BREATHE......................BREATHE

Happy Blessed Wednesday Family,

Today's Mona Girl Blog is about taking a DEEEEEEEP BREATH.........

Over the last couple weeks, I have received quite a few Prayer Requests from our Mona Girl Blog Family. And it's evident from the type of Prayer Requests I've received, there are some who are going through their own personal *March Madness* (and I'm not talking about the NCAA basketball games). LOL!

The Prayer Requests have been for a desire to be free of some of life's challenges, to be able to relax while in the midst of stuff, to be able to BREATHE............despite current circumstances.  The Lord put on my heart that those who are seeking Prayer are overwhelmed and weary from the day-to-day details that are just a direct result of being human on this earth :)

*Testi-Mona Time*:  I know from personal experience that when I get into the "white knuckle grip mode" on life's roller coaster and I'm being tossed about as the ride radically shifts from side to side, plunging up and down.......I run immediately to My Heavenly Father.........I run as fast as I can, requesting His Strength, His Courage, His Encouragement, HIS PEACE!! And when I finally get still, REAL STILL, and find myself Resting in His Awesome Presence (which is one of my fave places to be), I feel/hear His soothing and calming Words and His direction/guidance on how to proceed.  How to face and conquer **whateva** is causing me to fret and lose my cool. I can finally BREATHE..............

"And the Peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7)  A side note on this Scripture (which is one of my faves), the Apostle Paul wrote this Mighty Verse while in prison in Rome!  Oh Yeah!!  Now that's what I call the Peace of God!!!

So Family, as you go through the challenges, difficulties, trials and just the overall uncomfortable under belly stuff that life brings our way, I encourage you to get quiet, get still and seek Our Heavenly Father.  Talk to Him informally like you are chatting with a friend about what's going on and what you should do.  After all, He already knows the entire situation, He's already familiar with your current circumstances......and HE already has a Plan of Action for YOU if you take time to seek HIM.  Sometimes family/friends can give great advice and lend support but if you want the answer that promises to help you BREATHE.......the RIGHT answer..........I recommend dropping to your knees (or bowing your head if you're in public) and seeking Our Lord and Savior.  I can tell you from personal experience, HIS ANSWERS ARE ALWAYS THE BEST!! Now here's a little disclaimer (LOL!), sometimes getting to *HIS BEST ANSWER* is not always the most comfortable or aesthetically pleasing route but in the end, YOU will emerge a Victor and not a Victim of your circumstances!!

"The one who loves us gives us an overwhelming victory in all these difficulties." (Romans 8:37)

As I close out today's Mona Girl Blog, BREATHE..........is the Word of the minute, hour, day, week, month, year!! BREATHE...........BREATHE.............Oh Yeah!!!  It brings PEACE to my soul just to repeat it over and over and over again........as I allow my mind to slow down, become still, release my "white knuckle grip" and Let Go and Let God DRIVE!! You will not only feel absolute PEACE but when Our Heavenly Father drives, we are guaranteed a safe route/path through our **temporary** trials/challenges to THE BEST.....HIS BEST ANSWERS to life's stuff!!

You all know me by now.  I ALWAYS have Scriptures in my heart and for the last few weeks, here's the Word of God that's been riding shotgun with me: And He said, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." (Exodus 33:14)  Hallelujah!!  I LOVE My Lord!!

P.S. Family, keep those Prayer Requests coming.  YOU know I LOVE to Prayer with and for YOU!

Continued Success and Blessings!

SHAKE YOUR GROOVE THANG!

Happy Blessed Wednesday Family,

Today's Mona Girl Blog is about one of my FAVE things to do.........DANCE!!!  I've decided that this Summer, I will make it  **My Goal** to go out once a month and Dance the Night Away!!  Whether I'm on Fire Island at Low/High Tea, in The Village, Meatpacking District or Miami............that's one of my Summer 2015 Goals. Who's in with me!?! 

Yeah, *DANCING* is good for the mind, body and soul! It gives you FREEDOM and allows you to release and let your spirit soar, unfettered.  AND being an Old School House Music junkie, whewee!! When the D.J. gets into a groove......I'm good to go for at least 6-8 hours :)

Most of my adult life I lived in Chicago (The Home of House Music) and became a BIG Frankie Knuckles Fan! Awww my mind goes back to the MANY, MANY nights my friends and I set out for The Warehouse in Chicago at 11:00p and walked out the next morning around 6:00a as the sun was rising over the City. Yeah.......#GreatMemories!!

Frankie, born in The Bronx and moved to Chicago, was known as the 'God Father of House Music'.  He set the World on Fire with his music.......nothing but a Gift from God!!  He was truly Blessed and Talented. And when you listen to Frankie's music, YOU ARE INSPIRED.  You feel the passion and love he had for his craft......he was truly musically anointed and he left a deep and lasting mark on the Music Industry.

I say all this to say that *MUSIC* (whatever your Fave genre) is an Awesome way to break out of your comfort zone, leave the drama of the day-to-day, free yourself, let your emotions soar, enjoy time with family/friends, meet new friends and get a great workout :)

As I close today's Mona Girl Blog, I leave you with some of my Faves from Frankie!! And with the encouragement to join me in my Summer 2015 Goal to Dance the Night Away once a month :) Enjoy the Music and See you on the Dance Floor my Loves!!

"Dance is the hidden language of the soul." (Martha Graham)

Continued Success and Blessings Family!!

My FAVES & Yours! #Let'sShare!

