Post #51 - Life Is Fine!

Life is Fine
By: Langston Hughes

I went down to the river,
I set down on the bank.
I tried to think but couldn't,
So I jumped in and sank.

I came up once and hollered!
I came up twice and cried!
If that water hadn't a-been so cold
I might've sunk and died.

But it was cold in that water! It was cold!

I took the elevator
Sixteen floors above the ground.
I thought about my baby
And thought I would jump down.

I stood there and I hollered!
I stood there and I cried!
If it hadn't a-been so high
I might've jumped and died.

But it was high up there! It was high!

So since I'm still here livin',
I guess I will live on.
I could've died for love—
But for livin' I was born

Though you may hear me holler,
And you may see me cry—
I'll be dogged, sweet baby,
If you gonna see me die.

Life is fine! Fine as wine! Life is fine!


Poem courtesy of Poets.org.

Post #50 - Meditate on This

Meditation, at least for me, is imperative for a stress free life. It helps to quiet my mind and help me to relax.

When I don't meditate, I find myself worrying about everything... and trying to fix all of it!

I find myself stressing a lot and becoming frustrated when things don't work out the way I need them to. I also find myself wondering why my prayers aren't being answered and why I'm not receiving any guidance from God.

But, it's not that I'm not hearing from God, it's that I'm not listening. I pray, but I don't take the time to be quiet and listen.

That's when I know I need to meditate.

Meditation helps my mind to quiet and focus. Without meditation, my mind tends to ramble with various thoughts, switching quickly from one thought to the next.

When you meditate, your mind can focus on a specific thought, or on nothing at all. The main idea of meditation is to rid the mind of all of the clutter and replace it with clear, meaningful thoughts.

It takes some practice at first. You have to FORCE your mind to stop rambling, and focus. When your mind drifts to a thought other than where you want it to be, stop that thought where it is and deliberately bring your mind back to where you desire it to be.

When I meditate, I put on my favorite soft music (using headphones) to drown out any background noise. I like relaxing instrumentals or classical music. I sometimes like to listen to guided meditations, as well. This is where someone instructs you on how to meditate and often focuses on a specific issue or topic.

The best way to deal with an issue is to start in the mind.

The mind can increase or decrease the significance of an issue. It can make a problem seem much bigger than it actually is. Meditation helps us deal more positively with our issues by quieting the mind. With consistent, effective meditation, we can replace our mind's negativity with positive, self assuring thoughts.

Philippians 4:8 tells us to focus our minds to thinking on "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

This is usually the case in meditation. We focus on letting positive energy in and expelling negative energy out.

Over time, meditation - and keeping your mind quiet - becomes easier.

If we meditate correctly and consistently, we can learn to control and quiet our minds. We can easily wipe away negative thoughts. And we will be able to better control our actions and reactions.

And most importantly, we will be able to hear God's voice more clearly.

God speaks in a still, small voice. He does not yell and He will not attempt to compete with the noise and the clutter we allow to take over our lives. He will allow confusion and frustration until we realize that we need to slow down and listen. And become desperate enough to quiet our minds so that we can.

I, honestly and unfortunately, have found myself in this state more than once. And when I go back into meditation, I find that I can quickly get myself back in line... and back on track.

So, I highly recommend meditation. If you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, confused or frustrated, take some time out (about 10-20 minutes), light a candle, put on some soft, relaxing music, close your eyes, and just clear your mind. Allow yourself to relax (mind and body) and possibly even drift off to sleep.

Once you try meditation, you will want to do it more and more. You will look forward to the serenity and relaxation it brings.

Soon, you will be able to easily relax your mind and wipe out any negative thoughts. You will even be able to replace them with positive ones.

Just be consistent with your meditating. And don't be like me... don't get distracted and quit. Make it a habit and do it as often as you can. It will benefit you greatly!

-Erika!


There is a lot more to know on meditation. I will share a meditation tip or tool every Monday to help you get your week off to a great start.

For now, click here to find other posts in this blog to inspire and encourage you. 😃💚

Post#49 - My Doubt

I had another topic planned for today's post, but I didn't do it because I doubted myself. 

I doubted my ability to present the topic well and explain it thoroughly and correctly. 

I sat here all afternoon, thinking myself out of completing the post and presenting it to you. Convincing myself that it wasn't going to be good enough. 

So, I ask for your prayers as I work up the courage to give you what God has given me. I need your prayers to cover me so that I don't allow the enemy to shut me up.

I will not give up on the topic. I'm just going to present it a little later than I wanted to. 

Maybe I'll do a double post tomorrow, just to show the devil whose child I am!! 

Thank you for your love, support, and understanding. 

And, God willing, I will see you tomorrow... DOUBT FREE! 

🙏🛠❤💪

Post #48 - I Lost Myself

I lost myself somewhere. 

I lost my drive, my passion, my willingness to dream and to try...

I lost my laughter and my desire to make others laugh. 

I lost my love for love and for life. 

I lost me.

