Author: Roshonda B

My name is Roshonda Blackmon and I have been known in life as “the encourager” God gave me that gift before I even realized what it was or what it truly meant, the only thing I knew is that a vast amount of people liked to come to me for advice and once that advice was received, I never heard from them anymore until they wanted more advice. That gifting soon became my ministry. I’ve been through quite a bit of challenges in life from dealing with suicide, low self-image which resulted in low self-esteem, to the difficulties of growing up in a one parent household and the list goes on and on. But God in all his Mercy and Grace blessed me to overcome those obstacles and situations and gave me a “second” chance by allowing me to live through all that darkness in order to help spread an encouraging light to others. In a world of uncertainty and negatism’s I want to encourage you to LIVE. Yes, Life does get hard sometimes, But if we keep looking up at the SON; we gain strength, we become empowered and we grow in the process with God’s help; for it doesn’t matter where you are in your life at this moment in time; God is able and will meet you within that dark place and change your life from Dark to Light, I’m not only a witness to this; but JustsumInspiration to show you, That you too can make it.

When God Hears & Blesses: But we’re still Blinded By It.

Published on October 24, 2016 by Roshonda B6 Comments

Are you making the Best use of the resources that God has blessed you with? Most of us have asked God for things and as the bible tells us, If our ways are pleasing in his sight then no good thing will he withhold from us (paraphrasing) but you can read it for yourself (Psalms 84:11).

God rejoices when we ‘do right’ and is willing to give us our hearts desire, but what about the times when we ask and don’t receive? Now I know some things that we ask for are not received because we ask ‘amiss’ meaning; James 4:3 (NLT) says – And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. So that’s the reasoning why most of us (including myself) don’t get most of the blessings we pray for because we are asking for them with the wrong ‘motives’ in mind.

Outside of those types of ‘missed’ blessings, there are blessings that God does allow us to receive and he gives them to us but if you’re not looking closely, following specific directions or reading the right signs, the blessing could be sitting right in front of you but because it’s not wrapped in shiny wrapping paper with a bow as you were looking for it too You’ve become blinded to that blessings and begin to think that God didn’t hear you at all. He Blessed you with it, but you just don’t realize it.

Being blinded makes us miss on the smallest details concerning the blessing that God has for us due to the fact that the blessing may come with resources that’s intended to help us before the BIG Blessing arrives. For Instance; About a year ago I got the epiphany to start my own magazine company, It was something that I felt so strong in my spirit to do but had ‘NO’ magazine experience to the first. Yes, I’ve always loved to write but have never been published or recognized in any format for it. Well, in order to have a magazine company you first have to work for a magazine or have some type of experience in that area; I on the other hand wanted to shoot straight for the stars. So I began to pray and tell God what I wanted to do.

About a month later, sitting at home; I got the urgency to browse for jobs – the urgency was not to not browse for jobs within my current career field but I felt a push to apply for writing jobs; in which felt really weird to me because it was definitely out of my comfort zone – as I began to type things into the search engine, I came across an ad that was looking for interns to write for a magazine, so to make a long story short after applying and completing a ‘writers resume’ (something I’ve never done before – Thank God for Google!) I submitted it, within a day got a call and the following week there I was writing for a magazine. God is Good! But what if I had been blinded to the nudge within my spirit to take that chance all because it didn’t feel right or was out of my comfort zone. What I came to find out is that the nudge was God providing a resource for me, God knew that I wouldn’t be able to start a company without first having some experience – in which we all need in order to move to our next level. If I had allowed blindness to take over, I would have missed out on the resource that God was providing in order to get me to the next level. He’s even blessed me to partner with another site and do some writing, Ultimately we have to believe that ‘All things work together for our Good’ (Rom 8:28).

You see, a lot of times when we pray for something we look for God to bring it already equipped for us to just walk into it; not realizing that we have to do a couple of things first in order to per-fect it. A person that’s looking to start a business, may not be business savvy at first, but God heard you and sent ‘out of the blue’ a free business event to town that will give you the basics of the how’s, to’s and what’s of a business – but due to blindness you overlook that and continue to pray that God allow you to start the business. The blessing provided was the event in which God sent to town in order to brush you up on a couple of skills so that way he can bless you to the business that you desire (Do you see where I’m coming from?)

Don’t become blinded to the small details of the blessing that God has in store for you. Sometimes we have to crawl before we walk. If you feel you may be blinded to the things that God has already laid out before you; then starting today ask him to open your eyes to see what resources and/or blessings you’ve not yet discovered due to blinded eyes and take advantage of the resources that God sends first to prepare you for the real Blessing to come.

Serving the Same God, But Walking a Different Path.

