REALLY?!? NO....REALLY?!? ALL THINGS?!?

Happy Blessed Wednesday Family,

Today's Mona Girl Blog is about an AWESOME!!!! Scripture the Lord's had riding shotgun with me lately.  And based on what He's showing me He's doing in the lives of my Friends.....(and YESSSS, I'm gonna bring them in yet again)......And based on what Our Lord's showing me He's doing in the success of my Mighty New York Mets Men (as they just continue to RAKE, play Defense, et al and make MLB and Mets Team HISTORY!!!).....Oh Yeah!!!!! This Scripture is **RIGHT ON POINT!!**

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God ALL things are possible." (Matthew 19:26 NIV)

And to bring the Power and Intensity and Awesomeness!!!! of Jesus' Words even further home......here's the Scripture in the Message Version (both versions include a smidgen of "Mona emphasis" in CAPS):

Jesus looked hard at them and said, "No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. EVERY chance in the world if you Trust God to do it." (Matthew 19:26, MSG)

Whew!!!! OK!!!! Now that's what I'm talking about - YOU GO JESUS!!! Family, when We're Living the Walk, Faithfully Talking the Talk, Abiding in HIM, Being Obedient to HIM, Giving HIM the Glory, Honoring HIM, Doing Our Part, Humbling Ourselves before HIM, Chill-laxin with HIM.......Oh YES! Jesus' PROMISE to **US** is........ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!!!  Not some, not a few, not a couple, not several, not one or two......but ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE if WE and the "things" WE desire are within HIS Will!! And most importantly......According to HIS Perfect Timing (smile).

Now for those of You who are Human like Me, it doesn't mean we're disqualified from Jesus' Awesome PROMISE if we're NOT Perfect!! That's the beauty of Our Savior's Word......He knows WE're NOT Perfect but we can claim and walk out this Awesome Scripture despite our Humanness.  We can Rest in Jesus' PROMISE that if we are doing Our BEST, that HE knows Our Heart and He will grant Us the Blessing to stand Strong, Confident and Faithfully on His Mighty Word.

I LOVE how the Message Version just breaks it down to the bone.....makes it plain............P-L-A-I-N....with Jesus not mincing His Words.....NO CHANCE AT ALL WE CAN PULL IT OFF....BUT EVERY CHANCE IN THE WORLD IF WE TRUST GOD!!!! Yahoo!! Thank You Jesus!!!

As I mentioned at the beginning of today's Mona Girl Blog, over the last couple months, Our Lord's been Showing Up & Showing Out in my Friends lives!! They are literally Walking Out Matthew 19:26 in their personal, daily, lives!! It is soooooo AMAZING to behold and I am soooooo GRATEFUL to Our Lord for giving Mona a front row seat to watch Him Work!!! Loves, Our Lord is quite the show off.  HE LOVES to Bless His Children....HE LOVES to Lavish His Flock....and when We Trust Him, Believe Him, Have Faith in Him....We are right smack dab in Position to experience the "With man this is impossible, but with God ALL things are possible" Blessings Jesus is talkin 'bout!!!!!

Oh Yeah Family!! Please take this Message to heart that the Holy Spirit has me sharing with You. Let Jesus give you a reason to get excited about His Promise.....let Jesus change Your mindset about how You look at the "impossible" stuff in Your life.....let Jesus give You His "this is a #FRFR Blessing that is available to You"......let Jesus Show Up & Show Out in Your life with His ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE Promise!!! And Loves, I Promise when You do......Oh Hallelujah!!! YOU will NEVER, EVER be the same!!!

Continued Success & Blessings!!!

THE BLACK DOT........

Happy Blessed Wednesday Family,

Before we get going today..........I just gotta, I MUST give a BIG SHOUT OUT to My Metsies!! The Talented, Gifted, AMAZING, Blessed, NEVER say die New York Mets Men just Keep Showing UP and Showing OUT!! These Boyz can PLAAAAAAY some Baseball Y'all! OH YES they can! Keep it UP, Stay FOCUSED My Fighting Mets Men! Oh Yeah! #Done!Fork!  "For NOTHING is Impossible with God." (Luke 1:37)

OK!! Whew!!!! Breathing.......For Today's Mona Girl Blog, I'm sharing with you an email I received from one of my Blessed Sisters in Christ. (Thanks LaRanda!!) 

