Real vs Fake, which one are you?

This topic is something I personally feel that people stay away from all in the name of being politically correct. Well, let me help you shine some truth to this topic especially on a special holiday like Memorial Day. I believe real people gave up their lives for this country in battle. Real people honor and respect this beautiful country and the flag for all that it stands for. They fight for each other in battle and never lose sight of one another. Have you ever asked yourself if you represent one of those examples of those soldiers who fought so hard for this country?

Now, I might be using the soldiers as an example but let me bring this home. I’m tired of seeing people who call each other friends but aren’t there for them. They talk behind each other’s back and come in front of you pretending to be your so called “friend.” I call this act being phony and I truly dislike it. If you say you are a friend to someone, be real with them and stop being fake. When they’re in need of something, be there for them whether good or bad. Don’t run away when a problem arises, but take initiative to address the issue. Pray with your friends, encourage them to never give up, counsel them when they need to be counseled, rebuke them when they’re wrong and don’t try to sugarcoat their wrongs, laugh a lot, and make many memories together. You don’t always have to be on the phone 24/7 to be considered a real friend.

I hope that as you spend the Memorial Day together with your loved ones, remember the true soldiers who fought for this nation and gave it their all. Are you giving your all to your friends? Are you being real with them by loving them, teaching, pouring truth and helping them grow in God? Or are you being a fake friend? Which one are you? Hope this inspires you to look deep down your heart and make things right. Until next time, HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY and stay inspired.

#adakuinspires

Thankful Thursday

What a beautiful building that I’m very proud to call my church, Rock City Church. Today, I’m dedicating my blog to this church because it means a lot to me. Right in front of this building was where our wedding party took pictures and it came out gorgeous. This part of the building is the prayer room which is where I spend some of my quiet times like I mentioned in my previous blog. The church as a whole is a blessing to me because I met my handsome husband here. He popped the question “WILL YOU MARRY ME?” on the rooftop of this building. We got married here, had our lovely daughter, and dedicated her all in this amazing church.

Now, I’m sure there are people who would read this and disagree with everything that I’ve mentioned but you know what, I’m not here to entertain any negativity. I believe that no church is perfect and it’s only God that sends you to the right church. I hope and pray that the church you attend brings you joy, peace, and happiness. I mean every word that I’m saying and nobody is paying me to speak the truth concerning what Rock City Church has done for me so here is my platform to express my gratitude.

I am blessed to call the people that I’m close with, family and most of my true friends come from this church as well. I thank God for the future of RCC and I don’t see myself any other place. Needless to say, I am thankful to call Rock City Church my home church and I’m proud to be going here. Are you proud to call your current church a home church? If so, what are you thankful for concerning that church? I would like to hear your thoughts in the comment below. Have a blessed day everyone and always keep your eyes focused on being inspired.
#adakuinspires

Having A Spiritual Glow

One of the things that I enjoy doing is setting aside a private time to immerse myself in the presence of the Lord. There’s no place I enjoy doing that other than the prayer room at our church. I have a prayer partner whom I go with and, when we go, we mean business. Don’t get me wrong, I spend time with God as well at home but sometimes there are distractions here and there that keep you from staying focused. For me it’s just worth that drive outside my comfort zone in order to go to war against demonic forces operating in the spirit realm.

This week as we were wrapping up our time with the Lord, He dropped in my spirit “Spiritual Glow”. We began praying that God will give all the members of our church a Spiritual Glow and people will begin to ask questions like “What’s happening to you lately?”, “You are glowing, tell me your secrets.”
We left there filled with joy and happiness. When I came home I began to research more on the word “Spiritual Glow”. To glow according to Webster Dictionary means:
To give off light and heat; To shine as if greatly heated; To show a strong bright color; To be excessively hot
The synonym for the word “glow” is “light”. Light in the dictionary simply means: Bright color

“Who is like a wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, And the sternness of his face is changed.”
‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭8:1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Having a Spiritual Glow means that the glow of God is a strong, bright light of Christ which shines forth from your face. God has given us victory, meaning our joy is not dependent on our current circumstances. His Word says that “in His presence there is fullness of joy and at His right hand there are pleasures evermore”.
It is God who puts joy on our face; He reaches way down in our hearts and makes us feel better. The good news is that His presence is everywhere we go and it causes us to glow.

