What’s Next for the Blog?

So, today is my last Wednesday of posting on COAFW. Earlier this year I made a commitment to post every Wednesday, until the end of the year. I made the commitment because at one point I wasn’t being consistent with posting and I didn’t think that was fair to you, my readers. More so, I made the commitment for myself. Although I missed some Wednesdays and tried to make up for them at some point, the reward for me is that I continued posting no matter how I felt, whether I was tired, or anything else. 

I didn’t make any plans about whether or not I would continue to blog once I got to this point, but with end-of-the-year reflections that tend to come at this time of the year, I am going to think about it. What I do know is I love the gift of writing while using it to uplift others. I also know that if I choose to continue to blog, I want to be committed. 

So what does all of this mean? It means for now, this is my last Wednesday posting on this blog. It means that I’m going to take some time to think and pray about the next step for this blog (if there is a next step). 

Thank you to everyone who has been a reader and supporter of COAFW. I hope that my posts encouraged you, inspired you, gave you hope, or lifted you up in some way. You are always welcome to shoot me an email at coafw@yahoo.com any time, whether you want to just say hello or share something on your heart. 

I hope you had a very merry Christmas and wish you the happiest new year. 

Blessings,

Audrey

BLOGMAS: MERRY CHRISTMAS

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas that is filled with love, joy, and peace, as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I will be sharing another post later today or tomorrow. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎄

BLOGMAS: TAKE A MOMENT

Hello and Merry Christmas Eve ✨ Welcome to day two of “Three Days of Blogmas.” As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, I want to encourage you, if you haven’t done so, to take a moment and spend time with the Lord. I was reminded of this last night as I was wrapping gifts. I felt a little nudge in my spirit to take a little breather and spend some time with God. After wrapping the final gift that I was going to wrap for the evening, I did just that.

I took the moment to sit still and reflect on the beauty of this season, to remember what this season is all about, and what Christmas means, personally, for me. It was a beautiful moment and one that I’m glad I took. 

Take some time out of your day today to spend some time with God. He definitely wants to spend it with you (another thing I realized when I felt the nudge in my spirit that I mentioned above). The time spent will help to decompress from the holiday preparations, but most importantly you will be in the presence of the One who this season is all about and will experience the love, peace, and joy that the true spirit of CHRISTmas brings. 

BLOGMAS: Rejoicing in Rejection

Hello and Happy Christmas Week :-) I hope your week has gotten off to a great start.

This is not the usual Wednesday post. I thought it would be great, in the spirit of the holiday, to do my own version of "Blogmas." What is Blogmas? It is a series of blog posts, posted everyday from December 1 until December 25. Blog plus Christmas equals "Blogmas." :-) Obviously I'm not doing the series in its truest form, but I thought I'd do my own version in a very short form lol. With that said, I will be sending posts Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday this week. 

Today, I want to share with you another inspiring message by Bishop T.D. Jakes. The title of the message is "Rejoicing in Rejection." He put a very relatable perspective on the story of baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. If you've ever struggled with rejection or are struggling with rejection now, listen to this powerful message.

Have a wonderful Christmas Week. May you feel the spirit of Christ in some way as we celebrate his birth.

REJOICING IN REJECTION by Bishop T.D. Jakes
Scriptural reference: Luke 2:6-12

DEFINE YOUR HOLIDAY

So, Wednesday snuck up on me again last week and it got busier in the days following. Here is the post that I didn’t get a chance to post last week. It is another message that I shared on my personal Facebook account recently, and I thought it would be fitting to share with you as an encouragement this holiday season. 

DEFINE YOUR HOLIDAY 
I have been feeling a heaviness during this holiday season. I thought it was just me, but usually when this happens, it’s a signal from God that the heaviness is in the atmosphere, meaning people are walking around masking burdens, struggles, worry, etc...and the attempt to put on a smile on their face everyday to mask it all, is wearing on them. I just want to encourage you today that it’s ok not to be ok, even during the holidays. It’s ok that you want to stay home this year and not make your usual rounds, it’s ok if you’re struggling financially and can’t get the gifts that you would like to give, it’s ok if you think Christmas is overhyped and over commercialized, it’s ok if you feel that you can’t meet the expectations that the holidays bring. One of the best things you can do for yourself this holiday season is do some holiday confessionals to God and to yourself. Admitting that you are struggling is the first step. Letting go of the struggle (i.e. the need to keep up a facade, finances, etc...) is the second step. Making the holidays be what you want it to be is the third step. In it all, pray, confess, and ask God to guide you. Sometimes the pressure of the holidays can get in the way of its true meaning. Trying to keep up with holiday expectations can steal your joy. Define your holiday this year and every year going forward, release the burdens, don’t apologize for wanting to have a peaceful holiday, enjoy your holiday, and thank God for it all. Blessings everyone. I hope this helps. This is a note to self as well. P.S. “Peace” is the word that was placed on my heart as I was writing this. Protect your peace this holiday season. Wishing you blessings and so much joy. Oh, and if you’re on the receiving end of someone telling you that they can’t give or are struggling to give this year, if the usual plans for the holidays change, etc...be understanding. It’s not always easy sharing these types of things. The best thing to do is add to the joy and peace that they want for the holiday.

Don't Run with the Herd

Hello and Happy Wednesday :-) This week I'm sharing a very powerful message by T.D. Jakes called "Don't Run with the Herd." I hope it encourages you as much as it encouraged me.

Have a great rest of the week,