tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25224072125844157412024-03-13T21:54:12.745-05:00Dr. Naima Johnston's Random Life LessonsNaima dishes on life, love, faith and fat!Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-80144752698127165012015-09-10T09:30:00.000-05:002015-09-29T17:53:14.152-05:00Ode to Maury Povitch<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Have you read, Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs? </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">These poems have been written as I traveled the country sharing my educational programs, Spiritual Songs, The History of the Negro Spiritual and Dancing with the Devil, The African American Holocaust. They are reflections of my encounters at places such as Carnton Plantation, the burial grounds of the largest group of Confederate soldiers on private property. The Freedom Center which sits on the banks of the Ohio River, an educational testament to the past and present history of slavery. They were delivered to me through the news. The modern day terrors which transcended race but exemplified hate and from seeing cotton growing in the field for the first time at the age of forty one. I have chosen to sing the songs of my ancestors so that all may know the truth – the truth of an evil that still rolls like thunder across our nation today. And I like to think of these poems as songs as well, songs bound to the page to carry on long after my voice has been silenced and entered into the ages.</span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Ode to
Maury Povitch<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dt2IMSNI8Kk/Ve34mcgTTHI/AAAAAAAAAP0/VPrJixLUFNc/s1600/Psalms%2BPic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dt2IMSNI8Kk/Ve34mcgTTHI/AAAAAAAAAP0/VPrJixLUFNc/s400/Psalms%2BPic.jpg" width="400" /></a><span lang="EN">Beautiful baby<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Paraded unaware<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Before a live television audience<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">That giggles and hoots<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">At your mamma’s dilemma<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Or they cluck their tongues<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">And shake their heads<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">In disapproval<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN">Scripted or not<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Foolish choices<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Are displayed <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">As they read the results<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">And men liberated<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">From responsibility<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Go running from the stage<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Calling mamma out of her name<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Fist pumping<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Arms held aloft <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">In victory<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Beautiful Baby<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">You continue to smile<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Mamma’s baby<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Daddy’s maybe<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">As the woman who<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Clutches her hope<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Sees it ripped away<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">With Maury’s famous words<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">“You Are Not The Father!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN">Occasionally your momma<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Gets to dance in elation<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">As the point is proven<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Her integrity is restored<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">When there is a DNA match<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN">Women of every shade<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Exploited at the 10AM viewing hour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Why are you even here at all<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Questioning the parentage <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Of this beautiful blessing from God<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Beautiful baby<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Someone needs to tell your Mamma<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">That she is more <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Then what’s between her thighs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN">And the celebrity <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Will last for more then <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">A ten minute segment <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">In her baby’s eyes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Still the dirty laundry <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Is aired for all to see<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN">Soiled and stained <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Too many one night stands<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Trysts with friends, brothers, cousins,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Sons and fathers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Affairs with men<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Who just don’t care<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">And call your mamma <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Outside her God given name<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN">Yet you keep smiling<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Clapping your hands<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Toward the camera<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">That covers you <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Backstage in a green room<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN"> </span> </div>
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<span lang="EN">Unaware of the maelstrom<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Surrounding the conception <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Of your life<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Unaware that Mamma<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Is asking Maury for help<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Cause everyone is unsure<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Of who your daddy is…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" /></span>
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">(C) 2014 Dr. Naima Johnston Bush</span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">From The Book: Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Psalms-Hymns-Spiritual-Songs-Inspired/dp/1449901042/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1441658895&sr=8-6&keywords=naima+johnston+bush&pebp=1441658900386&perid=0M11XXJHSEBB72MED4SW" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Psalms-Hymns-Spiritual-Songs-Inspired/dp/1449901042/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1441658895&sr=8-6&keywords=naima+johnston+bush&pebp=1441658900386&perid=0M11XXJHSEBB72MED4SW</a> Songs. Pick up your copy today!</span>Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-46585926061567778732015-07-26T20:53:00.000-05:002015-07-26T20:53:09.859-05:00Tell The Devil Nuts!<div class="MsoNormal">
Here’s a tidbit that most people don’t know about me. I love watching war movies, as a matter of
fact one of my favorite movies of all time is, <i>When We Were Soldiers</i>, I can watch that movie over and over again. Recently, I got a chance to watch, <i>Band of Brother’s</i> Series on HBO, a WWII
docudrama that focuses on the experiences of the paratroopers who landed behind
enemy lines during the invasion of <st1:state w:st="on">Normandy</st1:state>. My favorite part comes near the end when the
101<sup>st</sup> division is surrounded by the Germans at the town of <st1:city w:st="on">Bastogne</st1:city> in <st1:place w:st="on">Belgium</st1:place>. Dealing with a brutal
winter, a lack of supplies and an overall weariness, the division Commander is
issued a demand to honorably surrender by his enemy. General McAuliffe who was in charge at that
time responded to the German commander one word, “NUTS!”</div>
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Despite the opposition, the appearance of defeat, the lack
of resources, General McAuliffe told his greatest enemy in no uncertain terms,
“You sir, are crazy, I will not stand down.” Shortly after McAuliffe wrote that one word in
faith, the 101<sup>st</sup> was resupplied and joined by a fresh division and
were instrumental in bringing to end one of the most horrid and brutal events
in world history. It was almost as if
his very defiance changed the atmosphere and shifted the war in the favor of
right.</div>
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What I’m learning is that as Christians we need to take the
same approach. We need to look the devil
in the eye, and let him know that the Creator of Heaven and Earth is on our
side and we will not back down. We need
to remember that no matter what it looks like or feels like, God has a greater
plan that He is working out on our behalf. Fresh supplies and reinforcements are on the
way! By faith we have to take a step
towards victory declaring that we know by faith it is right around the corner!</div>
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When things go wrong, I’m going to start to yell, “NUTS!” It is going to be my war cry that I will not
be defeated, but rather that I trust the perfect plan of God. If you are struggling, sick, can’t seem to find
your way, if you are in need, if you’ve been fighting and you are tired, yell,
“NUTS!” Then start to praise the Lord!
Use the word to declare that the very thought of you being on the losing
side is crazy because the Lord of all is sending fresh supplies, angelic and
human reinforcements to hold you up. We
will not surrender, even when it is the darkest night! God has declared the time of victory is now,
NUTS to anyone or anything standing in your way!</div>
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How Can I Serve You?</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Planning a women’s ministry event? Interested in a house concert or special
music for your church event? Need a
guest worship leader? Please contact me,
I’m now taking requests for bookings for September through December 2015 and I
would love to be of service to you. Send
me an email at <a href="mailto:naima@ministryofnaima.com">naima@ministryofnaima.com</a></span>Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-8994876141467682502015-07-07T14:15:00.000-05:002015-07-07T14:15:58.727-05:00I Dreamed a Dream<h3>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I Dreamed A
Dream<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">As I quickly approach my 44<sup>th</sup>
birthday, I sometimes think it may be time to pack it up, leave the road and
settle down doing something others describe as useful. Many people would say I am to old to be
ripping up the roads, singing across the nations, dragging my husband and 2
doggies along for the ride. But the
truth of the matter is, we can’t think of anything else we’d rather do. It seems as if the Lord has given us a
special grace to do the work we’re doing. It’s never too late. It isn’t
over until the Lord says so.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: center;">One of the things I hear from people is that they think it’s
too late for them to achieve their God given dream. </span><span style="text-align: center;">But I believe that as long as there is breath
in your body there is time to achieve some part of the dream God has placed in
your heart for the advancement of the Kingdom.</span><span style="text-align: center;">
</span><span style="text-align: center;">It may be modified, it may not grow to be exactly what you thought it
would be, but if you still have strength, you still have time.</span><br /><br />
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I always think of Abraham and the promise that the Lord gave
him and Sarah, the promise became Abraham’s dream and although he saw only some
of it come to pass, he didn’t see it all come into fruition. But he did what
God called him to do after getting hemmed up in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Egypt</st1:country-region>,
messing around with his nephew <st1:place w:st="on">Lot</st1:place> and having
a child with the handmaid. Delays,
these were delays, but they did not take the Lord by surprise! God still brought forth His promise to
Abraham, his dream of being a father. In
essence Abraham set the foundation for a dream that would belong to the entire
world. A dream that would turn into a
blessing for the whole world.</div>
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So the past does not matter, the time to start is
today. What if the dream in your heart,
is simply this, the foundation of a bigger dream that will meet the needs of
millions of others? </div>
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Get Moving! Don’t
wait another minute, the Bible tells us… <b><i>If you wait for perfect conditions you will
never get anything done.</i></b> <b><i>(Ecclesiastes 11 Verse 4) NLB</i></b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0Df2c1NYOJM/VZwkFaCbowI/AAAAAAAAAPM/VMZoLKXXRMw/s1600/IMG_0627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0Df2c1NYOJM/VZwkFaCbowI/AAAAAAAAAPM/VMZoLKXXRMw/s320/IMG_0627.JPG" width="320" /></a>Ask yourself, what does your dream entail that you feel is
limited by time? For example, what if
you felt you were suppose to be a champion figure skater, you love ice skating,
but now in your 40’s you’re too old to pursue that dream. But you know the Lord has placed that passion
in your heart. After much prayer, you
could found a ministry that reaches out to figure skaters, or arranges free
lessons to children who can’t afford lessons while also training them in the
truths of the Word of God. Or maybe you
could become a coach’s assistant and win a future world champion to the Lord,
who will then share the gospel with millions through their athletic efforts. Time does not diminish the promise of
God! Answer the following questions:</div>
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<i>List the limitations you feel you’re facing because you
feel it’s too late.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Spend some serious time in prayer asking the Lord to reveal
to you how your original dream should look now.
