IT'S.................#EncoreWednesday!!

Happy Blessed Wednesday Family,

YOU KNOW what Day It Is?! YES!!  IT'S #EncoreWednesday!!

For today's **Featured Message** for #EncoreWednesday!, we get a helping hand from one of My Dear, Dear Friends, A Mighty Man of God who I've known since Birth!! Dwain (Son of a Preacher Man) and MAJOR BLESSING in My Life is taking us back to WHAT ABOUT WE? from Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Thanks Dwain!!

**Remember**: Email me at wincty@aol.com or post in Comments below or for those who follow me on Twitter, DM me at @MonaGirlNYC  to have your Fave Mona Girl Blog Message re-posted the last Wednesday of the month for #EncoreWednesday!!  :)

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WHAT ABOUT WE? 

Happy Blessed Wednesday Family,

Welllll, Holy Spirit is NOT letting me get off this "Giving" Theme so today, Holy Spirit is following up....CONFIRMING last week's Which One Are You? post, by speaking to US through one of my Fave Rabbi's.

Check out Rabbi Eckstein's message below as we get some more Fuel for Our Souls on Giving and Sharing......

A story is told about a Jewish man who wrote a letter to his rabbi because he was unhappy and needed guidance in getting his life on track. The letter read: “I need your help. I wake up every day sad and anxious. I have difficulty concentrating. I find it hard to pray. I feel that life has lost its joy and meaning. I need help.” The rabbi delivered his reply without writing a single word. Instead the rabbi took a red pen and circled the first word of every sentence: “I.”

The message was that the solution to the person’s problem could be found in his focus exclusively on himself. The rabbi was trying to gently, yet firmly, demonstrate that the secret to a happy and fulfilling life is to take the focus off of ourselves and place it instead on others. The happiest people in the world are the ones who make other people happy.

In Proverbs we read this powerful message: “Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart.” (Proverbs 3:3, NASB).  King Solomon recognized the importance of kindness, too. By telling us to bind it to our necks and inscribe it on our hearts, he was teaching us that we ought to make kindness – as well as truth – a major part of who we are both inside and out.

Most people go through life asking themselves, “What is in it for me?” However, this ultimately leads to a shallow existence and a feeling of emptiness. Life lived “all about me” can be a very lonely experience. Instead of asking “What about me?”, we need to start asking, “What about we?” In other words, how can I help us out? How can I brighten someone else’s day? How can I make the world better for everyone?

In Hebrew, the word for giving, natan, is a palindrome – it can be read the same way forward or backward. This teaches us that no matter what end of giving you are on, everyone benefits. But don’t just take my word for it. Go out and try it!

The Talmud teaches that kindness is even better than charity because it can be done for both poor and rich, and with money or without any. Everyone can perform acts of kindness today. Speak some encouraging words to someone who is down. Cook a hot meal for someone alone or hungry. Help someone run an errand, or offer your seat on the crowded bus to another person. Even something as simple as asking, “What can I do for YOU today” can enrich your life as well as many others. Make kindness a priority today!

With prayers for shalom,peace

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

Founder and President

Family, whenever Our Heavenly Father keeps knocking on my Heart with a message...with a To Do.....with a "Walk This Way Mona" nudge....I have learned from experience to LISTEN and TAKE HEED. And in the times I've done that.....been Obedient to His Guidance and Leading....I've come out the One Being BLESSED...and Being a BLESSING to others!!  I've learned that in Giving and Sharing and replacing the I's with WE's, it's a Life lived of Freedom, Joy, Happiness and Peace!! And Who doesn't want that?!?

Continued Success & Abundant Blessings!

Mets Gushing Moment:

The New York Mets 2017 MASTERPIECE Season will be unveiled as first pitch is thrown on Monday!!! LET'S GO METS!! #Unfinished Business! #RESTInNoah!!

Metsies Winning Season - Scripture #8:

"As Iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a Friend." (Proverbs 27:17, NLT)

I DON'T CARE ANYMORE! #ReallyIDon't!

Happy Blessed Wednesday Family,

Well Loves, Holy Spirit's been banging on the door of my Soul with a *Word of Confirmation* for some and a *Word of Direction* for Others............So Here We Go...........