And it's been hard to pinpoint exactly where I was lost. 

Was it when I realized that my husband didn't believe in me? Was it when church people hurt me soon after I got saved because I was trying to walk like Jesus? Or was it when they put me down and humiliated me because they realized I had a gift?

Or was it way before that when I felt so unloved and alone at home? Or when I got bullied in school? Or when my mother left me for the streets and my dad denied me?

I don't know exactly when I lost myself, but I can remember the changes I went through. 

How I went from cracking jokes to never smiling. How I went from being the center of attention to hiding myself away. How I ran from love so it wouldn't hurt me anymore. 

I stopped doing the things I loved. I stopped pursuing dreams. I let the difficulties of life and the things people said get to me. I gave up and withdrew. 

I lost myself.

And then... I realized that I was lost.

And I determined that I would find myself again. Find my smile, my love, my light, my fire... My life.

I had to take my life back.

And I am taking it back. Day by day. 

It's a struggle. 

And every day I have to fight for my mind. Fight to remember that God is in control and He has given me authority and dominion. 

Every day I have to remind myself who I am. I have to remember to love myself. And remember that God loves me... even if no one else does.

Every day I am fighting for my dreams and my ability to go after them. I'm fighting to matter. But, not to anyone else... to myself.

I'm striving each day to be better than I was the day before. 

And to never retreat back into sadness and defeat. 

God has given me a joy in the midst of my pain that I, seriously, don't understand. But I am thankful for it. And no matter what I might be going through, I am going to continue to fight for that joy.

I am finding myself. 

And I am fighting to never lose myself again!

Post #47 - Forgiveness

Forgiveness is hard but it's necessary. 

Necessary for life and love and moving forward. 

Forgiveness is for you, not the other person. It doesn't require you to feel a certain way or have a particular experience...

It's a choice. A decision. 

I have been dealing with forgiveness, and it's really difficult for me. 

But, I know that I have to forgive. Even without a sincere apology, I know that I have to forgive freely, completely, and sincerely. And let it go. 

I've got to leave it alone and not expect anything from the other person. 

If we expect people to act or perform a certain way, we are sure to be disappointed. But, when we place our trust in God and place our expectations in Him ONLY, He will always come through and show Himself faithful. He will never let us down. 

But, first, we've got to forgive. 

Forgiveness leads to healing and happiness. It gives us the strength to move on. And to live and love again. 

Forgiveness gives us FREEDOM! 

So, I choose to forgive. 

Every time I think about it, I say, "I forgive you."

Every time I find myself dwelling on a specific situation or issue, I say, "I forgive you."

Every time I get upset because the same level of regret and apology has not been reciprocated, I take a deep breath, remember that God has it under control, and I say, "I forgive you."

Every time I pray, I remind God that I have forgiven and I thank Him for giving me a forgiving heart that does not harbor resentment or bitterness. 

It's what I have to do to ensure I don't get caught up in my past again, and I'm able to move forward.

It's what I have to do for me!

Forgiveness is hard, but I'm doing it because I deserve to live... and I deserve to live FREE!

Inspiration is nice, isn't it? Read more here!

Post #46 - My Absolute Perfection Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

This cookie is absolute chocolate chip PERFECTION!

It's not too sweet. Not too cakey. Not too crunchy.

It's perfect, scrumptious little morsels of rich, dark chocolate studded about the perfect balance of softness and chewiness. Mmmmmm.........

I love when the chocolate almost overtakes the cookie and you get a yummy, chocolatey treat in every delicious bite.

That is this cookie!

There's nothing better on a lazy Friday night than the ooey gooey goodness of a batch of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies! 

I often plan for this amazingness by taking all of the ingredients out of the cabinets and refrigerator before I go out for the day. The ingredients meld and blend together effortlessly when they are at room temperature. And when I get home, they are happily awaiting me, yearning to be poured and mixed and baked into my deliciously satisfying Friday evening treat.

The ingredients include:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, room temperature (I like mine to be almost melty soft)

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
AND

6 oz dark chocolate chips

As with most recipes when baking, we start by separating our wet and dry ingredients.

In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir them together lightly and set aside.

Sifting or whisking is not required here. We are not looking for light and fluffy. We want the cookies dense and chewy and amazing.

In a medium to large bowl, combine the softened butter and both sugars. Cream them together until well blended.

Don't look for a silky smooth batter here. The sugars won't be completely melted yet. Give it time.

Add the lightly beaten egg and the vanilla extract. Mix until well blended.

The egg is going to bring a bit of creaminess to the batter, now. Everything will come together nicely.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet in one to two batches, if necessary. Mix well, fully incorporating all of the flour. But, JUST UNTIL THE FLOUR IS MIXED IN. Do not over mix. We don't want hardened, tough cookies.

This is when we add the AWESOMENESS!

Add the 12 ounces of chocolate chips to the batter and mix until just blended but well distributed.