Journal those answers, then make a commitment to do one thing everyday
to achieve the dream.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I’d love to hear your thoughts about fear, your dreams, God’s provision and overcoming the thought that it is to late! Leave me a comment here on the blog or at </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/ministryofnaima">www.facebook.com/ministryofnaima</a><br />
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-66009268084001758762015-06-03T00:50:00.000-05:002015-06-03T00:50:18.720-05:00God Will Provide!<div class="MsoBodyText2">
The summer is upon us and I know many of us are thankful
that the snow and cold are gone and new life is blooming. As we move quickly towards the end of the
year, I don’t want another moment to pass without you being prepared to achieve
your God Given Dream. Last month we talked
about facing our fears, this month we’ll address the issue of lack. We must remember there is no lack in God, He
has it all in hand and He has made provision for you.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wMO9bFABshA/VW6UuJTpRDI/AAAAAAAAAOU/7qbSpgYhu5Q/s1600/Go%2BWith%2BCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wMO9bFABshA/VW6UuJTpRDI/AAAAAAAAAOU/7qbSpgYhu5Q/s1600/Go%2BWith%2BCover.jpg" /></a>Have you ever felt that you could not achieve your God given
dreams because you didn’t have what you needed to make it all come
together? You feel you can’t go forward
because you don’t have the proper resources to do what you know you’ve been
called to do. But God is great and there
is no lack in Him! There is always a way
to get started even if you don’t have a million bucks in your hand. If God called you to do it, then you have
what you need in your hand – Read Judges Chapter 6 and use Gideon as role
model, I do!</div>
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There is one simple fact that cannot be denied when you are
facing a lack of resources to move forward in your God given dream. You know someone, somewhere who has what you
need or you know someone who knows someone who has what you need. All you have to do is pray and then ask. I’ve gotten more stuff that I’ve needed in
the last few months from folks simply by asking! Staff volunteers, recording equipment,
financial donations, assistance in booking just to name a few, just from asking. The Word tells us to ask and we shall
receive, so get to asking. And remember
the universal law of reaping and sowing, if someone asks you, be sure to give
it if you got it! Get yourself some paper and answer the following questions:</div>
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<i>What are your biggest needs to get started?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Who can you ask for assistance to get moving? List those folks:<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Select a concrete date on when you’ll ask them for what
you need:<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>Remember!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Always remember, the first person to ask is the Lord,
He has everything you need!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Don’t be afraid to ask them for suggestions if they
don’t have what you need</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Take what they are willing to give, God can do much
with a little</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Apply the 2 Step Approach, “Pray and Then Ask!”</div>
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How have you been working to overcome your fear? After you ask for something you need, please
share the praise reports as well! I’d
love to hear more about it. Please leave
me comment on Facebook at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ministryofnaima">www.facebook.com/ministryofnaima</a>
or here on the blog!</div>
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To learn more get the training manual, Go With What You Got!<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Go-What-You-Got-Accomplish/dp/1450548032/ref=sr_1_5_twi_2_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1433310214&sr=1-5&keywords=naima+johnston+bush" target="_blank">To Learn More Purchase The Book - Go With What You Got!</a></div>
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Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-40960686484259820042015-05-14T17:58:00.000-05:002015-05-14T18:00:59.550-05:00Fear, Lack, Faith, Trust<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Grace and Peace Loved Ones!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">There are some words that most people would not use to describe me, painfully shy and fearful. These two words have dictated my existence so strongly that on occasion I have not been able to function. How can that possibly be? I travel hundreds of miles singing for the Lord for a handful or a few hundred. And me, shy? I have learned to make myself talk to people I don’t know. Why? Because I know that I am called to do a greater work, to introduce the Lord to those who don’t know Him and to encourage those who feel lost and broken.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">From the moment I was born, singing has been my life’s dream. I cut my teeth on the arts, acting, dancing, music and writing and I have longed to use these artistic gifts for the glory of God since I became a Christian in my mid-twenties. But even before I became a Christian, I was so fearful to pursue my dreams that I missed opportunities, never took chances and stayed silent when I should have spoken out. Before I was even called to sing for the Lord, the devil worked to destroy my confidence so that by the time I came to know the Lord I still was fearful to pursue my artistic dreams for His glory.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">But not anymore! I’ve spent the last year doing all types of things that I would never do because it made me fearful. I recently auditioned to sing the National Anthem for the Jacksonville Suns, I was so scared, I made myself sick, but by the power of the Lord I did it anyway. Last year I entered a showcase sponsored by the Christian Women in Media, I didn’t win the grand prize, but I did make the top ten! And this year, I have decided I won’t hold back, anything and everything that I’ve dreamed of doing, that the Lord gives me the go ahead to do, I am going to do. Fear will have no place, because God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">So many times we let fear, or lack, or age or doubt keep us from the victory that the Lord has in store. I’ve had to develop the tools to break past these limitations and truly trust in the Almighty God who believes in me more then I believe in myself. Come on over to the blog on May 20</span><sup style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">th</sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">, June 1</span><sup style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">st</sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">, June 16</span><sup style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">th</sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> and July 1</span><sup style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">st</sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> and check out my series on the 4 Things That Keep You From Achieving Your God Given Dream. There is much work to do, let’s not let our selves get in the way of God’s perfect will for our lives!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Don’t forget to visit the blog at </span><a href="http://www.rvrb.me/fan_reach/pt?eid=A364994___lnk1008&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.naimajohnston.blogspot.com%2F" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #6a778d; cursor: pointer; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">www.naimajohnston.blogspot.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> to follow a special series on 4 Things That Keep Your From Achieving Your God Given Dreams!</span><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yiOgtLYmI_E/TZzk4L5wCtI/AAAAAAAAADc/DFrAnwMAz_Y/s1600/Confessions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yiOgtLYmI_E/TZzk4L5wCtI/AAAAAAAAADc/DFrAnwMAz_Y/s1600/Confessions.jpg" /></a><br />
<strong style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How You Can Support Us!</strong><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">As you know we are in ministry fulltime and we are always seeking ways to grow the ministry, meet the needs of others and be of service to the world. Each month we are going to offer a special product for a special price for our newsletter readers! This month, we are offering my book, Confessions of a Big Girl for only $12.00 including shipping! If you'd like an autographed copy, send $12.00 via</span><a href="http://www.rvrb.me/fan_reach/pt?eid=A364994___lnk1009&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.paypal.com" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #6a778d; cursor: pointer; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">www.paypal.</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">com to naimasbrokenbox@yahoo.com! Or give the office a call at 937-367-4303 and we can take your order over the phone!</span><br />
<br />
<strong style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We Need Your Shoes!</strong><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">We are collecting shoes for the Haitians that live in abject poverty on the sugar cane plantations in the Dominican Republic. Want to donate a pair of shoes? Email me at </span><a href="mailto:naima@ministryofnaima.com" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #6a778d; cursor: pointer; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">naima@ministryofnaima.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> for instructions on how you can donate.</span><br />
<br />
<strong style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How Can I Serve You?</strong><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Planning a women’s ministry event? Interested in a house concert or special music for your church event? Need a guest worship leader? Please contact me, I’m now taking requests for bookings for July through December 2015 and I would love to be of service to you. Send me an email at</span><a href="mailto:naima@ministryofnaima.com" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #6a778d; cursor: pointer; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">naima@ministryofnaima.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> for more info or to discuss details.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Many Blessings! Now go out and achieve your calling! </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, sans; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Naima</span>Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-80771462075364193092015-03-13T10:10:00.000-05:002015-03-13T10:10:55.078-05:003 Power Keys<div class="MsoNormal">
I can be my own worst enemy.
