The Write Mind of Christ: Taking Every Thought Captive

Hey #JustWrite! God is not surprised that we are currently living in the age of constant information being accessible through so many mediums: news (live broadcasts, online, and paper), magazines, blogs, social media, podcasts, and the old fashion casual conversations. Throughout this plethora of information overload, the constant processing of daily content of this caliber impedes one's thoughts and affects our actions. When those actions go against what the Word says and pushes us further away from God, we have to reexamine where we are and replace those thoughts with God's Word. We take captive those thoughts and renew our minds like Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, "casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." That is the premise of this month's book club selection, "Take Every Thought Captive" by Kelly Balarie.

 

Our daily lives are a mental battlefield and in this read, author Balarie helps the reader to utilize the Bible to combat those attacks by recognizing the enemies' lies and fighting back spiritually. The following article provides more insight and practical tips on how to take one's thoughts captive. Here's a video podcast by host Joanna Weaver featuring commentary from Balarie: 

I close with this prayer: 

"Dear Heavenly Father, I come before you seeking the strength and wisdom to take my thoughts captive, as your Word encourages me to do. Help me, Lord, to recognize and reject thoughts that are not aligned with your truth and righteousness.

Grant me the discernment to identify negative, anxious, or sinful thoughts as they arise, and empower me to replace them with thoughts that are pure, lovely, and praiseworthy, as your Word teaches in Philippians 4:8. May my mind be a dwelling place for your truth and light.

I surrender my thoughts, fears, and anxieties to you, knowing that your presence and guidance will help me overcome every mental battle. Strengthen me to resist the schemes of the enemy and to hold every thought captive under your authority."

In His service,

Lequvia Ousley

The Write Balm: Prayers to Overcome Physical Ailments

Happy March #JustWrite!! In this season of prayer, we are 'marchin' along as we are more intentional and discerning with our prayers. Around this time of the year, we always lose an hour of sleep as we 'spring forward' into Daylight Savings Time. However, that loss of one hour of sleep shouldn't affect our prayer life. It's actually an extra reason to pray even more. If you're like me, you've had moments where you couldn't sleep and found yourself in a state of insomnia. I remember as a teenager and my early adult years always opting to either watch a movie or write/blog, especially if something was heavy on my mind. It's during these instances that God is nudging us to come before Him more in prayer. So many of us are suffering mentally, physically, and spiritually so it helps to know that our comfort and safe space is found in God and through our prayers to Him. This month's book selection is Prayers That Bring Healing by best-selling author John Eckhardt of Prayers That Rout Demons. 

Eckhardt states that no matter what ailments we deal with in our bodies, it is never hard for God to conquer because He is our healer. As you read, you will learn 12 scriptural ways that healing takes place including the following: 

•Healing through the laying on of hands (Luke 4:40)

•Healing through deliverance (Matt 8:16)

•Healing through breaking curses (Gal. 3:13

•Healing through anointing oil (Mark 6:1)

•Healing through faith (Mark 11:23)

•Healing through prayer (Matt 21:22)

In the following video, be prepared to hear 4 hours of specific and powerful prayers complemented with scriptures for healing:

 

Healing is available to all and is not limited by status or accolades. Trust God for your healing!

In His service,

Lequvia Ousley

The Write Denouncement: Breaking Ancestral Curses

Hello #JustWrite!! We are in February and I don't know about you all but every book that has been presented thus far with the book club discussions and within the monthly blogs always meets me where I'm at currently. This month is no different. Upon looking at the current selection of the month, my spirit quickened because as we began this year with the posture to pray more, one of the specific areas that I've dealt with for many years, was breaking generational curses. I remembered in 2010, A New Birth sister and leader told me in my Discipleship class that I was called to be a light in my family. From that day, I recognized that all of my experiences, regardless of how it felt to me were part of God's plan and purpose to heal my family and bloodline from generational curses. As a believer, it is my charge to stand in the gap for family. This month's book club selection, "Prayers for Cleansing Ancestral Bloodlines in the Courts of Heaven" provides guidance and prayers on how to intentionally intercede. 

"Although you are not personally responsible for the sins of others, you are influenced by and can suffer from the consequences of your forefathers' sins through your ancestral bloodline. These sins provide an access point for Satan to accuse and attack you and your family. You have the legal right to stand in the gap, enter the Courts of Heaven, and pray the prayers of repentance in this book for your ancestral bloodline in order to break the generational cycles and patterns of these curses, lies and sins." 

Amen! Amen! 

Check out this video that goes more in depth about Dr. Cook's teachings. 

Another video to view comes from the late pastor Stephen Darby who I discovered in November 2017 during a wilderness season of seeking and searching. Although Pastor Darby unexpectedly passed in December 2017, his videos are still relevant today and always in rotation on my YouTube timeline. A family member and I recently talked about his ministry. This particular video popped up in my feed one day and gave an eye-opening insight to the spiritual realm and the destruction from ancestral curses.

Remember whatever is in the family, it ends with you! 