It seems like We are in a place and time in society where what others are doing, what others are saying, what others are wearing, how others are living.....has become so important......has become so critical.........has become a way to navigate and pattern our own lives.  Being like someone else has become a Life Style!  We have become a society of mimics, copy cats and chameleons. It's as if we've lost our OWN - TRUE Identities!!

And for those who do venture out of the "this is the way you should act/look//think/speak/behave/dress mold"; for those who choose to walk a unique and authentic path; for those who dare to walk to the beat of their own drum........they are seen as radical, abnormal, "special".

We were created by The Master CREATOR!! He made Each of Us unique, different; He made each of Us with our own special light; He made each of Us in His Image!! He did not make Us to morph into a mundane, boring blueprint of each other.

There are times I look around and see folks walking out life like they are on a treadmill of conformity with a murky grey cloud surrounding their entire being.  Taking the same path, saying the same things, doing the same things as the masses.  It's almost like they are afraid to be themselves....afraid to reflect their Own, True Nature....afraid to even investigate, pursue deep within their Souls Who They Really Are!

It's so refreshing when I see/meet a Bright Light of Color beaming through the murkiness, reflecting an authentic and genuine Soul who's very actions scream: I DON'T CARE ANYMORE...........don't care what you think of me.........don't care if my being different makes you uncomfortable.........don't care if my unique wiring offends you........don't care if my swagger is not like the masses.  A Soul whose Bright Light Shines with the Courage and Strength to Live Life Their Way!! A Soul who radiates I DON'T CARE ANYMORE!  #ReallyIDon't!

When you stop and look at how Awesome and just Beyond-Beyond Our Sovereign Lord God is.......when you stop and look at Our Almighty God's Incomprehensible Creativity to Not make ONE snowflake alike, to create so many different species of insects that even Science is stumped, to create our boundless Universe where Man hasn't even begun to discover the vastness of the galaxies, to Not make even ONE human fingerprint Alike!! YES! This is Who We Are! WE ARE UNIQUE.......WE ARE AUTHENTIC.....WE ARE RARE..........WE ARE HIS PRECIOUS TREASURES......each with a Remarkable and Extraordinary Bright Light!!

"You alone created my inner being.  You knitted me together inside my mother.  I will give thanks to you because I have been so amazingly and miraculously made.  Your works are miraculous, and my soul is fully aware of this." (Psalm 139:13-14)

Family, when We meditate on/read this Scripture over and over and REALLY let it sink deep into our Heart and Soul!! We should rise up with a resounding, I DON'T CARE ANYMORE!  #ReallyIDon't! because WE embody every single syllable of that Scripture.......WE are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made by The Master Creator who makes NO Mistakes and makes NO two of His Children alike.

Loves, as We walk out this week and beyond, let's Agree to EMBRACE, SHOWCASE, what the heck....FLAUNT Our Uniqueness, Our Authenticity, Our True Identities...because We Truly Are **ALL THAT & A BAG OF CHIPS!!**

And when folks can't take You, when they're scurrrrred of Your "differentness" (yeah, I made that word up), when they're threatened by Your "You Doing You", when they scold you for getting off the status quo treadmill of life........Oh Yeah!! YOU KNOW just what to politely say as you click your heels and sashay away with Your Exceptional Self......I DON'T CARE ANYMORE! #ReallyIDon't!

**Mini Payer**: Father God, as We continue to allow Your Loving and Merciful Hand to stretch, mold, shape, transform Us into Your Holy Image; gently humbling us removing all traits of Pride, Offense and Self-Righteousness; let Us remember that We are Always A Work In Progress....Ever Evolving into Greater Expressions of Our Divine Selves. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Continued Success & Abundant Blessings!!



Mets Gushing Moment:
Oh Yeah Gentlemen!  Keep getting your work in, Keep honing those Blessed Skills, Keep Your Eyes on the Big Picture cuz the Momentum....the MOMENTUM.......THE MOMENTUM is Building to Opening Day!! #LGM! #OurGoal!