It's self explanatory......the way we should ALL be walking out this thing called Life....and as LaRanda said: "Good for the Sight and for the Soul".  We don't know who the Author of this Beautiful Message is.....so let's say Thank You Holy Spirit for the Wisdom and Life Lesson. Enjoy Loves!!!

Family,  I will leave you with this Scripture (Thanks Westley!!) that fits PERFECTLY here.  It reminds US, just like this Beautiful Message, to keep our eyes on Our Lord and OUR MANY, MANY BLESSINGS!!

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." (Philippians 4:8, NIV)

Continued Success & Blessings!!!!

LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!

Happy Blessed Wednesday Family,

Today's Mona Girl Blog is very simple.............LOVE!!!!

For the last few weeks, Holy Spirit has been soaking Mona in LOVE!  LOVE for self. LOVE for family. LOVE for friends/acquaintances. LOVE for colleagues.  LOVE for strangers. LOVE for folks who don't LOVE Mona (LOL!).

Last Sunday, the Pastor's Sermon at Church was on You guessed it - LOVE! And today, Holy Spirit whispered to me to share the Sermon text from Sunday with You.

Most of us are very familiar with the Scripture I'm about to share because it's usually the standard Scripture read at Wedding Ceremonies.  I know I've been Blessed by friends who have asked me to participate in their Wedding Ceremony by reading this sacred and special Verse written by Apostle Paul of Tarsus and Sosthenes in Ephesus.

Even though it's a very common/popular Scripture, even though we've heard/read/maybe even studied this LOVE Scripture on several occasions, I urge each of US to take some time, some get alone time and Really REALLY let the Words of this Powerful Verse from THE BOOK sink deep into Your Heart and Soul.

Once You do, I can honestly say that You will never look at 1 Corinthians 13 and as the New King James Version entitles it - The Greatest Gift, the same. It will take on a whole new meaning for you now when you hear it at Wedding Ceremonies, Anniversary Celebrations, Church Sermons, Bible Studies, etc.

And Family, I hope/pray it will even make You LOVE differently...........LOVE of self, LOVE of family, LOVE of friends/acquaintances, LOVE of colleagues, LOVE of strangers, LOVE of folks who are unlovely........

Enjoy the read and I LOVE You :)

***THE GREATEST GIFT***

Though I speak with tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.  

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part.  But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.  For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.   

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is LOVE.

-1 Corinthians 13, NKJV

Family, I read this quote while searching for the above pic quote, and just have to share.........reminds me of what deep, intimate, spiritual LOVE is all about:

"I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.  I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep, your eyes close.". - Pablo Neruda




Continued Success & Blessings!

HONESTLY?? YES, PLEASE BE HONEST!

Happy Blessed Wednesday Family,

Today's Mona Girl Blog is short and sweet. Holy Spirit just said - ***HONEST***.  

Sooooo, I come with exactly that word today - H-O-N-E-S-T.  Living an HONEST life is NOT the easiest thing to do.  I can raise BOTH HANDS in this class and have several (SEVERAL) T-shirts on my desire to Walk/Stay in the HONEST lane :)  But WE are ALL human and I can Honestly say that I'm still a work in progress on many levels. But as I round the bases at this stage in my life, HONESTY.....Being HONEST has become such a refreshing part of my existence....it has become My best policy.

When You are HONEST, You are authentic, genuine, trustworthy, kind, loving.  Folks know where they stand with You....folks are drawn to Your HONEST nature....folks feel safe and comfortable around You...folks know you are #FRFR! And those are only some of the Benefits.  I've found from personal experience, when You're an HONEST person, YOU feel soooooo much better.  You are free-er. You enjoy life more. The little stuff....the DRAMA doesn't get to You. You are more secure, self-confident and comfortable in your own skin.  You have and extend a high level of Respect to Others when You are HONEST with Family, Friends, Strangers, etc.  You Honestly feel better when You're HONEST!!