Clinging onto past mistakes, missed opportunities, fear and doubt. It’s almost as if I forget the God I serve
has all power in heaven and earth in His hands. What would it mean to truly
grasp the promises of the Lord in 2015, to forget about the past, overcome the
fear and move past the pain? That’s my
heart’s desire. I believe I’ve stopped
myself, been my own worst enemy way to long.
I’ve been praying for clarity and asking for wisdom and these three
things have come up in my searching for total freedom in God. I like to call them my power keys!</div>
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<b><u>Power Key One <o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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<b><i>Leave the past in the past</i></b>.
We’re always focusing on worrying about tomorrow, but in truth isn’t our
worry about tomorrow often based on what happened yesterday? Let’s all sing a great Disney tune and simply,
“Let It Go!” If you fallen short, God
forgives, if you are harboring guilt, you can’t change the past, if you’ve been
hurt, more then likely the other party has already moved on. If it didn’t happen quite the way you thought
it would, trust that God has a bigger and better plan, after all, His ways are
high above our own.</div>
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<b><u>Power Key Two<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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<b><i>Worship before work</i></b>. At
this moment I have 8 things on my “To Do List” and that’s not counting all the
things I have to do on a daily basis that are not on the list. Important things like, the laundry, quality
time with my husband, playing with the puppies, working on my booking schedule,
writing, practice, ministry events… you get the drift. It is easy for me to get overwhelmed and lost
under a mound of paperwork, songs that need to be practiced or dinner that
needs to be cooked. And sadly I must
admit that I have allowed the pressure to build that I skimp on the most
important priority – my time with the Lord.
I justify it with – He’s always there or He understands or I’ll chat
with Him as I lay down for bed. Then I
find myself weak, weary, and worn down.</div>
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I know from past experience that the Lord can accomplish
more in ten minutes then I can accomplish in an entire day. So I’ve adopted the attitude of putting Him
first and what doesn’t get done, just doesn’t get done. He knows what needs to get done and by when
and He is so faithful to always make a way.
I choose this year to worship before I work!</div>
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<b><u>Power Key Three <o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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<b><i>Victory is right around the corner, if only you believe</i></b>. We know faith without works is dead. You have the faith, you’ve covered it all in
prayer, now simply go for it and trust that the power, resources and support
you need will be supplied by an all mighty God who has your best interest in
heart. Victory is the ability to
overcome opposition – it is the small steps taken consistently that build up to
produce breakthrough! Be consistent, be
a person of action, and cover it all with prayer, praise and worship.</div>
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What Power Keys or Faith Nuggets are you holding on to for
2015? I’d love for you to share! drop me a note either via email or leave me a
comment on my blog page or my Facebook page – <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ministryofnaima">www.facebook.com/ministryofnaima</a>
</div>
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Planning a women’s ministry event? Interested in a house concert or special
music for your church event? Need a
guest worship leader? Please contact me,
I’m now taking requests for bookings for 2015 and I would love to be of service
to you. Send me an email at <a href="mailto:naima@ministryofnaima.com">naima@ministryofnaima.com</a>. </div>
Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-4488115517660299622015-02-14T12:55:00.000-06:002015-02-14T12:55:00.638-06:00A Prayer for the Singles<div class="MsoNormal">
A Prayer tor the Singles</div>
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February, the month of flowers, proposals and lots of
chocolate, which as a big girl is soooo not a good thing! As a single woman I remember running the
gamut on emotions during this time of year.
There were the, I’m so depressed moments and the, I hate men moments. Which were often followed by the,
I don’t care if I’m alone moments, the I’m so jealous I can turn green moments
and the moment that signifies you’ve made your peace with Christ, I’m just gonna hang out with my girls cause I’m
alone and I’m going to have a good time, even if I feel a little sad
sometimes. </div>
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Coming to terms with being single is easier said then done for
some of us. I don’t know if I ever came
to terms with the crushing loneliness that sometimes invaded my space. I never fully made peace with my singleness
and I know that it is often preached in many singles groups – make peace and then
“The One!” will show up. But it didn’t
happen like that for me. </div>
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Instead I
simply surrendered with a prayer that went – “<b><i>I don’t want to be single, You
know I don’t want to be single, and You desire truth from the inward part so
I’m telling You that I don’t like the thought of being single all my life. But I know You know what’s best for me, and I
trust that You will do right by me. So if being single is what’s best for me, I
trust You to carry me through.”</i></b></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y9rdfcWcgHc/VNEZbFArd_I/AAAAAAAAAKc/jZfiNBYJzg4/s1600/IMG_0627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y9rdfcWcgHc/VNEZbFArd_I/AAAAAAAAAKc/jZfiNBYJzg4/s1600/IMG_0627.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>I meet Jon not long after that and we were married in
less then nine months. What was I doing
when I met my husband? I was singing –
doing what I was called to do. After 18
years of waiting I get to celebrate, but for many a dark Valentine’s Day Jesus
sustained my heart. I pray He do the
same for you if you’ve been waiting for a few years or many years, if you are a
widow and desire a mate, a divorcee or a new Christian. Be
about your Father’s business and let His plan unfold.</div>
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<br />
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Check out my stories of singleness and being newly married
in, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lessons-Back-Seat-Learned-Wife/dp/1505642388/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1422988553&sr=1-1&keywords=naima+johnston+bush" target="_blank">Lessons From The Back Seat</a> </div>
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And in the meantime, I'm praying for and with you! If you desire a mate and have been waiting and would me to add you to my prayer list, leave me a comment or shoot me an email!</div>
Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-11028204497485026032015-02-05T12:44:00.000-06:002015-02-05T12:44:00.135-06:00The Numbers of Love<div class="MsoNormal">
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The year of no goals… wow, it’s been a difficult one so
far. I guess I never realized how many
goals I actually set. For example, in
one of the online mentoring groups that I am a part of, at the start of each
week they ask us to share what our goals are.
Mine usually revolve around the number of bookings I’d like to
secure. How unaccomplished I feel when
at the end of the week it’s time for our report back and I have nothing to
report. </div>
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Furthermore, how aimless I feel stating at the start of each
week, “Well Lord, where would you have me go?” and often feeling like the
question is just hanging in the air. Not
to say that bookings have not been coming in or that I am not seeking new
connections, networks and new opportunities. I am! But it’s been hammered in my head so many
times that the without a goal I’m unfocused and lacking ambition. And when it comes to sharing the saving love
of Christ, the hope of things unseen, the comfort for the broken… I am not out
there just drifting in the wind!</div>
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Even with hosting the 1<sup>st</sup> Creative Christian
Women’s Online Conference this past week.
I had in my mind the number of registrants I wanted to obtain. This specific number signified to me success,
financial success, among other things. I
wrote the number down and placed on my prayer alter and then remembered, I
wasn’t setting goals. My prayer, had to
change from, “Lord send 50 people to attend the conference.” to “Lord send the
people ordained for this event.”</div>
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Needless to say, we
didn’t make my goal, but we sure made the Lord’s goal. And what was the lesson in all of this? Things I already knew but often struggle
with. Numbers don’t define success,
obedience to the Lord’s word does. It
doesn’t matter how many people show up, you do the same for one as you would
for a thousand. You give your best no matter
what the outcome is going to be.</div>
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Because the God we serve loves us so much, that He would
have someone spend hours planning a conference that might only change the life
of one person. And in the end, with that
kind of love pursuing us, isn’t it better to follow His definition of success
instead of wasting time setting up our own goals?</div>
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How do you define success? I'd love for you to leave your comments!</div>
Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-26295992557119140212015-01-15T13:48:00.000-06:002015-01-15T13:48:00.157-06:00The Year of No Goals<div class="MsoNormal">
2014… what a year of trials, valleys and rocky places, I am
so thankful that I made it over with my faith and my strength in tact. And it seems that I am not the only one who
had a year that left them just a bit battered and bruised. But let’s not rehash
it, let’s shake it off and move forward with our faces lifted towards the sky,
standing on the promises of the Lord.</div>
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The New Year is a time to set your resolutions, personal,
ministry and business goals, mapped out an in depth action plan. Every year I toil over my personal goals,
spend hours making a map, figuring out the plan, and every year I come up
feeling like I fell short. I pass through the same places and feel like I’m
making no difference.</div>
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But not this year… this year is the year of no goals. I actually started talking to Jon about this
several months ago sharing how depressed I felt when I hadn’t actually arrived
where I thought I should arrive. </div>
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The Bible tells us in Habakkuk 2: Then the LORD answered me
and said, "Record the vision And inscribe it on tablets, That the one who
reads it may run."<span style="background: #FDFEFF;">For the vision is yet
for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though
it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay.…</span>
</div>
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Well, I’ve written my vision for 2015 – To use music and
education to lift up the name of Jesus so that all men may be drawn unto
Him. I’m not setting any goals, I’m not
making any elaborate plans, I am simply going to wake up each morning and ask
the Lord, what would you have me do today?