My recipe says to combine semi-sweet and dark chocolate chips. But, of course, you can add any combination of chocolate that you wish. Chunks would be nice, Hershey's Kisses, pieces of your favorite candy bar... they sky's the limit!

Also, most recipes call for adding only 8-10 ounces of chocolate chips. Well... most chips come in 12 ounce bags. And I like using THE WHOLE THING. Otherwise, it's just not enough chocolate for me (Don't judge me 😉).

And for the double chocolate option, make sure you have some white chocolate chips on hand and add a hefty helping of those pearl colored jewels into the already chocolate drowned batter. AND, you'll want to add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder to the dry ingredients.

(I sure hope to read the whole recipe before you try to make them... 😬)

Now, I like my cookies large. So, I use an ice cream scoop to measure them out. Again, you can use whatever you'd like and make your cookies as big or as small as you want them.

I use a standard sized ice cream scoop and place about 6 to 8 mounds of sweetness on a parchment lined baking sheet.

They only need about 8 to 10 minutes to bake, depending on your oven.

But, to be honest, I RARELY let my cookies bake the whole time. I like them only lightly browned around the edges and still looking kind of raw in the middle.

I'm telling you.... PERFECTION!

When you take them out of the oven, let them rest on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes. They will continue to cook and the centers will set.

But, don't let them cool all the way. The cookies HAVE TO BE nice and warm when you take the first bite. That is when they are at their best!

And, of course, these cookies just would not do without a tall, ice cold glass of milk.

If you're anything like me, just 2 or 3 of these cookies will have you in chocolate heaven and drifting off to a blissful Friday night sleep.

Just try not to get any of the chocolate on your forehead...or cheeks...or chin... But, you probably will!

Enjoy!

Post #45 - Get Back Into Focus

Today was a good example of how life - and time - can get away from us. Today, while I was doing some "spring cleaning," I lost track of time and forgot to check in with y'all.  

It happens, doesn't it? 

We get so caught up in doing one thing that we forget that we have other important things that we have to do.

This is the reality of life.

Sometimes, because life gets by us, or we get caught up in the throes of it, we get distracted from the things that mean so much to us. 

We make our distractions our focus. They become more important than the things that should be our priorities. And we miss out on what is meant to bless us. 

Sometimes the things we are distracted by are very important and mean a lot to us, too. 

This is when we have to prioritize. Decide which item is more important. 

Which one has the most value? Which one requires or deserves more of our attention?

Then, we divide our time accordingly. 

We give more time to the one that is most important and holds the most value to us. 

This is how we take control of our lives and not allow them to overtake us. 

The hustle and bustle of life, the stress and complexity of it, can wear us down if we let it. But, that's when we stop, remember what's important, and bring our priorities back into focus. 

We can't allow life to take over or get away from us. We have authority over the throes of life. And we can bring them under submission when we remember what's important.

And don't get caught focusing on the distractions. 

Post #44 - Scripture Focus

Today, I want to share with you one of my favorite scriptures...


"...work out your own soul salvation with fear and trembling..." (Philippians 2:12).


I encourage you to meditate on this scripture and study it.

What does this scripture mean to you? How does it cause you to view your existence?

We will discuss it (and other scriptures) in upcoming posts.

Until tomorrow...  XOXO

Post #43 - Spring Cleaning

My aunt had fallen out of love with her house and decided that she was going to move out of it at the end of her lease. 

But, at the last minute, she changed her mind and decided that instead of moving, she would do some redecorating and spring cleaning. 

Sometimes, a bit of spring cleaning and redecorating is what we need for our lives.

We cannot change our pasts or trade in our lives for a new one. But, we can take care of the one we have.

We need to acknowledge the issues that our past and present situations have created, and deal with them. 

We need to do some mental and spiritual clean up.

In doing this, we have to let go of the people and possessions that do not benefit us. And purge the habits and attitudes that keep us bound. 

We have to ask ourselves if the things we are doing and the way we are doing them is acceptable. 

We need to conduct an honest evaluation of ourselves. Of the way we do things and the way we treat people. 

Are we loving or hurting people? 

Are we giving or just taking?

Are we selfish in our ways or are we willing to compromise?

And if we are lacking anything upon the completion of our self evaluation - if anything needed to be purged - we should fill it with the word of God. 

Use the bible to redecorate. 

Apply the lessons of the bible to your life and watch it change for the better!

We can't move out of the life that we are living in. But, we can clean it up and make it livable again.

Post #42 - I ALMOST Lost It

I almost lost my patience this morning. 

Thoughts and feelings flooded me as I woke up this morning that made me start questioning things.

Actions, sincerity, motives... why we do what we do. And why we DON'T do what we should. 

I almost lost my countenance this morning thinking about empty words and broken promises. About how people tend to only consider themselves and not the hearts and feelings of others. 

Then, I remembered who I am. 

I remembered that I am a child of God. I am disciplined and controlled. 

I remembered that God is working out my problems and I just have to let Him work... while I wait and trust. 

It's ALREADY done and I'm going to get EXACTLY and EVERYTHING God has promised me! And it's going to be bigger and better than anything I could ever ask for or imagine! 

