The Write Body: Our Churches are Getting Better

Hey #JustWrite!! Can you believe we made it to the half mark of 2019? In spite of the trials and challenges we all have faced thus far, let's all be thankful we made it. Now, this month we are talking about the church. There's a lot I can say about this topic but for the sake of your eyes and my words, lol I will keep it brief. I don't know about you but I've been having conversations about the church for awhile. I can remember being in the church briefly as a child before my parents' divorce. Afterwards, I didn't return to church until I was a teen and I didn't fully submit to a church home until after my relocation to Atlanta at 24. From that moment, I experienced many moments of community, fellowship, growth (prayer life and study), and what some would call 'church culture' (how a church functions). But as the years came and many church visits later, my spirit desired more than just the appearance of church and emotionalism. I needed to know that the next church I submit to would be founded upon the solid foundation and hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, a church that utilizes church discipline to settle matters and provide an army of accountability. This month marks a year that I've been submitted and committed to my church home, the mission, but most importantly the mission of Jesus Christ. No church is perfect but I know for believers and non-believers, many American churches today are not resembling the church described in the book of Acts. I know for years my spirit grieved and longed for something more than what was presented. Let's define the word 'church'.

According to Google, a 'church' is simply a "building used for public Christian worship." Some synonyms are "house of God, the Lord's house, house of prayer". Notice the reverence for God and the power of prayer? Sadly, many churches don't reflect those elements which pushes people away or causes them to have a different view of the church. Have you all ever noticed how an institution, particularly a school would start off with it's focus on the mission statement but then somewhere down the line, the reputation was tainted. All of a sudden people were not drawn to that institution and there's a negative connotation. I've always believed that it's not the institution itself that is harmful but it is the people within that building that can bring an institution down. Church is an institution that has suffered because of the many do's and don'ts of the church people, namely from so-called 'church culture' that has nothing to do with God. There is no emphasis on who God is and what He wants us to do. It' s the opposite. It's all about who we are and what God can do for us.  Church in a biblical context means an assembly or gathering of believers. When I think of church, I think of our assembling together, the body of Christ, the bride of Christ. Once again I've noted two things: community and Christ. It's important that we all understand that without community and Christ our churches will continue to crumble and will no longer be a place for refuge. In order for church to become better and effective, we have to put the focus back on God's Word, our Savior Jesus Christ, and our mission as believers. If we don't then the generations now and after us will continue to suffer and the world will continue to win the media and other propaganda. This point leads me to reiterate our responsibilities as scribes and change agents. We are held accountable for what we publish in the literary world and whether it points others back to Christ. Let's be the change we want to see.


In His service,


Lequvia Ousley

The Write Commitment: Our Communities are Getting Better

Hello #JustWrite!! My mind has a unique way with words and their meanings. Sometimes I can figure out a meaning of a word just by how it is written. This month we are discussing community which is very appropriate since this month marks 5 years of our #JustWrite community. When I look at the word community, I see the words 'common' and 'unity' which describes what a community is: people unifying under one common goal. I've written a blog before about this topic, but this month I wanted to focus on the commitment of community. What exactly is commitment and what does it look like in the community? According to Google, the word 'commitment' means: the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc. synonyms: dedication, devotion, allegiance, loyalty, faithfulness, fidelity, bond, adherence, attentiveness. What does that commitment to community look like to you? I know for me, commitment to community means being a neighbor (Matthew 22:39, ....love your neighbor as yourself). When my neighbor is in need, there is a burden within me to help him/her which is an act of love. That goes back to the saying of being on one accord and of one body with your brothers and sisters. Also it applies if your neighbor is not a believer because you show them the love of Christ. This brings me to my next point of being my brother or sister's keeper. If I see him/her falling in an area, then I will lovingly pray and ask God to give me wisdom on how to address the issue. Like the Word says, (Matthew 18:15-16....“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.") Galatians 6:1-2 says...."Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." So we ask ourselves, what does that look like for the respective communities that we are a part of, whether it is our families, neighborhoods, church homes, groups, etc. What does community look like to you as a writer within #JustWrite? What common goals and aspirations do you share with fellow writers? What commitments do you have for your projects? What is the unity that you see within your circle of influence as a writer? Is there commonality? Is there unity? Are we holding each other accountable to stay committed to what we started? Are we bearing each other's burdens and lending a helping hand? Let's all come together and make those commitments. Let's all commit to commune and unite in the common goal of community. See you all in the next blog.