</div>
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Now I’m not suggesting everyone take this approach, I think
goal setting is good. Goals give focus and direction. When accomplished they bring great motivation
and personal satisfaction. So do set
your goals. But for me, after years of
not seeming to meet my personal goals, I’ve come to realize that either
something is wrong with the goals I’m setting, my approach is incorrect, or my
goals are simply that – my goals, not the goals that the Lord has designed for
me. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CPqbrXvWu7s/VLbHy1s3TiI/AAAAAAAAAKM/16Dup9ao02I/s1600/Lessons%2BBook%2BCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CPqbrXvWu7s/VLbHy1s3TiI/AAAAAAAAAKM/16Dup9ao02I/s1600/Lessons%2BBook%2BCover.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a>There are still projects and plans in place, don’t get me
wrong. I plan to get back to the basics,
spend more time singing and leading worship as the Lord opens doors. The new CD is coming out and I want to share
that with the world. And the new book is
done to, <b><i>Lessons From The Back Seat or How I Learned to Become a Wife</i></b>. But I’ve not set any goals in regards to how
many books I want to sell or where I’d like to sing this year. I’m just going to knock on doors and go
through them as the Lord opens them, I going to spend more time praying and
seeking Him then promoting things and I’m only going to work on projects that
He nudges me to work on. A different way
to approach building a ministry for sure, but I think that if I keep the vision
central in my sight – To lift Him Up, I’ll achieve greater things then what I
can put down on paper.</div>
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I’m off on the adventure of a lifetime, and there will be
plenty of updates, so come share in the mayhem and let’s lift up the Name of
Jesus. No goals on paper, just a desire
to follow where He leads and bless those He puts me in front of.</div>
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<o:p><b><u>Would Love Your Feedback!</u></b></o:p></div>
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What do you think of me not setting goals this year? I’d love your prayers and feedback, drop me a
note either via email or leave me a comment on my blog page or my Facebook page
– <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ministryofnaima">www.facebook.com/ministryofnaima</a> I’d love to hear from you and I’d love your
prayers!</div>
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<o:p><b><u>New Book! </u></b></o:p></div>
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Don’t forget to pick up a copy of my new book –<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lessons-Back-Seat-Learned-Wife/dp/1505642388/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421262689&sr=8-1&keywords=naima+johnston+bush&pebp=1421262695142&peasin=1505642388" target="_blank"> Lessons FromThe Back Seat (Or How I Learned To Be A Wife) from Amazon!</a></div>
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<o:p><b><u>How Can I Serve You?</u></b></o:p></div>
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Planning a women’s ministry event? Interested in a house concert or special
music for your church event? Need a
guest worship leader? Please contact me,
I’m now taking requests for bookings for 2015 and I would love to be of service
to you. Send me an email at <a href="mailto:naima@ministryofnaima.com">naima@ministryofnaima.com</a>. </div>
Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-53119267062790963322014-12-27T00:31:00.002-06:002014-12-27T00:31:27.458-06:00Gladys, Naomi and My Great Hanukkah Memory<br />
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When I was around 9, Mrs. Korman, our Music teacher taught us the Hanukkah song at PS 41. That year during the Hanukkah season, my Aunt Harriet, who was also my tap dance teacher took me and a few other students to do a performance at a primarily Jewish nursing home. She insisted my cousin and I sing the Hanukkah song for the residents. I’m not sure how Aunt Harriet even knew that we knew that song, it may have been because I was always singing anything and everything all the time! And that song was so joyful and bouncy.</div>
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I remember we sang the song with great gusto and got a standing ovation afterwards. The lovely people there hugged us afterwards and gave us cookies. They said we made their day and brought smiles to their faces. Here we were, two little black girls from the Bronx who had no idea what we were really singing about joined hands with elderly Jewish people in a time of cross cultural celebration – a song really can bring people together. Maybe we should sing more and talk less! Well today I know the true meaning of Hanukkah, and I am blessed because of it. </div>
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Music has the ability to transcend all... The Lord Himself, sings over us as stated in scripture. Right after I posted this on Facebook, a friend sent me this amazing video of a Jewish woman so determined to be a blessing to those who were suffering from Alzheimer that she would sing to them. Naomi Feil even sang Christian songs to Gladys Wilson a woman with no memory, locked inside her own mind, due to the ravages of the disease. But through Naomi's singing a miracle occurred...</div>
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<a href="http://youtu.be/CrZXz10FcVM">http://youtu.be/CrZXz10FcVM</a></div>
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The power or music and the power of love, and the ultimate power of God. Over 30 years later I still remember every lyric to the Hanukkah Song...</div>
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The Hanukkah Song</div>
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Hanukkah oh, Hanukkah</div>
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Come light the Menorah</div>
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Let’s have a party will all dance the Horah</div>
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Gather round the table,</div>
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We’ll give you a treat!</div>
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Shiny tops to play with</div>
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Latkes to eat!</div>
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And as we are playing</div>
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The candles are burning low</div>
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One for each night,</div>
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They shed a sweet light</div>
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To remind us of days long ago… </div>
Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-10724520506124319392014-07-14T20:57:00.000-05:002014-07-14T20:57:00.116-05:00Running In Circles<div class="MsoNormal">
Every once in a while I come across a book that changes my
entire mindset. There is of course the Bible – our living, breathing, guidebook
to life. My favorite by Bruce Wilkerson’s, <i>The</i> <i>Dream Giver</i>, which inspired me to move
out of the land of familiar, push past being ordinary and live the Big Dream
that the Giver of Dreams gave me. <i>Walking
on Water</i> by Madeline E’Lengle is another favorite, it inspired me to look
for God in every place, in every moment, and in every person, and to capture
these glimpses of glory in the songs I write.
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Currently, I’m reading, <i>The
Circle Maker</i> by Pastor Mark Batterson.
Batterson has challenged me to draw circles around my prayers like the
first century Jewish Sage, Honi. During
a devastating drought in <st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place>,
Honi, drew a circle in the sand, stepped inside and made his intentions known,
he would not leave the circle until the Lord answered his bold request for
rain. Now that must have taken some
faith, to determine that you were not going to give up until you heard from
God! And as Honi prayed, the rain began
to fall.</div>
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I don’t think you can get that kind of response from the
Lord without being truly intimate with Him. I mean it hadn’t rained in over a
year when Honi started to beseech the Father. He had to be praying before he
stepped into the circle. </div>
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We need diligent prayer like that in our lives. You have to
pray long and pray hard and never give up as Batterson tells us in his
book. Drawing a circle is about trusting
that the God of the Universe will answer your prayers and your responsibility
is to keep praying, keep believing, keep seeking, keep thanking, keep praising
until the manifestation of the prayer stands before you. . </div>
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I am now daily drawing prayer circles around my marriage,
this ministry, my family, prayer requests others have given me, this nation,
the world, <st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place>,
salvation, healings, big dreams that are being birthed in my heart to serve the
Lord and His people. With Godly
intention and faith filled purpose I am running in circles because I am
determined to hear well done good and faithful servant! No more limp prayers
that go over the same ground… nope, I want to stand in the circle and see the
rain!</div>
Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-85173416506542078232014-06-23T07:49:00.000-05:002014-06-23T07:49:14.435-05:00Going Deeper - Captured In Color, An Artistic Collaboration with Sherri Ohler <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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I have been seeking the Lord in mundane places. Waiting with
expectancy to see His glory in every aspect of my life no matter how
unimportant it may seem to others.
Sometimes my molehill is my mountain, and yet He is still concerned.