Metsies Winning Season - Scripture #7:
"We LOVE because He first Loved Us." (1 John 4:19, NIV)

MARCH MADNESS!

Happy Blessed Wednesday Family,

Before we get knee deep into MARCH MADNESS!, want to share with You a Revelation Holy Spirit dropped in my heart yesterday during my Lenten Season Bible Study Time: "Lent is no longer about giving up things - it's ALL about Becoming so I can Receive His Blessings." Whewee! That's pretty deep, don't cha think?!? WOW! OK. Just had to share. Would LOVE Your feedback on this....and please continue to share Your personal Revelations as We Walk Out This Lenten Season together :)

NOW.....ARE YOU READY FOR SOME MARCH MADNESS?!?  Loves, for those who've been reading for a while YOU KNOW I'm a Huge Sports Fan! LOVE, LOVE Baseball (My New York Metsies!), have loved hockey from birth since my Brother Mark played throughout my entire childhood, get into Football, Basketball, Tennis,Golf, etc. NO Horse Racing or Boxing.....too inhumane for my taste. But over all, being that the Cheerleader in me will NEVER die, I enjoy most All Sports and during this time of year......MARCH MADNESS is ALL about the NCAA College Basketball Tournament......Yes Mark! Still Working on my Bracket!!

And because I'm ALWAYS on the look out for Interesting, Fun, Educational, Inspirational and Encouraging Reads for Us.......check out what Holy Spirit put in front of me last week.  A Powerful Prophetic Word from an Anointed Sister who I recently met and so enjoy what Our Lord pens through her (Hey Dawn!!).  So Family, get a nice cup of Tea or a $2.50 size Bodega Coffee with Splenda and Skim Milk (my choice of beverage) or whateva suits Your taste buds......and sip along as you let Dawn's Definition of MARCH MADNESS! get you Fired Up, Excited and Ready for What's Next!!

MARCH MADNESS! The Time for the Underdog!

Dawn Baker

Strongly believing God has something very significant on His calendar for us this year, my seeing and hearing have been ramped up. When seeking Him for March, I keep hearing, “March Madness”! Not being a basketball fan I find myself, as usual, chasing God to find more of what He is trying to tell me. March Madness, aka the Big Dance, is one of the most highly entertaining times of the year, usually mid-March through the beginning of April. Everywhere you turn people are talking about it!

“March Madness, the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament is a single-elimination tournament featuring 68 college basketball teams from the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), to determine the national championship. The tournament is single-elimination, increasing the chance of an underdog, "Cinderella team" advancing; although these lower-ranked teams are forced to play stronger teams, they need only one win to advance.” Now let that soak in! THAT got me EXCITED!!

In the parable of the Vineyard the owner employed many workers, some started working at 9 in the morning, some at noon, some at 3 in the afternoon and others at 5. When it came time to pay them, they all received the same amount. Jesus is speaking of His Kingdom. God is employing and although many have been working since morning and others joined in at noon, He has jobs for others who’ll start now, His “Cinderella team”.

Those of you who’ve felt you’re the “underdog”, you’ve waited your entire lifetime to understand your purpose, get ready for some March Madness! You think you’re “unknown” but that is not true; you’ve been hidden, held back by God, being prepared. The truth is you are intimately KNOWN and loved by God. The beauty He’s worked into you is pure gold. Now He is going to display His Glory through you. What He has done privately, He is now revealing openly in His Light. He has been committed to you all along, perfecting all that concerns you, growing you up, assuring your wine skins will not burst. He has poured new wine into you and He is about to SERVE YOU to the world as a much needed offering, bringing HIS LIFE and LIGHT to the world. Truly saving the best for last, God Himself is getting ready to exhale through you and your life, using your history, launching you into your destiny.

“Then your light will break out like the dawn, And your recovery will speedily spring forth; And your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.” (Isaiah 58:8)

Nations will be held captivated by the God in you, in awe of the most beautiful expression of His heart, a true Cinderella story He’s prepared for the ball, the Big Dance. The stage has been set. The décor carefully and thoughtfully placed to highlight YOU, there has been great attention to detail by God Himself, even the lighting is set to enhance you as you represent HIM, His Cinderella for the BIG DANCE. While two kingdoms clash, you are going to SHINE! Although the enemy thought you were hidden away in the attic never to escape, God holds the clock and God’s clock says, “Appointed Time”.

