Making Good Habits, Breaking Bad Habits Chapter 9

"Now faith is the assurance of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality."

                                                                                  -Hebrews 11:1

We are halfway done with the book! I hope you all are getting something out of the book as much as I am. I can honestly say that I am working towards forming new habits in my life and getting rid of the things that cause me to have bad habits. I have faith that I will be able to break my bad habits......especially with the help from God. This brings us into our next chapter which is Behavior 6: The habit of faith.

We MUST have faith in all that we do!!! If you are trying to get a new job, you must believe that God is going to give you favor and provide you with a job you deserve. When we do not depend or trust in The Lord to bless us, we become stressed, filled with worries and hopeless. Remember, with God ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. Joyce Meyer gives us two scriptures in this chapter that is a definition of faith: Hebrews 11:1 and Colossians 1:4. God wants us to have faith in him all the time. He loves you and he wants you to do his will. Instead of saying "Oh this is just too much for me" or "This is so difficult," start saying "This may be rough, but with Gods help, he will lead the way and I will have the victory." Speaking like this not only shows God that you trust him, you are also looking at the brighter side of things and makes you feel better mentally.

Some of you may know this story but for those who don't, in the book of Matthew, Chapter 14:22-23, it explains how disciple Peter said "Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water." The Lord told peter to "come" and as Peter was getting out of the boat and onto the water, he saw the wind, Peter became afraid and started to sink. He cried out "Lord, save me!"

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, why did you doubt?"

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him saying, "Truly you are the son of God."

God is able to do MORE than what we can imagine......we just need to trust in him. If you haven't put faith in The Lord, I challenge you to try it today. You will be amazed by the wonderful things God can do. As Joyce Meyer said "Taking action releases faith."

-Markesha xoxo

Making Good Habits, Breaking Bad Habits Chapter 8

"Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding."

                                                                                                -Proverbs 3:13 (NKJV)

Happiness begins with YOU! Yes, YOU! Not in other people, not in material things......it's all about YOU! In Chapter 8 of Joyce Meyers book "Making Good Habits, Breaking Bad Habits," She discusses the happy habit. Joyce Meyer explains that it is ultimately up to us if we want to live a happy life or not and how we need to learn how to smile and laugh, even in the midst of a storm.

I'm going to provide you with some quotes from this book but first I want to tell you guys what I have learned from this chapter. We can change our lives completely just by putting a smile on our faces. Instead of dwelling on the problems that we have in life, smile and know that hard times are never permanent. I am not saying to forget your problems completely, but learn how to look at the brighter side of things and do not let temporary frustrations get the best of you. I must admit, I tend to worry a lot and think about the issues that are going on in my life which results to me being upset and depressed.....NOT ANYMORE! God fights my battles so I keep my head up high and know that JOY and VICTORY is mine. If you are going through something, just smile and say to yourself that everything is going to be alright and see how the rest of your day gets better. God will never give you something that you can't handle so enjoy life and the blessings in front of you.

Another thing that I have learned from this chapter is to laugh more. If you have someone in your life that makes you laugh, keep them in your life and hang out with them more. Laughter is the best medicine and makes you forget what you were even worried about. Learn to laugh at yourself too. Too many of us are unhappy with our looks but if we learn to love who we are and know that we were made in Gods image, we will be at peace. I am so glad that Joyce Meyer discussed the happy habit because so many of us need to read this and change our lives. It's never too late to change and choose happiness over misery.

Joyce Meyer states in her book that happiness is a choice and a habit that we can develop. When you get up in the morning, we should say to ourselves that we have the power to make ourselves happy. The best quote in this chapter says "Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, and I'm going to be happy in it." -Groucho Marx

Choose to live a happy life today. Focus on the good instead of the bad because what we focus on determines our feelings. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It was an eye opener for me.

-Markesha xoxo

Making Good Habits, Breaking Bad Habits Chapter 7

"It is important that you live long enough to do whatever it is God has assigned to you"

                                                                                            -Joyce Meyer

Chapter 7 of the book "Making Good Habits, Breaking Bad Habits" is my favorite so far. Joyce Meyer discusses forming healthy habits. It is very important that we take good care of our bodies because it adds more years to your life and it will not affect your life in a negative way. Your body is Gods house as he lives inside of  you so why would you put junk inside of it? 1 Corinthians 6:20 says, "You were bought with a price. So then, honor God and bring glory to him in your body."