Happy Blessed Wednesday Family,

Today's Mona Girl Blog is ALL about OUR FAVES!!  I'm sharing with you some of Mona's Fave Scriptures, Quotes and Pic Quotes.  After which I invite YOU, urge YOU to **Please** Share a Fave Quote, Scripture, Pic Quote, etc.  I look forward to the reads!! Thanks for sharing :)

Mona's Fave Scriptures:
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

"I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line.  I'm giving it everything I've got.  No sloppy living for me!  I'm staying alert and in top condition.  I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself." (2 Corinthians 9:26-27, MSG)

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is a work within us..."(Ephesians 3:20)

"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters.  He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths or righteousness for His name's sake.
Yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For you are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (Psalm 23)

Mona's Fave Quotes:
"Sometimes we see the end so we can endure the during." (Shellie R. Warren)

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.  Each one of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." (Albert Schweitzer)

"The most important relationship you can have is with yourself.  And if you can find someone who loves the YOU that you love.....well, that's just Fabulous!" (Carrie, Sex & The City)

"To be who you are and become what you are capable of is the only goal worth living." (Alvin Ailey)

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure....Your playing small does not serve the world.  We were born to make manifest the Glory of God that is within us." (Marianne Williamson)

"Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground.  Let their spirit ignite a fire within you to leave this world better than when you found it." (Wilfred A. Peterson)

"I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection.  Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God's business." (Michael J. Fox)

"It always seems impossible until it's done." (Nelson Mandela)

Mona's Fave Pic Quotes:

OK! Now it's YOUR Turn!!

Continued Success and Blessings!

*TRUE FRIENDS*!!

Happy Blessed Wednesday Family,

The last couple weeks, My Lord has REALLY been heavy in my ear and heart on "Friendship".  There was a song I used to sing as a camper at Camp Eberhart that went like this:

"Make new Friends but keep thee old,

One is Silver and the other Gold."

That song ALWAYS stuck in my mind, even now, so many years later.  The words ring TRUE to what True Friendships really are.  I have been soooo Richly BLESSED with Life Long Friends.  My crew and I go back to 2nd Grade Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, Freshman Year John Adams High School, Family/Church Friends in South Bend, IN!  (I LOVE you Guys!!!) And even though we don't see each other all the time, we are STILL connected.....our souls are connected.  When we see each other or talk on the phone after several months.....IT'S JUST LIKE OLD TIMES!!  Oh Yeah!!  That's what *TRUE FRIENDS* are all about.  

In addition to my Treasured Life Long Friends who are like Gold, I have also been Richly BLESSED with New Friends.  These friends, are people who my Lord dropped into my College and Adult life for us to share our journey's together. We've been in the trenches together, experienced "life's stuff" together, weathered the storms together and enjoyed the fruits and blessings of walking out this thing called life together. So when it comes to Old or New Friends, if **YOU** are being a Genuine, Authentic and *TRUE FRIEND*, you will receive the same in return.  It's just that simple. "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." (Proverbs 18:24)

Now, it's GREAT to have the Friends I've told you about but I could not pen this week's Mona Girl Blog on *TRUE FRIENDS* without a BIG SHOUT OUT to MY BEST FRIEND IN THE WHOLE WORLD.....My Lord and Savior, Jesus!  YES!! Jesus is my BFF, my ONE and ONLY TRUE FRIEND....My Ride or Die (as Bishop Jakes says). And as each tick of the clock passes, as each day passes, as each week, month and year pass, My Heavenly BFF and I become closer and closer and more intimately connected.  Whewee! There's NOTHING like having Jesus as a Friend!!!  He doesn't talk about you behind your back, He doesn't get jealous or hate on you when you have success, He gives AMAZING gifts, He provides godly wisdom and advice, He NEVER lies to you ("He is not man that he should lie" - Numbers 23:19), He's got a wonderful sense of humor, He embraces your uniqueness, He's an AWESOME secret keeper and He will ALWAYS LOVE YOU -- NO MATTER WHAT!!  There's a song we sing in church that describes this *Special* Friendship perfectly.  Here are a few of my fave verses:

"What a Friend we have in Jesus.  All our sins and grieves to bear.

What a privilege to carry, EVERYTHING to God in Prayer.

Can we find a friend so Faithful, who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in Prayer!

In His arms He'll take and shield thee,

Thou wilt find solace there."

I am Grateful for my Treasured Friends but OHHHH, I AM THANKFUL & BLESSED BEYOND BLESSED for My Friendship with My Lord. It is such a PEACEFUL and LOVING Friendship.  "I don't call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn't know what his master is doing.  But I've called you friends because I've made known to you everything that I've heard from my Father." (John 15:15)

In closing today's Mona Girl Blog, I urge you (if you're not already) to BE A *TRUE* (not counterfeit, not superficial, not phony, not "what's in this for me") FRIEND and You will be Richly Blessed with Treasured Friends.......New and Old.  AND most importantly,(if you haven't already), make it a **PRIORITY** to cultivate/develop a Friendship with Your Lord.  I PROMISE YOU, there is No One who's a BETTER BFF than HIM!!

"Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.  

'Pooh!' he whispered.

'Yes, Piglet?'

'Nothing', said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw.

'I just wanted to be sure of you.'"

-A.A. Milne

Family, do you have any stories to share about your Treasured Friendships??  Would love to hear about your crew and what they mean to You.  Please Share in the Comments below  :)

Continued Success and Blessings Family!