So, I've got to keep my patience and God-like demeanor. I've got to keep my countenance.

No matter what happens. No matter how upsetting or heartbreaking. I've got to keep my eyes on God and maintain the fruits of the spirit. 

I have to keep my face to the floor and my eyes to the sky!

All of this is not for nothing. It will pay off in the end. 

Post #41 - Your Comments

Hello Everyone,

Some of you have let me know that you have been having issues submitting comments to this blog. I apologize for this and I hate that we can't interact with one another.

It seems that other bloggers are having the same problem and have presented their issue to Google as well.

Google has been making some changes to Blogger to make it more compatible with mobile devices. Currently, people who read the blog using their phones don't see all of the options and information available to Mac and PC users.

I believe that this is what's causing the problem. Because no one has had any issues posting comments to my blogs before.

Hopefully Google will fix this soon.

In the mean time, it was suggested that I update Google Chrome on my computer
and set it as my default browser, which I have.

It has also been recommended that you all update your Chrome browsers as well and view and attempt to comment to the blog through Chrome.

I understand that this can also be an inconvenience, because so many of you use so many different devices and browsers to view the blog.

So, until the issue is resolved, if you would like to comment on your favorite posts, please email your comment to me at: experiencelifewitherika@gmail.com.

I have created a page in the blog where I will post your comments and my responses. This way, we can make sure I receive your comments and they're not getting lost out in cyberspace somewhere!

Please be sure to include your name and the post that you are commenting on in your email. If you want to be anonymous or want your comment to remain private and not shared, please let me know that as well.

I will let you know when your email has been shared on the blog.

Again, I apologize for the inconvenience and I hope that it is resolved soon.

Until then, I hope that the email alternative works well, allowing you to share your thoughts... and allowing us to connect!

I appreciate you all and am truly humbled by your support.

I look forward to talking with you!!

-Erika!

Post #40 - Thank God!!

In today's post, I want to take the time to thank God for the work He is doing in me. He has shown me some things about myself that needed to be changed in order for me to grow and become the woman He has called me to be.

And I am SO THANKFUL for this revelation.

Some people may take offense to God pointing out their weaknesses. But I am thankful because I know that having weaknesses does not make me horrible or not good enough. God is my strength. And when I am weak, I am made stronger in Him.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 says that when we are dealing with our weaknesses - the thorns in our flesh - we only need to know that God's grace is sufficient. God's power works best in weakness.

"So," Paul says, "Now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

I thank God that He is so gracious to show me my weaknesses. To take the time to improve and refine and equip me for my purpose. I could not be as effective in ministry as the person I was before, or even the person I am today.

God is constantly developing me and making me better than I was yesterday. He is smoothing out my edges and sharpening my mind.

He is teaching me endurance and perseverance. He is teaching me compassion and understanding, faith and self-control. He is teaching me Himself and giving me the confidence and trust to follow Him blindly.

So, I thank God for revealing my weaknesses. And for my healing and growth. And I thank Him that I don't have to give in to anybody's judgement of who I am today related to who I used to be. I am who God says I am... no matter what anybody says or believes!

And I am going to keep on growing and learning and applying that knowledge to my life.

I refuse to go back to who I used to be or allow myself to remain the same after God has shown me the areas that needed to be fixed in my life. I am ONLY MOVING FORWARD.

There's no looking back to the old me... Thank God!

Post #39 - Why You Lose

I recently heard someone say that God gives and God takes away. This is true, but sometimes we are blaming God for something He did not do. Sometimes, we are the causes of our own loss. 

God may ALLOW the loss to happen. But it is often our pride, arrogance, selfishness, and stubbornness that is the culprit. It is our emotional state that causes us to lose. 

We hear that still, small voice of God telling us the right thing to do, the right way to go, and the right thing to say. But, we let our feelings override Him and we act according to our emotions anyways.

We know that we should not do or say a certain thing, but we do or say it anyways out of anger and spite - out of the emotion of the moment. 

We promise to never hurt the one we love, but they end up getting hurt because we react in our anger. Or we allow our loneliness and vulnerability to drive us to a place where we should not be. 

Many of us lack self control and we lose what we love, not because God took it, but because we failed to control ourselves and pushed what we loved away. 

Too many times we blame God, or even the devil, for our losses and the situations we get ourselves into. When it's ourselves that we need to blame. 

It's convenient to blame someone else for what we're going through or what we've lost. But, ultimately, we've got to take a hard look in the mirror. We've got to take responsibility for ourselves and our own actions. 

And until we take responsibility, we're going to keep finding ourselves lost... and without that which we love the most. 

Post #38 - Leveraging Your Past

We've heard it said that we have to let go of our past in order to move forward. I agree with that... to an extent.

We can let the events of our past hold us or help us.

When we allow ourselves to see only the negatives of the past and we let them 

turn into bitterness and resentment, we are letting the past hold us. We are letting it keep us from the blessings of the future and the fulfillment we could be experiencing if we had used our pasts correctly. 

