Sunshine’s Reflections will be back on Monday, March 10, 2014. Taking a much-needed spiritual retreat. Be blessed and continue reading and studying God’s word. Pray daily. Encourage others. Show love so that people can see the love of Christ in you.
God bless!
~Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis, MBA
Author/Poet/Blogger
Good morning! Happy Wednesday to you all! I pray your week has been going well.
TFTD: Position of submission
6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
40 When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed,
God has been speaking to me about positioning. Not only in my personal walk with Him, but to encourage others to get in the right position. The body of Christ must position itself to go deeper in Christ. Kneeling represents submission to God.
Being submissive to God is the state of being obedient. When you submit to the will of God you are accepting the authority He has over your life. In the natural, it’s so easy to get away from kneeling because our knees hurt or we have a bad back, but in the spiritual kneeling signifies so much more to God. When we kneel before God we are telling Him that He is in control and that we are willing and ready to do His will.
When was the last time you were in the position of submission? When was the last time you knelt down before the Lord and prayed? I must admit, even I’ve grown accustomed to standing or sitting when it’s time to pray. Yet, God has been showing me the power of positioning myself to hear from Him. Now don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with standing or sitting while praying; however, it’s important to position yourself lower than God so that He can see your reverence and submission to Him.
Are you in the position of submission? I find that when I take the time to get down and kneel I can almost feel Jesus wrap His arms around me to say, “It’s okay Nicole, I am in control.” It’s time to get in position. There is a shift in the atmosphere and we have to take our schools back, take our children back, take our community back, take our lives back and it will require intentional prayer submissive to the Lord. Will you fall to your knees and pray?
Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis, MBA
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 2016. 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 morning. I pray all is well. This is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it.
TFTD: Proper position
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,[a] and follow Me.
Nowadays, almost everyone has a cell phone. Although things like the style of the phone and monthly cost are important, most people want to make sure they have good reception. It doesn’t matter if you have the best phone in the world, if you can’t get clear reception. When reception is bad, one will move closer to a window or move around in the room in an effort to locate a good signal. They are trying to get in the proper position to use their phone.
During this Christian journey, it’s important that we are in the proper position to hear from God. When we go to God we must go in a position of humility. The lowest position to signify humility is lying prostrate. When we humble ourselves and lay before God we can hear from Him more clearly. We can eliminate the distractions of others if we get before God and lay at His feet.
We have to be careful not to become boastful in our own efforts or our spiritual connection can get interrupted. When we stand up all of the time running to and fro we can begin to think that we are higher than God or that we don’t need Him as much. When was the last time you laid before God? When was the last time you stretched out before Him and said, “Lord, here I am to worship you?”
It’s time to get in the proper position to hear from God. In your private worship time, I encourage you to lay before God. He has something to say to you, but right now you are distracted. Someone or something has you high and puffed up. Your reception is going in and out. You love God; however, you have forgotten how to go to Him in humility. In the natural, you can lie prostrate and in the spiritual realm, God will recognize your position of humility as a symbol of denying oneself. He can then begin whispering in your ear things that you would not otherwise hear.
Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis, MBA
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 2016. 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 afternoon. May the grace of God cover you like a warm thick blanket on a cold winter day. *SMILE*
TFTD: Get in position
God has equipped every believer with at least one spiritual gift. It is our responsibility to use whatever gift God has given us to serve others. In order to do this effectively we must use our gift the way God intended us to. It’s time to get in position. God has shown me the misplacement of spiritual gifts is prevalent in the kingdom of God. What is the misplacement of spiritual gifts? I’m glad you asked. It’s when a person is using their spiritual gift in the wrong place. It’s the improper use of a spiritual gift.
Let’s look at an example of a school teacher. What would happen if a French teacher decided to switch places with a Chemistry teacher and teach the Chemistry class? Pretty obvious, right? The French would not be equipped to give the chemistry student the adequate teaching they require. They would suffer and the French teacher would suffer because their desire to teach French would not be fulfilled. Not only would the Chemistry students suffer and the French teacher, but subsequently the Chemistry teacher and French students would suffer.
