Here's a testimony and demonstration of God's power, to heal AND prosper at the same time, that's absolutely too awesome for me not to share. I have not written and posted any Inspirational Love Notes until recently because I've been experiencing a health challenge with my eyesight for the last month. It has been extremely scary to say the least. I woke up one morning and everything was hazy as if I was looking through a very dense fog. Even scarier, I was home alone with my six month old baby girl when these symptoms first occurred. I could barely see her or how to care for her as my eyesight got worse throughout the day.
Over the course of the three weeks that followed, I woke up to find these symptoms continually progressing for the worst. Even with my glasses on I was unable to see clearly how to perform my normal daily activities like driving, caring for my baby girl Khaliah, cooking or even read anything. I immediately began taking the situation to God in prayer. More specifically, I prayed giving thanks to God in advance for the symptoms being reversed and my eyesight fully healed and restored to optimal health.
After seeing several doctors, of which none could give me a definitive answer to the problem, I was finally referred to an eye retina specialist. He saw inflammation in my eye cells that left untreated would've resulted in permanent damage to my eyesight. So my family and I continued to pray. In addition, I also continued to stand on the scripture of Jesus healing the blind man, in Mark 8:22, and saw God doing the same for me.
Here's were God began to prove Himself through me by demonstrating His awesome, unfailing power to do what man cannot.
First Praise Report: Two of the first three doctors I saw waived the fees for their services. So all the examinations and test they ran for my eyes while trying to find the problem was done at no charge to me.
Second Praise Report: When I went to my follow up appointment with the retina specialist yesterday, ALL of my test results for the various serious diseases they were testing me for, like Lupus, were negative. The inflammation in my eye cells he saw a few weeks ago is almost completely healed and reversing itself. My vision has made such an impressive improvement and rapid response to the eye drop medicine he gave me in such a miraculously short period of time, that even the doctor himself was amazed.
He told me he could not explain what caused the problem. Even more puzzling to him, was that he could not explain how or why my eyes have shown such remarkable healing progress, especially in the short time frame of two weeks ago when he first saw me and prescribed me the eye drop medicine. In fact, he was so moved by my demonstrated faith in God that he took my chart back and waived his fee for my visit as well before I left.
Now that’s the Prospering Power of God in Action!
Until next time, I surround in Love & Light! ~ Anna Ms.Poet Hendricks
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Awakening the Joy-Full Happiness in You
Pondering the Questions
Recently during my daily ritual to begin my day in communion with God, I asked Spirit two important questions. First, to clarify for me the difference between being happy and having joy. Second, I asked Spirit to reveal to me the things in my life that make me genuinely happy and brings me true joy. As I began pondering these questions during my morning meditation time, I heard the following responses from my inner voice of the Super conscious or Higher-Self, where infinite wisdom within us resides.
Discovering the Answers
Once I presented my questions to Infinite Holy Spirit (God), the answers came to me effortlessly. The first thing I heard in regard to my question on the difference between happiness and joy, is that you can experience happiness and still not have joy. Yet, you cannot have true joy without also experiencing with it genuine happiness. The difference is that happiness is temporary. It is motivated by an outer source that usually comes as fleeting moments of feeling good in direct response to a particular situation or action of or in relationship with another person. However, once the situation changes, the relationship is over and/or the person is no longer a part of your life, all those wonderful feelings of happiness suddenly disappear as well like blowing kisses in the wind.
In contrast, true joy is sustaining. It is unaffected by the inconsistency of actions and behaviors of another person or the constant changes of outer circumstances. This is because unlike happiness, joy is not dependent upon or evoked by any source outside of us. To the contrary, the source of true joy comes from within the heart & soul of every person respectively. It is found in the things that give us deep inner fulfillment. It is expressed through the unique things we individually love to do that is our creative self-expression (i.e. God's individualized expression through you...as you).
Things that bring me joy
For example, some of the things that bring me true joy and deep inner fulfillment are, cooking, creative writing (i.e using my talent for write poetry and articles such as this), music, and being a new mommy, just to name a few.
