Mom Unplugged

What is your cardboard testimony?

Jun 21, 2008 Power Source

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I watched this and the tears started right away. Then I thought about my cardboard testimony. What’s yours?

My cardboard testimony:

Molested and raped of my innocence
Became a Victim of Circumstance

Fearfully and Wonderfully
Living Life Authentically

God is Practical

May 13, 2008 Power Source

I was listening to a program today on Blog Talk Radio about Surviving the Recession. It was a Christian program and so I was intrigued. Plus it was friend of mine and I wanted to support her show today.

As I was listening to it, God reminded that it is so very important to make His word more than just a Spirit thing. It’s a practical thing as well. Our everyday lives should be led by the Word. Every aspect, every job, every title, every thing we do must have a practical application directly related.

Let me share a story so that it becomes more relevant.

My family is hurting financially and a few weeks ago I really could not figure out why. So I asked God what is going on because everything was being turned off or near that point, we could barely grocery shop, and going on a family out was impossible.

I kept hear God say “write” but I ignored it because I wanted to keep doing the business I was doing. Never mind that my husband was working 14 to 18 hours a day to make ends meet because the two projects he has bid and won were on hold for some reason of another. Those two job together will carry us financially well into 2009.

I was determined to keep pushing at what I am do with Vegan Family Living and establish myself as a Mom Blogger. I was not going to do a writing business. Nope not me.

But when we were bombarded with a financial issue that made my husband say I may have to leave the home, I guess that but some fire under my behind because that time I heard God.

I built my site and opened The Natural Writer, a content writing business, to the public. That week alone I made almost $100. My goal is $100 to $200 per month. So far I am at $100 per week and adding more clients as I write this post. It felt good to go grocery shopping and at one store look at my husband and say, “I got this”. Needless to say he was blessed by that gesture.

What changed?

Well for one my attitude. But I took what God has blessed me with and put it to work. I got PRACTICAL!

I am still working Vegan Family Living and its many aspects, because God did not tell me to stop it. He just told me to get PRACTICAL and use what I had. There was no need to go out of the home for work. God had already given me what I need to bring in income. I was just doing it LaTara’s way.

As I write this post I am reminded of Matthew 6:33 and I am using the Amplified version,

But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness ([His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides,

and I am reminded that being Practical is God’s way. He is a practical God.There is no way one should think that just throwing your hands up will bring you what you need. It is more than prayer, more than devotion, more than telling God you love Him. All those things are important; but if you are not doing it His way, nothing else you do or say will matter.

A practical approach to God is so necessary to live according to His will. And when He directs you to put your hands to work, then by all means, you had better get to it. God is not a magician and has never claimed to be. He not an ‘Uncle Ben’s instant rice’ type of God either; He does it all in His own time which often does not quite match up with our timing.

But, when you study His Word and walk with Him you cannot deny that He is a Practical God who does things decently and in order.

I ended up calling into the show and giving my testimony of how God kept prompting me to move towards starting the Natural Writer. Pastor Rebecca asked me to give my web address and told people to go visit and to use my services. I was not expecting much from it except for a few lookie loos. But God!

I received an email not even thirty minutes later from a book author inquiring about my services. Now that is God in action but guess what….LaTara had to do her part as well. I was led to call into that show.

A reason for everything and everything for a reason!

In this time of ‘recession’ get PRACTICAL!

Always a Reason to Praise

May 2, 2008 Power Source, Unplugged Authentcity

Sometimes you just have to stop and think about why you Praise Him. OK, I will speak for myself. I am reminded daily why I praise Him: my God, My Father, and my Everything. For me there is no other way. I am thankful in the storm, out of the storm and on my way into the storm. Some may not get that but everyday with Jesus is sweeter than the day before. I know that my life is because God is. I have witnessed and experienced to much of His powerful grace and mercy in my life to think otherwise.

As I listened to this song today, I was inspired to write the words above. This song truly says it all for me.

For Every Mountain by Kurt Carr and the Kurt Carr Singers

I’ve got so much to thank God for
So may blessings and so many open doors
A brand new mercy
Along with each new day
That’s why I praise You

For this I give You praise

For waking me up this morning
That’s why I praise You
For starting me on my way
That’s why I praise You
For letting me see the sunlight of a new brand day
A brand new mercy along with each new day
That’s why I praise You

For this I give You praise

You’re Jehovah Jireh
That’s why I praise You
You’ve been my provider
That’s why I praise You
So many times You met my need, So many times You rescued me
That’s why I praise You

I wanna thank You for the blessings You give to me each day
That’s why I praise You

For this I give You praise

For every mountain You brought me over
For every trial you’ve seen me through
For every blessing
Hallelujah, for this I give You praise

Ishtar Is Not My God

Mar 22, 2008 Power Source

The following article was written for a magazine that I used to write for, Sisters in the Lord. I thought with the holiday coming, it would be a good piece to share.
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The origin of Easter has it’s roots in many pagan traditions and customs. Yet many of us celebrate these customs without thinking about the cost.

We dye eggs, go to egg hunts, take pictures with the cute bunny, follow many of the traditions, and go broke buying everyone in the family a new Easter outfit. Much of this is done without doing an accurate study on the holiday and all it entails.

When I lived in Los Angeles, the church I attended received an in-depth history on the origin of “Easter”. What our Pastor taught us changed the church’s view, as well as mine, on this celebration we call “Easter”.

