Living a Thanksgiving Lifestyle

Mirrored Images wishes you a very Happy Thanksgiving!! In doing so we take this opportunity to explore another season of gratitude. Some wait until November to start analyzing how thankful they are, or where to serve more as this month kicks of the Holiday season. Yet I challenge you to really think about how you can create a Thanksgiving Lifestyle throughout the 365 days we have each year.

What causes us to stop being grateful or appreciate what we have instead of what we want. We make look forward towards the Black Friday sales to buy more stuff that we will not know where it is in a month. Knowing that the people that we are stressing over, really don't need more stuff at all. Then we make think about giving back at local organizations that will help people who lack the stuff that you want. Yet in reality, I have come to notice that these people that we called the "less fortunate" have something to offer those of us with all the "stuff". It's called contentment.

In the struggle of not having anything or going without. Those individuals that are seeking to find a way to just "make it", find a way in the quiet of their hearts to have a grateful heart. I have seen this throughout the year. Yet in the "world", we get caught up on thinking we have to have soo much stuff to be considered important or on "top". But in the simplicity of contentment we gain soo much more. We gain peace and gratitude, knowing that are needs are met. With the possiblity of giving back.

For its not a problem to have things, its when the "stuff" has us. When the so called "needs" become "greeds" and we fail to acknowledge those that would give anything to have what we "need". So as you prepare for the turkey, stuffing, pies and sales. Remember where you could have been or where other people are! For this holiday has nothing to do with stuffing our faces with food but the ability to serve one another out the the gratitude of our hearts.

Image Check- Fall Edition

This fall season, I am reminded of "The Fall" of Man. I say that as the leaves are falling and the fallen world is looking forward to celebrating Hallows Eve aka Halloween. Growing up I too participated in the yearly ritual of finding the perfect coustume just to go house to house to gain candy from strangers. When I think about this routine that kids put themselves through it sounds ridiculous.Then we adults find the one day it seems appropriate to the world to dress up in a fantasy world and become "sexy" fill in the blank when it comes to female costumes or horror glorifying characters just to scare the crap out of people. When I think of this so called holiday, I have come to realize that people ignore the spiritual elements that are associated with this October 31st day. Some people embrace it and make it a day of satanic worship, which if you truly analyze it that's what you're doing if you're participating it. 

I'm all for the Harvest Festivals that churches put on so that children can be in a safe environment to gain access to candy to the alternative ritual. Yet even with that we must continue to guard our hearts to what we allow in our worlds if we are to be truly set apart. When we create events to allow the world to become redeemed and reconciled back to Christ we must have a sober judgement of how we are walking out our faith so that we are still uniquely different.

~Mirrored Images

A Image Redefined

It's been a long time since a word has gone forth from the desk of Mirrored Images. With only four months left in 2014, it's time to revaluated and reflect about how far He has brought us all this year. What were your hopes of last year or even last month? Who have you become or have you lost focus and forgot the One who can only all those hopes and dreams to give you access into the purpose and plans He has for your life. When it comes to my own life, if you've followed closely or read between the lines I have been through a variety of different circumstances in the past 3 years and if I look closely more like 7 years. 

The number 7 represents completion, followed by 8 that signifies new beginnings. I am on the horizon of walking into my new beginnings. With the help of the Holy Spirit I have truly been made new. Some people who have seen me or invested in me these past couple of years have truly noticed the changes that my Heavenly Father has downloaded in my Spirit. No longer do I feel defeated by life's challenges. No longer do I take what I have been through and listen to the lies of Satan saying I'm a faliure. No! I'm an Overcomer! I'm a Mighty Woman of God who was and is destined to create havoc to the plans of the enemy in the earth. If I wasn't such a threat to the kingdom of darkness, my life would represent a normal plan. But I wasn't created to be "normal"! I'm apart of a royal priesthood, set apart for such a time as this! 

So as you can tell I got my Fire back for the things of God and it's up to me to ensure it never grows cold! I never want to doubt how Awesome my Daddy is again! He made me new and renewed my Minds. This can happen for you too! Just open your heart and let go of all the thoughts about what Christianity is and join an great relationship with Jesus Christ or restore the one you walked away from.

In Him who lives in me and gives me the grace to do what I do,

Tash

~Reflect Him In The Earth~

  Romans 12

May/June Image Check

As spring rolls by and summer awaits us I have been focusing on all that I have seen and heard these couple of months. Many people are hurting or experiencing new seasons that either have them waiting, overjoyed or overwhelmed. 

Yet in all seasons we face God is still God. He never changes and will always remain the same! Even in the moments where we can't understand it all, He is ever present in our situations. Teaching us how to draw near to Him and discovering who He truly created us to be in the first place. So as you think about where you are now or where you're going reflect back with me to 2010. At 25 I put my full Trust (Confidence, Assurance) in my relationship with God and I must remind myself of who that Woman was and how she discovered who she was in Christ by  walking with him daily among not so perfect circumstances. 

For we all go through but sometimes we have to remember to Encourage Ourselves In The Lord!