However, when we learn from our past experiences and let them show us what we are lacking or what we need to change, we leverage our pasts and use them for our good. 

We can take the positive things about our past selves, or the things we learned in our past and use them to complete who we are today. 

For example, when I was a young adult, I was confident and laid back mixed with a bit of arrogance and anger. 

I can take my confident coolness and combine it with my growing spirituality to be a well rounded person - confident in my abilities, trusting in God for all that I need, and worried about nothing. 

Of course, I would leave the arrogance and anger in the past.

We can learn from our past to help us move forward. 

We can take the lessons we learned from our failures and use them to help us succeed in the next attempt. We can take the skills we picked up along the way and use them to help us perform better. We just have to remember to seek out the positives - the silver linings - in each situation.

We have to remember to let go of the hurtful things from our past and not let them wound our spirits. 

This will allow us to love again after being hurt. To try again after closing that business. And to live again after losing someone we loved. 

Yes, we should let go of the past... let go of the things that don't serve us and keep us bound and scared to move forward. 

But we should leverage those things of the past that can help us to be stronger today and in the future. We can learn from them and use them to make us complete. 

With wisdom, we can use our past. Use it to help us have a better tomorrow. 

Post #37 - The Aftermath

I was doing some cleaning the other day and found myself in deep thought. I was thinking about my situation and the things I have been enduring.

I found myself complaining... to myself. Complaining about what I don't have, what I've gone through recently, about being misunderstood, about love and loss.

I found myself listing them and thinking deeply on them. I made a mental note (out loud) of all the things that need to be fixed in my life. Everything that has been going wrong.

Then, I caught myself. What was I doing??!

I was so focused on the problems that I forgot that they were already solved. God has already worked them out in my favor!

I had to change my focus and what I allowed myself to concentrate on.

Instead of thinking about the problems, I began to think about the promises that God had made me. The promise that I don't have to worry, because what I was concerned about is already done.

So, I immediately changed my focus. And I started thinking about all the amazing things God had already done for me, as well as those things He has promised.

I started thinking about the aftermath. And I started PRAISING GOD for it.

For those things that are about to happen... all the blessings AFTER the struggle. AFTER the trouble.

What I know for a fact is that what I am dealing with right now will not last forever. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

What I know is that I won't have to look forward to these hard times for long.

God has made me promises of deliverance and prosperity. He has prophesied freedom and victory!

So, instead of focusing on the bigness of my problems, I am choosing to focus on my God, who is BIGGER THAN MY PROBLEMS.

He has already set forth a plan that has me living the life of my dreams. A life of freedom, wealth, faith, happiness, obedience, and purpose.

I can see it in the distance.

So, I'm no longer complaining about my problems...

I'M PRAISING GOD FOR THE AFTERMATH.


Want to follow me? If on a computer, click "Follow" to the right of this post. If viewing on your mobile device, click "View web version" below this post, then click "Follow" to the right.

Thank you! I REALLY appreciate your support!

You can also click the "Home" link to view other posts in this blog, or click here.

Until tomorrow.... -Erika!

Post #36 - Happy Veterans Day!! 🇺🇸🎂🥂

Happy Veterans Day to all who have served and Happy birthday to my beloved Marine Corps!

Every day I feel proud to be a Marine and a part of such a coveted brother and sisterhood. 

My years in the Marine Corps were some of the most outstanding years of my life. Everything was not perfect and I definitely had my complaints (and my fair share of trouble) but it was an amazing and exciting time. 

My time in the Marine Corps molded and shaped me in ways that still shine through today. I still say words like scuttlebutt and side straddle hops. I still share stories of my experiences. And I still eat like it's the first meal I have had in months! 

I still strive to hold on to the discipline, leadership skills, and work ethic that I learned and valued so highly. 

And that invincible, killer spirit still comes out of me from time to time.

I often regret not making the Marines my career. There were many things I wanted to do and many countries I wanted to visit. 

I've seen my peers' successful careers and subsequent retirements, and it reminded me of what I could have had. What could have been...

I guess it just wasn't meant to be for me. But I am still proud to have served. And I still love my beloved Corps! 

Post #35 - Fearless!! (Poem)

Fear used to have a hold on me; it slipped up and lost its grip! 

Post # 34 - A Little About Me

In an attempt to shake things up a little, I want to tell you a bit about myself. The problem is, I have no idea what to tell you. 

So, to help us get too now each other better, I want you to ask me whatever you might want to know about me. 

I will answer as many questions as I can and will be as open and transparent with my answers as possible (within reason). 

All I ask is that everyone stays positive and respectful. 

I will start by sharing that my favorite color is red and my sign is Aries.

Red definitely matches my personality. And though I'm not into astrology, everything I've read about an Aries pretty much matches me as well. I am fun and fiery once I get to know you and feel completely comfortable around you. I am also very determined and can be quite aggressive when I need to be. 