If we say we are believers we should have a heavenly glow so that others are convinced that we have encountered Jesus. My prayer is that Lord will help us to spend more time living in His presence, so that His glory will shine on us.
Are you receiving God’s Spiritual Glow today? If not, what’s stopping you?

#adakuinspires

Thankful Thursday

Today’s Thankful Thursday goes to my dear friend, Courtney. She flew all the way from Florida with her husband and two kids and we got a chance to catch up. Courtney and I go way back up to our college years. We did a lot of things together like studying, exercising, and pushing each other to become better in life, especially our careers. I was one of her bridesmaids and by the time it was my turn to get married, she was already in Bahrain with her husband who is an officer in the United States Navy. It’s a blessing to have such an amazing friend in my life because distance doesn’t stop us from calling each other or FaceTiming each other. We make it work because we value our friendship.
One remarkable thing that happened during our wedding which I will never forget was that, both Courtney and her husband were able to watch our wedding through webstream all the way from Bahrain. Our wedding was live streamed, which enabled my extended family and friends living outside the country to be a part of our special day. Courtney’s husband Greg told us that,on the day of our wedding, they had a flat tire. Here he was trying to change the tire to get the car rolling again while Courtney was in the car viewing the wedding ceremony. She ran out of the car with her phone screaming to Greg to watch when hubby and I were pronounced husband and wife. She cried, of course just like me, because we are that emotional, but it was tears of joy. That was the coolest thing that ever happened to us throughout the years Courtney and I have known each other and our friendship is still going strong. We don’t call each other all the time but, when we talk, we can go hours reminiscing about our past without realizing the time.

Needless to say, I am blessed to have such a friend in my life and I am forever grateful. Do you have a friend like that in your life? If you could share in couple of sentences about them, that would be awesome because I want to hear your stories. Looking forward to it and I hope you stay inspired.
#adakuinspires

The Essence of The Park

I don’t know about you but I get giggles when I get a call to go to a nearby park for a photo shoot. Some people don’t know this, but I like to kick my shoes off the curb, put my hair in a ponytail, have no makeup and enjoy playing in the water at a park if there’s one around. I consider myself an easy going person who just enjoys the simplest things in life, especially when it has to do with nature. On a beautiful day like this, Kizzy and I drove to the park to meet up with @bethanyjphotography. If you haven’t known her by now, then I encourage you to check her out on Instagram and Facebook because she does an amazing job. Anyway, on this day she took some cool shots which I couldn’t wait to share with you guys. The lighting was perfect. The water fall in addition with the rocks and greens made it look so picturesque.

This, in my opinion, was one of those days I won’t forget and I definitely will do it all over again. Wait a minute! I change my mind on that especially after having  the experience I had with this bicycle. Do you see how I’m posing with this bike as if I’m that cool? Let me share something with you that I’ve never shared with anyone yet.

Growing up, my parents never taught us how to ride a bike. Sometimes I ask myself why these little kids in my neighborhood all ride their bikes and I’m standing, wishing to myself that one day it will happen. I guess one day came to this day when Bethany decided to teach me how to ride a bike. Mind you, I’m in my late twenties, so this is so embarrassing. Of course I’m so shy because I see these cars driving into the park and the pressure kicks in. I overlooked all that distractions because I was determined to learn and overcome this fear of getting hurt from riding a bike. Needless to say, I was so sore that night into the next day but was very proud of myself because I don’t plan to give up. I hope this teaches someone a lesson that perseverance is a vital key to becoming successful in life.

