Have you ever read the Bible in a year? Me neither! However, my little sister, Shermine has! I’m so happy to have her join me so we talk about the weight of God’s Word and how to dig deeper. God speaks primarily through the Bible so we found it important to equip you with spiritual and practical tips that can easily improve the quality of your Bible study. We talk about our favorite translations, quiet time routine, bible plans, and encouragement to read at your own place!

Now is the time to seek God like never before so that you gain a deeper intimacy and grow your faith! Join Shermine and me as we share keys to keep in mind the next time (or first time) you read the Word of God! These tips are applicable for both beginners and seasoned believers. Click more to read the full blog post or tune into the videos we shared on YouTube!

Inhale. Now, exhale. There you go, you just started fresh! 

Whether it’s a Monday or gearing up for bringing in the New Year, I always feel invigorated in starting again. I’m not just excited for the new year. I’m excited about today, and if God permits, tomorrow, too.

Now is always a great opportunity to recenter yourself spiritually as you organize your life and look ahead. If you’re watching this in 2021 or sometime in the future, the same applies to you! It’s never too late to start over. 

How do you feel about titles? I used to be a fan of them because it made things a bit easier for me whenever people asked what my profession was. And of course, knowing my titles was clutch for creating Instagram bios.

I’m the Christian girl who’s the fashion influencer turned Teen Vogue writer turned pageant queen turned Syracuse alum turned author. But then God placed me in a season of uncertainty where I didn’t know who I was. Or rather, I didn’t quite know what to call myself. I would think to myself, “I’m an author but I do more than just writing. I am a speaker but I don’t do it all the time. I’m a business owner but it’s also a ministry.” I had so many buts and in this silent season of working but waiting, I was so confused with who He will have me be. 

Growing up, I always found difficulty putting what I feel God has called me to do into words and He always reminded me there is a place for me that has not yet been created. And in this tumultuous time, He cut off all titles and reminded me there is more than what I call myself. 

And there is more for you, too.

I told my mom I was doing the Daniel fast and she was like, “Daniel who?!” I can’t go a day without meat so we laughed so hard at her little joke!

I didn’t last 21 days but I committed to 10 and I know the Lord was pleased with my sacrificial obedience. There were so many signs God wanted me to draw near to Him in this particular way and I could no longer wait to do it. God blew my mind by showing me what was wrong with my thoughts & how to renew my mind. This is my first Daniel Fast experience and though I struggled, I’m shocked at how loud and clear God spoke life to me so quickly.

In this video, you will learn what the Daniel Fast is, how to have realistic expectations for the fast, and how being alone in your thoughts isn’t always healthy. I’m sharing the biggest revelation God gave to me and the nightmare that followed suit, how to combat lies like “that’s just the way I am” and “it’ll always be this way.” We’ll speak about the difference between negative thoughts, pessimism, and wrong-thinking. You will learn that your mind is a battlefield but God is willing to train us so that our identity is in Him.

Without further ado, here’s my Daniel Fast testimony!  God can work TRANSFORMATIVE miracles in you if you’re willing to give Him access!

You may have a longing in your heart to draw near to God. Possibly you feel distant from Him. I can promise you He longs to have you near Him. He longs to be with you. And He honors your desire to connect with Him.

Have you ever done the Daniel Fast before? Are you willing to try it?

This is part 2 of me creating biblical affirmations for queens! I’m blessed to be alive and to know who I am and why I’m here. I pray with these verses you are affirmed of why, too. I pray with these biblical affirmations, you are given the hope you need to keep pressing into Jesus. 

Quick story of how I was inspired to create biblical affirmations. It was around this time 2 years ago on my birthday. I went to dinner with my friends and I chose this restaurant because of the throne they had in the room. It was so beautiful and I can sense that whoever sat in this seat felt like royalty. Looking back at the photos, I was inspired. And so I created a list about who God says you are.

But God specified and revamped that idea. When I was crowned Miss Black New Jersey and was offered the opportunity to visit my homeland of Haiti with Teen Vogue, I was elated. I always knew God called me to minister to girls and women but when I entered those classrooms and saw everyone enthralled with the crown, God gave me a specific mission – to remind His daughters that their crowns have always existed. I created the video and the free printable as a resource for the wait of my first book, Claim Your Crown. It has been such a blessing to see how much these projects have been instrumental to your spiritual journeys. 