Is there anything else you want to know about me? Ask me down in the comments and I will answer. And if your question requires an extensive response, I will dedicate an entire post to you and your question. 

Yay! I'm excited!

Thank you for following me and I look forward to your questions. 

Reading other posts in this blog will help you get to know more about me and what I am passionate about. To read more, click here! 

Post #33 - You Still On That??

I have a question... 

How long are you going to hang on to that?? How long are you going to let it take over your life?

Some people don't know how to handle hard times. They don't know how to cope with life's difficulties. And when something happens, no matter how small, they fall apart.

To some, hard times could just be a petty argument, a disappointment, or an innocent mistake. These people are unable to see those things for what they are and they totally take them to heart. 

They treat small infractions as if they are tragedies and they just can't seem to get past them. They allow these issues to ruin relationships and cause divisions. 

Why?? 

Are we really that weak of mind and spirit that we can't let small things go and move forward with our lives? 

What if something REALLY tragic happens?

How are we EVER going to cope with the real tragedies of life if we can't handle small arguments and disappointments? How can we face our real trials if we fall apart when someone disagrees with us? Or when things don't go the way we want or expect them to?

We've got to grow up and get a backbone!

We've got to build some spiritual fortitude to know that we can endure anything that comes our way. To know that the weapons that are formed against us will NOT prosper! 

How will we ever have successful relationships and marriages if we fall apart every time we have an argument? To be successful, we have to forgive, let it go, and move forward. 

Only those who are weak and immature hold on to small infractions and treat them like mountains. 

Only the weak hold grudges and treat people they love like enemies. 

Those of us who are strong in will and mind see life for what it really is - a series of ups and downs that are meant to strengthen and refine us. 

We take responsibility for ourselves instead of constantly pointing fingers at others. We own up to our mistakes and we apologize for them. We forgive those who have hurt us. 

We make amends and we proceed with our lives - the little bit of time we have been given to spend with those we love.

So, how long are you going to hold on to it? When are you going to let it go? 

Because you're missing out on life and love while dwelling in your pettiness and self pity.

And you're only hurting yourself. 

Post #32 - Homemade Pancakes Anyone?!

You may not know this, but I make some of the best homemade pancakes ever!

No seriously, I do!

I absolutely HATE boxed pancake mix! The pancakes from a box always turn out rubbery and flavorless like little flexible frisbees. And they only taste good if they are COMPLETELY DRENCHED in syrup.

I just can't stand eating them any other way.

I grew up on boxed pancake mix and tolerated them. Basically, because I had to. But, when I realized how easy it was to make pancakes from scratch, I never looked back.

My homemade pancake recipe is nicely flavored with brown sugar and can be adapted for the occasion or for your taste. All you have to do is add vanilla extract or cinnamon or any other optional flavor that strikes your fancy.

The pancakes are not at all bland, but not too sweet. And are nicely complemented by a pat of butter (between each layer! Yum!) and Aunt Jemima syrup (Of course).

Sorry to all my maple syrup lovers, but I am NOT a fan.

This recipe is extremely simple and can easily be cut in half (which I usually do when cooking for just myself) or doubled.

The recipe begins by preparing the wet and dry ingredients.

In a medium sized bowl, add 1 cup of flour, 1 Tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, and 2 Tbsp granulated sugar.

In a separate small bowl, or I like to use a measuring cup, add 1 egg, 2 Tbsp vegetable oil, and 1 cup of milk. Mix these ingredients well, making sure the egg is fully incorporated into the mixture.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix to combine.

I like to do a quick mix with a whisk. Just whisk aggressively for about six (6) full stirs and then STOP. The mixture should be fairly smooth and resemble the pancake mix you are used to.

For the love of God, please DO NOT over mix this batter!

Now, set the batter aside and let it rest while you warm up your frying pan or griddle.

As your griddle warms up, the batter will bubble a little bit from the baking powder. This is normal and is what makes the pancakes come out soft and fluffy.

Depending on how large or small you like your pancakes, this recipe will make approximately 4 to 6.

I like to use a 1/4 cup measure to pour my batter. It makes about a medium sized pancake and comes out just the way I like it - not too thin and disky, but not too thick and bready. Perfect.

Before you start to scoop out your pancake batter, this would be the perfect time to mix in any additional ingredients, like blueberries, chocolate chips, or mashed bananas. I, personally, prefer blueberries. They give the batter a nice tanginess that perfectly complements the sweetness.... soooo goooood!

Slowly pour the pancake mix onto the griddle until it reaches your desired size. Cook it for about four (4) minutes on the first side, or until little bubbles cover the top. Flip and cook the second side for 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned.

I like to stack 3 to 4 pancakes on my plate (of course, putting butter between each layer) and pouring enough syrup over them to flood the empty areas around the sides of the plate.

Can you tell I have a sweet tooth? 😁

I also like to enjoy my pancakes with fresh fruit sprinkled over them and an ice cold cup of milk or orange juice.