In His service,


Lequvia Ousley

The Write Stewardship: Our finances are getting better

Hey #JustWrite!! We are talking about finances in this month's blog. I studied Business Education in high school, Business Administration and Accounting in undergrad and I later received my Master's in Accounting and Financial Mgmt. I've worked for two different CPAs and can truly say that in the last few years, I have learned more about finances from conversations, blogs, and my own trials than I did throughout my formal education in public school and college. I do recall as a child, my mother teaching me the basics of sales tax (it was 6% then) as we shopped in one of my favorite stores, Dollar Tree. LOL. I can also recall being fussed at by my father when he found out I spent all of money on music and other stuff instead of important stuff. It's amazing how much I value a dollar more today than I did back then. The important thing now is that I understand the necessity of financial literacy and the biblical principle of stewardship. As believers, not only are we stewards of people, but we are stewards over our time, talents, faith, businesses, employment, and finances. It's very important that we understand that God called all of us to utilize and have wisdom over our financial resources for the Kingdom as well as for the generations after us. You may recall a blog I wrote entitled "The Write Investment: Creating Intellectual Property". In that blog I touch on the subject of understanding the various forms of intellectual property and the importance of investing in our creative, literary works. As creatives, it's necessary to know how to protect one's assets and create generational wealth. Through a recent conversation I learned that money has four functions: to be spent, given, saved, and invested. When it comes to multiple streams of income, most wealthy people have at least 7 streams of income. What does the bible say about finances? Money is mentioned more than 800 times in the Bible with over 120 plus scriptures. Here are a few:

Proverbs 13:22 says, “A good person leaves an inheritance for their children's children”.

Romans 13:8 "Let no debt remain outstanding except the continuing debt to love on another." 

Proverbs 22:7 "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender."

Psalm 37:21 "The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives."

More information on money bible verses are found at https://www.biblemoneymatters.com/bible-verses-about-money-what-does-the-bible-have-to-say-about-our-financial-lives/

It's amazing how the written Word can speak to so many things we deal with, even the concept of money and being great stewards. I know the latter part of 2018 and this year, I have been looking at other ways to manage my money particularly through investments. Investing has been a top goal of a few people I talk to and just understanding how money works when you have a Kingdom mindset is amazing. We should always pray and ask God for wisdom and His will on how to plan for our finances whether it's for retirement, education, debt, estate planning, investments, business, etc. I close with this scripture, "To whom much is given, much will be required" (Luke 12:48). I challenge all of us to view money with a Kingdom mindset. If we can't see the value of $1 and manage it properly, then how can we expect to receive anything more? Let's all strive to be better.

In His service,

Lequvia Ousley

The Write Confidence: Our Faith is Getting Better

Hello #JustWrite family!! We are mid-way through March and we are talking about faith. A general definition for faith is, "complete trust or confidence in someone or something." We as people tend to have faith in people, jobs, careers, money, or anything that we can see. Some synonyms for faith include the following: "trust, belief, confidence, conviction, credence, reliance, dependence; optimism, hopefulness, hope, expectation". According to the Bible in Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen".Sometimes we have the tendency to say we have faith, but our hearts and mindset don't reflect it. As we finish out the 1st Quarter of 2019, let's take some time to reflect and see how our faith can be better. We have to ask ourselves where does our faith rest? Is it in God and what He can do or is it solely in ourselves and what we can do? One of the hardest things as a believer is not allowing ourselves to lose faith. The following article from wikiHow explains how faith in God works: Jesus speaks of the amazing things that Faith can do in Matthew 17:20. He said, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Faith is a gift from God, and to have Faith, you must have a connection with Jesus Christ. Just by believing that He truly is listening, You have Faith! It's that easy! Faith is very important, as everything that was done in the Bible was by Faith. We must read the Bible day and night, as it is very important in our "Faith". The article also lists the following steps on how to truly have faith: 


1. Have a Personal Relationship with God. At times God might do things that strengthen your Faith out of his Mercy. If you really want to see the glory of God's Faith, you must get to know God personally and you must be willing to follow him anywhere. Pray and grow with God and over time your Faith will grow as you have more and more experiences with Jesus Christ.


