Faith

Hi Ladies,

On this Christmas Eve, I want to share with you faith. Faith to believe in yourself to be able to do anything that you have set as a goal for your life. When I was growing up, I don't remember anyone ever discussing the fruit with me. You see, as a Christian there are certain ways that you should behave. For some reason Christianity has been watered down and folk have the misconception that you can act anyway you choose and still represent. Not true. God has expectations of us. And when you have the Holy Spirit in your life there should be a change.

A change that is so apparent that others around you notice that you are not the same individual. This change causes your family and friends to want to know how they can make the change too. Don't be ashamed of your faith. Embrace it. God has a plan for your life. Don't have wishy washy faith. Be strong. Be courageous. Have faith.

Your Assignment:

Share your faith with someone else. It could be a friend, a family member or a stranger. Just do it!

Merry Christmas,

Mama Peay

GENTLENESS

Hello,

Today, I would like to talk with you about gentleness. If you consider yourself a Christian, gentleness, is one of the characteristics produced by the Holy Spirit. A gentlewoman, is a woman of high or noble birth. Gentlewomen are kind and considerate of others; polite. When you speak to others are you harsh, loud, and inconsiderate? Now, I'm not talking about you being someone's doormat and letting folk run all over you. What I am talking about is your overall approach. Are you behaving like a lady?

Do you beat up your friends with your mouth, always having something demeaning to say to them? Some people may find that acceptable. I don't. I think it is a sign of insecurity, selfishness, and most of all it is rude. It is definitely not a part of the character that you are to display. Think about how you treat others. I ask you, are you a gentlewoman?

Your Assignment:

Do a self assessment. Be honest with yourself. What type of person are you really? Write a paragraph about you. If you don't like what you have written, or there are somethings that you would like to change. Do it. This is a wonderful opportunity to make the change. Do it now, before it is too late.

Until tomorrow...Be gentle,

Mama Peay

PEACE

Hi,

On this day, I would like to share with you peace. Many of you may be saying, "Why do I need peace? I'm only 15 years old?" Well my dear, it's time that you learned about the type of peace that can see you through anything. When you first learn that your best friend has talked about you behind your back. What do you need? Peace when confronting her. When your boyfriend has been "messing around" with another girl. What do you need? Peace to keep you from hitting him upside his head. When your parents decide to get a divorce. What do you need? Peace to know that it is not your fault. This is a decision that your parents made that has nothing to do with you. They still love you and will always be there for you. Do not take their choice to separate personal.

During all these types of situations, you need peace. Peace to know that these problems are out of your control. You can't help that your best friend talked about you, that your boyfriend "messed around" and you definitely can't do anything about your parents divorcing. But what you can do is to trust God. In spite of all the drama in your life, trust God to handle those things that you can not change and he will give you peace.

Your Assignment:

Live drama free today - don't listen to or read gossip.

Live in Peace,

Mama Peay

JOY

Hello,

The American Heritage Dictionary defines "joy" as, "a feeling of great pleasure or happiness." Sometimes joy can be an overwhelming feeling or sensation that brings about warmth and a reason to rejoice. I think of Mary, the mother of Jesus experiencing this type of joy when she first saw the face of Jesus. I know that each time after giving birth, the little faces of my children brought joy to my heart. So much so that I cried.

What brings you joy? Is it a unexpected gift from a loved one? Is it a good grade? Or is joy the acceptance of friends or the love of your boyfriend? Whatever brings you joy make sure that it is in a positive manner. What do I mean by this? I'm glad that you asked. You see, drugs, alcohol, pre-marital sex are things that can also bring about, "a feeling of great pleasure or happiness." However, they can also bring about great pain, sadness and unbelievable disappointment, not only to you but also to those that love you.

So, as you celebrate during this holiday season, think about the choices that you make. What will you do when your friends offer you a glass of wine or a beer at the Christmas party? Ask yourself these questions when faced with these types of decisions:

• Will this bring me the right type of joy?
• Will this bring joy to my parent(s)?
• Will I be pleased with myself in the morning?

If you answered no, to these questions, you need to go back to the drawing board and rethink your position on these matters. Because what you really believe will show through your actions. Today, I want to encourage you to experience real joy, not the fake kind that last for only a short time. Experience joy that will make you pleased about who you are and the important decisions that you make. I know you think that one little drink won't matter or that one puff on that joint won't make a difference. Well, just ask the alcoholic or the drug addict. They will tell you that it all started with just one joint or just one drink.

