Today I was listening to my friend and mentor, Regina Baker speak at an event I used to organize called Synergized Woman. Her topic was Stir Up the Gifts and it was an eye opener for me. Well, maybe more like a confirming revelation but nonetheless something that I truly needed to hear.

Back in 2006 God placed it upon my heart to organize an online event for women to be healed, delivered, and set free. The event was Synergized Woman and the first one was in 2006, the same year the Regina spoke the words that she knew not then, were prophetic and spoke a message to me today.

My life at the was in turmoil at the time and I was in the midst of a miserable marriage and a very very deep depression. Little did I know that at the time God wanted to heal me through these events.

How many of you know that whenever God gives you something to do, you too will be blessed. There is always something in it for you. No, the ultimate goal is not for you but for the glorification of God and the edification of the saints. However, often times God uses your very destiny to heal your soul. You see we are never to think we have arrived and that we are better than those that we serve. That is never the case,.

The Word tells us that we are to always esteem others more highly than ourselves. I know for many this is hard to do; but the Word says do it, and so we must try to with all our might.

When we are in the midst of using what God has blessed us with in order to help others we are often helped as well.  That was my case then but I did not see the whole picture.

I was living in denial of the worth I have in Christ and refused to see that my change was coming. All I had to do was move forward with the call. But I did not.

In 2007 I hosted another Synergized Woman event and was disappointed by the turnout as compared with the previous year. Speakers backed out, the audio conference room was not full and I was just not feeling it.

Are you seeing what I did?

I put ME in the picture.  I did not esteem those in attendance higher than me. It was about ME wanting the event to be a success by numbers. I should have read the story of Gideon and realized that it was not about the number but about the power of God to cause definite change in the lives of His people.

In 2007 I did what I thought was the last Synergized Woman event and stopped ministering to women. It did not help that with my mindset being as it was, when two people who I considered to be mentors at the time told me that I could not minister to women online without being under the leadership of a pastor. They told me that ministries can only exist in the church. Being where I was just made the situation worse.

I stopped letting God heal me through service and I just gave up!

But God!

In  February of 2008, after feeling as if I were worth nothing and meant nothing to others, I attempted to take my life. God would not have and had my oldest son snatch the scissors from my hand. That’s right I said that I tried to kill myself.

Here I was this woman of God trying to do God’s will and I gave up to a point of death!

How very selfish of me.

On that day, however, God began to work in me because it was that time that I truly waved my white flag and told God to do what He will with me life.

Here we are two years later and I have not looked back other than to remind myself where I don’t want to return and to thank God for where He has brought me from. I am grateful!

Listening to Regina speak reminded me that God wants to use me as a vessel of transformation.  Sometime last year I looked up the domain synergizedwoman.com with the thought that surely someone had taken it. My plan was to purchase it if it were available. Guess what?

It was!

I saw as God saying “It is time LaTara for you to take back everything Satan tried to steal from you. It is time for you to move forward with that which I have given to you.

Not only am I going forward with the Synergized Woman event, but I am going forward with all of those things that God has placed in my heart to do. How I will get it all done, I am not sure but God has told me it will be. While I cannot share everything I have on the horizon I can share one more.

I have had it in my heart to do an online devotion but I could not quite figure out how I wanted to do it. One day about a week ago I was venting to my husband (thank God for a repaired marriage) that I could not find a quiet time with God and had not had one for 7 years….oh I was on one y’all! I griped until my husband reminded me that there was time to get quiet.

When we got off the phone I got quiet and asked God what He wanted. Which way does he want me to go? I felt like I was at a fork in the road and needed some guidance.

All I heard was SERVE!

“Serve how Lord?”

“Serve according to my will! I have given you what you need the work.”

“But Lord I don’t see it. What do you want me to do?”

Again all I heard was SERVE!

One way I am accomplishing this is through  my latest venture, Today is a Good Day with God: 365 Days of Inspiring Biblical Affirmations. I am so very excited because with it I am serving with my talent of writing and using the gifts teaching and encouragement God has entrusted me with. It is receiving great feedback and I am so grateful to God for this opportunity to SERVE others in this way.

Look out world…LaTara is coming to SERVE YOU!

Today I am thinking about all the benefits of being a well watered woman. I took some time to listen to my good friend, Tony’s new podcast, The Well Watered Woman, and was floored by the revelations, confirmations, and peace I received while listening. I actually found myself wanting more and more. It was such a refreshing listen!

There is definitely a difference in a well watered woman verses a woman who never goes to the true Thirst Quencher. When we go to the Father as we are with no pretenses to simply be filled by Him is it a truly awesome feeling.

A well watered woman understands that everything she is, all the she has and all the she will ever be is only because of God. Tony covers a lot of this in her first episode. I was just reminded of the fact as I listened to what she was pouring into me today.

Like, Mary at the feet of Jesus, a well watered woman steps out of the many roles that keep her in service for God but not necessarily focused on Him, and steps into the role of Daughter, in need of time with her Heavenly Father. Our busyness keeps up from experiencing the comfort, joy, and peace that comes when we simply sit at His feet and listen.

We think we are doing the right thing by serving more than stopping and listening. We are not. When we hit the floor running once we wake up without just laying and chatting with God for a moment, we do our day a disservice. When we take the time to put everything and everyone before us except God, we are not receiving the benefits that come from close communion with God. When we allow groups, forums, blogs, and contests to take the place of studying the Word, we miss out on revelations, confirmations, and strength.

The same way we schedule meetings, we have to schedule time at the well with God.

I have to thank Tony for the reminder of what it means to be well watered. I can’t wait for the next episode of  The Well Watered Woman.