2. Seek Faith Through God. The Bible clearly says in John 14:13, "And I will do whatever you ask in my name , so that Son may bring glory to the Father." If you come to God and ask him with all your heart for Faith, He will never reject you.


3. Be Patient and Stand Firm: As Human Beings, we tend to want things in our own time. But as hard as it is, we must have patience and wait for Gods time to bless us. Never give up and never be discouraged. While we wait we must always keep in prayer with the Lord and we must Focus on the Lord at all times. While you wait, believe that God will give you the Faith you asked for. You might start noticing that is what Faith is! Believing.

Faith is so critical for the times we are in and things only get better if we just believe and not get stuck in what we can't see. The Lord is faithful. Let's challenge and encourage each other to stretch our faith. "With God, all things are possible." (Matt. 19:26)


In His service,


Lequvia Ousley

The Write Bond: Families are getting better

Happy February!!

This month's theme is "Families are getting better." One of my many prayers was answered during the holidays. For the first time in 20 plus years I was able to attend my first family reunion on my mother's side. Surprisingly, I didn't cry that day but it was an amazing feeling to connect and reconnect while learning the lineage of so many ancestors. In the midst of that joyous occasion, I agreed to help one of my cousins who is the designated planner for the reunion as the historical scribe by creating a website/blog to keep the family history and memories in tact for generations to come. It is an overwhelming feeling to know that in the midst of the many challenges/trials within my family that these moments are bringing us closer and our character and love for each other is strengthened. We as a people and family are getting better. What does family mean? Britannica.com defines the word family as, "a group of persons united by the ties of marriage, blood, or adoption, constituting a single household and interacting with each other in their respective social positions, usually those of spouses, parents, children, and siblings. The word 'united' and the phrase 'interacting with each other' stand out to me because a family can't exist if we as a people are not standing together through good or bad and forming relationships regardless if the persons are connected by blood, church, friendships, beliefs, etc. Because I didn't have close ties with family growing up, I've always considered my friends family because of the genuine love and concern that was shared. As I became older, I still wanted to know more about my family on both sides. As a fan of the arts, I was always drawn to movies and shows that examined different depictions of family and I had such a huge desire to still know my lineage in the midst of dysfunction. It wasn't until I began to be around my own family that I understood how our family evolved and dealt with many situations which explained some of my views and choices later in life. In discovering that, I realized that something has to change and it has to start with me and those in my generation. The family members who came before me have passed on and the ones who are alive don't have the energy to do as much as the younger generation. As a member of the younger generation, it is my duty to pick up where the family tree has left off and continue to carry the legacy. The same thing goes for our other families: church, friendships, support groups, etc. We must stay united and keep the interaction among our circles together to become better. As I close, I have a new acronym for the word FAMILY:

Fellowship
And
Memories
In
Love
Year-long

Just Write family, let's create those stories and keep the Write bond going. We as a family must get better.


In His service,


Lequvia Ousley

The Write Encouragement: We Are Getting Better

Happy 2019, Just Write!!


It's been a long time, but I am back with more insight, inspiration, and information. With this new year upon us, I spent the last 2 years pondering on how to keep the blog exciting with fresh content, but then I felt at times that I was trying to force myself to create content. Then anxiety and uncertainty kicked in, plus other personal situations. So I just put the blog down for awhile and shifted my focus on taking care of myself (mentally, physically, and spiritually) and allowing God to lead me to what was next. In the midst of taking a hiatus from 'The Write Moment', I was still writing, creating, and assisting others within my other skill sets. I also took some necessary time to just enjoy myself whether I was celebrating a friend, visiting a friend, sharing a meal, or just getting a way to see family/friends for a few days or weeks. I realized that in my 'doing' for others, I wasn't 'being' myself either and fully enjoying the moments before me. It was during those moments that bits and pieces of inspiration started to come back for the blog. I shared my thoughts with Kim and I've decided for 2019 to intertwine the subject matter of the blog with the themes presented by NewBirth. Keep in mind, I do recognize that everyone who reads this blog is not a member of NewBirth including myself, but we are all Kingdom-minded writers who are here for a common goal of reaching our communities, cities, and nations with our stories and most importantly HIStory as I so eloquently put in a previous blog. With that being said, for those who don't know January's theme is "I Am Getting Better".