Published on October 5, 2016October 5, 2016 by Roshonda B7 Comments

About 5 years ago, the Lord put it in my spirit to read the whole book of Proverbs; At that time, I had determined in my mind that I was going to read a chapter a day until I finished the whole book. But I felt this was sort of odd; why would God want me to read the whole book of Proverbs?

I mean, I like the book as it was written by King Solomon, the son of David. I was familiar with quite a few scriptures in the book such as Proverbs 3:5-6 (Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths.) This happens to be one of my favorites and/or Proverbs 15:1 (A soft answer turns away wrath but grievous words stir up anger) another favorite. And who can forget the Virtuous Woman in Proverbs 31.

But why would God be leading me to read this whole book?, I mean outside of the scriptures I just named, I really hadn’t thought about dwelling on the book less known the verses. When I was given this instruction, I followed through for a couple of nights – in between dozing off and on, I quickly put it aside. During that week, I remember telling a couple of associates how I felt like God was leading me to read this whole book “Well, you have to be convinced of that yourself.” One of them said, but then I began to look at their lives and while they were in the church and followed God as I did, they didn’t have any instructions or orders from God telling them to do anything, that is when I began to feel really odd; like maybe God really didn’t tell me to do it – Maybe it was just me trying to convince my own self that God was setting me aside for whatever reason.

So, because God had not “called” my associates out to do something unordinary – I felt as if he really wasn’t calling me out to do anything either…I was totally wrong!!

When I didn’t obey the word of God, it seemed like everything but the kitchen sink was coming my way; every time I turned around some life crisis was happening or taking shape in my life – There were many things that came before me in which I surely needed council and wisdom to know how to handle, but because I disobeyed God and took the path of my associates – I was made to suffer the consequences for my “epic” fail.

Once I did a little research on what the book of Proverbs was all about, I found out that the book of Proverbs was a book of instruction, guidance and wisdom in which we all need in order to make major life decisions, it’s also a book in which I believe God wants us to read in order to live a life of purpose, structure and success. Although the verses may seem very ancient – their meanings and life lessons will help us navigate our own life into the ordered life in which God would like for us to have.

You see? God doesn’t allow you to take the same path as others. Each of us have something different that we need to work on and only God knows what that truly is. He may need you to read the book of Proverbs to build your wisdom skills while your friend or someone else may be going through a totally different process, God may have them in the book of Galatians – studying the Fruits of the Spirit because he knows that is what they need. When it comes to our lives, God is the only one whom truly knows what each of us will face and come in counter with, when he puts things in our spirits to do or to say, trust that it’s for a particular reason – After all, Father knows Best.

I have the bible app on my phone and within it contains reading plans – I usually do these because they keep me motivated and in tune with God and his word. As a matter of fact, I’m just about to finish a plan called Wait and See by Wendy Pope in which you can see here. It’s a 7 day plan in which I’m about finished with; so as I scrolled around to check on other plans I could indulge in – You wouldn’t guess what bible plan I just happened to stumble upon, Yes! “The Book Of Proverbs” – Okay, so five years later and God is still trying to get my attention with this book! So, my next plan is to read the book of Proverbs in which I’ve just recently started. So as you can see, if you fail the first time God has a way of bringing it right back around for you to complete the make-up test.

Just remember, your process is not going to be like someone else’s, Yes; we all may have the same experiences but we all follow different paths in how we go through those circumstances. Don’t become side-tracked if God didn’t tell your friend to volunteer at the local shelter but put it in your spirit to do so or God may be calling you to do something extraordinary that no one else is currently doing, The bible says “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.”(Hebrews 4:7 NLT) don’t sit on what he has called you to do because it seems weird or unusual. God chose you and picked you out to carry through on a task that he knows your friends and/or your family is not equipped to do. He trusts you and he’s counting on you to make a difference. Not THEM, but YOU!

JustsumInspiration Guest Blogger series presents: The Power of Influence and The Importance of Your Circle. By Shanae Artis

Published on September 19, 2016 by Roshonda B2 Comments

If you don’t mind I’m going to be transparent for a few and chat with my sisters about the power of influence.

One morning, while getting a ride from my friend to work, as we were chatting I was scrolling through FB and I saw the word ZEN. So I said “Drik, what exactly does Zen mean?” She said meditating or something like that. I said “oh”… and I as I sat there and thought about Zen a thought jumped in my mind and it sounded like “As Christians we don’t believe in that”. Immediately I realized that that was an idea I had always thought because that’s what I was told. The very next thing that came to mind were a few other beliefs I had and how those too were things I believed because it’s what I was told. Instantly I started to get a little uneasy because several ideas and views that I had adopted played in my mind and they all had 1 thing in common… They were all views I had because of what I was told.

