When was the last time...

Do you remember the last time you had someone ask you how you were doing and you paused...you took a deep breath and considered for a minute the weight of your words...and then realizing that this is someone who cares about you...you exhaled...and let the words and maybe even tears flow?

Those are the type of friendships I crave. True friends who expect nothing but honesty and are prepared for whatever your words may bring. Being around those friends make for the best conversations. Conversations where time has no bearing and words have no limits and at the end of it all you feel lighter and the world feels a little more manageable.

I crave company who understand the need to silence, tuck away and ignore cellphones. Those who get that social media can wait and the most important thing at the moment is the person you are with.

When I'm with company who understand this seemingly simple request I treasure it.

Thankful for friends who get it.

Set goals to make your dream a reality!

Lately I've been thinking a lot about financial freedom. My current goals, from immediate to long term, are to pay off outstanding debt, save for my trip to Haiti and Europe and ultimately to save for a down payment on a house.

With all of life's demands, how will I make my dreams a reality? First by understanding the difference between what is necessary and what isn't at the moment. It will start by making changes in my budget: cutting back on unnecessary purchases and setting a realistic budget for things like meals and entertainment. I recognize that bills won't stop just because I have set these goals but my hope is that I will be consistent in my saving now which will ultimately benefit my future.

I look forward to what this journey will bring and though I know it will be hard I honestly believe that with God anything is possible.

Happy savings!

Dark skinned...

While away on a much needed retreat I stumbled across a heart breaking post on Instagram. A 14 year old African American girl posted screen shots of a young girl of an unknown race commenting on a photograph of her family. This young aggressor posted the comments "blacks="accidentally" burned by God" and "you're ew, ugly. You're black".

Being an Haitian American woman of a darker complexion, this form of hate hit very close to home. I grew up disliking the color of my skin. I was teased and put down and never felt comfortable in my own skin. At several points in my life, I questioned if I were a mistake that God had made. It was a horrible time in my life but I thank God for opening my eyes and helping me to see that He makes NO mistakes. Each and every one of us is created in God's image and we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

I understand now that everything that I've experienced whether in the past, present or future will be used by God to encourage someone else. I pray that you see how beautiful you truly are regardless of the lies you've been told.

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image. in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.

Psalm 139: 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, your works are wonderful, I know that full well.