Your Assignment:

Share the joy. It doesn't have to be expensive or time consuming. You may be surprised by what you receive when you spread joy. It could be as simple as these:

• Clean your room without being asked.
• Meet your curfew. Better yet, come in before your curfew.
• Buy someone a gift without expecting anything in return.
• Write a letter to a solder in Iraq and thank him/her for their sacrifice. (You will need to get parental guidance or assistance with this one. It could be a family, school or Sunday School project.)

Then, I want you to share with us how you were able to spread the joy of Christmas with others. I have already started by sharing with you and I get great pleasure out of sharing. What will you do?

Spread the Joy,

Mama Peay

Hey Everybody,

For the next 5 days I will be posting thoughts on the Fruit of the Spirit. During the holiday season, I know that all of the hustle and bustle can sometimes get us off track and full of everything but the Fruit of the Spirit. Today, I want to focus on love. Ask yourself the following questions:

What does love mean to me?
How am I showing love to others?
When was the last time I really felt loved?

The answers will give you an idea of how you are giving and receiving love. It all centers around your definition of love. How you define love is the foundation for your belief system. In order to love others you must first love yourself. When you look in the mirror, who is the real person that you see? Do you see a loving person? Or, do you see someone that is not so sure of why anyone would love you? If you answered "yes" to those questions, repeat the following statement to yourself in the mirror:

"God is love, therefore I am loveable. I love myself, because God loves me. I am beautiful. I am wonderful. And, I can do all things through Christ Jesus who gives me strength."

So, in this season of giving, receive the love that only God can provide. Pure love.


Your Assignment:
Read 1 Corinthians 13 and wherever you see the words love or charity, replace them with your name. Let's see how loving you really are.

Until tomorrow...LOVE!

Mama Peay

Hello Ladies,

It's me again and I couldn't wait to tell you about the teen talk hosted by Kayla and her mother, Katrina. She invited several of her friends over to her house and we had a great book discussion. Get a room full of 11-15 year-old girls and you know you are in for a good time. I love their energy and most of all their honesty. The discussion was lively and of course I took every opportunity to learn from them. Who is a better expert on you? Of course, you are. I was there to facilitate the discussion, to challenge their thinking and hopefully to inspire them to live in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord. They call themselves the V-Club. I'll let them tell you why in the comments section. That is, if they are willing to share. So don't get the idea that they are flashing gang signs or anything of that nature. We're not into that. We promote positive images and living a Godly lifestyle. You be blessed and have a wonderful day! I'm waiting to hear from you.

Blessings and Honor,
Mama Peay

Hi Everyone,

Well, we had our first teen talk. It went very well. The young women had a great time sharing their views on Brittani: Acts of Trust and Betrayal and how Brittani's story affected their lives. We expected more girls to attend, so we had so much food left over. Everyone was able to take home a goody bag for late night snacking. I must tell you how special this event was for me. I was able to see the importance of Big Sisters sharing their hearts with Little Sisters. They, the Big Sisters, were able to share their experiences and get this, the Little Sisters actually listened. WOW! What a blessing. We may have been small in number, but that didn't matter. It was still a powerful discussion. Wish you could have been there. Maybe next time.

Much Love,
Mama Peay

Welcome!

It's good to hear from you. All of my children's friends call me Mama Peay. So you may as well too. Let me start by saying, I love you. Yes, I do. I know that I don't know you, but that's okay. I love you anyway. Working with young women is my heart's desire. I enjoy just being in your company. One day you'll have to come by and we'll have a tea party. Maybe in the Spring when the azaleas are in bloom. That will be nice. Promise you'll come? I look forward to having you over.

I am the author of Brittani: Acts of Trust and Betrayal. It is my desire to see young women develop healthy life choices, especially those in the church. I say the church, because I remember being in the church and also being in the world at the same time. It didn't work so well for me. And I suspect that it's not really working for you either. I made some pretty poor choices growing up. And for that, I suffered the consequences. When you are young there is this feeling that I can do what I want as long as I don't get caught doing it. Believe me, eventually, the truth will come out and you will reap what you sow. It's a law of nature. Whatever your "it" is, be it pre-marital sex, drugs, alcohol or anything that goes against your family values - you WILL pay a price. We'll talk more about those issues later. But for now, I just want to encourage you. Think about the choices that you are making. Think about how they affect your life now and how they will affect you and your family in the future.

I'm here for you. We can discuss anything that you would like. I just ask that you be respectful of yourself and of others. I'm open. The question is, are you?

Be Blessed,
Mama Peay