Continue to Reflect Him in the Earth,

Mirrored Images

New Beginnings-Aug.2010

They say its never to late to start over! We wake up one day in the life and we are born! We are born into this world not knowing who we are, what we what or who we will become. Then we get connected! We either get connected with people, thoughts or behaviors that were never meant to stay with us! So it up to up to wake up daily, with a new sense of self! If you gotta encourage yourself daily into your destiny DO IT! The devil wakes up up daily to, ready, alert to capture your dreams and your sense of identity. But if you truly know who you are and who GOD made you to be then you have signed up for battle. You know the truth and can handle all the silly little darts that the devil will try to hit you with. Just keep going, when you get down GET UP! There's no failure when you keep moving forward. Don't look at the GIANTS, don't analyze how tall, big or wide them seem to be. Just keep walking towards your destiny and know HE's faithful! So continue to encourage yourself and stay connected to the ONE who created you to be a UNIQUE ORIGINAL!

Fearless-Sept.2010

So what happens when you step out of the box? You look around and notice that the box was boring. Boring!! What!! You're not boring! So why stay in this lame, dull box! So you jump out onto an empty canvas and design your own unique structure. Maybe its a redesign of a box, or something completely different. Who KNOWS!! You get to decide. It was always in you, NOW you're just finally out of excuses to actually complete the calling that you were born for!!

So GO!! Get Going, Create, Change, Move FORWARD!! People are waiting on your UNIQUE Designs that only YOU know how to MAKE!!

April's Image Check!

They say "April Showers bring May Flowers"! So I bring encouragement to you all that if you're in a season where the storms of life may be pouring down in your life just know that your loving Savior is raining down blessings, grace and mercy to allow your light to grow towards the purpose that He has prepared for you. We must continue to understand that All things are truly working for our good as in states in Romans 8:28! 

Even when opposition comes in your life to stop you from operating in your purpose, continue to Trust in Him! Acknowledging that if God is for you that No one can be Against you. Even those close to you!(Romans8:31) When we put our trust in God and allow Him to direct our paths we start to stress out less knowing that His ways are much better than anything that we could think of or imagine.

So in this continued spring season as we remember the sacrifice and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ focus on how anything broken or dead in your life can and will be restored by the power of the blood that was shed on the cross for all of us! So when you're out celebrating "Easter", remember you are truly honoring a man that came to teach, preach, die and save us from ourselves. So take this season to grab ahold of the gospels in the New Testament(Matthew,Luke,Mark and John)to remind you of the Good News that we give reverence to on April 20th! 

Happy Resurrection Day! 

-From The Desk of Mirrored Images

March's Image Check

Yeah it's March! Springtime is around the corner! This month is filled with lots of birthdays including mine. As I look forward to my 29th year on this earth, I thank God for getting me through some of the worst years of my life. As I reflect on them I see how God was present in them and how He will always be there. I don't think we really see His fingerprints on our life until we need or want something. But we must remember He is God. He is the beginning and the ending,  He was first on the scene before we were born so we must never feel forsaken.

Thoughout my short life experiences I have felt like Job, questioning God but at the end of the day having Him answer back saying "I AM GOD! Who are you?". Or seeking Him with all that I have like David, wondering where are you, why have you forsaken me and standing in full repentence for Him to search my heart so there is no offense in me. (Pslams 37,51, 139) I constantly try not to lament like Jeremiah standing on His promise that He knows the plans that He has for me, plans to prosper and not harm me to give me a Hope of a Future! (Jeremiah 29:11)

It is this Hope that I have to constantly take the thoughts that try to hold me captive to continue to motivate, inspire and push my generation higher. For we are not here to please ourselves but to do the work that He has called us to do for His glory not ours. When we trust Him with our plans, all things will eventually work out for our good. Which is His promise to us in Romans 8:28.

So as the we move into a new season, remember your current season will eventually change. So listen to His voice so you can grow like the spring time season reminds us to. For we are always changing and growing no matter how old we become. 

Happy Happy March,

Tashika Denea ' Smith

Visionary of Mirrored Images

February's Image Check

Greeting From Mirrored Images...

Congrats! You made it through January, now only 11 more months to go! As we kick this month off let us continue to renew our minds and focus on HIM! With all the focus on Valentine's this month, continue to connect to your first love. Don't lose sight on the great commission that He gave us to follow which is found in Matthew 22:37, The Message Bible puts it this way " Jesus said, " Love the Lord your God will all your passion and prayer and intelligence.' This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' 

For we must continue to pursue our relationship with Him so that we Love ourselves so that we can go out into the world and Love His people. The only way we can focus on Him so that we show our Love is to continue to stand on His Words! I love how 1 John 3:1-3 HCSB puts it " Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God's children. And we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn't know Him. Dear friends, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him because we will see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure". 

So make our Father proud and don't just focus on receiving love but give out Love this month in all that you do. In word and in action for we are followers of Him sent here to serve others not ourselves. May the Love of God be every present with you this month. Continue to seek Him first and Renew your minds! 

(Matthew 6:33, Romans 12:1-2)

Reflecting Him into the World,

Tash

Visionary of Mirrored Images