👑 Claim Your Crown Book! 👑 

Even with a crown on our heads, we are not exempt from pain. What many don’t know is that when God gave me that mission and the idea to write Claim Your Crown, I was going through a difficult time in my life.  And around this time – during the week of my birthday –I  am especially attacked by the enemy where I’m feeling down or anxious.

However, God has been reminding me in several ways to immerse myself in not just what He says about me but what is already done even if I don’t feel it or see it.  We are more than conquerors and there is power in how we carry ourselves. There is power in the name we carry.

There is a seat that God has reserved for you at His table, a crown that He is waiting for you to claim. An authority that He called you to walk into. Allow these biblical affirmations to wash over you and declare them over your life every day. 

Do you believe there’s nothing special about you? That you’re just a regular person trying to get by in life? Would you believe me if I told you that you weren’t ordinary? That as God’s daughter, you receive a royal identity? 

You may have heard people mention to “find your identity in Christ,” but maybe you don’t even know what that means. Maybe you have no idea how to live it out because when you look in the mirror, the last thing you see is a queen. The last thing you feel is royal.

You feel broken and rejected. You feel hurt and confused. You feel like you’re just waiting to feel. 

Because the thing is, you misplaced your identity. You placed your value in whether or not a guy was pursuing you, how many likes you got, your looks, what you’re studying in school, your job, your home, your clothes, your achievements.

You placed your value in everywhere but the one place that would keep you rooted…in the one place that will never forsake you. The arms of God. 

1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.”

Believe it or not, you are called to walk according to your royal identity as a daughter of God in your everyday life. Here are 3 life-changing steps to redefining your identity and placing it in Christ. 

To read more on how to find your identity in Christ, click “read more” and/or watch the video above for a more interactive experience!

Living in today’s time, we are especially no stranger to the dangers and hostilities around us. Attacks are being made everywhere we look. We see hate at our doorsteps, we scroll past it on social media. We hear of disasters, devastation, and horrible crimes on the news. We are warned to look out for suspicious activity and to guard ourselves against hurts and disease. But it’s rare to hear that we need protection from ourselves. 

We can be our own worst enemies without even knowing it. We fall victim to our own minds when we don’t know our true identity. In case you didn’t know, there is a war going on for who we are.  

Maybe you define your identity based on your environment – where you’re living, where you go to school, where you work. Perhaps you define your identity by who you’re dating, whether or not you’re married or if you have kids. Or maybe you base your identity on your political party, your social groups, or your church. 

But if you had nothing, who would you be?

Hope is not lost if you answered that question with “no one” or “I don’t know.” If you’ve come across this article, it is possible that your true identity may have been compromised. It may be suppressed under layers of hurtful experiences, half-truths, spiritual damage, and false beliefs about who you think you are. My goal is to help you fully walk in your royal confidence by uncovering the dangers of a lacking identity. 

Experts say successful people are people who read! I’d like to add that the most successful people are those who nourish and edify themselves with sound doctrine. I’m one that gets excited when my friends (yeah, you!) are excelling and living their best lives with Christ at the forefront. And so, I thought I would bring to you seven of my favorite books that will grow your confidence and your faith. If you’re interested in learning more about nurturing kingdom confidence, check out my YouTube channel and previous blog posts for more help on your journey!

Alright, let’s begin with the seven books that will grow your confidence and your faith! For the full list, click “read more” and/or watch the video above for my book reviews, additional excerpt readings, and favorite quotes!

There’s a chance you’ve gotten confidence all wrong, sis.

Is your past holding you back? Are you so over comparing yourself to every girl? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to look in the mirror and admire what you saw? Do you wish you could post a photo online and not freak out about how many likes you didn’t get? What about this…ever thought about what it would be like to enter the room (or Zoom call lol) and not be afraid to speak up?

Every single person has once experienced a form of insecurity but not everyone experiences freedom. The answer to such a wide-spread struggle is one that is extremely underrated and overlooked. Whether you’ve been struggling with a lack of confidence for years, it’s a new struggle, or you feel like you’re the most confident person in the world, here is the surefire way to love yourself in the best way possible.

The subject matter of today’s post will change your life forever. In fact, it will guarantee that you will live again.

The truth is: this earth is not our home. It’s only a morsel of what we can experience in fullness. This life we live determines where we end up: heaven or hell. We won’t enter into heaven solely by the good we’ve done but by accepting and living in the love of our Good Father.