I love to cook rather I'm single or in a relationship. I'm very focused when I'm cooking. I find it very therapeutic and I pour my heart & love into every meal I prepare. The feeling it gives me is like an artist painting a beautiful masterpiece on a canvas. It is a form of creative expression for me. I enjoy sharing my cooking with others. Yet I find equal pleasure in eating my cooking if I have no one around to share it with just the same.
The joy and inner fulfillment I get from writing is also a form of creative self-expression for me that I love sharing with other. Writing gives me a deep sense of clarity and emotional freedom. In between each poetic word, sentence and verse eloquently strung together to form a complete thought as a profound message or idea, is the freedom to be my authentic self.
More simply put...writing purifies me. It lifts me up into the realms of the higher consciousness. It allows me to cleanse all the impurities picked up along my human experience and become centered in Spirit. I enjoy most using my gift of creative writing to help others find that same inner awareness which is why I created this Inspirational Love Notes blog.
As for music, I find immense joy from listening to various genres of it. Like my writing, I also enjoy inspiring others through music. I truly believe in the healing power and universal language of love with which we can communicate through music. Hence, the reason for my career background over the last decade in radio and why I created my own radio show Love Notes, in the process of conversion to a podcast show.
When it comes to being a new mommy, I absolutely enjoy my baby girl Khaliah. In fact, I enjoy watching her grow and helping with her development each day so much that even though I'm exhausted at the end of the day I still find it all worth while. I go to sleep each night completely taxed of my energy. Yet I feel peaceful and fulfilled from knowing my efforts made a major impact on her life. Going to bed each night knowing that spending quality time teaching her, playing with her, loving on her, reveling in the beauty and miracle of her, is having a major influence on the person she becomes, is a total mind blowing joy-filled blessing within itself.
The Revelation and Miracle
In closing, while meditating on the difference between joy and happiness I was compelled to take a closer look at the word, "Enjoy". In doing so I began to see the break down of this word in a different way. I began to see it as, "In-Joy". In other words, to say, I enjoy something, is really saying I receive or have, "Inner-Joy" when engaging in that particular activity. Moreover, true joy is inner joy...joy that comes from within leaving lasting feelings of deep inner fulfillment.
The miracle is that when you engage in the things that bring inner joy you also discover genuine happiness along with it. This is because the source of this kind of happiness comes only from within your own heart and soul, where our true power resides rather than an outer situation, person or circumstance. Ironically, by spending more time engaging only in those things or spending time with only the persons that bring you genuine inner joy, and less time on the things or with people who don't, you miraculously begin to have more time available to do those things.
Suddenly increased money begins to attract to you to invest in or support your desire to continue doing those joy-filled activities. Strangely, we find ourselves having more energy to contribute to spending quality time with the people with which we have a genuine affinity or doing those activities that bring us joy. Every area of our lives become infected by the positive changes and new attitude living a joy-filled life brings us. Instead of being affected by the negative energy and feelings of depression that result from chasing happiness through validation of sources in the world outside ourselves.
This is what Jesus meant in John 15:11 when he said, "I have spoken these things to you that MY JOY may be IN YOU and that YOUR JOY may be FULL." (i.e. Joy that is Complete).
With that said, I leave you with this video, that's both a classic and timeless 1986 song by R&B Artist, Anita Baker, as the perfect compliment to the message of this article. Listen to it not from the perspective of a romantic relationship love song. Instead, try listening to it in terms of your immensely profound love for the things you genuinely enjoy doing or the person (s) you enjoy spending time with (including yourself). Reflect on the deep inner feelings of "full-fillment" you receive from spending time with those people or activities as you listen to the hypnotic soulful voice of Anita Baker sing, "You Bring Me Joy." Then go do something that really awakens the Joy-Full Happiness in you.
Until next time, I surround you in Love & Light...
A One Love Production
By Anna Ms.Poet Hendricks
copyright 2012
Recently during my daily ritual to begin my day in communion with God, I asked Spirit two important questions. First, to clarify for me the difference between being happy and having joy. Second, I asked Spirit to reveal to me the things in my life that make me genuinely happy and brings me true joy. As I began pondering these questions during my morning meditation time, I heard the following responses from my inner voice of the Super conscious or Higher-Self, where infinite wisdom within us resides.