This is also true for the body of Christ. When people are misplaced in the church, the body of Christ can suffer in multiple areas. The people who need your service would suffer because you wouldn’t be in position to help them, you would grow frustrated and discouraged because you weren’t producing fruit in the area of ministry you were in, the person who should be where you are would be suffering too and the same for whatever group they are over. It’s a ripple effect.
It’s time to get in position. Take time to seek God on when and where you are supposed to serve. We have a spiritual responsibility to use whatever gift God has given us to serve His people. Don’t just settle for serving in a place you weren’t equipped to serve in. Take time to serve where you have been called to serve! Get in position.
Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis, MBA
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 2016. 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 morning! Happy Tuesday. I pray you had a blessed weekend and for those who were off on President’s Day I hope you enjoyed it.
TFTD: Watch your conditioning
7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
Yesterday, I heard a preacher explain why a small chain can keep an elephant bound. The question was raised, “Have you ever wondered why an elephant doesn’t just snap the chain off it’s leg and go on about its business?” The preacher went on to say that when the elephant was a baby a large heavy chain was placed around its leg. Initially the elephant tried to escape and couldn’t due to the chain. Even though the elephant eventually grew to become larger and the chain became smaller, the elephant was now conditioned to think that if it had tried to walk away the chain was too heavy for it to go any further. The elephant no longer tried to escape because it remembers its past attempts.
This thing hit me like a ton of bricks and during my morning run, God began speaking to me concerning this matter. Ask yourself,
What lies have become your reality? The Scripture tells us, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” The elephant, although it was a large and strong creature, had become conditioned to think that it was weak and could be restrained by a chain that could easily be broken if the elephant only believed. What do you believe about yourself?
What small chain has been holding you back from your destiny? Perhaps someone told you that you would not amount to anything? Or maybe you’ve been conditioned to think that you are worthless because someone from your past treated you as such. You don’t believe in marriage because you have been conditioned to think that divorce is the answer. You don’t believe you are called to serve or lead in certain ministries because you have been overlooked and tossed aside. You don’t believe you are qualified for the promotion because you’ve never been promoted before. What small chain is keeping you bound? Don’t you know that you serve a powerful God? And the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives within you! Don’t allow your former conditioning to keep you imprisoned.
It’s time to watch your conditioning. Athletes go through a certain level of conditioning as they prepare to enter their new season. They have to surround themselves with the right type of people, eat the right type of foods, and exercise to condition their bodies and their minds for the approaching season. Before their new season begins they have to believe they are a winner. They can’t win if they don’t first believe. And they won’t believe they are a winner if their surroundings are filled with negative complaining doubters. You can’t propel to the next level if you are bound by chains from your past. It’s time to start preparing for the new season. God wants to elevate you to new heights, but He can’t get you there if you don’t believe.
Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis, MBA
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 2016. 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 morning! Happy Friday and Happy Valentine’s Day! I pray you have a blessed day and a wonderful weekend. Spend time reflecting on the love of Christ. He loves you 365 days of the year. Take time to show Him some love as often as you can.
TFTD: Love one another
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Have you ever been around someone and thought only God could love them? I know I have. But guess what? If God loves them, then we ought to love them too. There are times when I know I am unlovable. I may get on someone’s nerves, I may inadvertently offend someone, I may rub someone the wrong way, but that doesn’t take away from how much God loves me. And if God can love me when I’m difficult or unlovable, surely I can love others. The Word of God tells us to LOVE ONE ANOTHER, as Christ has loved us. It doesn’t say be jealous of one another, talk about one another, fight one another, mistreat one another, offend one another, hurt one another, lie on each other, etc.