So I got to work and it was still heavy on my heart because now, I’ve realized that not only could I have been living a lie but I recognized that a lot of my ideas and views up until that moment had been created through the influences in my life and whether or not it was true it was true to them and had been true to me because I believed it and didn’t even attempt to challenge its validity. So I’m at work listening to my favorite worship music and I felt it in my spirit…. The power of influence and the importance of your circle. As I felt that, thoughts started to come and I made a decision right there that something had to change!!

I realized that my views about life, my life and other people all stemmed from the opinions and thoughts of others. I began to see how although I KNEW God had greater plans for me and that there was more to life for me I allowed myself to be stuck. I was stuck in someone else’s “box”. Handicapped from moving forward in my own truth because I was too stuck in theirs. See the truth is those that I surrounded myself with didn’t have the same dreams as me. They didn’t see what I saw, feel what I felt or even believe what I believed. I believed there was more for me…. They couldn’t see that for themselves.

See when I was ready to move forward in my dream those influences would say things like “Girl you know they say” and in my mind I’d wonder who was they?? And why did I care what they had to say? Because the truth is I only care about what HE says. But those “They say Nay-Sayers” had a hold on me and what I believed.

That day in the car I had a revelation and it all began with the word Zen… Zen led me to see the power of influences, the need to release my mind from them and to the importance of my circle. As I sat there at my desk I wrote “surround yourself with people that influence you to be you. People that encourage you to think for yourself and foster your own opinions. People that challenge you and hold you accountable. Not the “They say Nay-Sayers” Why does what they say matter?? Pray for discernment and revelation.”

So my sister.. I ask you.. Who have you allowed to influence you? Who are the “They say Nay-Sayers” in your life?? Surround yourself with people that influence you to be you. People that encourage you to think for yourself and foster your own opinions. People that challenge you and hold you accountable. Not the “They say Nay-Sayers” Honestly, why does what they say matter??

Pray for discernment and revelation.

Ask God to reveal any negative influences to you, and then ask for the strength to release your mind from “their box.” Your circle is important to the next level in your life and your destiny awaits you.

Be BOLD

Be BEAUTIFUL

Be YOU

-Shanae

Shanae Artis: Makeup Artist Beauty, Educator and owner of SAM Image Consulting Co. is committed to influencing change in the lives of every woman she encounters. Through personal experience, Shanae recognizes there is a need for women to know the importance of having a positive self-image and presenting themselves in a way that promotes a successful lifestyle. Shanae has a genuine heart to motivate and educate. Through her gifts, creativity and down to earth personality Shanae is inspiring women to act on their desire for a better lifestyle starting with transforming how they see and present themselves.

SAM Image Consulting Co. is a lifestyle brand, promoting confidence and capability. Shanae believes as women, the way we carry ourselves speaks to how we feel about ourselves. Also, as women, we are all capable of putting forth our best effort. She understands when we look good, we feel good and we do great. SAM is teaching real women how to do their own makeup in simple, easy to follow and time efficient ways.

Whether you need an encouraging word, make-up tips or a beauty consultation; Shanae is your one stop shop!! – You can Follow Shanae via the contact information below:

Website: www.Shanaeartis.com Email: Shanae@shanaeartis.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/samimageconsultingco YouTube: SAM ImageCo Instagram: SAMImageCo

If you would like to be a part of the guest blogger series for JustsumInspiration, complete the contact form on this site or email justsuminspiration@gmail.com for more info.

JustsumInspiration’s Guest Blogger Series presents: Hurting People, Hurt People. By Ashley Moss

Published on September 9, 2016 by Roshonda B3 Comments

In the words of Joyce Meyers, “Hurting people – Hurt people.” The fact of the matter is hurting people who hurt other people may not even realize that they’re hurting others, or do it purposefully. In an effort to protect themselves, they end up hurting others. In my experience, the idea of hurting people hurting others has proven to be a real thing in my life many times. I myself used to be so accustomed to heartache and pain that when new people tried to enter my life, I would push them away because I was afraid of being hurt and rejected.

stop! — ***Fear of Rejection can cause hurt people to hurt others or push them away.***

God has worked in my life and heart, and helped me get to the point where I can embrace new people in my life with open arms; without the fear of being afraid of getting hurt. My best friend of nearly ten years used to be the same way as well because of past experiences. The beginning of our friendship was rocky, because every time our friendship would grow deeper on a personal level, she would pull and push me away for weeks; sometimes months. This period was frustrating, but eventually we got through it and she learned to trust my loyalty to the friendship and my care for her. So, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise when God spoke to me about a year ago now, and told me to assist him in healing another person’s heart. However, it did. Though I’ve been in situations before where hurting people hurt others, it’s not easier around this time with the new friend that God told me to help.