And becuz I am a Word Abider (meaning, I *try* to run EVERYTHING I write/say by Our Lord), HE is NOT a big fan of Dishonesty.....NOT being HONEST. Whether "little white lies", "half truths", etc.

"What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth.  In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all.  When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself." (Ephesians 4:25, MSG)

AND this Scripture which is a tad more direct......(Thanks Holy Spirit):

"The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth." (Proverbs 12:22, NLT)

Rinse & Repeat:  From Mona's personal experience......the more I do my darndest (and it AIN'T ALWAYS EASY) to stay in this lane in my life....to walk this "road less traveled"......I can Honestly say.....You will feel better, You will act better, You will interact with other folks better, You will live better, You will look better, You will enjoy life better, You will exude a better energy, You will Really (REALLY) just be BETTER......when You are HONEST.

Well Loves, that's all I've got for US today. Being HONEST.......HONESTLY?? Yes, Please Be HONEST! 

"There's just some magic in truth and honesty and openness."

-Frank Ocean

Continued Success & Blessings!!

YOU'RE EXCEPTIONAL MY FRIEND!! #YesYouAre!!

Happy Blessed Wednesday Family,

Wellll, in today's Mona Girl Blog, Holy Spirit has me highlighting the Wisdom and Insight of some EXCEPTIONAL folks!

My friend Shellie Warren, who is soooo EXCEPTIONAL, penned a Powerful Devotional last week entitled: "God's Children Are to Be EXCEPTIONAL" (Bravo Shellie!!!!) One of the quotes she highlighted that stuck in and fueled Mona's brain was:

"In the same vein, an exceptional life demands that one find a cause in life's journey that warrants an immediate and sincere desire to champion beyond one's current accomplishments for a lifetime of transformational living.  It's a desire to indulge and play in the gargantuan world of the so-called perfectionists." - Derreck Kayongo

Oh Yeah!! That will make You sit down, put your head between your knees and read a few more times - LOL!!! Also in her Devotional, Shellie highlighted an Amazing Read entitled: The 10 Qualities of Exceptional People by Sherrie Campbell. And Ms.Campbell gets our attention Right from the start with her opening quote:

"The truly exceptional focus on cultivating their inner worlds and the most soft-spoken qualities of their character because they know to be wholly successful, it takes being a really good human being."

OK!! These EXCEPTIONAL folks Don't Play!! And my EXCEPTIONAL Family, this is where I'm going to drop you off today so you can partake of Sherrie's Wisdom and Insight. It's a GREAT read.......Yes!! An EXCEPTIONAL read. Enjoy!! The 10 Qualities of Exceptional People

Thanks again Shellie for the Exceptional Knowledge........I'm paying it forward!!! 


Family, ONE more thing before I let you go......I just Have to give a **BIG SHOUT OUT** to Terry Collins, the EXCEPTIONAL Manager of The BEST Team in Major League Baseball - The NEW YORK METS!! "For the fist time in 17 years, TC will be managing in a pennant race." (MetsBlog). 

Hallelujah!!!!! Thank You Lord!!! And You want to Know what the Biblical Meaning of the #17 is?!? VICTORY!!! Oh Yeah!!! YOU GO TC!!!!!! Nothing But God!!! Loves, you're probably, most likely, going to get soooo tired of me over the next few weeks of the Baseball Season, LOL!! But I ain't gonna stop Praising & Supporting My EXCEPTIONAL Mets Men!!!

"Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom." (Daniel 6:3, NIV)


"Exceptional people are often called crazy by the ordinary world." (Erica Jong)

Continued Success and Blessings!!!

STOP IT!!!! RIGHT NOW!!!

Happy Blessed Wednesday Family,

Today's Mona Girl Blog is about a Video (Thanks Westley for the knowledge!!) that I posted on my Facebook Page couple days back. The Video, "To This Day" by Shane Koyczan, is ALLL about Bullying (BULLYING!!).  