As a result, we began to call it “Resurrection Day”. As time went on, I did a personal study on the holiday and determined to never call it Easter again. As a matter of fact, I stopped buying Easter baskets, dying eggs, and taking my son to have his picture taken with the Easter Bunny. The clothes tradition is one I got rid of a long time ago, because this sister girl just did not have the cash to buy all that stuff for one day.

I made up in my mind that I could no longer take the Resurrection of my Lord and Savior and trivialize it with meaningless celebrations. How could I continue to equate the name of Jesus with a goddess, Ishtar? The Resurrection of Christ had nothing to do with fertility. It also had nothing to do with the rising of the sun (not Son), or hot crossed buns, reproductive organs ( represented by lilies). As a matter of fact, all that I have read on the holiday seems to have nothing to do with Jesus and everything to do with the Father of Deception, Satan.

I had to take what had been given to me and make a choice that I knew God would honor. Once something has been given and we prove it to be true, God expects us to follow through with the appropriate action.

So it was in my life and in my household that we determined to throw out the traditions tied to “Easter” and create traditions based on the Word and the Word alone.

I don’t claim to be an expert on this, but I do claim to be a follower of Christ. As His follower, when the Truth stares me in the face, I have to accept it for what it is. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 tell us to test everything and hold fast to that which is good. 2 Timothy 2:15 goes further to say that I am to study and rightly divide the Word. As a result when the Real Truth is before me, I shall know the truth and the truth shall set me free.

This is what it is to me. This is what God has for me. What He has for you may not be according to what He has shown me.

However, we should each take the time to examine the traditions that the world hands down and determine if it is the right thing. To paraphrase what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:12, just because is lawful, does not mean that it is beneficial.

I celebrate the Resurrection of a great Savior. I don’t think that Jesus would sit and dye eggs with me or make a basket full of candy and toys; all of which celebrate man and not the One who sacrificed for the redemption of my soul.

So I worship on Resurrection day. I focus on why the death? Why the Resurrection? Why for me?

In my worship, I sing, pray, read all four Gospels on the account of the Death and Resurrection, and yes I even fellowship. However, I do so with the Son in mind. As I cook on that day, I cook with love on my mind and in my heart. As I sit at the dinner table, I look around and thank God for the blessings of those He has placed in my life. As the day comes to an end, I reflect on the sacrifice and remind myself that leaving behind a tradition steeped in pagan customs was the best decision I ever made.

That my soul knows right well.

Copyright 2005-2008 LaTara Ham-Ying

Recognizing the Sacred in the Secular

Mar 14, 2008 Power Source

What a joy it has been being a part of the Pink Collar Club. While it has grown so fast we are finding it hard to keep up with it, we can truly see the hand of God in it all.

As a part of the Executive Board I am always honored by the articles of my fellow Board members. I am often convicted, healed, delivered or a combination of all three, by what I read.

I wanted to share this post by Carolyn D. Townes in the hopes that it helps all women of God who are also entrepreneurs.

“Unless you are an entrepreneur or spirit-preneur as I am, one of the hardest things to do is to reconcile your faith life with your work life. We seem to compartmentalize all aspects of our lives, living them out as if we too were divided into several pieces. Today, is my work day, tomorrow is my play day, and Sunday is my day of worship. We have somehow separated the sacred from the secular. What we fail to realize is that all is sacred in the secular world. God is in all ? our work, our play, as well as in our worship.

To lead is to serve, and to serve is to love.”

You

Dec 26, 2007 Power Source

Sunday Testimony: I Won’t Complain

Dec 16, 2007 Power Source

Right now there are things going on in my life that I could gripe on forever and a day. My family is really hurting financially, but I also know that it is a matter of a mind set change that can change that issue. So as I was thinking on things I thought about an article I read in December issue of the WC Mini-Mag by Kelly McCausey and then I remembered a gospel song that I used to love sing when I was going through.

It reminded me of all my blessings and the reasons why I Won’t Complain. I may be having a financial set back and the devil might be on my heels, but, like that song says, when I look around and think things over….I Won’t Complain.

I Won’t Complain

by Paul Jones

I’ve had some good days
I’ve had some hills to climb
I’ve had some weary days
And some sleepless nights

But when I look around
And I think things over
All of my good days
Outweigh my bad days
I won’t complain

Sometimes the clouds are low
I can hardly see the road
I ask a question, Lord
Lord, why so much pain?
But he knows what’s best for me
Although my weary eyes
They can’t see
So I’ll just say thank you Lord
I won’t complain

The Lord
Has been so good to me
He’s been good to me
More than this old world or you could ever be
He’s been so good
To me

He dried all of my tears away
Turned my midnights into day
So I’ll just say thank you Lord
I’ve been lied on
But thank you Lord
I’ve been talked about
But thank you Lord
I’ve been misunderstood
But thank you Lord
You might be sick
Body racking with pain
But thank you Lord
The bills are due
Don’t know where the money coming from
But thank you Lord

Thank you Lord (2x)
I want, I want to thank God

Has been so good to me
He’s been good to me
More than this old world or you could ever be
He’s been so good (3x)
So good (4x)

To me
He dried all of my tears away
Turned my midnight into day

And I know this too shall pass because my God supplies all my needs according to His riches in glory. That’s just how good God is!