Discovering the Answers
Once I presented my questions to Infinite Holy Spirit (God), the answers came to me effortlessly. The first thing I heard in regard to my question on the difference between happiness and joy, is that you can experience happiness and still not have joy. Yet, you cannot have true joy without also experiencing with it genuine happiness. The difference is that happiness is temporary. It is motivated by an outer source that usually comes as fleeting moments of feeling good in direct response to a particular situation or action of or in relationship with another person. However, once the situation changes, the relationship is over and/or the person is no longer a part of your life, all those wonderful feelings of happiness suddenly disappear as well like blowing kisses in the wind.
In contrast, true joy is sustaining. It is unaffected by the inconsistency of actions and behaviors of another person or the constant changes of outer circumstances. This is because unlike happiness, joy is not dependent upon or evoked by any source outside of us. To the contrary, the source of true joy comes from within the heart & soul of every person respectively. It is found in the things that give us deep inner fulfillment. It is expressed through the unique things we individually love to do that is our creative self-expression (i.e. God's individualized expression through you...as you).
Things that bring me joy
For example, some of the things that bring me true joy and deep inner fulfillment are, cooking, creative writing (i.e using my talent for write poetry and articles such as this), music, and being a new mommy, just to name a few.
I love to cook rather I'm single or in a relationship. I'm very focused when I'm cooking. I find it very therapeutic and I pour my heart & love into every meal I prepare. The feeling it gives me is like an artist painting a beautiful masterpiece on a canvas. It is a form of creative expression for me. I enjoy sharing my cooking with others. Yet I find equal pleasure in eating my cooking if I have no one around to share it with just the same.
The joy and inner fulfillment I get from writing is also a form of creative self-expression for me that I love sharing with other. Writing gives me a deep sense of clarity and emotional freedom. In between each poetic word, sentence and verse eloquently strung together to form a complete thought as a profound message or idea, is the freedom to be my authentic self.
More simply put...writing purifies me. It lifts me up into the realms of the higher consciousness. It allows me to cleanse all the impurities picked up along my human experience and become centered in Spirit. I enjoy most using my gift of creative writing to help others find that same inner awareness which is why I created this Inspirational Love Notes blog.
As for music, I find immense joy from listening to various genres of it. Like my writing, I also enjoy inspiring others through music. I truly believe in the healing power and universal language of love with which we can communicate through music. Hence, the reason for my career background over the last decade in radio and why I created my own radio show Love Notes, in the process of conversion to a podcast show.
When it comes to being a new mommy, I absolutely enjoy my baby girl Khaliah. In fact, I enjoy watching her grow and helping with her development each day so much that even though I'm exhausted at the end of the day I still find it all worth while. I go to sleep each night completely taxed of my energy. Yet I feel peaceful and fulfilled from knowing my efforts made a major impact on her life. Going to bed each night knowing that spending quality time teaching her, playing with her, loving on her, reveling in the beauty and miracle of her, is having a major influence on the person she becomes, is a total mind blowing joy-filled blessing within itself.
The Revelation and Miracle
In closing, while meditating on the difference between joy and happiness I was compelled to take a closer look at the word, "Enjoy". In doing so I began to see the break down of this word in a different way. I began to see it as, "In-Joy". In other words, to say, I enjoy something, is really saying I receive or have, "Inner-Joy" when engaging in that particular activity. Moreover, true joy is inner joy...joy that comes from within leaving lasting feelings of deep inner fulfillment.
The miracle is that when you engage in the things that bring inner joy you also discover genuine happiness along with it. This is because the source of this kind of happiness comes only from within your own heart and soul, where our true power resides rather than an outer situation, person or circumstance. Ironically, by spending more time engaging only in those things or spending time with only the persons that bring you genuine inner joy, and less time on the things or with people who don't, you miraculously begin to have more time available to do those things.
Suddenly increased money begins to attract to you to invest in or support your desire to continue doing those joy-filled activities. Strangely, we find ourselves having more energy to contribute to spending quality time with the people with which we have a genuine affinity or doing those activities that bring us joy. Every area of our lives become infected by the positive changes and new attitude living a joy-filled life brings us. Instead of being affected by the negative energy and feelings of depression that result from chasing happiness through validation of sources in the world outside ourselves.
