Archive for April, 2012
Donations needed
My name is Nicole Ellis and I am a member of the Hampton University
Chapter of Sigma Beta Delta International Honor Society.
- Each year women experience 4.8 million intimate partner related physical assaults and rapes.
- One in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.
- 85% of domestic violence victims are women.
- Most cases of domestic violence are never reported to the police.
We are currently working with a local battered women’s shelter collecting well needed items.
Some of the item includes:
Household Items
- Non Perishable food items
- Single serving snack items
- Silver wear sets
- Individual juices
- Bowls all sizes
- Pots pans and large soup pots
Children’s Program
- Back packs
- School Supplies
- Small gifts to reward good grads and behavior
- Craft projects kits
- Books in good condition
Personal Items
- Store size shampoo and conditioner
- Store Size Soap
- Deodorant
- Toothpaste
- Soap
- New combs and brushes
- Unopened over the counter medicine
- Supplies
- Powdered laundry detergent
- Cleaning supplies
- Dishwashing liquid
- Paper goods (tissues, toilet paper, paper towels)
- Bleach
- Disposable diapers and wipes
Bedding and Linens
- Twin and full sheets
- Twin and full blankets and comforters
- Wash cloths and towels
Clothing
- Warm up suits
- Business Clothing
- Children’s clothing
- Larger Women’s clothing
We were hoping that you would like to support our cause by donating some of these items or a monetary donation so that we can purchase these items in bulk.
If you are in the Hampton Roads area and you are able to make a donation, no matter how small it is, please contact Temisan Shebi, via phone (202) 714 – 4704 or email: temisanashebi@aol.com by April 27th, 2012 for donation details or pick up.
You can also contact me at niklellis@live.com or 703-362-6959 if you want to drop something off with me at church or around the neighborhood or on campus.
Thank you in advance for your support!!!
Remember: Little means much when someone leaves their home with nothing. So you may not think you have much, but if it’s one item, it’s more than someone had before. Be a blessing to someone today!
Word of the Day- Excellence
Sunshine’s Word of the Day
Good morning! Happy Wednesday. I pray that you all had a blessed Easter weekend. I pray that it was more than dressing up in fancy clothing and receiving candy. I pray that it served as a reminder of our RISEN SAVIOR! Think of the sacrifice and the power of Jesus Christ everyday. Jesus is bigger than one day of the year. I pray that your week is going well. Remember to keep God first in all that you do!
Todays’ Word: Excellence
Excellence is defined as the fact or state of excelling, a quality or feature of superiority.
When someone does something with a spirit of excellence it should be done to the best of their ability always seeking to reach new heights. As children of God, we should have a spirit of excellence in everything that we do. We should excel in raising our families, performing on our jobs, interacting with other people, ministering to the lost, participating in ministries and the list goes on. We should strive to deliver superior service in all that we say and do. Our way of thinking should also be traced with excelling. Mediocre thinking and behaving should not be the manner in which believers conduct themselves. If you serve such a mighty God, shouldn’t your conduct be indicative of that fact? God is EXCELLENT and since His spirit dwells within us then we should operate in a spirit of excellence.
Let’s look at a couple of scriptures:
2 Corinthians 8:7 New International Version (NIV)
7 But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
When you excel in something you are surpassing the standard and showing superior service. We are to surpass the world’s standard in our faith, in our speech, in our knowledge, in our love towards one another, and in the grace of giving. There should be a distinct difference in the way believers of Christ conduct themselves versus the world. How many people are cheating God by operating in a spirit of mediocre thinking and negative attitudes? We are robbing the unbeliever of catching a glimpse of how great God is when we don’t operate in a spirit of excellence. Ecclesiastes 9:10a New Century Version (NCV)
10 Whatever work you do, do your best,
Self explanatory…whatever you say or do, make sure you do your very best. Strive to put your all into your work, your family, your marriage, your projects, your ministries, your community projects, and more. We are only given this one life and it’s important that we do our best at everything God calls us to do. Your life is the only bible that someone may ever read and it’s important that you operate in a spirit of excellence. It doesn’t mean that you will be perfect, but it means that you will work your hardest to please God.
Ask yourself: “Do I operate with a spirit of excellence in EVERYTHING that I do?” I notice that some people will operate with a spirit of excellence when they like doing something, but they operate with slack and disdain when they don’t like a particular project they are working on. We’ll as a believer we are to operate in excellence in EVERYTHING that we do. I don’t care if you don’t like it or don’t like the people you are working with, we have to remember who we represent and make sure we give our very best in ALL things. Strive to surpass the world’s standard on a daily basis!
Have a wonderful day and remember that we serve an Excellent God and He deserves Excellent service to His people.
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.
Good Friday
Sunshine’s Reflections
Good afternoon! Happy Friday to you all!
TFTD: Good Friday
Why is “Good-Friday” so good?
The scriptures in Mark 15:21-45 give us an account of Jesus being lead to the cross and being crucified. Jesus was hung on a cross, nails pierced through his hands and feet, his side pierced, and a crown of thrones placed on His head. Who could endure all of this pain? Why would someone endure all of this pain?
John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Jesus Christ died on the cross for a sinner like you and I. Yes, He endured the cross so that you could have everlasting life. “Good-Friday” is so good because Jesus endured a punishment that was meant for you and I. He was hung high, stretched wide, He hung His head, and for ME He died. I don’t think people really understand this display of selfless love. The bible says in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I should be dead for all the sins I’ve committed. I should be in my grave, but MERCY said NO!!! So “Good-Friday” is so good because Jesus spared me and gave me a chance at everlasting life.