"So, do not throw away your confidence; it holds a great reward." (Hebrews 10:35) 

It’s the time for the underdog, Cinderella Team, to Advance! 

Get Ready for MARCH MADNESS!!

Loves, I hope you enjoyed this Amazing Word and that You're Fired Up, Excited and Ready for this new kind of MARCH MADNESS!! The **MARCH MADNESS** of this Season We are In.......Walking Out in Real Time........Right Now!!

Continued Success & Abundant Blessings!

Mets Gushing Moment:

Metsies Winning Season - Scripture #6:

"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." (Romans 8:25, NIV)

OH YEAH!! I GOT SOMETHIN FOR YA TODAY!!!

Happy Blessed Wednesday Family,


Commercial Break:
For those of you who are not doing the **5 Week Lenten Season Bible Study**, I've got another option for you.  A One-Stop-Shop Downloadable E-Booklet from Daily Word loaded with Daily Inspirational Messages from Ash Wednesday (last Wed. 3/1) to Easter Sunday!!

Click here to partake of a Lenten Season Journey that promises to "renew your mind"; to draw you closer to Our Heavenly Father into a deeper, more intimate Relationship; and to experience ALL the LOVE and RESPECT Our Saviour Jesus deserves!! Be Ye Transformed

NOW........OH YEAH!! I GOT SOMETHIN FOR YA TODAY!!

Somethin to tickle your funny bone and make you LOL!! We know Our Heavenly Father is BIG on Laughter (He's Got Jokes!) and We also know that Laughter is sooooooooooooo Good for the Soul!

"He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy." (Job 8:21, NLT)


So enjoy the pics.  Throw your head back and let out a hearty, deep-from-the-belly, make-you-wanna-cry, honest to goodness LAUGH!!

And finally this one.......My Fave!!! 

Continued Success & Abundant Blessings!!!




Mets Gushing Moment:
I Know.....I **KNOW** it's Only Spring Training but Do You See What I See?!? #OnFireArms&Bats!!



Metsies Winning Season - Scripture #5:
"Look!" he said. "The people are united, and they all speak the same language.  After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them!" (Genesis 11:6)

DO NOT LOSE HEART!! #PleezDon't!

Happy Blessed Wednesday Family,

BEFORE we get into today's Message..........

For those who've been reading for awhile, Y'all KNOW that The Lenten Season leading up to Easter/Resurrection Sunday is my Fave Time of the Year!  And look at what Holy Spirit dropped in my lap, just in time for Lenten Season 2017!! And with today being Ash Wednesday.......what better way for Us to Kick-Off/Walk Out The Lenten Season together.    

Max Lucado is doing a Five-Week Lenten Season Bible Study (March 5th - April 15th) and I HOPE You (and whomever you decide to invite along for the Lenten ride) will join me on this journey!!  You can check out ALL the Details and Sign Up for the Lenten Season Bible Study here: HE CHOSE THE NAILS

Loves, Looking Forward to spending this Special & Humbling time with You.  If you've signed up and want to be Study Partners (as individuals or as a group)......give me a holla at wincty@aol.com.

"In the end, Lent isn't about giving up chocolate or Facebook.  It's about love....about giving God a little extra space in our lives to speak to our hearts.  May the days ahead be filled with these moments of prayer, peace, joy and love." - Father Richard Jasper.  Love You and Well Said Father Rich!!


NOW, for what Holy Spirit has for Us today..........

From the emails I've received from some of our Mona Girl Blog Family and the Prayers I've been Lifting Up, it's clear that WE are in a Season of WAITING ON THE LORD! Waiting on the Lord for Healing........Waiting on the the Lord for Deliverance.......Waiting on the Lord for Peace......Waiting on the Lord for Upgrades in Jobs, Housing, Life Stuff......Waiting on the Lord for His Promises to be fulfilled in Our Lives.......Waiting on the Lord for Our Breakthroughs........WAITING.... WAITING.....WAITING!

