Your life is a reality show, what does your life say about Christ?

Sunshine’s Reflections

Good morning!  Happy Wednesday to you all!  I pray that everyone is enjoying their Christmas break.  This is the time of year, where I regroup, reflect and rest.  I am so grateful for the doors that God has opened for me and I am grateful for the doors he slammed shut.  I have learned a lot in 2011 and I look forward to learning more in 2012.  I thank you all for following Sunshine’s Reflections blog and for sharing the blog with others.  I pray that you continue to support this blog in the future.  God bless.

TFTD: Your life is a reality show, what does your life say about Christ?

1 Corinthians 11:1(NKJV)

 ¹ Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

When I think about television today, there are a lot of reality TV shows.  They range from shows  about  families with multiple children, little girls in beauty pageants, people partying in New Jersey, basketball wives, Real House wives of some place, just to name a few.  When I watch some of these shows I immediately think these shows don’t reflect anyone’s “REALITY”.  It has to be pure entertainment because if these people really live like this then I feel sorry for them.  More importantly I feel sorry for the example they set to impressionable people; both young and old.

Do you realize that your life is a reality show?  The difference is that everyone doesn’t get to see every thing that you do and say.  What does your life say about Christ.  Do you represent Christ only on Sunday or everyday of the week?  What if a camera followed  you around daily?  Would we see that you reflect God or that you disgrace God?  The reality is a camera does follow you around daily, but Christ doesn’t choose to air it on the big screen for everyone to see.  We have to remember that God sees and knows all.

I follow social media networks and I am saddened by the negativity, drama, and smut that circulates the internet.  What does your username say about you?  Does it say that you are a follower of Christ?  What does your tweets and Facebook status updates say about you?  If people read them, would they know that you were saved or would they be shocked to find out that you are a Christian?  Your life is a reality show, but you have the choice to decide which category your life falls into.  You don’t have to have a life filled with fights and cursing.  You don’t have to imitate the world.  Christ calls us to imitate Him.  It’s time to cancel some of these reality shows starting with your current way of living.  If you are living a life that is contradictory to the word of God then you need to cancel that show.  It’s time to link up to a new subscriber.  It’s time that your reality show starts spreading the things of God and not the things of destruction.

To the young and impressionable and even to the older crowd who has lost their way: Never allow man to take you were God hasn’t destined you to go.  Stop riding mans coat-tail to destruction.  Follow Christ to redemption.  Just because man is posting and tweeting hate doesn’t mean you have to.  Just people man airs all their dirty laundry on social media networks, doesn’t mean you have to.  Just because man is miserable doesn’t mean you have to be.  God has a plan for your life and being an imitator of the world is not one of them.

Take inventory over your life and ask yourself, if God decided to air your life on public TV; which category would your reality fall under?  Would it be family appropriate, faith-based, rated R, smut, destruction, encouragement or uplifting?  Does your life reflect Christ or does it reflect darkness?

Remember your life is a reality show, the question is what does your life say about Christ?

Have a blessed day.  2011 is almost over, so FINISH strong.  It’s not to late to make a change for the better.  Yesterday is gone.  Live today with purpose. 

Reflections of the Son by: Nicole Ellis is available now in person, by mail order or Pay pal! Contact me at niklellis@live.com or click on the BUY BOOK NOW page on the blog*

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

© Nicole Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog, 2009 to 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blogs author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicole L. Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Merry Christmas

 

From my family to yours,

I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas!!!  Remember that Jesus is the reason for the season.  If you don’t do anything else this Christmas season, be sure to demonstrate Christ’s love to others.

Try not to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season, but show love with acts of kindness.   Give someone the gift of salvation; share your testimony with your unsaved family member, your neighbor who never attends church, or even the grocery store clerk.  What better gift to give someone than the gift of hope, joy, peace and love. 

Invite someone to fellowship with you at church on Sunday.

If you are in the Newport News area, join us at the Transformation at Gethsemane Baptist church at 10:00am.m. tomorrow, December 25th.  Address: 5405 Roanoke Ave, Newport News, VA! 

Let’s celebrate Christ tomorrow and forevermore.

Have a blessed day giving thanks to God for the birth of His Son, Jesus Christ!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! 