Eating right, getting enough sleep and getting rid of stressful situations in your life are one of the most important habits to work on.  Creating a healthy habit should be one of the first things (besides building a personal relationship with God) you should do. When it comes to eating right, we must learn how to read labels and understand what we put into our body. Joyce Meyer explains that even though you may start out not liking some of the things you will need to do, eventually, you will become accustomed to them and you will crave them as much as you now dislike them. For example, if you hate to exercise, do it often enough where your body can't go a day without working out.

"Our bodies are not really all that intelligent. They just crave what we repeatedly give them. If it's bad, they will want what is bad, and if it's good, they will want that."

Getting rid of stress is something really important. Worry, anxiety and fear are major stresses, and we can eliminate them by trusting God and casting our care on him. Joyce Meyer explains that too much stress produces too much cortisol in our bodies and it's dangerous. If you do not know what cortisol is, I highly suggest that you look it up! Think of a few things that cause stress in your life and make the decision to get rid of them TODAY!

Getting enough sleep is another healthy habit to form. We should be getting 8 hours of sleep a night. So many people use the term "I'll sleep when I'm dead" or "They sleep, we grind" a lot and we need to understand that not getting enough sleep can shorten our lives and our brains do not function properly with limited sleep. Also, our bodies become unable to fight diseases when we don't get a lot of  sleep. It is commanded by the word of God that we get some rest. If it is your mission to honor God, GET YOUR REST ;-).

The book gives us 7 Pillars for good health so I recommend that you get this book and start reading TODAY. Also, I recommend that you get Joyce Meyers book "Look Great, Feel Great." I'm going to purchase that book myself and start posting health blogs about the book soon.

-Markesha xoxo

Making Good Habits, Breaking Bad Habits Chapter 6

"He (God) expects us to follow his word, his spirit, and his wisdom If we don't have peace about something, or it would not be wise to do it, then we should not do it."

                                                                                      -Joyce Meyer

Chapter 6 discusses being decisive. There are 3 types of decision makers: one who makes decisions too quickly, one who takes way too long to make a decision and the other person is one who doesn't make a decision at all. I would like to break down each category:

The Quick Decision Maker: One who really doesn't think about the pros and cons. Their decisions are rushed which sometimes leads to failure. I would highly suggest that if you are the quick decision maker, start asking God first as to what your option should be.....especially if the decision you are trying to make is a spiritual one.

The Slow Decision Maker: One who takes way too long to make a decision. The longer you take to make a decision, the more you are procrastinating on your task. As I advised the quick decision maker, as God what you should do. Joyce Meyer stated in her book "If after prayer and waiting we still feel that we have no direction, then it may mean that God is simply giving us the freedom to make our own choice." If the decision we made was a bad one, we can modify it as we go along.

The NO decision Maker: This individual makes no decisions at all. This person is usually miserable. I personally feel terrible when I don't make any kind of decisions. In Chapter 6, Joyce Meyer gives us reasons that a person may not make a decision at all. One of the reasons being is that person may be insecure about themselves and their abilities. Being insecure and scared is nothing but Satan. We must remember that if we have faith in God, we can do all things with his help. There are 4 others reasons why a person would be indecisive but I rather have you guys read the book ;-)

Joyce Meyer gives us instructions on how to make decisions: Make a list of your options, Weight the possible outcome and Acknowledge God. Here's a quote from her book that I am going to apply to my everyday life

"We should never make our plans and then pray for God to bless them. We should pray before any planning takes place. If the true desire of your heart is to follow God in all things, he will let you know one way or another if you are doing the right thing."

-Markesha xoxo

How Many Of Us Have Them.......FRIENDS!

"Encourage, lift and strengthen one another. For the positive energy spread to one will be felt by us all. For we are connected, one and all."

                                                                                            -Deborah Day


When you look up the word "friend" in the dictionary, you will find that the meaning of a friend is one who supports, sympathizes with, or patronizes a group or movement. A person whom one knows, likes and trusts. Noticed how I put the word "support" in bold print. Lets discuss being supportive friends.

