing with him, teaching him, and watching him learn. Since I've talked about my love for reading and HIS love for reading, which is why I had to buy him a bookshelf, I decided to share some of my his favorite books and CD's. 

Fulfill the God said... Happy Father's Day

In my 9th month of pregnancy my husband tells me that God told him to leave his corporate job as a budget analyst to become a sports performance coach/personal trainer. Say what Lord... You want him to do what? In my 9th month of pregnancy?! Lord we need to chat.

2 years ago we took a LEEEEEAP! I'm talking about baby hold on, I'm praying for a ram in the bush type of leap. House payment, car notes, sallie Mae, baby on the way; you have to know in the depth of your heart that you are married to a man of God to make such a jump. 

Pressing On: Overcoming Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual Warfare

Share a time when you felt spiritually abandoned

This past year I felt spiritually abandoned. It was January 2013, I was at my house and all of sudden I felt alone. I felt as though GOD didn't hear any of my prayers. I would come home scared. On top of that, I worked swing shift (3:30pm-11:30pm) and my husband was deployed; my house was empty when I came home at night. You would think getting off from work would be the best part of my day. You know, looking forward to coming home and relaxing, but it was the worst. At that moment I realized I was empty. I had been encouraging people SO much that I forgot how to encourage myself. I knew scriptures and I could tell anyone where to find anything if they were going through something. But when I would read those same scriptures, I felt nothing. I would literally run to my room, take a shower, and get in bed. I was scared. I was at home crying because I felt like something else (evil) was there with me. I know it may sound crazy and I wish I was lying about that, but I'm not. I began to call people who I thought were "spiritually sound". I called people who "I thought" knew the Word. So in February, I called a minister and a family member. The family member told me I was getting spiritually attacked because I didn't have the holy ghost/holy spirit. I was furious, I didn't say anything I just listened because I know the Word and I know I have the holy ghost, but I was so tired of fighting spiritual warfare with myself, I had NO room to fight with anyone else. The minister told me to pray and she prayed with me. But when I got off the phone, I was still scared. I literally thought I was losing my mind. I have never in my 28 years felt fear like that. I just knew GOD had thrown in the towel on me.

Pressing On: Overcoming Divorce

Freedom

Share a time when you felt spiritually abandoned

The only time I remember feeling spiritually abandoned was after my divorce.  I remember feeling empty and alone.  Like life as I knew it was over.  I wondered everyday why this would be my story.  I had an incredible sense of failure and guilt.  Like no one understood or could help me.