There's nothing better on a lazy Saturday morning than a plate full of syrupy pancakes to send me back off to sleep.

I'm telling you... ABSOLUTE BLISS!

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Post #31 - I Am Soooo Happy!!

Yes, I am going through some things and I know that I shared just the other day that all hell had broken loose in my life.... but, I can truly say that I am happy!

I'm happy because I have Jesus! 

Jesus is the light of the world. He brightens up every dark place. 

When I was going through my break up, God is what got me through. And now, as I am going through my trials, I choose to remember where my help comes from. 

Instead of being distracted by the things I am going through, I keep my focus on God. And every time the thoughts about my situation try to come to get me down, I rebuke them and give them to God.... again.

I don't allow myself to dwell too long in the memory of my mistakes. I dwelt there for far too long when I was trapped in darkness. I'm not going to let myself sink back into that dark place now that I've seen the light. 

I can be happy in the middle of mess because it's God who is comforting me. It's God who is guiding me. It's God who is holding me up. It's God who is encouraging me. 

I'm not happy because everything is going great in my life. 

I don't have to fake it or put on a show. 

I'm happy because God is my light and my salvation. God is my comforter and my friend. 

I am happy because I LITERALLY gave all my troubles to God and I LEAVE THEM WITH HIM. 

Yes, I sometimes start to worry about when God's promises will come to pass. And I even doubt that they will when the situation looks like it will never change and the promise will never happen. 

But God always reminds me that He is working it out. He sent me a message this week that encouraged me. He said that I don't have to worry. That it's already done! 

That means that no matter what it looks like, no matter what it feels like, my situation is ALREADY worked out. 

God is speaking to spirits, renewing minds, and healing hearts. God is making the situation better than it was before....

And it's all because He loves me. There's nothing that I did and no hurdles that I had to jump through. 

All it took is for me to turn my trials over to God and trust that He is going to work them out. 

And because the burdens no longer belong to me, I don't have to live a heavy and burdensome life. 

Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to me, all who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." He promises that His "yoke is easy to bear and His burden is light."

I've chosen to trust that those words are true and believe that once I give my burdens to God, He will handle them and take all the stress off of me. 

So, I don't have to carry the load of my mistakes or my heartaches. I don't have to condemn myself because of what I have done. And I don't have to live with the hurt of what someone else has done to me. 

I know that I can confess my sins and turn away from them. And God will forgive me and remember my sins no more. 

I don't have to dwell in it. I don't have to beat myself up. And I don't have to allow anyone else to beat me down and constantly remind me of my mistakes either. 

That's why I'm happy!!

Because I have taken responsibility for my actions. I have confessed my sins, given them to God and have turned away from them. 

Because I have given my pain to God and forgiven those who have hurt me.

Because every time the memories of my heartaches and mistakes try to come back to haunt me, I give them back to God and don't allow myself to dwell in them. 

I trust that God is working them all out for my good. 

So, if you like sulking and dwelling in your own self pity, keep doing what you're doing and keep living with hurt and disappointment. 

But if you want to be happy... let it all go! 

Give it to God. Trust that He is going to take care of it and take care of you.

And just BE HAPPY! 

I was focused on God and doing God's work when I realized my happiness. Even though all hell is breaking loose around me, I feel JOY in my heart! 

And I owe it all to Jesus. He is the light of MY world. 

He lights up my dark places!! 

Post #30 - What's Next?!?!

Today marks the 30th day of my 365 Days of Consistency Challenge! Yay!

One month down... only 11 more to go!

I don't know about you, but I'm having fun!

Challenging myself to write everyday requires me to tap into my creativity to come up with new topics. It also requires that I study to ensure truth and accuracy. And listen for God to tell me what He might want me to say.

For the first month, I shared some of my life's events and lessons. I shared some of my failures and mistakes. And I shared what I learned from them.

I have shared some encouraging and uplifting words for both of us. And I hope they have been helping you as mush as they are helping me.

Going forward, I will continue to update you on my life, telling you about my failures and successes. I will also continue to uplift you and encourage you to leave your comfort zone and pursue your dreams.

I will also be presenting some new content.

I will be filming and writing more for my blog and YouTube channel Experience: Life. I will be writing "How To" posts about my favorite things to do and some new hobbies I want to learn. I will also be sharing some articles and POSSIBLY some poems to show you what else I can do 😁... and offer a bit of variety.

If you have any suggestions as to what you would like to see and read, let me know in the comments section. I would love to hear your ideas and challenge myself to accomplish them (within reason... I don't mind having a little fun, but nothing TOO CRAZY y'all!).

I'm looking forward to our next 335 days together. I hope that you will click the link to follow me at the right of this post, and continue your amazing and overwhelming support!

I thank you! I love you! And I will see you tomorrow!!

-Erika!

Want to get caught up and read the other posts in this blog? Click HERE.

Post #29 - Get Over It

A lot of the time, we hold on to the things that hurt and disappoint us and let them affect our lives. We hold on to these things for many years and they begin to dictate how we live.