It’s easy to show love to the people who make us feel loved, but a little more challenging or down right difficult to show love to those people who get up under our skin. How can you show love to someone today? I challenge you to show love to the people who appear to be “unlovable”. Be intentional about showing love. Give someone a compliment-it’s free. Celebrate someone’s spiritual gift-it’s free. Give someone a hug-it’s free. Send someone a nice email-it’s free. There are so many things that you can do that won’t cost you a penny, but it will be priceless to the person on the receiving end. Let’s learn to love one another.
Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis, MBA
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 2016. 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 morning. As a poetess, I wanted to share how I feel as a woman of color. This poem is celebrating the skin that I am in. Happy Black History Month.
by: Nicole L. Ellis
My black is beautiful and comes in various shades
Skin smooth as chocolate, I must be heaven made
A descendent of kings and queens
I was created to embody the finer things
More precious than gems and stones
The beauty I exude goes all the way to the bone
Bole, Bronze, Brown, Camel or Coffee
In 365 days I transform into more than what the naked eye can see
A rainbow of hues that is shared with the world
My black is beautiful and I’m a pretty brown girl
Some say that my black absorbs the light
I am filled with the Spirit so when I smile it’s extra bright
There is nothing derogatory that anyone can say to me
Embracing who I am allows me to be free
When famous dishes are blackened they are seasoned beyond perfection
Calling someone black to offend is a common misconception
Being “in the black” is a profitable term
So I guess my black is used to affirm
Affirm who God created me to be
My black is beautiful and I love ME!!!
Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis, MBA
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 2016. 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 morning! Happy Tuesday. Remember to declare to the atmosphere that today will be a positive and productive day in Jesus name!
TFTD: No one can love you like He does
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
Valentines day is this Friday, February 14th. In my opinion, it’s one of the best days of the year. I believe God loved my parents so much that He allowed me to be born on a day that symbolizes love. *SMILING*
Unfortunately, the world has mistaken love for lust. It’s confused its intense desires for the opposite sex with the real meaning of love. Love can be defined as a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. But the definition I love the most is that love is the benevolent affection of God for His creatures, or the reverent affection due from them to God. God is so caring and wants to demonstrate His love by helping us day in and day out. He loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die for us when we were still sinners.
16 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.
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
I know my parents love me, I know my children love me, I know my husband loves me, but I’ve come to the realization that NO ONE can love me like Christ. The truth of the matter is, we are incapable of loving without knowing God. 1 John 4:19 tells us that “We love because He first loved us.” If God didn’t offer His benevolent affection towards us first then we wouldn’t even know how to love Him back or others for that matter. Truth be told, most people don’t do a great job of even loving themselves. It is good to know that while we were all in our mess, Christ still loved us.
How many people would still be able to say they love you if they knew all of your dirty laundry? I don’t know about you, but I don’t think too many people would like me let alone love me. BUT GOD!!! He knows everything about us. He knows our thoughts, our evil deeds, our lying speech, our mischievous heart and yet He still loves us. He even knew that many people would reject Him and yet HE DIED so that we could live. I don’t care how much you think someone loves you, NO ONE and I MEAN NO ONE CAN LOVE YOU LIKE CHRIST DOES!!!
Spend time reflecting on the love of Christ and ask Him how you can love other people properly. If you don’t know Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to try Him. He loves you and you don’t have to wait until you “Get yourself together”, God is so good He will love you AS IS!!!
That job can’t love you, that man, that woman, those kids, the world can not and will not love you the way God loves you. Aren’t you glad that someone loves you more than you love yourself? I am!
Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis, MBA
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 2016. 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.
Happy Friday to you all! I thank God for literally carrying me through another work week. This has been a week that stretched me mentally and emotionally, but I’m so glad that I didn’t have to race the challenges alone. God is always with me and I felt Him carrying me on each and every day. Enjoy your day and remember to give Him praise for EVERYTHING!!!
TFTD: Sad state of affairs
24 Now to Him who is able to keep you[a] from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, 25 To God our Savior,[b] Who alone is wise,[c] Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power,[d] Both now and forever. Amen.