I was going to leave it at just the FB Post, but YOU Know if I'm penning today's Blog on "IT", Our Heavenly Father thinks this is something of GREAT IMPORTANCE that should be shared and shared and shared and shared again. And like Shane Koyczan said, he wants the Message in his Video to have a far reaching and long lasting effect in confronting bullying. So here we go.......please hold on tight!!

"Bullying" as defined by Wikipedia is the use of  force, threat, or coercion to abuse, intimidate, or aggressively dominate others.  The behavior is often repeated and habitual.  One essential prerequisite is the perception, by the bully or by others, of an imbalance of social or physical power, which distinguishes bullying from conflict. Rationalizations for such behavior sometimes include differences of social class, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, appearance, behavior, body language, personality, reputation, lineage, strength, size or ability.  

The Mona2Cents.com definition of "Bullying" is PURE FOOLISHNESS!!! And Family, Bullying is NOT just for Kids!!  I have been Bullied MORE as an Adult than I ever was as a child.  And YOU want to hear a Shocker that REALLY Hurts My Heart?!?  I've experienced more Bullying by so called Christians...folks IN my church...Believers (and sadly I use that word loosely).  As Jesus used to say during His time on Earth and it still holds true TODAY, "Love Your Neighbor as Yourself." (Mark 12:31, NIV).

And speaking of Jesus, Our Lord JESUS was the poster child for Bullying!! He was constantly being ridiculed, chastised, hated on, disrespected, degraded, belittled, dissed on along with other types of outright Ugliness and Not so Nice Behavior.  Just like Our Sweet Savior, when WE stand out from the crowd, walk a different walk, talk a different talk, look differently than the pack, have a unique spirit and energy, don't TRY to fit in but are Comfortable in our own skin, etc., etc........OH Yeah!! In most cases, the Bullies come out of the woodwork in packs to do what they LOVE to do to Us. Hmmmm but a word of Caution.....a Word of CAUTION from Our Lord:  "He said, "Don't hurt my chosen people. Don't harm my prophets." (Psalm 105:15, ERV)

Pull the Covers Off Mona Time: I've learned from My personal Bullying Sessions (and there've been LOTS over the past few years), that the Bully has a problem with Mona because I tend to be or do the things noted above and that They on the other hand, may feel threatened, have low self-esteem, are NOT Comfortable in their own skin.....and it makes him/her feel better to belittle and bully me. As a result, I immediately react (wellll, the New & Improved Mona - smile) with Love & Compassion.  I PRAY for my Bullies.  I ask Our Sovereign Lord to BLESS them and have MERCY on them. Btw, we won't get into what the "Old Mona" used to do (Thanks Holy Spirit!!)....that' a Message for another time - LOL!

Loves, I've watched Mr. Koyczan's Video a few times (and I recommend multiple viewings) so Shane's Powerful, Raw, Honest, "No sugar coated/rose colored glasses" Message could touch my soul and ignite a passion and zeal in me to NEVER, EVER AGAIN STAND BY AND WITNESS BULLYING!! And it has put a deep desire in me to PRAY even harder for the **Bully**.......because Bullying not only hurts and causes trauma to the Individual being Bullied BUT it causes damage and sometimes long-term effects to the Bully!!! A person cannot walk through life and maintain an existence of Bullying and NOT be effected or NOT have to suffer the consequences of their behavior.  Our Abba Father DOES NOT take kindly to folks Bullying His Children, His Flock, His Sheep.....

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brothers, ye have done it unto me." (Matthew 25:40, JUB)

As I close out our time together today, I encourage You to get somewhere quiet, when You have some Real Alone Time and check out this Powerful Video.  #ShaneDon'tPlay!!! A couple resources if you need them that are uber on point: Stop Bullying.Gov and Adult Bullying Resources

And lastly Family, I Pray this Video changes the way You look at this horrible epidemic called Bullying. I Pray this Video causes You to take a Stand and Speak OUT when You see Bullying occurring. I Pray that if YOU are a Bully - YOU WILL STOP THIS DETRIMENTAL BEHAVIOR RIGHT NOW and get the needed help and comfort!!  I Pray that if You are a Victim of Bullying, You have someone or a group of someone's to help You, Love on You, Protect You and PRAY with You.  I Pray this Video will touch You and move You in such a Powerful way that You Share it and Share It and Share It Again!!