Pushing myself to see past my own limitations of faith and believe Him for
things so great that the impact produced can only to be attributed to the God I
serve. I am tired of forgetting to see
His glory in the beauty of everyday life, a passing cloud, a sleeping puppy, my
husband’s smile. I am longing to see His
majesty displayed in ways I have never experienced, to see supernatural
healings, people raised from both the physical and spiritual dead, to see His
very glory descend and lead as a pillar of fire. He is the same, so why do we expect Him to
act in ways different then those described by the very book we profess to live
our lives by?</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xj8DKzbJ7sE/U6YgUVFPXQI/AAAAAAAAAJo/C2uwjHDYKJk/s1600/Deeper+Printed+Watermark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xj8DKzbJ7sE/U6YgUVFPXQI/AAAAAAAAAJo/C2uwjHDYKJk/s1600/Deeper+Printed+Watermark.jpg" height="292" width="400" /></a>Learning to live in the center of God’s will is a
choice. Sometimes a painful one as the
mirror of self reflection is held up as we are being changed to resemble the
Christ who died for us. Often it is a
joyful one, where we defeat something we’ve been struggling with, are blessed
beyond our wildest dreams, finally hear yes and see the promise of prayer
realized. The road is long to sustaining
the mind of Christ within you, to truly love like He loved and walk as He
walked is a journey to the center. It is
a constant buffeting of the soul, it is a quiet rest in His presence, it is
understanding His compassion, love, and mercy are long suffering and available
to all who would receive it. Yes, I ache
to go deeper and live in the center of His will.</div>
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To get the deepest parts you must be guided by the Holy
Spirit, relying on the forgiveness of your sins through the death, resurrection
and intercession of Christ Jesus. To get
there you must know that your Abba Father in Heaven has a good plan for you and
you can trust Him to bring you to the completion of this plan in His perfect
timing. Nothing will beset you on the journey that you and the Lord can’t
handle together. In darkness He is Lord,
in mourning, He is comfort, in life, He is everything. Going deeper means giving everything back to
Him. </div>
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Moving away from the shore of safety, stepping out of the
boat to walk on water, praying long and praying big – that is going
deeper. Moving quickly to obey,
forgiving all the wrongs that have been done unto you, loving without
condition, that is going deeper. Serving
with a pure heart, committing to Him to spend everyday of your waking life in
an earnest effort to be made over in His image is going deeper. Knowing beyond
a shadow of a doubt that big dreams beget big prayers and big prayers require
big faith and big faith produces big answers, that is going deeper. And truly understanding that service to
humanity in His name requires big answers to met big needs and that it is noble
to relentlessly pursue such God given dreams.
Offering up your own life as a living sacrifice for His desires for you,
content to know that one day this dream of a life will fade and you will open
up your eyes to the true reality of everlasting life with Him. That is living in the center of His will, the
expectation and execution of these lovely endeavors are the meaning of going
deeper.</div>
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I felt an urge in my spirit to ask Sherri Ohler to listen to
the song that I wrote that has become my anthem and paint a portrait of my
heart’s cry. This beautiful rendition
captured in living color of the song, Deeper, is the result. I am so thankful that she agreed to share my
passion and pursue the capture of going deeper in her own artistically anointed
way. What a blessing it has been to see
it come to life!</div>
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Through a winter of setbacks, heartbreaks, challenges and
valley living, I have found myself clinging all the more tightly to
Christ. If times of challenge and great
stress are required to go deeper then I am willing to go. I so desire to live in the center of His
will. I so desire to hear well done good
and faithful servant. My prayer for you
is that you will be blessed by the song and be blessed by Sherri’s
offering. I hope it inspires you to lay
your burdens down, shake off what needs to be shaken and let the Lord do a work
in your heart. Come to Him if you are
weary, come to Him if you have joy, come to Him to commit your life and see His
beauty not only in the normalcy of life but in the glory of His miracles. Come with me as we wade into the water, in
search of the deepest parts of the riches of His grace…</div>
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Blessings to you!</div>
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Naima</div>
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To obtain a free MP3 download of the song, Deeper, for a limited time: visit<a href="http://www.noisetrade.com/Naima" target="_blank"> www.noisetrade.com/Naima</a> </div>
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To learn more about Dr. Naima Johnston Bush’s music and
ministry or to purchase a copy of the Deeper Print by Sherri Ohler for $18.00 visit:
<a href="http://www.ministryofnaima.com./">www.ministryofnaima.com.</a> </div>
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To learn more about The Deeper Project, and to partner with
us to complete the CD visit: <a href="http://www.gofundme.com/Naima">www.gofundme.com/Naima</a><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Artist</span></b></div>
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<div style="background: white; line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Sherri
Ohler</span></i></b> - <span style="color: #534640;">Madly in love with Jesus, and forever
aesthetically driven, Sherri Ohler’s calling as a Christian Artist and self
taught gourmet Baker,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span> begins
with her earliest childhood memories filled with coloring books, fresh boxes of
crayons and beautiful pastries from her Italian grandmother’s kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #534640;">A diehard romantic, Sherri’s work is filled with
whimsical, emotional & spiritual depth that speaks to the heart of the
onlooker in such a way that brings joy & comfort beyond the expectation and
scope of ordinary decoration. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.75pt;">
<span style="color: #534640;">Her inspired work is now internationally licensed and she
has the wonderful blessing of working with companies like<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong><a href="http://www.demdaco.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-demdaco-Site/default/Home-Show?brandId=B2C" target="_blank" title="DEMDACO"><span style="color: #333333;">DEMDACO</span></a></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>&<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong><a href="http://r.yieldkit.com/v1/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dayspring.com%2F&type=url&api_key=e64332d111c1edbcca982e64791b35d4&site_id=5149c0e3e4b042c6b6e9c412" target="_blank" title="Dayspring"><span style="color: #333333;">Dayspring</span></a></strong>,
which is more than her grateful heart could ever hope for. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>She prays continually for Holy Spirit
driven creativity, love & joy, and is thrilled to have the opportunity to
serve you through her art, products, redemption stories and creative passions
throughout her shop, blog, speaking engagements and soon to be first book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.75pt;">
<span style="color: #534640;">For More information on Sherri visit her online at <a href="http://www.sherriohler.com/">www.sherriohler.com</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-30262066194967275062014-05-27T17:16:00.000-05:002014-06-12T12:14:25.721-05:00I Told You So!I'm working on a new book about all the lessons I learned as single waiting for my Boaz and as a married woman trying to be a Godly Wife... Here's an excerpt. Feel free to leave me a comment and let me know what you think!<br />
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I Told You So!</div>
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One of the best pieces of marriage advice I got was this,
“If you know your husband is wrong and you’ve tried everything you can to sway
him to your way of thinking and he doesn’t yield, shut up! Then pray and stand
back and duck.” I remember laughing like
a loon when the advisor shared that you had to duck because the Lord was going
to smack your hubby with the truth of the situation! And then he would see that you were right and
he was, well, just a little mislead.</div>
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Since I’ve been married it’s true, there have been times
where I knew I was right and Jon just wouldn’t budge, so I had to stand back,
pray and let the Lord swing. The truth
of the matter is that this principle also works in reverse, there have been
several times when it has been revealed that I was in the wrong and Jon was the
one in the right. Wives everywhere take
heed – sometimes you just gotta listen to your husband. But even in all the who’s right and who’s
wrong scenarios that play out between a husband a wife there is another
important lesson that I’ve learned. I
told you so should never be a comeback to revelation of wrongness. </div>
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There have been times I wanted to say, I told you so, not
just to my husband but to others I know and love. I think sometimes we use that phrase as a
hammer to reinforce just how brilliant we think we are, I mean, after all, we
were the ones who were right. And since
we were right we must be some superior being so linked up with Christ that we
can discern His will for everybody else and we just have to make it known. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R3hG3hrpD0M/U5nfwSzHq3I/AAAAAAAAAJY/MftluXR1fkU/s1600/Wedding+Pic+for+Mag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R3hG3hrpD0M/U5nfwSzHq3I/AAAAAAAAAJY/MftluXR1fkU/s1600/Wedding+Pic+for+Mag.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
I told you so becomes a dirty little phrase when we use it
against the ones we love the most when they’ve fallen down and can’t seem to
get up. Seriously, how dumb are we, do
we really think they don’t know that we were right!? They are sitting there mulling over the mess
they made and we just have to self righteously declare we knew better all the
time. How loving is that?</div>
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Which brings me back to that great piece of advice. When we
stand back and ask God to be God in someone’s life, to direct them in the right
way not our way, we do need to pay attention to the outcome, we may in fact
need to duck. My husband and I are
linked together in the most intimate relationship on earth as defined by the
Bible, when he or I make a bad decision it rocks us both – we are one
flesh. </div>
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We are Team Bush – a 3 Chord <st1:place w:st="on">Strand</st1:place>
of Jon, Jesus and Me – not easily broken.
Our consequences good or bad are shared.
If a decision is made that causes the team to take a loss, strike out,
or suffer, it’s not a time to be trite and flippant. Rather, this is a time when we realize that I
told you so should only be applied when Jesus steps in, fixes the mistakes,
shields us from the pain, or covers up the mess. When Jesus steps in the only I told you so
used should be… I told you so, Jesus handled it and I told you so, I’ll always
love you, we are team. Don’t shoot your wounded partner and a strong marriage
you will make. </div>
Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-83036892964639226792014-04-09T14:43:00.000-05:002014-04-09T14:43:33.358-05:00Go Climb A Tree<div class="MsoNormal">
I can’t see much right now.