When being involved with a person as a friend, family member or as a relationship, you are agreeing to support one another. That is something that I see lacking in friendships nowadays. Let's look at one example:

Rhonda is working on her career as a painter. She asked her friend Laura to come look at some of her paintings at her home, come to an art event for support and to promote her art to her friends. Laura is too "busy" to come look at her friend Rhondas paintings and has not showed up to an event; however, Laura is now working on her career in Journalism and expects Rhonda to support her all the way.

Why do we as "friends" expect so much from each other but don't do anything to support one another? There's a saying "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours." I definitely believe in that statement. We must be willing to take a little time out of our busy lives to support one another in a positive way. Now, if you don't like what your friend is doing or if there is something that your friend could do better, be honest with them. That's what friends are for right?

Starting today, I want you all to say something nice or do something out of love for your friends. A little goes a long way. Encouragement, compliments, honesty and being reliable can make someones day a whole lot better. If you find yourself not doing any of these for a friend, you may want to make a slight change. Love your friends, go support.

-Markesha xoxo

Got Romance?

"The word 'Romance' according to the dictionary, means excitement, adventure, and something extremely real. Romance should last a lifetime."

                                                                                             -Billy Graham

So many relationships and marriages are lacking romance. Back in the days, it was all about showing how much you love and appreciate your other half. Now, the word "romance" is foreign. Did you know that marriages and relationships should have at least a night or two of romance on a regular basis? I think it's time to bring the love and excitement back in our relationships. If we can do that, so many marriages and relationships can be saved. Here are a few ideas for a perfect night with your babe.....and yes, these ideas will save some money in your pocket since I know we are living in a tough economic time:

1. If you have a back yard, plan a sexy picnic at night with a blanket, basket full of goodies (romance food), a bottle of Champagne, slow jams and relax under the stars.

2. Dress like you're going out, make a romantic dinner, light candles everywhere and dance the night away in your house.

3. Light candles everywhere in the house, make a rose pedal trail (you can buy the fake rose pedals at Walmart for no more than $10.00) all the way to the bathroom for a romantic bubble bath for two. Have  two glasses of Champagne or Wine sitting next to the tub. Of course play your favorite romance music.

4. Clean the bedroom, have it smelling nice, light candles, have rose pedals everywhere and relax in the bed with your mate. Ask questions.......it doesn't matter how long you and your mate have been together, you'll always find something out about your partner that you never knew. Make sure these are questions that won't start an argument. Things could get ugly LOL......real fast!

5. Go on a romantic drive. Park somewhere that you can view a beautiful scenery and snuggle while gazing at the stars. This could lead to a romantic talk all the way to sunrise.

6. Go to the beach (if you have one) at night and enjoy a night of cuddling, kissing, dancing and talking.

7. (I found this idea online) Spend a night in Italy. Rent an Italian movie, eat pizza, sip wine, and enjoy a bit of Gelato.

8. Make a play list on a CD, MP3, etc and play songs that remind you of when you met your sweetie. Songs that you guys used to dedicate to each other and relax at home cuddling.

I hope these ideas help you! If you have any ideas, please share them in the comment section below. I would love to hear your ideas. Blessings <3

-Markesha xoxo

The Fear Is Real

Many of us will miss out on so much in life because of these 3 reasons:

1. We are stubborn
2. We hold things back
3. We are afraid of what others might think or say

I'll be honest with you guys, I have missed out on a few great opportunities because I simply did not say what was on my heart. The fear of rejection kills me. This is something that I am working on. If you guys are confused on what I'm saying, here's a scenario:

Diana and Robert have been friends for a very long time. They feel as if they can tell each other anything. One day, Robert tells Diana that he feels empty at times. He's tired of being lonely and wishes that he had a significant other to build with. Someone to love, someone to start a family with. Diana has strong feelings for Robert but her fear of rejection is getting in the way of her expressing how she feels. Since Diana said nothing, Robert felt that she did not feel the same way. To make the long story short, Robert eventually found someone and it broke Diana's heart. If only she would have told him what's on her mind.....

We only live once. Why do we hold on to fear for so long to the point where it gets the best of us? Why are we so stuck in our ways? It's time for us to start sharing our feelings and not be afraid of what other people will say. If someone rejects you, you learn from it and move on. We won't know until we try right? Here is another scenario of what happens when we hold things back:

Tom and Lisa were in a relationship. Due to communication issues, the relationship fell apart. If something was bothering Lisa, she would hold it in until she got so upset, she exploded in anger. Tom was the same. You can tell that they clearly loved each other but their lack of communication kept them separated. They both love each other so much and they want to be back together, but here comes fear again. They are afraid of rejection.