Continued Success & Blessings!!

BE ENCOURAGED BOO!!!

Family......Shhhhh. I need your full, complete, undivided attention.  Come a little closer......closer...... I want to whisper something in your ear.  Did you see who's in FIRST PLACE IN THE NL EAST?!? Oh YEAH!  My Metsies!! I don't believe in the "j" word so I'm SHOUTING - YAHOO, WAY TO GO BOYZ!!!!! Keep Shining Brightly My Talented and Gifted Mets Men and Keep Doin what you Do ohhhhhh so Well!!! "For Nothing is Impossible with God." (Luke 1:37) #LGM!!!! #MeExcited!!! 


OK!! NOW that I've got that out of my system, let's get to today's Mona Girl Blog which is about Being Encouraged and Being an Encourager!!

We can ALL raise our hands in this class that there are times (Whewee!! Are there times!!), when WE ALL need some Encouragement. And there are times when WE are to give Encouragement to others.  It goes both ways, We receive and We give back.

And Being an Encourager is sooooo MUCH better than being a discourager, a naysayer or a Negative Nellie.  It doesn't take much effort to Encourage a friend, family member, co-worker, etc. who may be growing through a hard time, walking out some life stuff, dealing with a rough patch.  And when WE come along at just the Right Time and Encourage him/her......lift up, support, share a positive word, Pray with them or just sit and be a good listener...Oh YEAH, that's ALWAYS time well spent!

And on the flip side, when WE are going through some stuff.....someone will do the same for us......Just you Watch!!!  WE ALWAYS reap what we sow. Good and Kind seeds planted will bring a harvest of positive thoughts,words and actions to both the Encouraged and the Encourager.

As you all know, One of my all time Fave Mighty Men of God in the Bible is King David!! And BOY, could King David not only Encourage others but the King could Encourage himself when he had to!! And there were many, many times when King David was in despair, discouraged, weary, depressed, at his wits end.......and that's when he rose up with the Power and Love of Our Lord and Enouraged himself......

"In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul." (Psalm 138:3, NKJV)

"God, the one and only - I'll wait as long as he says.  Everything I need comes from him, so why not?  He's solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul, An impregnable castle: I'm set for life." (Psalm 62:1-2, MSG)

OH YEAH!! Now That's What I'm Talkin 'Bout!!! Whewee!! King David, REALLY knew how to Encourage himself.......King David, TRULY knew how to lift his Own Spirits......King David, CONSISTENTLY slapped himself Hi-Five when his circumstances required him to do so!!

And Loves, WE can take a page (heck.....the whole book) from King David's life in how WE are to do this Encouragement thing..........how WE are to Encourage ourselves and how WE are to be Encouragers. Here are a few of my FAVE "go to" Encouragement Scriptures to Fuel Your Soul and to Share.........

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, JUB).

"We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God - those whom he has called according to his plan." (Romans 8:28, GNT)

"I will bless you with a future filled with hope - a future of success, not of suffering." (Jeremiah 29:11, CEV)

"For with God, nothing will be impossible." (Luke 1:37, NKJV)

**And my 2 All Time FAVES**.........

"Now to HIM who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to HIS power that is at work within us," (Ephesians 3:20, NIV, emphasis added)

"I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13, NKJV, emphasis added)

Family, I hope you are Encouraged by this Wednesday's Post.  And as the Holy Spirit's been penning today's Mona Girl Blog through me for You, I'm soaking these Words of Encouragement in MYSELF. I'm taking them to Heart, Right Now!!  Thank You Jesus, this hit the spot!!

As I close today, I urge US again to not only Be Encouraged but to also and ALWAYS, whenever possible - Be an Encourager!! YOU will be Amazed at how YOU feel and the response YOU receive from those YOU touch with YOUR Encouragement!!  Oh Yesssss! #GoooodFeelings!!  #WarmFuzzies!!

FAMILY, THIS PIC QUOTE WAS SOOOOO GOOD,  I JUST HAD TO POST IT AGAIN!!

Continued Success & Blessings!!