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

Monthly "Image Check" From the Desk of Mirrored Images

Happy New Year!!

As you start your 2014 continue to keep your mind stayed on JESUS!! Renew your mind daily according to Romans 12:1-2, acknowledging that we are all reflections of Him. Go out into the world to motivate, inspire and declare blessings over those that you have the ability to reach! God has given us all the power of influence. It it your choice on how you want to use it. I choose to use it to bring glory to Him. I hope and pray that this is a year that you go higher in the things of God.

If you are not a believer and are seeking truth, my desire is that you continue to use your curiosity to bring you into the full knowledge of what life is like as a believer. I pray that that the religious mindset of the church does not distract you from having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

For those of you that are believers and feel like God has left you in a dry place like Job or Joseph; I promise you that He will restore and revive the dreams that He has given you. It may take a process and you may think the timing is off but God is never late or never early. He is an on time God who knows the plans and purpose for your life.

So once again have a very Happy, Happy, Happy New Year! I declare that God knows the Plans for you, Plans to Prosper you Not Harm you to give you a Great Future!! Just continue to Seek Him and all things will work for your good! (Jeremiah 29:11-13, Romans 8:28-31)

God Bless You,

Tashika "Tash" Smith
Creative Visionary of Mirrored Images, Inc
"Reflecting His Image Into The World"-Gen. 1:27

Chosen For a Purpose!

According to Webster's dictionary the word Chosen means one who is the object of choice or of divine favor: an elect person. The word Called means to make a demand on. According to Matthew 22:14 AMP "Many are Called (invited and summoned), but few are Chosen." Therefore the Word of God is clear to point out the differences between the two words for a reason. For God clearly placed us on earth just like He did Adam and Eve for a purpose, for His purpose- to be obedient and worship Him.

In Matthew 9:37 NIV Jesus says " The Harvest is plentiful but the Workers are Few." Once again we see in scripture that there is a need for ministry yet not too many people seem Chosen to do the work that God has prepared and Called us all to do. Yet when you look further down in the story in Matthew 10, you see that Jesus sent the twelve Chosen ones to reach the world. Like Adam and Eve we all have the ability to meet the needs of others in the way that God intended yet the few elect were Chosen to serve His people so that they understand the true Calling on their lives. For this purpose Romans 12 was written to inform us that we must present our bodies as LIVING SACRIFICES, HOLY and PLEASING TO GOD, for this is our SPIRITUAL ACT OF WORSHIP or REASONABLE SERVICE! That we may no longer be Conformed to this World but Transformed by the Renewing of our MINDS daily!
(Romans 12:1-2 NIV)

As God confirms my passion, zeal and purpose for Him I acknowledge that I am not just Called but Chosen to encourage you. To help transform your life based on my experiences with Him! I do not think more highly than myself but I submit to Him according to my faith that He has given me. (Romans 12: 3,6-8) Therefore I realize that all that I have experienced in my life was for Purpose. I receive and submit to His Plan and Promises for my life. Understanding that without constant Prayer that I cannot walk in Power to heal and serve those that He has chosen me to reach.

Get Ready!Get Ready!Get Ready! God is restoring dreams, purpose and plans for those that submit to His will! God can do exceedingly, abundantly more than we can ever ask or imagine for our lives!
 (Ephesians 3:20 NIV)

-Tash
Mirrored Images
"Reflecting His Image Into The World"-Gen.1: 27

Testimony in Progress

In efforts to be transparent so that I am able to free people, I must share my story of FREEDOM. First, I must give my background on my journey that lead me to discovering Christ as the love of my life. In November of 1995 on a Sunday morning church service I accepted Him into my heart. It wasn't out of duty or a feeling that everybody is saved, so I must get "right". It was out of a pure pressing on my heart after being minister to. Before this moment I was highly involved with the choir, dance ministry, discipleship programs and I understood the aspect of acknowledging my religious duty. I was baptized that following month; excited, nervous and not really understanding what I was about to experience. Can I say that I had an encounter with him, not really. But I knew that I was devoted to him. Devoted to ministry and staying connected by being involved with the church was a key to that connection.

I craved hearing the word and being involved with the church. Most of the time it was because I had freedom to socialize with people because of overprotected parents but I still enjoyed my time at church. As I entered adolescence, I very much still had a heart for Him. I tried to do everything "perfectly". Obey my parents, teachers, try to lead by example to my peers. But in trying to be "perfect", I failed. I knew I wasn't. I submitted to my culture, it was a hard balance trying to live holy and be accepted by peers. For we all know that to pursue God,  there will be costs. Yet I didn't understand how to have a good balance of how to effect my culture as a Christian. I had many religious examples of how to serve God, it wasn't until after college that I understood what it meant to have a RELATIONSHIP with GOD.

That HE was truly a friend, someone that understood everything about me. That's because He knew me before I was created that He would always see me through all my circumstances, joys and failures. While acknowledging my new found understanding of relationship vs. religion, I got serious and I was truly set on FIRE for HIM. Yet I developed a super duper Martha mindset. I thought works got me closer to Him, that by being apart of every ministry would show my love to Him. Thus I would be blessed. After working and working, I never seem to get the "blessings" that I was "working" so hard for.

Then in 2011, I was attacked. Some say mental breakdown, some say bi-polar, but He says SPIRITUAL WARFARE. It is truly my belief that Satan knows what I am capable of in the Kingdom of God and wants me to abort the seed that was place inside of me. After spending much needed time seeking Him during Thanksgiving break, I can say that God has begun  to restore and revive the dreams that He gave me. After experiencing two years of depression, anxiety ,fear and suicidal thoughts I can say that I am coming out. The testimony is not complete but in progress. As we all know, we overcome by the blood of the lamb and our testimony. Therefore I too acknowledge Revelations 12:11 so that I may set others FREE.

Therefore the testimony is just beginning and in progress as I do my best to become a P-31 for the glory of the Kingdom of God.

Sincerely,

Tashika Denea' Smith
P-31 in Progress
Creative Visionary of Mirrored Images, Inc
"Reflecting His Image Into The World"-Gen. 1:27