It’s one of those times in my life where it seems like I can’t see what
the Lord is doing and my only choices are to trust and to worship. And it can be a challenge to trust and to
worship when you feel isolated and shrouded in darkness. We are always taught to press through these
times, forget about what’s going on and focus on the Lord and what He has done
in the past. We pull out those
platitudes that while true are quoted to placate us in times of trouble. The ones like, “God is never late, He’s
always on time!” or “He did it before, He will do it again!” Like I said, true, but not always what you
want to hear when you’re so crowded by troubles and issues that you can’t even
see a glimpse of the hope that you know can and will deliver you.</div>
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At times like these, you gotta just climb a tree. I loved to climb trees when I was younger
although I didn’t climb to many growing up in the <st1:place w:st="on">Bronx</st1:place>. And I never went very high when I did because
I was always afraid of heights. But when
I did get a chance, I would clamber up as far as I dared to get a different
perspective of the world below. So
that’s what I’m going to do now, climb a tree.</div>
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In Luke 19, Verse 1-10 Zacchaeus the tax collector climbed a
tree because he was too short to see Jesus through the crowd. Zacchaeus was so determined to see the Lord
that he even ran ahead of the crowd and climbed the tree. And Jesus saw him in the tree, called him
down by name and came to his home blessing him with salvation. Zacchaeus’s
entire life was changed because he climbed the tree. He changed his outlook on
life and changed his actual behavior because he met Jesus when he climbed a
tree.</div>
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Well, I can’t literally climb a tree and wait for Jesus to
pass by. But what I can do is go higher
and change my perspective about what is going on. I can believe that Jesus will
see me when he passes by. Going higher
simply means that no matter how I feel, I should worship more, I should trust
more, I should read my word more, I should serve Him even more. I have to change my perspective and trust
that at the end of this trial I will be changed. I am going to hang out up high so I can see
Jesus when He passes by and most importantly because I’m hanging in a tree up
ahead I believe He will look up, call my name and my life will be changed
forever.</div>
Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-88336732374821966012014-04-02T18:48:00.000-05:002014-04-02T18:48:12.962-05:00When The Walls Have Fallen<div class="MsoNormal">
Together we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ himself. Ephesians 2:20, <i>The New Living Translation</i></div>
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I love the book of Nehemiah… when
I think about how he worked to rebuild the walls of his beloved <st1:city w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:city> despite
opposition, oppression and a lack of resources I feel encouraged. It’s been a rough winter and everything that
I thought I knew, all the places I thought I was going turned out to be wrong…
We have been sidetracked, wandering, displaced and knocking on every door we knew
to knock on. And in one of those times
that are maddening to the believer, the Lord has been pretty silent.</div>
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I’ve tried to worship while I
wait for answers. I tried to explain to
people that sometimes all you can do is wait on the Lord and trust that he will
answer in his own good time. But
sometimes doubt creeps in and it cripples, and stirs up bitterness and it finds
you wiping tears from your eyes as you try to go forward despite not being
exactly sure where you are going. </div>
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So where are we? We are waiting,
we are rebuilding, we are shoring up some things that the Lord has shown us are
important to our character. The walls
have fallen, but the chief cornerstone still stands, and on this rock we will
go forward and rebuild. </div>
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<b><i><u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Dr. Nay’s Random Life Lesson for April<o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></div>
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When it looks like the walls have all come down, remember
the chief cornerstone is still in place – and on Christ, everything can be
rebuilt.</div>
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Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-38214023010510695572014-03-04T09:59:00.000-06:002014-03-04T09:59:10.632-06:00Worship While I Wait<div class="MsoNormal">
Less then two months ago I stood on the stage at Samantha’s
Lil’ Bit of Heaven testifying about how good the Lord had been to Jon and me. I
shared that for the first time since we had been married we found ourselves at
the turn of the New Year not having to move due to some crazy circumstance that
had befallen us. There would be no
frantic search for a new home with very little provision to pave the way. We were in the best place we’d ever been financially,
the Lord had provided a warm home that we had lived in for a year. I even remember telling Jon in the car on the
way to <st1:state w:st="on">New York</st1:state>
that although I did want to move in the spring, I was really glad that we didn’t
have to move anytime soon.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then we pulled in the driveway after our trip home… and
every light in our house was on. The coldest
winter in years had crushed my dream. We
had three pipes burst in a three week period.
Water rained down at the most unexpected moments ruining mementos,
flooding rooms with inches of water, defiling the air with that wretched wet
smell and forcing us to sleep in the living room. Our landlord was no help, as a matter of fact
he said he wasn’t going to fix anything until March when the weather finally
bottomed out and Spring returned. We
were incredulous; it was the middle of January!
Who could live in this stench and the poor puppies were banned from the
back of the house because I did not even want them walking on the carpet. We had fans going and two dehumidifiers
running and the heat turned up on high, but nothing helped as pipes continued
to explode.</div>
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<br /></div>
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And then the Black Mold set in… and I found myself asking
the Lord what was up with this! Hadn’t
we been in this place before? Hadn’t I
learned all the lessons I needed to learn?
Were we truly going to have to move out and find someplace else to live
again? And that’s exactly what we had to
do. Pack up everything we owned, put it
in storage and revert back to the gypsy life until the Lord opened up a door
for a new home. It’s been almost five
weeks and we are still vagabonds. </div>
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<br /></div>
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After standing on the stage at Samantha’s and proclaiming
the faithfulness of the Lord and how finally, for the first time in three years
we didn’t have to move and how stable things had become I was faced with the
same situation. I could contribute it to
a Job Complex, we often fall back to believing this when faced with trials and
tests. I could believe that I had fallen
short and hadn’t learned everything I needed to learn the first two times
around with this test. I could say that
I needed to be rock solid in my faith, more consistent, a better steward, that
I needed to learn to worship no matter what the situation was. I could even blame it on my husband selfishly
thinking there’s something he has to learn in all this and since I’m his wife,
I’m along for the ride. I could blame it
on so many things and point the finger to try and give myself some peace.</div>
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But the truth of the matter is that there is no place to
point and no one to blame. Maybe it’s
all the things I’ve mentioned and maybe it isn’t. This is a moment when the scripture that the
Lord’s ways are much higher then mine is truly relevant. My responsibility is to worship and to obey
no matter what is going on. To take a
step in faith and trust that the correction will come if I am out of line. Right now I feel like a homeless gypsy, but I
am so much more then that. I am a
daughter of the King, and even if it does not feel good or it makes no sense, I
am determined to worship while I wait. I
will look up and live and trust that this is all working together for my good,
and that the glory of the Lord draws near. </div>
Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-88552788954920252632014-01-15T15:38:00.001-06:002014-01-15T15:38:36.284-06:00Turn To Praise - A Word From Our Sponsor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bht_6UI253s/Utb_xfR5q_I/AAAAAAAAAIc/HW0jv0qdMSA/s1600/Naima+Page+Monday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bht_6UI253s/Utb_xfR5q_I/AAAAAAAAAIc/HW0jv0qdMSA/s1600/Naima+Page+Monday.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Psalm 42:11 </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">It is easy to control how you appear on social media sites. I think that can be detrimental in</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> that people gain a false perception of who you are and how you are all the time. I choose to be selective about what I share with the world, not because I am concerned about what people think, rather I choose to cherish and protect those relationships and issues that are dare to my heart. You won’t get a rant about what’s wrong in my life, political issues, my husband, or how others have treated me badly. Because I don’t share everything, doesn’t mean that everything is always spot on.<br /><br />I have plenty of struggles and today, I was feeling overwhelmed, discouraged and misunderstood. Instead of letting my struggle define me, I turned on my music and began to praise. I started out with head down, tears pooling and ending up dancing and shouting, I know my neighbors think I’m crazy. In the midst of this praise my spirits lifted, I found a lost bracelet, my attitude changed and I began to rehearse in my mind all the GREAT THINGS the Lord had done! When you are in a place of darkness turn to praise. It can be as simple as a muttered, “I trust you Lord.” It’s ok to sometimes share the bad, it may encourage others. Today I realize, praise is not only what I do… praise makes me who I am!</span>Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-77081707535593271182014-01-08T07:27:00.000-06:002014-01-08T07:27:54.289-06:00Kicking It Will Get You Kicked and Other News from the Homefront!<b>The Calling, January 2014
The Official Newsletter of Broken Box Ministries and the Ministry of Naima <br />
</b><br />
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<b><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P_dPNgh3rwY/Us1Ox9NQ3uI/AAAAAAAAAIM/K-or_jsC57M/s1600/Me+In+A+Big+Hat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P_dPNgh3rwY/Us1Ox9NQ3uI/AAAAAAAAAIM/K-or_jsC57M/s320/Me+In+A+Big+Hat.JPG" /></a></b></div>
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<b>Did You Know!?</b> <br />
Happy New Year! I pray that you had a wonderful Christmas. I am looking forward to 2014, I believe that there are great things in store for the people of the Lord. Would you pray for us, that the Lord would use us to evangelize, encourage, uplift and educate all those we come into contact with this year? It is our desire to impact the world with the truth of who Christ is and see many people inspired to a worshipful relationship with Christ. We love you all and we are thankful for your continued support in 2014. There are lots of exciting things going on and we want to encourage and meet your needs! Hang out at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ministryofnaima">www.facebook.com/ministryofnaima</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/NaimaJohnston" target="_blank">www.twitter.com/NaimaJohnston. </a><br />
<br />
<b>Dr. Nay’s Random Life Lesson for January</b> <br />
Have you ever heard or used the term kicking it? It means to be hanging out, messing around, having a good time, just chilling. We all need to kick it once in a while, rest is good for the soul and spending quality time with loves ones always is a blessing. But sometimes when we know we’ve been called to do a great work for the Lord we find ourselves kicking it to much and not working on the things that we have always dreamed of achieving. So if you want to achieve your God given dreams in 2014 and not be kicked off your assignment remember, “Too much kicking it, will get you kicked!”