Reflections of the Son by: Nicole Ellis is available now in person, by mail order or Pay pal! Contact me at niklellis@live.com or click on the BUY BOOK NOW page on the blog*

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

© Nicole Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog, 2009 to 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blogs author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicole L. Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

You’re amazing

Poetry Corner

Good morning!  Happy Thursday to you all!  I’m officially on break from school.  Finished my first year of grad school, so a lady is grateful and now relaxing.  Thank God for carrying me through because without Him I could not make it.

You’re amazing

by: Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis

You know the depths of my heart, yet you love me

You know every good thing and every evil thing that resides in my soul

Yet you forgive me

You know every flaw, yet you care about me

You made the greatest sacrifice known to man for me, while I was a sinner

You’re amazing

My family can’t love me like you do

Friends can’t begin to care about me the way that you do

You don’t judge me even though you could

You could condemn me to hell and the grave, but you spared me

You continue to see the best in me when others try to pick out the worst

You’re amazing

There aren’t adequate words to describe how wonderful you are to me

I don’t deserve your love

I don’t deserve your grace or mercy

But because you are so amazing you love me beyond me loving myself

You pick me up each time I fall

And sometimes I fall often

You dust me off and lead me on my way

You trust me with your children, your resources, and your gifts

You’re amazing

And I want to spend the rest of my days loving you more

I desire to be better all because of you

You’re amazing

Simply amazing

Lord, YOU ARE AMAZING!

It is so awesome to serve an amazing God.  Sometimes I sit back and say “Lord, You love me?”  Then He reminds me of who He is and tells me to stop comparing Him to man because man is incapable of loving me the way He does.  I thank God, He is not like man.  It’s beautiful to know that God loves me regardless and it’s great to know that each day I can get closer to Him. 

What does God mean to you?  Find a word or a phrase to describe Him and write the Lord a little love note expressing your gratitude and appreciation to Him.

Have a blessed day. 

Reflections of the Son by: Nicole Ellis is available now in person, by mail order or Pay pal! Contact me at niklellis@live.com or click on the BUY BOOK NOW page on the blog*

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

© Nicole Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog, 2009 to 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blogs author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicole L. Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Who are you connected to?

Sunshine’s Reflections

Good afternoon!  It’s Friday!  Woo hoo!  I’m so happy it’s Friday!  I pray that you have a blessed weekend and remember to always keep God first in all that you do!

TFTD: Who are you connected to?

John 15:5 (NKJV)

⁵ “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Who are you connected to?  Have you heard the saying “Guilty by association”?  We’ll I heard it a lot growing up, but didn’t fully understand it until I got older.  People will label you based on the people you surround yourself with.  You are now guilty by association.  If you associate and hang out with liars all of the time it will be assumed that you are a liar.  Ladies, If your circle of friends are promiscuous women then people will assume that you are a promiscuous woman.  Men, if you hang around other men who mistreat women then you will be associated as such.  This phrase “Guilty by association” can also have a positive spin on it.  If you hang around a bunch of smart and successful people then people will begin thinking that you are smart and successful. 

As a child, I thought is was so unfair to think that I would do what the people I hung around did.  But the reality is that you start to become the people you surround yourself with.  If you stay around people long enough you will begin taking on some of their mannerisms.  What people perceive is 95% of their reality.  And if they see you hanging out with a certain group of people then their reality tells them that you are like that group.  Who are you connected to?  Ask yourself, “if people looked at my closest circle of friends what would they honestly think about me?”  “What would their perception of me be? 

When you are connected to the dark things of this world it will show up on your face, in your walk, your speech, and in your lifestyle.  You will not have any substance.  You will not bear fruit.  But if you are connected to Jesus then you are connected to the Father in Heaven and you will bear fruit.  We are the branches on this tree called life and we have to be connected to the right things in order to bear fruit.  We have to be connected to Christ and seek His will and He will lead us to hang around Christ-like people.  Ask yourself “Who am I connected to?”  Do people associate you with Christ or with the devil?  Do people associate you as a kind loving person or as a mean messy person? 