We also let them dictate how we feel.

Some of us isolate ourselves and struggle to love and trust again because of the hurt we've felt. But, we can't let someone else's actions ruin our lives.

If we want to move on and have full and happy lives after the hurt, we have to let it go.

We have to forgive - not for them but for us - and let it go.

How are we ever going to see good times and be truly happy if we are holding on to hurt from our past?

Holding on to it can ruin future relationships and put a strain on current ones.

We have to learn from the mistake, the disappointment, the hurt - whatever it is - and simply LET. IT. GO!

Get over it so that you can be free... and happy again!

Post #28 - Put Your Pride Aside

Some people are too prideful to say I'm sorry. 

They know they feel remorse and they know that they want to apologize, but they would rather see a relationship be ruined and miss out on a blessing than offer a sincere apology. 

Pride is dangerous. It kills and destroys. 

Proverbs 16:18 says that "pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."

If we are not careful, we will allow pride to take all that we care about because we want to be right or save face. 

But, pride will always come back to hurt and haunt you. 

Many times, those who have lost loved ones and opportunities because of their pride, feel deep hurt and remorse. Some even8 die too prideful to make amends. 

I knew a man like that...

He had burned his bridges with his children to the point that they refused to have a relationship with him. The man would rarely speak of his children. But when he did, the pain he felt was evident in his eyes and in his voice. But he was still too prideful to make amends.

While he sat in his pride, he was missing out on his children's milestones and successes and watching his grandchildren grow. 

The man was so prideful that he died not having fixed his relationship with his children. And the children were so resentful that they refused to claim their father's belongings and signed them over to the state. 

How sad. 

Unfortunately, so many of us live in these prideful situations - alone and angry and too proud to admit that we were wrong or to fix what's been broken.

Jesus, in Mark 7:21-23, calls pride an evil thing that comeths out of man and defiles him.

Pride ruins the lives of the people who adopt it. It leaves them frustrated, confused, and unable to deal with the problems of life. Pride makes people blame others rather than take responsibility for themselves. And leaves them empty.

If you find yourself feeling this way. If you are struggling with pride, do all that you can to let it go. Humble yourself and apologize. Make it right. 

It may be uncomfortable for a moment, but your relationships will be mended and your life will be better and blessed. I assure you, you will be much happier. 

James 4:6 says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." When you humble yourself to do the right thing, God blesses your efforts and works out the situation you were dealing with. 

Trust God even in your prideful place. He will give you the grace and strength to act in humility and restore what was lost. To fix what was broken. 

Lay down your pride and pick up humility. Say what needs to be said. Do what needs to be done. And stop sabotaging what is good in your life. 

Stop sabotaging your blessings. 

Post #27 - It's Hell, But it's Gonna Work Out

You know how you know that things are about to get better?

ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE!! 

That's what my life has been like lately. I know I write like everything is copacetic.... BUT IT'S NOT! 

My life sucks right now! It is chaotic and in turmoil! 

But, I just accept it. I try not to complain and I try to stay positive. 

I know it's not going to be like this forever. I know that God is working things out in my favor. 

And I know why troubles come. 

I know that they are not meant to break me. So, I am intent on going THROUGH this trouble, rather than giving up in the middle of it. 

I'm going to see what's on the other side.

I'm going to fight it out. 

I'm going to keep being obedient and following God, even if I don't understand. I'm going to trust that God is going to do what He said, even if it takes a long time to come to pass. And I'm going to follow God where tells me to go, even if where I'm going takes me out of my comfort zone.

It's hard right now, but it won't always be. Good things are right around the corner for me.

This time, I have the authority over the difficulties! 

I'm staying in prayer. I'm continuing to read my bible. I'm staying in CONSTANT contact with God.

That's the safest place for me to be!

I can't let this difficulty overtake me. 

I'm staying strong. I'm staying positive. And I'm coming through this... ready to receive my blessings!

Post #26 - It's Been a Long Day

My mind has been so preoccupied today and I have been unable to concentrate. I did get some important projects done. But I have been completely unable to think of anything to talk about today. 

I've mulled it over all day. I prayed about it and sat in silence for a long time, trying to come up with something, but nothing came to me. 

Now here I am in the last hour before I'm supposed to post and my mind is still blank.

I tried writing something about delayed blessings, but it just wasn't coming out right. So, I moved on to something else. 

After a few attempts at writing something interesting, I decided to write this post telling you that I could not think of anything interesting to write about tonight. 

Exciting, isn't it??

What can I say? I'm not a robot! 

But, I did commit to this challenge to write something for 365 days straight... and here it is. 

I'm going to try not to do this often. I need to work on writing more than one post a day so that I don't have to struggle to get something posted. 

For today though, I present you with this masterpiece... my excuse for not coming up with something better and being a total disappointment.

But, in my defense, the day has been long and tiresome...

Hopefully tomorrow, both the day and the post will be better. 

See you then!! 

Want to read something more interesting today? You can read the other posts from this blog here!