I dare you guys to speak up and say something that has been on your mind to someone. I promise you that it will make you feel a whole lot better. Holding things in is like having too much air in a balloon, you'll eventually pop. Can you honestly say that you feel good when you hold your feelings back? I can't. I feel crummy when I do it. So from now on, I'm going to let go of fear and go after what I want. It doesn't have to be a relationship, it can be anything. A job, career, trying new things, trying new food. Go out there and live life. Don't let fear get in the way of anything. I hope this blog is a blessing to you as it is for me writing it. Much love <3.

-Markesha xoxo

What Would You Do With 10 Million Dollars?

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

                                                                                         -Matthew 6:24

So many of us think that money is everything. Some people say that money is their motivation. Some of us want what we see on TV which is the fast cars, big houses, fancy clothes and jewelry. When I asked a few of my friends if they were to win 10 million dollars right now, what would they do with it, I was told that they would buy a nice sports car, high priced electronics, take expensive trips and invest in a business. Sadly, no one said that they would give money to someone less fortunate or even to a charity. Yes, it's nice to reward yourself with nice things but we can't take any of these nice things to Heaven.

If I was to win 10 million dollars, I would take care of my debt, invest in my business and I would bless others or even a charity of my choice. I've always been the type to give back. I believe we're all called to do great things. I also believe that when we are called to do something, God is calling us to be a blessing in others lives. I can't stand to see someone outside holding up a sign or begging for money to get food. I always think to myself "That could be me." Bless, and you will be blessed. We cannot be stingy. Being stingy is not love. God is love.......and we should all try to be "Christ like."

I remember a song from the 90's called "C.R.E.A.M" which meant "Cash Rules Everything Around Me." It's funny because people still walk around saying that. Some of us are so tied up with trying to make a quick buck that we tend to forget the most important thing in life.......God. God is a jealous God. We sometimes think that if we had money, it would solve all of our problems; however, we tend to forget that God will supply all of our needs. God knows what we need before we even ask for it. In the book of Matthew chapter 6, it explains that we should not store up treasures on earth....for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. There are things in my life that if I had a lot of money, it would solve some of my problems but then again, God is a problem solver.......I can cast my cares (problems) on him and he will take care of my needs. All we need to do is have faith in God (Mark 11:22).

We cannot get so tied up with being obsessed with money. If you really think about it, money does not solve all of your problems, God does. If we can get out of the "It's all about me and what I want" mindset and start to think "How can I bless others and live life to please God," we would be much happier. Money is temporary, God is forever.....

-Markesha xoxo

Making Good Habits, Breaking Bad Habits Chapter 5

"Thoughts and words are the starting point for forming all good habits and breaking all bad habits" 

                                                                                  -Joyce Meyer 


In Chapter 5 of Making Good Habits, Breaking Bad Habits, Joyce Meyer explains how our behavior can affect our thoughts, words and habits. What the think in our minds usually comes out of our mouths.

I'm going to give you guys an example. I usually post a blog every other day about this book. On Monday, I got real busy and did not have the time to post a blog for my readers. Tuesday is usually a day when I read another chapter and not post anything until the next day. Since I was too busy to post a blog on Monday, I can easily say, "You know what, I can just skip posting a blog for today or do it later in the week" or I can do it NOW (see last blog about chapter 4) to avoid procrastination. Me saying I'll do it another day could turn into holding it off work a week, 2 weeks or even longer. In order to make new habits, we need to be NOW people. Procrastinate no more. There is a statement in the book that I had to highlight and share with you.

"When you are trying to develop a good habit or break a bad one, always remember that words proceed action. Or, as I frequently say, where the mind goes, the man follows"

Joyce gave us an example in her book about a person who is in debt and is currently trying to get out of that situation. That person can think things like "I am so deeply in debt that I will never get all of my bills paid off." or "This situation I have is impossible to change, it is too late for me." People who think like this will start to say things like this. When you start thinking that something is impossible, quickly change your thinking to something positive and then speak it into existence. Say "Yes, I have a lot of debt; however, with Gods help, I can get out of debt as I cannot do this alone." See how easy that was? God always keeps his word. As Joyce Meyer said "God's word is always the same, and it has the power to change things.