It’s time to take serious inventory over the company you keep.  Starting with your main source of strength.  Who do you spend the most time with during your day?  The person you spend the most time with is the person you will most likely be associated with.  Spend more time with God.  The body of Christ need more people reflecting His light.  Then ask yourself what will people be associated with if they hung with you?  What are you reflecting?

I pray you take time to really evaluate your life and make sure you are hooked up to the vine 🙂

God bless! Have a safe and wonderful weekend!

Reflections of the Son by: Nicole Ellis is available now in person, by mail order or Pay pal! Contact me at niklellis@live.com or click on the BUY BOOK NOW page on the blog*

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

© Nicole Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog, 2009 to 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blogs author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicole L. Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

A note of encouragement to those who are being elevated

Sunshine’s Reflections

Good morning!  Happy Wednesday.  It’s hump day!!!  The work week is half way over.  Enjoy this day.  Give God praise for every thing; no matter what the size.  Give God praise and don’t give way to complaining.  Enjoy Gods blessings. 

TFTD: A note of encouragement to those who are being elevated

Early this morning I sent a string of messages on Twitter to encourage some folks and I decided to put the message on today’s blog. 

This message is for all of the people who are being elevated in the kingdom of God, in their homes, in their relationships, in their jobs, in their community, in their state, and across the globe.  I want to encourage you this morning:

People will look at you and say that you don’t belong in that position. Tell them to take that up with God because He doesn’t make mistakes.

People will say that they can do a better job than you. Tell them they probably can but God called you and not them.

People will try to curse your progress and discourage you. Continue praying for them and ask that God will remove jealousy from their heart.

People will stop being your friend because they may feel like there is no room for them in your new status.  Don’t fret they were only seasonal friends anyway.

People will talk about you, lie on you, catch an attitude with you and even try to make you look bad but they talked about Jesus yet He rose victorious.  Remember you are a victor in Christ. He lives in you and loves you. He has elevated you because He trusts you to get the job done. God has equipped you to get the job done, not anyone else.

In your elevation remain humble, stay prayed up, stay connected to positive people and enjoy the ride because God is not finished with you yet. New heights sit in the horizon.  Everyone can’t go where God is taking you.  Some people may have started the journey with you and may fall off before the manifestation because they were not meant to go the full length. 

 You’re going to new atmospheres. God has given you a new perspective and chickens can’t fly with eagles. So spread your wings and fly.

 I am celebrating all the new elevations. Congratulations to all the great men and women of God. You are blessed.  God has shown you unmerited favor.  Don’t focus on the naysayers, but appreciate that God is pleased with your walk.  Don’t seek to please man, but seek to please God and He will give you favor among men.  I look forward to seeing and hearing the great things God is doing in all of your lives.

Have a blessed Wednesday! 

Reflections of the Son by: Nicole Ellis is available now in person, by mail order or Pay pal! Contact me at niklellis@live.com or click on the BUY BOOK NOW page on the blog*

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

© Nicole Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog, 2009 to 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blogs author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicole L. Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

You are predestined…so walk with confidence

Sunshine’s Reflections

Good afternoon!  Happy Monday to you all!  I pray that you had a wonderful weekend.  20 days until Christmas.  Are you almost ready???   Enjoy your day. 

TFTD: You were predestined…so walk with confidence

Ephesians 1:11-12 (NKJV)

¹¹ In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, ¹² that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

There were times in my life when I’ve felt unsure about the road I was traveling on.  Would I have everything that I needed to get the job done?  Would I make it to the finish line?  Would I succeed or fail and the list goes on.  These feelings are natural when I was depending on my own strength to accomplish any given task.  It wasn’t until I began growing in Christ that I realized who I was.  I am predestined!

As a child of God, have obtained an inheritance, this was predestined for you.  Christ died that you may live eternally.  What greater gift than the gift of everlasting life.   This was determined for you before you were formed in your mother’s womb.  Nothing is a secret to God.  He knew who you would grow to become before you were even conceived.  He knows the hairs on your head and the steps that you will take in this life.  He is the one who works ALL things out according to His counsel.  It doesn’t say the one who works some things out, but ALL things.  This means that everything that God leads you to, He will see you through.    God will not call you to a place that He won’t equip you to go.  God will provide all of your needs and exceed your expectations because you were predestined to do great things.  If God called you to a new level in ministry, a better job, elevation in your community, etc. then you have nothing to fear.  You were predestined to excel, so walk with confidence.  Trust that God will carry you through all that He called you to. 