It is a sad state of affairs when children of the Most High God live a defeated life. When hopes and dreams are squandered because of fear. It is a sad state of affairs when believers put more trust in what they see on TV than they do in God. Their sense of reality is skewed and misguided with lies, destruction and sin. It is a sad state of affairs when our youth are penalized for the sins of their parents all because of stubbornness and pride. Parents would rather allow their children to die spiritually instead of repenting and making things right. It is a sad state of affairs when the motives of the preachers aren’t to win souls, but to gain an audience of paparazzi and groupies. The message of truth is diluted with rhetorical rhetoric and pageantry. It is a sad state of affairs when worship is ostracized from the church in order for a feel good concert to take place. Where Psalmist forget the purpose of their call in order to show boat and show stop. It is a sad state of affairs when forgiveness is a messaged that is not lived. The souls of people are destroyed due to unsympathetic hearts of people who refuse to make things right with their brother and sister. It is a sad state of affairs when true ministry seizes in order to feed the insecurities of a power-driven people. Leaders are misplaced in an effort to feed their ego instead of feed the hearts of the people. It is a sad state of affairs that churches no longer are a safe haven, rather have become a reality TV series filled with gossip, backbiting and hatred.
Perhaps you have experienced some of the things mentioned above. Maybe you attend a church where you feel more lost than found. Have you been hurt by someone in the church? Maybe you have lost sight of the reason to go to church for corporate worship. No matter what you are going through, we serve a God who is able to keep each and every one of us from stumbling. No church is perfect; however, we can work to make it better. Our children are depending on us. The unsaved need our help, but we have to make some changes. We have to change the heart of the church. We have to present ourselves faultless before the presence of God. We must restore worship to what it is supposed to be. Remember WE are the church. If someone looked at your life, what would your story be? Would it be the things mentioned above or would it be different? As the church, we have to take our call serious and seek God to help us serve His people properly. Your life doesn’t have to be a soap opera. The church doesn’t have to look like a three-ringed circus. If each member took responsibility for their part in becoming better than we could have a better church.
Please understand the church is not a building and the church doesn’t have denominational lines. If you believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior then you are the church. Let’s change the sad state of affairs to an opportunity to advance the kingdom of God. I don’t know about you, but I serve a GOOD God and I hope to give Him glory and I hope to help edify His people.
Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis, MBA
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 2016. 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 morning. It’s a new day and I’m glad about it. Look for ways to make someone else’s day better. You never know what a person is going through.
by: Nicole L. Ellis, MBA
Jumped out of bed with a new state of mind
I’m on my way to conquer time
Won’t settle for less because I have things to achieve
The dreams inside of me are often hard to believe
Determine with degrees no less
I am more than a conqueror and won’t settle for less
A leader, a follower, a servant to most
Running through what’s obvious not a reason to boast
Who I am and will become is long over due
But I would be nothing with You
All of the accomplishments in the world would hold no weight
If it weren’t for who gave me all of this, affectionately known as the Great
The Great I AM, is who created me
I was created to give Him all of the glory
I am merely a tool to spread the Word
By trusting Him I can fly higher than a bird
An eagle to be exact
God has given me a new perspective and I’m not going back
Rush down the street to meet all of my obligations
None of this could happen if I operated with extreme procrastination
Excellence is the spirit in which I must do all that I do
But let’s not forget I’m nothing with You
I was a sinner saved with grace
It’s because of Your love I can take my rightful place
My place in the kingdom to help heal the land
I’m a rare commodity only needed based on Your demand
If you were not present I would surely fall
Without you nothing would matter at all
I am walking towards my destiny
Only because who the Son sets free is truly free indeed
I’m free and able to reach for the stars
I can have everything I want because you conquered it all
Death, hell and the grave won’t have victory over me
You gave your life so that I would see
See that no matter what I seek to do
I am nothing, absolutely nothing with YOU!
Never become so puffed up in yourself that you begin thinking that you don’t need Jesus in your life. Remember that life wouldn’t have any meaning if Jesus didn’t die for you.
16 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.
Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis, MBA
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 2016. 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 