And Family, what I've learned from my **Personal WAITINGS**, it's ALL about "How We Wait" that's critical!!! Meaning that while In the Holy Waiting Room........We don't get discouraged and lose Hope, We Don't Quit no matter how difficult or frustrating, We RUN to Our Daddy God and not away from Him, We look to Jesus for Strength, Comfort and Peace, We stay in/read His Word (The Bible), We buckle down, focus on Our Heavenly Father and LEARN The LESSONS (Yes! ALL of them!), We don't book an extended stay at Woe Is Me Resort, We do our best to maintain a Positive and Expectant Mindset, We Never, EVER forget that Our Lord & Saviour is WITH US no matter what things look like! (Deuteronomy 31:8, NLT), Whewee!!......Hallelujah!!....(last one).....We learn more and more each day, wayyyyyyy down deep in our Heart & Soul, no matter how our circumstances appear, Who We Are In Christ...Our TRUE Identity!!!

Again....It's critical that while actively In the Holy Waiting Room, We DO NOT LOSE HEART!!

Oh Yeah!!! And this brings us right into the meat of today's Mona Girl Blog.......just like our title says....DO NOT LOSE HEART!!

Few days ago, Holy Spirit dropped this Fab Message by Dr. Tony Evans into my head space and WOW!! Puts ALL things in perspective.......gives some Much Needed Reassurance of Why Our Lord doesn't Always take Us the most direct (straight) route to Our Destines.......Why Our Lord most often chooses a route that includes **Detours**......in order to Develop Our Character.....in order to bring Us into closer relationship with Him........in order to Prepare/Equip Us for our God-Ordained Destiny!!

So Loves, check out the Video Pushing Through Your Detours along with the Message below from Dr. Tony Evans. I KNOW it will bring you Peace; CONFIRM that You're on the *Right Path* (His God-Ordained Path); give You a deep knowing that Jesus LOVES You and only wants His BEST for You; and give you Hope, Determination, Patience and FAITH so You DO NOT LOSE HEART!! Keeping You in My Prayers Family!!

Do Not Lose Heart

The life of Joseph is a perfect example of how life’s disappointments can actually be detours in disguise. At 17 years of age, God gave him a series of dreams that told him that one day, he would rule over his brothers. He told his brothers about his dreams and, in their jealousy and anger, they threw him in a deep pit and left him for dead. Shortly thereafter, he was sold off into slavery. While serving, he was falsely accused of raping his master’s wife and was thrown into prison. All totaled, Joseph spent 13 years enduring one disappointment after another before God brought him out of the pit into the palace of Pharaoh. Why would He put him through all that?

Those disappointments were places in Joseph’s life where God needed to prepare the man for the destiny and the destiny for the man. As a 17-year-old, he wasn’t ready for all that God had in store for him. God also needed to set the stage for Joseph’s arrival; it wasn’t until Pharaoh had his own dreams and could find no one in his kingdom to interpret them that God delivered Joseph from prison and into his destiny. His disappointments, were in fact, blessings. He acknowledges this when he tells his brothers, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result” (Genesis 50:20).

You also have a destiny. Maybe you’ve been waiting for God to bring you into it, but lately it seems as though you’re going nowhere or stuck in a rut. It looks like you’re moving further away from this destiny and in those moments, disappointment can set in. Do not lose heart; God hasn’t forgotten about you, He’s just not taking you there in a straight line.

For His kingdom,

Dr. Tony Evans

http://tonyevans.org

"What looks like a shipwreck or detour in our plans could actually be God's ordained path for our lives.  It may include financial challenges, health issues, relational conflicts, or any number of other hardships, but there is one certainty to which we can cling: Jesus Christ is our life, and He never changes." - Dr. Charles Stanley

Continued Success & Abundant Blessings!






Mets Gushing Moment:
I'll have a BIG GULP size of Mets Blue & Orange Kool-Aid with a Shot of #UnfinishedBusiness Please!!! 


Metsies Winning Season - Scripture #4:
"My dear friend, I Pray that EVERYTHING may go well with you and that you may be in Good Health - as I know you are well in spirit." (3 John 1:2, GNT)