In His service,

Lequvia Ousley

The Write Intercession: Understanding the Power of Prayer

Happy 2024 Just Write!! We are 15 days in the new year and the charge for many of us is to go deeper in our Word and prayer. We all can agree that throughout our walk with God, there is a purpose for prayer and there is power in prayer. Whether a few words or a soliloquy of details, prayers are powerful and can transform any mindset or situation. This month's book club selection is Understanding the Purpose and Power of Prayer: How to Call Heaven to Earth by the late great author, Dr. Myles Munroe. The book provides biblically-based principles about prayer and how it exists to help us. Feeling worried? Pray! Feeling angry? Pray! Feeling joyful? Pray! In all seasons and circumstances, regardless of feelings, our mandate is to pray! 

Below is a video interview of Dr. Munroe speaking and teaching from his book about prayer while unfolding the concepts of knowing the purpose and power of prayer. 

As you go through the book and video, stay tuned for this month's book review interview taking place on the last Thursday, January 25th with Pastor Bryant. Throughout 2024, these interviews will be monthly and led by members of the pastoral team. As the year unfolds and we are reminded that prayer is purposeful and powerful, may we all be intentional in praying for God's divine purpose and power within all areas of our lives and throughout the nation. See you all in the next blog.

In His service,

Lequvia Ousley 

The Write Reconciliation: I Thought We'd Never Speak Again

#JustWrite, we have made it to the final blog of 2023!! Estrangement, Forgiveness, Reconciliation. These three words are the subject of this month's book club selection, "I Thought We'd Never Speak Again," by author Laura Davis. These three words are also words that we are all familiar with throughout our relationships with others: family, spouses, co-workers, etc. If you are on the brink of rekindling an estranged relationship or torn between whether you should forgive and reconcile, this is a great read to help jumpstart the process. The book is a combination of transparency, inspiration, and practicality with personal stories and a self-assessment activity. 

As we come into the Christmas season, this book will help spark a much needed conversation, with loved ones of course, with the leading and wisdom of the Lord. Will it be easy? No. Is it worth it? Absolutely! So many people leave this world with unfinished business between loved ones: anger, bitterness, and unspoken words due to pride and unforgiveness. "‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:32‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ says, [32] "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." 

Join our last conversation on Tuesday, December 26, 2023 at 6pm. As you celebrate Christmas, be inspired by the redemptive story of Christ and His birth which brought forth a reconciliation for us to the Father. 

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! See you all in 2024!!

In His service,

Lequvia Ousley 

The Write Leadership: Revisiting Tribes by Seth Godin

 Hey #JustWrite! This month we are revisiting the book club selection, "Tribes" by author Seth Godin. You may recall a previous blog and discussion in September 2021. Be sure to check out both. In lieu of written commentary this month, check out some video commentary and let us know your thoughts.  

This Ted Talk was given by author Seth Godin entitled, "The tribes we lead", created through TedED, a youth and education nonprofit specializing in creating lessons and celebrating teacher and student ideas around the globe.  

Below is a conversation entitled, "The Best Tribes" hosted by platform, Supreme Lending Southeast. The synopsis: "As humans, we are ALL unique individuals with our own personal sets of gifts and talents. We also ALL belong to TRIBES. Our families, our workplaces, our communities, the teams we cheer for, our political parties...these are all tribes that define us and influence who we are...and who we will become. The question we need to ask is...are we aligned with tribes that are leading us to BEST? The BEST tribes have the BEST intentions...and they make the world a better place as a result of their existence."

As we celebrate Thanksgiving in the coming week, I just wanted to say thank you to all of the readers and authors for being a part of our tribe, the Just Write Support and Mastermind Group. Join the conversation on Tuesday, November 28th at 6pm as the conversation continues on tribes and how it correlates with leadership. 

In His service,

Lequvia Ousley

The Write Abilities, Exploring the Power of Different: The Link Between Disorder and Genius

Hello #JustWrite and hello October! Let's jump into this month's topic. As someone who has experiences within the education world, the majority of conversations that I have had through the years with educators and fellow learning facilitators is the frustration that we all share with the current educational system. Children are sometimes labeled erroneously according to their deficits and are not  fully embraced for those deficits actually being unique differences. My ongoing journey has allowed me to meet the most amazing students who fall within exceptional education labels (i.e. special needs ranging from autism, MOID, EBD, ADHD, ADD, Asperger syndrome, spina bifida, cerebal palsy, etc.) These deficiencies and disorders are discoveries as explained in this month's book club selection: The Power of Different: The Link Between Disorder and Genius by psychiatrist and best-selling author, Gail Saltz, M.D.    

  Dr. Saltz details in her book about the unique gifts of creativity, artistic abilities, empathy, and the ability to see things differently that arise from brain differences and disorders (dyslexia, depression, autism, etc.) "This book describes traits and gifts associated with seven broad categories of brain differences based on Saltz’s research and experience as Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill-Cornell School of Medicine." 

The following seven categories are intentionally noted as symptoms instead of conditions: 

1. Learning Differences

2. Distractibility

3. Anxiety

4. Melancholy

5. Cycling Mood

6. Divergent Thinking

7. Relatedness

These symptoms are infused through real-life stories from individuals that Dr. Saltz interviewed to showcase that the way the brain processes and expresses itself is more important to understand than the associated label. Processes and expressions are two things that we all can agree with when it comes to creativity and artistry. 

Join us Tuesday, October 31 at 6pm for this unique and expressive conversation. Take a moment beforehand to process how these categories either resonated with you as a reader personally or if they brought forth more understanding to Saltz's views with support and empathy for those individuals who can relate.

In His service,

Lequvia Ousley