Below is a scripture that we need to remember while we are trying to make or break bad habits:

2 Corinthians 10:5- Cast down, or refute wrong thoughts

Our thinking must change in order for our habits to change. Your life starts today..........start thinking and speaking positive.

-Markesha xoxo

Making Good Habits, Breaking Bad Habits Chapter 4

"I don't have a three-step magic formula that will change you overnight. But I can promise you don't have to be in bondage to anything if you truly want to be free."

                                                                                                            -Joyce Meyer

In Chapter 4, Joyce Meyer is discussing how breaking a bad

habit will not be done overnight. A lot of us want things to happen immediately but we must be patient and say to ourselves that it won't be easy but with Gods help, we can do it. Remember this verse while you are trying to break your habit, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13).

Joyce Meyer gives us a few steps that we should take as we try to break our habits. One of them being not to go out with friends and discuss how you are trying to break a bad habit and how difficult it is. Joyce thinks that we would be better off not talking about it at all unless it's with a really close friend, family and of course with God....people who are going to pray and encourage you. Not everyone is rooting for you.....remember that. Another tip Joyce gave us is not to say how difficult breaking the habit is. We must speak life into ourselves, not death. Say that you can do it with God's help.

I encourage you all to think of a prize or treat that you can award yourself once you break that habit. Mines is going to be a nice hair color and style at a salon if I can break my habit. While you're in the process of getting rid of that habit, replace the negative thinking with the prize you are going to award yourself. That will give you more motivation to go through with it. If you are consistent enough, you can break your habit within 30 days. In my opinion, that is quick! Don't forget, if you have a lot of bad habits, focus on one at a time. Don't overwork yourself. If you have 3 bad habits, think about it.......if it takes 30 days to get rid of one bad habit, you can break 3 bad habits in 90 days. Not bad ;-).

I want to share so much with you guys about chapter 4 but I want you guys to grab a copy and read for yourself. This is such an awesome book and worth the money! Before I end this blog, I want to share with you 5 things that Joyce Meyer wants us to do:

1. Start every day with God.........ask him for strength and guidance early each day.
2. Be very committed and ready to suffer for a season if necessary.
3. Be careful what you say about the habit.
4. Think positive, faith filled thoughts about your journey.
5. Believe even when you have not seen results.

Be blessed!

-Markesha xoxo

Making Good Habits, Breaking Bad Habits Chapter 3

"And He came out and went, as was His habit, to the mount of olives, and the disciples also followed him."

                                                                                                                 -Joyce Meyer

Chapter 2 discussed procrastination. In Chapter 3, we are learning about the good habit and spending time with God. A lot of us do not take time out of our day to pray to God unless we are going through tough times in our lives. Joyce Meyer stated that even though God is not mad at you for running to him only when you are in trouble, he is not pleased. That's like having a friend or family member who only contacts you when they need you for something. Once they have gotten what they wanted from you, you don't hear from them until they experience another issue. Without forming a habit of spending time with God in prayer and devotions, it is going to be difficult to form and other good habits.

God is not asking you to pray to him for 30 minutes to an hour; well, you can if you want but all he is asking for is your time. Try to take 10-15 minutes out of your morning after you get out of bed and pray. I personally pray for 10-15 minutes (sometimes longer) in the morning as soon as I get out of bed to thank him for waking me up, thanking him for what I have, my future blessings, I pray that I have a good day at work, etc. I dare you to try it too and see how better your day is.

"You have said, Seek my face [inquire for and require my presence as your vital need]. My heart says to you, your face, your presence, Lord will I seek, inquire for, and require [of necessity and on the authority of your word]"

                                                                                                    -Psalm 27:8

In order to do anything in life, we need God's help. Without him, nothing is possible. Every blessing you have came from The Lord. Joyce Meyer asked the readers if they are taking time to ask for his help before we begin our day, make decisions or undertake any endeavor. That should be one major rule in trying to form a good habit. Saying that we "don't have enough time for God" is a sorry excuse. When you take time out of your busy day to spend time with him, he will multiply your time. I am a living testimony of that. If you haven't been making time for God, I challenge you to do so and see how much your life changes---for good.

I highly suggest that you all purchase this book to read the rest of this chapter and the others as this is a book that is changing my life and helping me create good habits for myself.

-Markesha xoxo