Patience and understanding is the key. Yet, on days when I feel like giving up on encouraging this new friend and trying to show them the love of Christ so that they too can help someone else, I remember an inspirational passage. The inspirational passage is

“If you try to help others, they may push you away. If you try to love them, they may reject that love. Pray for, bless, and love them anyway.”

And that’s exactly what I plan to do! I didn’t give up on myself or my best friend, and I’m not giving up on my new friend either. Because I’m a risk-taker and was once a hurting person that hurt others unintentionally, I won’t EVER stop trying to help mend broken hearts and I WON’T ever stop encouraging others to be the best versions of themselves. God often uses people to bless others. He can use me for whatever and however He wants to for the rest of my life…because I’ll never stop encouraging others. It’s my gift to the world.

Ashley Moss is the author of “Lessons I’ve Learned: A collection of Inspirational and Love Poetry” which is a downloadable e-book. Ashley loves writing and is going to school now to obtain her master’s degree in creative writing. She currently runs a blog called “Pockets full of Love” in which she posts encouraging and thought provoking messages the 15th of every month. For more information on Ashley and how to obtain her poetry e-book, you can visit her on Facebook, her blog “Pockets full of Love” or her “Ashley Moss Authors website here.

If you would like to be a part of the guest blogger series for JustsumInspiration, complete the contact form on this site or email justsuminspiration@gmail.com for more info.

Do you know where you’re Headed?

Published on August 30, 2016August 30, 2016 by Roshonda B6 Comments

Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

Savior, Savior,
Hear my humble cry,
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

You know a couple of years ago, I read this story called “The Divine Revelation of Hell” by Mary K. Baxter – the story was supposed to be based on true events in which Mrs. Baxter stated that God took her spirit to hell for 30 days, each night she encountered a different scenario and/or leg of Hell, she stated that God told her he wanted her to warn the world that Hell is not only real but a place in which he doesn’t wants anyone to go.

She began to talk about the different people that were down there; from fornicators, adulterers, whore-mongers, liars, cheaters, individuals whom refused to forgive and many, many more – There were countless people down there that had many opportunities and chances to get it right on earth, but failed at doing so – she said when Jesus would walk by them; they would scream and call out his name, only to be passed by as if they were never heard; YOU SEE? They had every opportunity to forgive, to do the right thing and make the right choices and now they’re in a place where forgiveness doesn’t matter, praying doesn’t matter, wishing and hoping doesn’t matter – nothing matters anymore once you pass through earth on the other side.

If life paused today, what do you think God would say about your life thus far. Would he be pleased? Would he be disappointed? Are you really living Life the way God wants you to now?

As a believer, I believe HELL is real and I also believe that there are many people down there already that wish they had another chance and/or opportunity to do things over again; but it’s too late because they can’t, they will never have the privilege of walking on this side again, If they could; they would be willing to trade places with you right now. At this very moment; you have the ability to shout out, call on the name of Jesus, pray, preach and cry until your eyes won’t bear any more tears while you’re here on earth and God will hear you, come to your aide and help you – Why? because of Grace and Mercy, in simpler terms because you’re ALIVE! But, Hell is the one place where no matter what you say or do, how much you cry and shout or pray, God won’t deliver you from because every attempt to get his attention there, would be in vain.

Where are you headed? What opportunities to serve Christ now are you dismissing, avoiding or not paying attention too.

Is God calling you to pray and you’re not
Is he calling you to fast and you’re not.
Is he calling you to come out from among the people that mean you no good and keeping you attached to worldly goods and you’re not.

What is God calling you from or asking you to do that you’re not listening too or taking for granted; The song above says “Savior, Do not Pass me By” – there’s a lot of people in HELL today, singing that very song and it’s a shame because that’s exactly what God has done to them; passed them by because they once had a chance and BLEW IT!

But today, you are in a better position than they are, you can cry out to God and he will hear you, you can ask for forgiveness and be forgiven, you can be delivered now from every sickness and addiction, you can pray and be heard; you can fast and it mean something, you can sing and change people’s lives now. No matter what you do in this mortal body today – You can be SET FREE! on this side, whatever your struggle is: GOD IS ABLE TO DELIVER YOU FROM IT ALL NOW!

Serve God today, as the preacher says – while the blood is running warm in your veins, while you have the ability to choose. Is God knocking on the door of your heart today? If so, Let him in; Psalms 95:8 says, The day that you hear my voice, harden not your heart. Because if you should end up on the other side, His voice you will hear no more. You have an opportunity now, use it to your advantage because there are countless others whom wish they did.