Keep reading because Mark Chapter 16 tells us how JESUS rose and ascended to heaven. I serve a living God and today is a great reminder of the God I serve. Jesus Christ died for us and we have to choose if we want to accept life or death. He promised those who believed everlasting life. You don’t have to die and go to hell. If you choose Christ you will have everlasting life with Him. He died for you, what’s keeping you from accepting Him? 
I pray that you have a blessed Easter weekend. Remember this weekend is not to reflect on the Easter bunny or who has the best Easter suit, but it’s a time to reflect on the sacrifice Christ made for you. He died for you, He went to hell conqueror death and the grave, snatched the keys and ascended to heaven all for you!!! Oh what a “Good-Friday” it is.
Prayer of Salvation:
Maybe you heard about Jesus all of your life, but you never accepted Him. Getting saved doesn’t have to take place on Sunday morning in a big fashion, but it can take place right where you are.
Romans 10:9 (NKJV) says,
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
If you have faith the size of a mustard seed that says you believe, repeat this prayer:
Lord, I am a sinner. Come into my life. I believe that you died for me and rose on the 3rd day.
If you prayed this prayer YOU ARE SAVED!!!! God hears your prayers and honors your hearts request. God chose you when He sent His Son to die for you. Now the choice is up to you! Don’t let another day go by without living for Christ.
Have a blessed day!
I would like to invite you all to Easter Sunday service on
Sunday, April 8, 2012 at
Gethsemane Baptist Church
5405 Roanoke Ave, Newport News, VA 23607
Three worship services: 7:30a.m., 9:30a.m., 11:30a.m.
There is something for everyone. I pray that you have a safe weekend and Lord willing I will blog on Monday!
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.
God is ALWAYS with you
Sunshine’s Reflections
Good morning! Happy Thursday to you all. I had an accident on Monday that temporarily took me out the blog game, but how many of you know that God is Sovereign.
TFTD: God is ALWAYS with you
Deuteronomy 31:6 (NKJV)
6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV)
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”[a]
There are so many aspects to this blog that I love, I love writing, I love encouraging others, I love-inspiring others, I love being creative and sharing God’s word, and I really love how I grow deeper in Christ while preparing each blog. I love how God selected me to share with His children. I love how God allows me to be transparent not only to help someone else, but to minister to myself. God reminds me daily that He is always with me.
I have to take a moment to reflect on some great advice that a dear friend and sister in Christ gave me a couple of years ago, “No matter what you go through always find the blessing.” I’m paraphrasing, but it’s a simple concept that we all need to follow. Spend less time focusing on what went wrong and be intentional about finding what went right and what lesson you can gain from it.
This leads me to Monday morning, April 3, 2012. I woke up early, ready to start my day, had my “To-do list” prepared, and it was time for work. I stepped into the shower and my right foot slipped underneath me and I hit my head in the corner of the tub. My reflexes kicked in and I pushed myself up and out of the tub. I opened my eyes and blood was everywhere. I didn’t know where it was coming from I just knew there was a lot of blood. I grabbed the telephone and called my husband because he was on his way out for work. He came rushing upstairs (my hero) and I calmly told him that I fell, hit my head, and I don’t know where this blood is coming from. He begins examining me and he finds the source. I had cut my foot bad. At the time we didn’t know on what, my husband’s concern was stopping the bleeding and getting me to the emergency room. Long story short, I had to get some stitches on my right foot. Now my organized flesh thought, “Gosh this is going to throw my entire day off, let alone the entire week. But my spirit cried out, “THANK YOU LORD! Thank you for keeping me conscious. Thank you for allowing my husband to still be at home. Thank you, because this could have been worst, but God you were with me.
So n
ow I have a wrapped up foot, limping, a little sore, both of my arms are throbbing from the force at which I pushed myself from the tub, but nothing major. God showed me in the spiritual realm that we all fall down. Sometimes when we fall in life we have to use strength that we didn’t realize that we had and push ourselves up out of that situation. Sometimes we may need to rely on others to assist us to safety and to recovery and that’s okay. More can get done when people work together. God also showed me that even after a fall you may endure some injury and pain, but that healing comes after the fall. And the beauty of a fall is that you realize God is always with you. God was with me when I fell in the physical and He is with me when I fall in the spiritual. God is ALWAYS keeping His hand on me, sparing me from what I deserve. God is ALWAYS with me because He promised to never leave me nor forsake me.
I was blessed through this fall because God gave me time to rest and seek the blessing and the lesson. I was reminded that God is ALWAYS with me. I was reminded that I am strong. I was reminded that I have a great partner in my husband. I was reminded that after the fall, healing comes. I was reminded that God is ALWAYS watching over me and my family and for that I’m grateful.
I dare you to find the blessing in your situation. Intentionally seek to understand what God is doing in your life. I don’t know why I had to fall on Monday, but I’m grateful for what God showed me in the spiritual realm as it relates to a “fall” in our walk with Christ.
I’m on my way to physical healing and I thank God for the continued spiritual growth that He allows me to experience everyday. God is AlWAYS with you, it’s time to recognize that He is there!
Have a blessed day in Jesus!
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.
Sunshine's Reflections Blog 