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Report of the Ministry</b> <br />
This year we are on a mission build this ministry and employ new programs and projects that meet the needs of the people we are called to encourage and uplift. Through much prayer and wise council we have revamped our ministry tagline and mission statement. We are also recording new music, having a new logo designed, launching our T-shirt line and putting together a new website! Please let us know what you think about our new mission statement and tagline – do you feel it accurately describes who I am and what Jon and I do with Broken Box Ministries?
Our new tagline is: The Ministry of Naima, Worshipping God, Encouraging People.
Our new mission statement: Inspiring the world to a lifestyle of worship through music and ministry.
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Did You Miss?</b> <br />
I know Christmas has passed, but if you missed the last Worship Note or the Broken Box Ministries end of the year please take a peek!<br />
<br />
Are you in the Year in Review Christmas Video!?<a href="http://youtu.be/7xHL4zFG3Ds" target="_blank"> http://youtu.be/7xHL4zFG3Ds </a> <br />
<br />
Check out the Worship Note, Christmas Everyday for a worship reflection on the true meaning of Christmas. <a href="http://youtu.be/e1GjpVzy5iU">http://youtu.be/e1GjpVzy5iU</a><br />
<br />
<b>Don’t Forget! </b><br />
Are you a Creative Christian Woman? Are you seeking support, fellowship, educational opportunities and spiritual growth? Then join the Creative Christian Women’s Network with both online and in person meetings and educational seminars! For more information email me at naimasbrokenbox@yahoo.com for more information!
<br />
<br />
We are now booking for 2014! George or Kim would be happy to book a date! Call 901-409-5505 or email them at info@vincentcreativegroup.com if I can be of service.
<br />
Praying blessings on you all! Now go out and achieve… Your Calling!<br />
<br />
© January 2014, The Calling is a publication of 7thirtyseven Logos, a division of BBM, All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication can be republished without express permission from the publisher.Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-37327750561546573952013-10-16T19:09:00.000-05:002013-10-16T19:09:13.157-05:00The Deeper Project! <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="258" height="338" title="Click Here to donate!" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="movie" value="//funds.gofundme.com/Widgetflex.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="flashvars" value="page=Naima&template=0" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><embed allowScriptAccess="always" src="//funds.gofundme.com/Widgetflex.swf" quality="high" flashVars="page=Naima&template=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="258" height="338"></embed></object>
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<span style="color: navy;">Last year I found myself in a place
where I was so desperate to discover God’s perfect will for my life that I determined
that the only way to find it was to get so close to Him that we were face to
face. It seemed to me that if I could get that close to the Lord I could
actually get past all my fears, frustrations and issues and live in the center
of His will. And if I could live in the
center of His will, I could accomplish anything and everything He had created
me to do. I wanted to get past the
surface and get as deep into the Lord as I could. And in the midst of that
moment I started to sing the song that became, Deeper (<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Center</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Your Will</st1:placename></st1:place>)
the title track of my new EP releasing winter 2014. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: navy;">As a songwriter I express myself
best through lyrics and music. In the
melody, meter and rhyme I craft the things I want to say but often don’t, share
the secret desires of my heart and present it to the world in hopes that they
will understand. I want to sing to the
world in hopes that they will see that in the middle of all the messiness of
life, there is a God who can heal, restore, give hope, love and keep them. I want them to meet the beautiful Savior who
died on a cross so we could have a true relationship with God the Father
through Jesus Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: navy;">Jon and I decided to start
recording this project two years ago, as artists and ministers we don’t often
have extra money, and although sometimes it’s difficult, we would not trade the
life we live for anything. We found
things came to a standstill as we transitioned back to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nashville</st1:place></st1:city> and had to find a new
producer. But the scripture that tells
us that all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and
are called according to His purpose (Romans 8 Verse 28) is so true. In what first seemed like a delay, I wrote new
songs that were much more suited to the current place I was in – a place where
I was learning joy, to overcome fear, to see the Lord work his marvelous
wonders in my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: navy;">I now have a collection of songs I humbly
ask for your assistance in recording. Although
we’d love to do a full length album at this time, we are starting with an EP of
5 or 6 songs that both Jon and I truly believe will encourage all who hear
them. We’ve tried to come up with some fun gifts to give back to you for believing
in us so much that you would donate to this new project and any donation of any
amount you make is more then appreciated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: navy;">We face some possible challenges,
anytime you set off on a journey; you can do nothing but your best to get to
where you are trying to go. And I
promise to do my best. There may be
delays in the recording process and other administrative hold ups and life
moments we may need to pause for. But we
go forward trusting the Lord and relying on Him to get this new project into
your hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/QEZRyD_so80/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QEZRyD_so80?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QEZRyD_so80?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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<span style="color: navy;">I’m working with a dynamic
producer, Evan Sieling who has seen past my insecurities and musically pulled
out the best in me. Between Evan and the
constant encouragement from Jon, I am facing my fears head on, singing with a
new found freedom and from a perspective that truly understands who I am and
whose I am. Before I sang because I was
compelled to, now I sing for joy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: navy;">Our plan is use the money raised to
record 5 to 6 songs, duplicate the project, shoot a video and do some basic
promotions. If we exceed our goal we
will record more music then we originally planned. I always have more songs then I have
resources to record.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: navy;">Thank you for taking the time to
consider donating to the Deeper EP.
Words can’t express my excitement about sharing these new songs with the
world. I hope that you will partner with
Jesus, Jon and I so that we can encourage the world to go deeper and explore
the riches of our matchless God. And
together we will live fearlessly, singing for joy, in the center of His will.www.gofundme.com/Naima<o:p></o:p></span></div>Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-87163079550748564322013-09-19T10:46:00.000-05:002013-09-19T10:46:35.110-05:00What I Learned Waiting For Boaz, Part II<div class="MsoNormal">
Lesson 3: </div>
Don’t Pass a Counterfeit Bill<br />
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I’ve heard 99% of the time the counterfeit comes before the
real thing. Do not get caught up with a
brother (or sister) you know is not the one for you. Unless you’re Haggai, (if you don’t know the
story read it) run quickly from those who don’t met the standards that the Lord
ordains for your life. I wasted precious
time running after, praying for, mourning and desiring several men who were not
ordained for me. </div>
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If they are married to someone else, they are not the
one. If your statement of faith does not
agree they are not the one. If you think you can change them, they are not the
one. If they told you that you are not the one for them, believe them. People who use counterfeit money can get in a
lot of trouble. When I think of what would have happened and where I would be
if I had married several other men I thought was the one I would have wound up
in prison for passing bad bills.</div>
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Lesson 4: What’s Up With Your List?</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9nzpHPH98yA/Ujsb1Jh-tdI/AAAAAAAAAHc/kuuic97RkNU/s1600/flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9nzpHPH98yA/Ujsb1Jh-tdI/AAAAAAAAAHc/kuuic97RkNU/s200/flowers.jpg" width="200" /></a>Women often share with me their lists of what they are
looking for in a mate. They go over details
telling me that Mr. Right has to have all of these attributes. Many of them are
still waiting. I had a list once, it
included the obvious: saved, on fire, in ministry and supportive of the call on
my life. Real things that should never
be compromised. Then there was the
superficial: great cook, frat boy so we could do ”Greek” stuff together,
similarly educated, love to read, dress nice, be a musician/producer! And Lord
don’t let him have no thug life past. And red hair, yes you read that right,
red hair! </div>
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I came to understand that it was fine to have preferences,
but what if those preferences were keeping me from meeting my Boaz? So I threw the list out and prayed, Lord send
me what I need, not what I think I want.