As I thought about this month's theme, my mind went back to several changes I made for myself on the personal end which were so necessary and then I had to make some changes on the professional end which again was very necessary which has brought me back to my creative space. I noticed that after completing projects and applying for side writing gigs (and getting the rejection notices) I was becoming stagnant and stale in my writing/editing skills. I needed to stretch my mindset and challenge myself to cultivate my skills so I can better serve those I reach. I recognized that I had to get better at whatever I was striving for to be effective. Not only from that standpoint, but from a spiritual standpoint. With prayer and understanding, I had to purge a lot of mindsets that were eating away at my spirit which manifested in the physical to the point of laziness and lethargy. From there I had to regroup and reevaluate my goals and motivate myself to be inspired again. I was reminded by the scripture, James 1:17 ("Every good and perfect gift comes from above") that everything that has been given to me comes from the One who created me. There was no reason for me to force ideas and other things to happen. The improvement comes in due time.

As I close, I encourage you all who read this to really seek God and be encouraged with your goals and projects. Let God help you create and be the change you want to see through your books, scripts, songs, poetry, etc. In these times that we are facing, it's very imperative that we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and stay prepared. Let's all be on one accord and become better for the Kingdom.


In His service,


Lequvia Ousley

The Write Strength: Weathering Storms

Hello #JustWrite!! It has been a long time since I've posted and I'm glad to be back. I spent the last month regrouping after an intense 2-month summer STEM program with training in Philadelphia to working my assignments in NC (Wake Forest University) and ATL(Emory). I was definitely on vacation because when I came back, the desire to write was gone. It was as if my spirit went to those places and never came back. I literally had to be mentally, spiritually, and physically back in those familiar places that reminded me of writing. Slowly, but surely I'm back. So as you all know Hurricane Irma hit FL and GA this week and I saw the effects of it in other states and Mexico. As a native Georgian with family ties in FL and other parts of the US., I had never experienced a storm like that before. As always with many natural occurrences and disasters, my mind and thoughts are always brought back to the scripture of being prepared and staying ready(Matt. 24:24),not just when storms(physically and spiritually)occur, but in and out of season. Two things I learned from this week's storm: the reminder of God's strength and how to rest. With me slowly gaining my desire to write back, I realized that I couldn't force it to come back, like how we as believers sometimes try to do everything in our own strength. A few days ago, a dear friend reminded me of the creation story and the importance of the Sabbath. God, the Creator rested after his magnificent tapestry of the earth. We should do the same in resting and allowing God to do the work so we can be more effective. Speaking of being effective, it's funny and interesting how the same night the storm hit, everything was shut down for me from electricity to laptop. Yep, my fully charged laptop went out completely a few hours after the power did. Luckily this blog was started on my phone (thanks to the Blogger app) before everything happened. For a moment I thought I lost all my docs but thanks to Google Drive I didn't. Unfortunately, my writing will be limited only to my phone or my ancient desktop (lol) until I can get a replacement. Anyways, back to what I was saying earlier, this storm reminded me that although we try to avoid being caught in certain storms, we have to be wise, prepare, and endure those storms as a test of our character. Notice I said character, instead of strength. Remember it is in His strength, that we are no longer weak. The older I get, the more I appreciate the rain because it brings a calmness to my organized chaos. I truly appreciate the storms that come every once in awhile because they allow me to rest and be thankful for the stillness. Also I can't forget the opportunity to create content(this blog and so much more). As I close, I pray that you all received a little rest this week and new revelations about your writings! See you in the next blog!

In His service,

~Lequvia Ousley~