“I like your Christ.I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ” – Mohandas (Mahatma) Ghandi

Just by adding the quote above I think I may step on some toes today; and if I do I am sorry, but sometimes we need to be reminded of who we are supposed to be if we claim to love the Lord and desire to follow His will for our lives.

When I first heard this quote by Ghandi I gave it some deep thought. Not that I was bothered that he said it but rather why he said it.

I am compelled during this election year to share what I see as truth in Ghandi’s assessment of those who say they are Christians because I am heavily burdened by it. Why? Well I am a believer and just as I represent Christ, I also represent you. So if I am going around acting unlike the Jesus the Bible speaks of then what will others think of you. How am I representing unity if I behave in a manner that shows other wise? How am I living in the humble light of the Christ spoken of in Philippians 2 if I misrepresent Him?

And it is not just at election time that we do this but all year around, many of us wear Jesus on our sleeves but I wonder does He truly reside in our hearts. Ouch! I know that hurt me as well. You see I have to be honest and say that I have not given Jesus every part of me. I don’t know if I can claim the title of being totally Sold out for Him.

Why?

Because if I were I would be more like the Christ that Ghandi and many others have read about but fail to see represented in those who claim to love Him with all their heart, all their mind, and all their soul. And don’t be fooled into thinking that you can’t be more like Christ because the Word would not say it if it were not possible.

We have to stop reading the scriptures for what we want them to say or for what some – yep I am about to go there – some preacher, minister, or pastor says it says. We have to read the Word for just what it says and allow the Holy Spirit to show us the true revelation in it. If I could share the number of times I have heard scripture misquoted it would be a thick book that would take a year or more to read.

I digressed, back to the topic for today.

The title for today’s post is “Was Ghandi on Point” and I have to say that yes he was pretty on point and it holds true all these years later. Many of God’s children behave more in the manner of the Sadducees and Pharisees than in the manner of a humble and real Christ who bore no judgment but loved and met people where they were. Don’t believe me? Take some time to read the story of the Samaritan woman or the woman with the issue of blood. Did Jesus ever tell them they were not worthy of His knowledge, wisdom, and love? Did he judge who they were, where they had been, or their current status in life.

So who are we to be so unlike the Christ who taught us by example and told us that greater things than these shall we do (John 14:12)?

And please stop saying that we are only human. Yeah we are; but should that not continue to be an excuse for misrepresenting the most humble being who exhibited a love beyond what so many of us would ever do. Who would you die for?

I am working daily at purposely being more like Christ and as I do the things that God is showing me are not all good. I have some work to do and that is why you see me writing as I do. Time is too short to be surface or superficial. There are too many souls to be saved; too many people who need me to exhibit the love of Christ – and not just sometimes.

Yesterday I was on the bus stop going to do some shopping for the house, and a young lady with two kids ages 2 and 1, and one in the belly sat down next to me. When I first saw her and the condition of the youngest I judged her and thought “Now that is just a shame.”

But when she sat next to me I felt a tug that I tried to ignore because I was trying to just be by myself because I seldom get time to me. I just wanted to enjoy my day and forget that she was there.

She asked me what bus I was waiting on and wouldn’t you know that she was taking the same bus. I thought that maybe she would get off before me but guess what? She was getting off at my stop. When I got on the bus I went all the way to the back in hopes that she would sit upfront with the stroller. Guess what? Yep, she came and sat right across from me. I thought “Why me Lord? I don’t want people thinking she is with me.”

Don’t judge because you have done the same thing at sometime or another. Remember I am working at being more like Him and while I do God is allowing me to go through things to show me what needs to be worked on.

When she sat across from me she had a skirt on that showed more than anyone would care to see. More reason for me to ignore her.

While we were on the bus she was yelling at the youngest and people stared or shook their heads at her. She told the kids that they got on her nerves and even called the youngest “stupid”. That hurt even me. As I got closer to my stop she asked me if the stop ahead was the one for the same store I had to go to.

“Oh boy! I am getting off at the next stop.”

However, I saw that she did not have a grip on the little one walking and I just could not let her get hurt. So I grabbed her hand and decided to get off at the stop with them to help her off. Once I helped her off I tried to let her go ahead with her mother and waited for them to get ahead of me a little because I did not want others to think she was with me. However, I saw more danger ahead for the little one left to walk on her own while mom pushed the other little one who was not strapped into his stroller. So I told the little precious chocolate drop to grab my hand and she did so with a smile that was just wonderful.

When her mother thanked me I started talking to her as we walked to the market. She shared her frustration as a young mom and how she never seems to have time for herself. I asked her how old she was and when she said she was 26 I totally understood where she was coming from. I just took the time to share some of my own experience as a mom and a woman who has worked with kids for 17 years. As I talked to her I could hear her relief that someone was actually listening to what she had to say. I also saw her relief when I explained to the little one that she needs to listen to mom when she speaks to her and as I corrected some of the misguidance she had obviously received.

When we got into the store the young lady thanked me and as I walked away I told her that I would pray for her (and I have been since our exchange yesterday). When I said that, I saw her hardened face soften and she said “Thank you so much. I really need it.”

And she even quieted her tone with the kids.

Talk about God at work. But guess what? LaTara had to humble herself, stop judging and assuming to do so. I also had to be open to the conviction and heeding from God.

So was Ghandi on point?

]]> http://www.momunplugged.com/was-ghandi-on-point/feed/ 5 http://www.momunplugged.com/117/ http://www.momunplugged.com/117/#comments Sat, 21 Jun 2008 21:52:06 +0000 LaTara http://www.momunplugged.com/?p=117

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

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!

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

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

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.”

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!