You have not achieved things by mere coincidence, you were predestined!  Stop doubting yourself, you are a child of God.  You were destined to do great things because you are a member of a royal priesthood.  God didn’t create you to waste space, but to take up your cross and walk towards your destiny.  It’s time to walk with confidence.  God’s got everything under control, you just have to believe and walk with confidence.  A note of advice: REMAIN HUMBLE yet confident.  Don’t walk around bragging every chance you get unless you are praising God for who He is.  Although you should remain humble it’s important to walk with confidence so that when the enemy tries to tell you that you can’t do something you can walk with your head held high knowing in your heart that God is with you.  Stop allowing people to discourage you from your destiny.  You were predestined so walk with confidence. 

LIFE ASSIGNMENT: Stand in front of a mirror and think of a problem that you are dealing with right now.  Now I want you to visualize that problem.  Now hold your head up high, stick out your chest and say “PROBLEM, I am destined for greatness and I am confident that God will see me through”.  Then walk away believing that!

Have a blessed day!

Reflections of the Son by: Nicole Ellis is available now in person, by mail order or Pay pal! Contact me at niklellis@live.com or click on the BUY BOOK NOW page on the blog*

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

© Nicole Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog, 2009 to 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blogs author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicole L. Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Run until you finish

Sunshine’s Reflections

Good morning.  Happy Thursday to you all!  I am fastly approaching the end of my first year of grad school (YEAH) and the exams, final papers, and presentation load has increased tremendously.  Please bear with me as the blog may not receive too much attention.  I’m pressing towards the mark and sometimes I have to turn my attention off of one thing temporarily in order to focus on the task at hand.  So I solicit all of your prayers and appreciate your patience.

TFTD: Run until you finish

Ecclesiastes 9:11 (NKJV)

 ¹¹ I returned and saw under the sun that—

      The race is not to the swift,
      Nor the battle to the strong,
      Nor bread to the wise,
      Nor riches to men of understanding,
      Nor favor to men of skill;
      But time and chance happen to them all.

How many times have you thought about quitting something?  Answer honestly.  Sometimes life can get so frustrating and hectic that I think about giving some stuff up.  I think about quitting because my focus is on the right now when it should be on finishing.  God wants us to run until we finish.

No one ever said that this race called life would be easy.  No one ever said that you wouldn’t be challenged, talked about, criticized, afraid, frustrated, stressed out, discouraged, or even contemplate giving up and throwing in the towel, but you can make it with God on your side.  I was reminded that before you quit anything in life you need to consult with God and ask Him if He has released you from that task.  YES, you need to ask God permission to quit.

You may have spent all of your energy and time praying for a certain job, or for God to lead you to serve in the right ministry, or to send you that man or woman you want to marry, just to name a few, and then you have the audacity to get it and then want to quit?  You spent all of your time consulting God while you were praying, why wouldn’t you consult God when you were contemplating quitting?  I want to encourage you to hang in there, don’t quit, don’t allow man to cause you to quit.  If God has not released you to do so, then you need to run until you finish.  Don’t miss your blessing by walking away prematurely.  Your finish line may be a few steps away and if you quit now you will miss the lesson, the blessing, and the pressing would have been in vain.

I know that job is tough, but run until you finish, I know that ministry is stretching you, but run until you finish, I know that relationship is pulling you, but run until you finish, I know life is challenging, but I ENCOURAGE YOU to RUN UNTIL YOU FINISH!

God is with you.  Make it a habit to consult God before you do something, while you’re doing something, when you want to quit, and after the task is done.  If you place God in all of your decision-making and truly hear from Him then you will never fail!

Have a blessed day and remember to run until you finish!

Reflections of the Son by: Nicole Ellis is available now in person, by mail order or Pay pal! Contact me at niklellis@live.com or click on the BUY BOOK NOW page on the blog*

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

© Nicole Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog, 2009 to 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blogs author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicole L. Ellis and Sunshine’s Reflections Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.