Don’t give up on trying no matter how many times you’ve fallen because there’s always an opportunity to get back up. I couldn’t tell you how many times I got scratched on my legs but that didn’t discourage me to quit immediately. I pray that whatever you set your mind to do, you don’t quit but stay focused until you achieve it. Hope you are blessed reading this today and continue to be inspired by your dreams.
#adakuinspires

The Value of Healthy Friendships

Everyone deserves to be in a healthy, loving friendship and with the right person by your side. A healthy friendship is completely attainable and here are a few traits of healthy friendships or relationships:

* trustworthy. Are you “using” someone as a friend until a better option comes along? A true friend would never do that. True friendship finds fulfillment in encouraging, supporting and building up the other person. If you’re in a friendship only for what you can get out of it, you’re in it for the wrong reason. A real friend is always faithful and looking to protect by seeking what’s best for the other person.
* loving. Part of genuine friendship is telling your friends what they mean to you. Be creative in looking for ways to express your feelings: hugs, notes, pats on the back, getting them coffee even when it’s not expected. Depending on your age, personality and interests, you’ll find ways of expressing affection that are genuine. No one ever gets tired of hearing that they are loved, valued and appreciated. The important part is being consistent and making sure your thoughts are communicated and received.
* open. Be honest with your friends. As you learn more about them and become more comfortable in your relationships, you will naturally share more about yourself. Go slowly at first. Friendship is a process. Do not share the most intimate details of your life until your friends have proven that they will love you and value what you share.
* respectful. Respect means listening without interrupting. It means you don’t focus on your friends’ weaknesses but look at their strengths. It means avoiding a judgmental (condemning) and critical (condescending) spirit. Instead, make sure the words that come out of your mouth are kind, uplifting and considerate. Your friends should walk away from you feeling they’ve been treated as the most important people in the world.
* a servant. Selfishness is one of the biggest enemies of true friendship. Rather than asking what your friend can do for you, find out what you can do for them. Make a deliberate effort to discover what your friend needs. It could be a kind word, a helping hand, encouragement, comfort, and many more. One of the side benefits of serving your friends in this manner is that they will likely respond more by returning the favor.
* a speaker of truth. There may be a time when you need to lovingly confront a friend on their wrongdoing. Pointing out weaknesses can be difficult, but it’s a true act of love all the same. The Bible says that if you “rebuke a wise man, … he will love you” (Proverbs 9:8). As long as you’re speaking the truth in love (and trying not to be hurtful), these tricky times can prove to be building blocks in your relationship. If you ignore every wrongdoing and bottle up all the hurt inside, you will grow increasingly angry and probably wind up lashing out under pressure — something that almost always proves damaging to friendship. When you’re offended it’s vital that you speak to your friend as soon as possible before it turns to bitterness.
* a positive person. No one wants to be around a person who’s negative all the time — the person who sees the glass as half empty instead of half full. Look for the best in people and in situations. Then express those optimistic thoughts. When you hear someone else’s grumbling and complaining, try to turn those thoughts into positive ones.

* Reach out to those who are lonely. When you see someone at school, work, or at church sitting alone, go over and sit with them. Talk to them and get to know a little bit about them. And don’t let popularity determine whom you reach out to. You’ll often be surprised at the beautiful qualities hiding behind a shy or awkward appearance. When you break the ice by demonstrating that you love and care, you receive love and care in return.
I am very grateful for the friendships I have established in my life over the years. I hope these points will help you in achieving a healthy friendship with your friends or partners in Christ. Be blessed and stay inspired

#adakuinspires

What an Experience

I’m sure by now you are wondering and asking yourself “where is she going now?” Well, let me enlighten you. I did an interview on a woman whom I am very happy to meet and have known for quite sometime now. If you haven’t seen it, here’s a link below and check it out. After this interview, I changed into my regular clothes and continued the rest of my day; I mean I was on the roll. It was such a productive day and I was so proud of all the things I had to accomplish with the help of a dear friend.

As we drove off to continue onto the next agenda for the day, we came across this abandoned valley. We parked on the street and walked across the unknown land. This is how adventurous I can be because I’m very intrigued by random things that may not make sense to some people. I’m sure if you would have driven past me, you would have shook your head asking, “what in the world is this lady doing over there?” I was so happy to have found this random place that was full of trees and rocks. It was a very beautiful sight for me to capture just for that moment.