Because if you send me what I need it will be a million times better
then what I think I want! My hubby
showed up not in the package I was expecting, he’s got a testimony, a serious
past (but that’s his story to tell) he does cook, but he sure ain’t no red head. But the Lord sent me the man I needed and the
man I needed is the only man I’ll ever want. </div>
Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-36996565644126625492013-09-17T09:46:00.000-05:002013-09-17T09:46:43.892-05:00Lessons I Learned While Waiting on Boaz<div class="MsoNormal">
Lessons I Learned While Waiting on Boaz…</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IvteXOJUqKE/Ujhqu__UkwI/AAAAAAAAAHE/WPUXRzqP434/s1600/my+ring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IvteXOJUqKE/Ujhqu__UkwI/AAAAAAAAAHE/WPUXRzqP434/s320/my+ring.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I was single for a long, long, long time! And I learned many lessons while waiting for Mr. Right to appear. I often get to minister and share with single women waiting on their husbands. So I thought I would share with you the Life Lessons I learned while waiting to be found by my husband.</div>
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Lesson One - Tell Jesus the Truth</div>
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I often heard when I was content being single my husband
would show up – just appear out of thin air.
I spent years trying to be content and feeling extremely guilty that even
after much prayer, reading every singles book out there and fasting, I couldn’t
find this elusive contentment. So I
decided that I would just tell Jesus this truth. I knew that the Lord knew what was best for
me and I came to understand that if I never got married then somehow that was
what was best for me, even if I didn’t like it and I sure wasn’t content. </div>
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Finally I surrendered and shared that with the Lord. “Father”, I said, “You know I don’t want to be
single, I don’t like it, I’ve been single a long time, but if I truly trust
you, I know you will do what’s best for me.
And if that’s being single, then You will sustain, comfort and walk with
me. True Story, I met Jon within the next year.</div>
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Lesson Two: Be About Your Father’s Business</div>
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Don’t wait to do the things that you desire to do for the
Lord because you are single. Pursue your
passion, live your purpose, walk in the calling the Lord has placed on your
life. Spend your time doing two things,
being about the business the Lord has called you to and becoming the best wife
(or husband) you can be. Be focused in
the Lord, get your finances together, learn to communicate, clarify your needs,
fast and pray – become that Proverbs 31 woman or that wise man of integrity
like Boaz. Jon and I met because I was
I was doing the Lord’s work. He booked
me for a concert after finding me online while he was researching artists he
wanted to book for a church event. If I
had never stepped out on faith and left my GOOD paying job at <st1:placename w:st="on">Wright</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">State</st1:placetype>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype> to obey the call of God to
sing His praises, I’d still be in <st1:state w:st="on">Ohio</st1:state>,
single…</div>
Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-21273887456086331602013-09-07T11:08:00.000-05:002013-09-07T11:08:28.427-05:00What I've Learned Being Sombody's Wife!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">On our anniversary we had a great night doing on of our favorite things - $2.00 movies! Pacific Rim was so funny - one of the best "bad" movies I've seen in a while. We've been quoting the movie all morning. Although my anniversary is over I still have two more lessons I wanted to share about marriage:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">Lesson Three: Submission is not always an easy t</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; line-height: 18px;">hing. But a godly man makes it easier to submit. A great godly man will take into account what you have to say, allow you to make decisions as a team and then pray about it if you two can just not come into agreement. And a smart wife understands that her husband will have to give an account to the Lord over the stewardship of the home so sometimes he has to have the last say. There is no fear in this if he truly is a man after God's own heart. You won’t always agree and sometimes you’ll know your husband’s dead wrong. Submit anyway and then pray, and if you are right get out of the way and let the Lord do the work.<br /><br />“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” Ephesians 5:2</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The last lesson and what I think it's the most important marriage lesson I learned:</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KS4mLDbkkss/UitN6Xr59yI/AAAAAAAAAG0/cpr5ZLSJ1e4/s1600/Jon+and+I.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KS4mLDbkkss/UitN6Xr59yI/AAAAAAAAAG0/cpr5ZLSJ1e4/s320/Jon+and+I.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lesson Four: Being married is a choice, a choice to live up to the commitment I made before God and before man. In our lives, divorce is not an option that is the expectation we’ve set for ourselves and before the Lord. I’ve learned that sometimes love is super “hot and passionate” and sometimes it is “quiet and gentle”. But as Christ chose to die on the cross for me, I choose daily to love the husband that I have been blessed with. And thankfully it is not a hard choice to make.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hanging out with my husband, having date night, long talks, clarifying our communication and planning meetings are of the utmost importance. When I’m hurt, confused, upset, joyful, I talk to my husband, I make sure he knows that he is my priority. I’ve learned to make my husband my best friend. We don’t share our business or our tiffs with the world. Because what I’ve learned is that true intimacy must occur physically, emotionally and spiritually. In order for my marriage to work I have to be a reflection of Christ’s love for Jon Bush on the earth and he has been the same for me. We put Jesus first and each other second - always. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ecclesiastes 4 verse 12</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.</span>Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-27318215395951998102013-09-05T14:06:00.000-05:002013-09-05T14:06:07.541-05:003 Years and Counting - Lesson Two on MarriageIt's my 3 year Anniversary! And I think it's no secret that I prefer Jon Bush above all others. I love him, but most importantly I pray daily for him and for our marriage. So here is the 2nd thing I've learned since I've gotten married:<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x3ZBOT2hG38/UijV3Qr-OoI/AAAAAAAAAGk/JKfwiAZmRUA/s1600/Me+and+Jon+at+Samantha's.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x3ZBOT2hG38/UijV3Qr-OoI/AAAAAAAAAGk/JKfwiAZmRUA/s320/Me+and+Jon+at+Samantha's.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Lesson Two: Although you can’t change anyone, you should always pray that your spouse becomes the man or woman of God they are destined to be. Cover their weaknesses, fears, hopes and dreams in prayer with the Lord. Show your love through your actions and try to do the things that bring joy to your spouse’s life. If you are faithful and build up your spouse with your words, your actions and with your prayers, the Lord will do a great work in your spouse’s life. Speak life, speak truth in love, confirm and affirm your desire for your mate, forgive quickly and let go of the past.<br />
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Romans 12 Verse 10<br />
Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.<br />
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Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-85264138640794809092013-09-04T07:38:00.000-05:002013-09-04T07:38:47.666-05:00Random Life Lessons On Marriage - Lesson One<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-53QNGS8Qz2Y/Uico2Huj1xI/AAAAAAAAAGU/uPpP6GvZ34A/s1600/Wedding+Pic+for+Mag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-53QNGS8Qz2Y/Uico2Huj1xI/AAAAAAAAAGU/uPpP6GvZ34A/s320/Wedding+Pic+for+Mag.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Tomorrow </span><a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1551206856&extragetparams=%7B%22directed_target_id%22%3A0%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/jon.bush.547?directed_target_id=0" style="background-color: white; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">Jon Bush</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> and I celebrate 3 years of marriage! I can hardly believe it. In honor of our 3 years I have compiled a list of 4 life lessons I've learned about marriage. I'll be sharing them over the next four days.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Lesson One: You can’t change anyone. Don’t ever marry someone thinking you can. And don’t spend too much time asking the Lord to change them into what you think or want them to be. (I thank the Lord I knew that coming i</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">n!) Ask the Lord to change you instead, so you can be the wife or husband you’ve been called to be. Praying together daily as a couple makes all the difference in the world. Making Christ the head of your marriage is the most important thing you can do.<br /><br />Matthew 19:4-6<br />"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh' ? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."</span>Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2522407212584415741.post-23827138184152934952013-03-20T00:46:00.000-05:002013-03-20T00:46:04.220-05:006th Annual Spirit of Deborah Conference on Women, Ministry and Leadership.It's that time of year again! If you are in the greater Miami Valley area of Ohio we'd love to see you at the 6th Annual Spirit of Deborah Conference on Saturday, April 20, 2013 at 9am! We'll be gathering at this free conference at The Bridge Worship Community Worship Center at 302 State Street in Fairborn, Ohio. If you are not in the area, do not despair! You'll be able to order copies of the entire conference. Also we're launching out so look for a Spirit of Deborah Conference coming your way sometime in 2013/2014! New York, Nashville, Orlando, Texas, we're coming to see you!<br />
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Please keep us in prayer and we grow and develop, Broken Box Ministries is on the move for the Lord!Dr. Naima Johnston Bushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234140339711264839noreply@blogger.com0