As I reflect on this day, I began to ask myself this question. How many times has God put something random in front of you and you decided to neglect it and go about your precious day? We sometimes don’t realize that, when God is taking you through a journey, He allows you to see the good, the bad, and the ugly, but it’s up to you to figure out how you can handle the tests. Carrie Green puts it this way “Give yourself permission to feel comfortable with being uncomfortable. Know that it is part of the journey that is helping you grow.” Embrace every step in your journey and know that your journey is nothing but your own story, style, and inspiration to many generations. What’s your story? What’s your journey? What are you doing to inspire someone? What random bump have you come along as you’re traveling on your journey? Please share some of your thoughts in the comment section below because I would like to hear them. Have a great weekend and Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! Thanks for all you do and stay blessed, beautiful, and  inspired.
#adakuinspires

 

Thankful Thursday

Drove to Delaware to see this amazing woman right here. She means a lot to my family and that’s why she got our full support in anything that concerns her. Shall we start with Summer of 2016 when she took her precious time while her friends were hanging out and having a good time and decided to spend a couple of weeks painting Kizzy’s room. She did a Lion King mural on Kizzy’s wall. Do you see how talented she is?

Fast forward to when Kizzy was born, she came down and spent some days with us and we had such a blast. Part of the fun was taking a beautiful picture of Kizzy which we use so often because it was that good.

Did I mention she’s an amazing photographer, so if you’re looking to have your picture taken, leave your comment below and I’ll make sure you have her contact information.

There are so many countless memories we’ve had with this beautiful soul right here and that’s why I’m dedicating my Thankful Thursday to you, Bethany. Thank you for all that you do and the time you take to help people out when they need it. Your endeavors are not forgotten and we want to say congratulations again on your graduation. The pictures below are some of the photographs Bethany worked on while in college and that book was dedicated to her mum-mum. This is a little taste of the work she did so I hope you enjoy it.

We are so proud of you and we hope your light will continue to shine through the journey that God has placed for you. As you move forward, keep prayer as your number one priority and don’t ever loose focus. Stay beautiful inside and out. Continue to be inspired. #adakuinspires

Tips To Overcome Hardships and Struggles

When I was asked to speak to a group of middle schoolers, I began to ponder about it especially by asking myself, “What impact can I make in their lives within this short period of time?” I was also informed that these students came from homes going through hardships and struggles which I certainly related to. It’s important to know that when you’re going through a journey, whether short or long just know that God will get you through it and you will come out on the other side laughing. I thank God each day for bringing me out of my hardships into a place of love, peace, and joy. Below are five tips I put together to help you overcome hardships and struggles:

5 Tips to overcome hardships and struggles:
1. Reflect and acknowledge bad times: when you reflect on the bad times you’ve had, it helps you to get closer to those opportunities in front of you.
2. Write or talk about how you feel: Find someone genuine that cares deeply about you and tell them about your struggles or you can blog about it just like I’m doing. I love blogging because you never know just who may be viewing what you’re writing and how it may help that very person.
3. Tell yourself “I’m not Alone.” The truth is that you have people who do care, so don’t curl up and submerge yourself into the world of loneliness. Sometimes it’s people who don’t really know you that may share the same feelings as you do. Don’t think you are going through this all by yourself.
4. Get Back Up, but only stronger: Kelly Clarkson says “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Be strong and determined to push forward. Try not to dwell on “what if” circumstances.
5. Have Faith: With Faith you can move mountains. You can either choose to live in faith or live in fear. With Faith, you have an energy to keep going forward and not look back.

I hope these tips will help you to stay inspired to keep pushing forward!

#adakuinspires

Thankful Thursday

Today is one of those days that I wouldn’t think will approach really fast. I got a call from a friend of mine who wants me to come give an inspirational speech to a bunch middle schoolers. I am highly honored to do this because it gives me joy that I get to impact the next generation. A generation of special needs students who come from various families that are going through hardships and struggles. I can definitely relate because I have been through struggles and have overcome them by the grace of God. This is why I know God is using me to go Inspire them. God is definitely up to something that is bigger than my eyes so I’m patiently going through this journey with him. To some people it’s not a big deal but to me, this marks the beginning of many inspirational speeches in the near future. I am very thankful for this special day and I will keep you posted via my social media. If you’re not following me on Instagram and Facebook, go ahead search for Adaku Inspires and follow me. I will be posting some pictures during the course of the day. Stay beautiful and be inspired. #adakuinspires