This is what Jesus meant in John 15:11 when he said, "I have spoken these things to you that MY JOY may be IN YOU and that YOUR JOY may be FULL." (i.e. Joy that is Complete).
With that said, I leave you with this video, that's both a classic and timeless 1986 song by R&B Artist, Anita Baker, as the perfect compliment to the message of this article. Listen to it not from the perspective of a romantic relationship love song. Instead, try listening to it in terms of your immensely profound love for the things you genuinely enjoy doing or the person (s) you enjoy spending time with (including yourself). Reflect on the deep inner feelings of "full-fillment" you receive from spending time with those people or activities as you listen to the hypnotic soulful voice of Anita Baker sing, "You Bring Me Joy." Then go do something that really awakens the Joy-Full Happiness in you.
Until next time, I surround you in Love & Light...
A One Love Production
By Anna Ms.Poet Hendricks
copyright 2012
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Remembering My Dad: A Poem in honor of his Birthday and Memory
Remembering my Dad in a very special way
Reflecting on his life and what would've been his 76th Birthday
Reminiscences of his smile and the funny things he used to say
Wishing he was still here to see my baby girl laugh & play
Missing him...
Reflecting on his life and what would've been his 76th Birthday
Reminiscences of his smile and the funny things he used to say
Wishing he was still here to see my baby girl laugh & play
Missing him...
so much but it's okay
He often told me even death couldn't keep us apart
And he was right cause his spirit lives on
here in the depths of my heart
When I was just a little shorty
he used to stand me on top his feet
Together we'd sway to the rhythm of the music,
As One we'd dance in harmony to the sound of the beat
Oh how I wish I could go back in time
and dance with my father like that again
But since I can't I'll hold my baby girl
in my arms tonight and dance with her in his memory
like the song has no end
And my Love for my Dad in spirit I'll send
~Anna Ms.Poet Hendricks
In honor & memory of my Dad, William L. Hendricks
(November 2, 1936 - May 16, 2010)
He often told me even death couldn't keep us apart
And he was right cause his spirit lives on
here in the depths of my heart
When I was just a little shorty
he used to stand me on top his feet
Together we'd sway to the rhythm of the music,
As One we'd dance in harmony to the sound of the beat
Oh how I wish I could go back in time
and dance with my father like that again
But since I can't I'll hold my baby girl
in my arms tonight and dance with her in his memory
like the song has no end
And my Love for my Dad in spirit I'll send
~Anna Ms.Poet Hendricks
In honor & memory of my Dad, William L. Hendricks
(November 2, 1936 - May 16, 2010)
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Hollywood vs. The Holy Bible: Who Has The Most Passionate Poems and Love Stories Ever Written
Some of the most epic love stories, poems and letters ever written about love, that are often over looked and underrated, are ironically not exclusive to Hollywood movies but are also found in the Holy Bible. As both a poet and hopeless romantic, I have received much personal enjoyment from Hollywood romantic movies like most people. In fact, a few of my Hollywood favorites in my personal movie library include, Love Jones, starring Lorenz Tate and Nia Long, The Notebook, starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, and the Jane Austen classic, Pride & Prejudice, starring Keira Knightly and Matthew Macfadyen.
However, many of my favorite love stories, and most of my creative inspiration as a writer, have come from reading the many beautiful and profoundly poetic messages and stories of love found throughout the Holy Bible as well. Although there are several love stories in the bible that are more popular and equally worthy of reading like, Samson and Delilah, Jacob and Rachel, David and Bathsheba and, the most notable of all, Ruth and Boaz. My favorite among them that's rarely, if ever, mentioned as a biblical love story is The Book of Esther. It's a short story in the old testament about a Jewish girl, Hadassah, who later in the story becomes Queen Esther after winning the heart of King Xerxes, who ruled the throne in Susa, Persia.
After falling deeply in love with King Xerxes and becoming his Queen she saves her native Jewish nation from their arch enemy by courageously revealing to the King his secret plot to destroy her people, which resulted in his own death. After reading the bible version of Esther and watching the movie version, One Night with the King, both several times, I found this to be a profoundly heart warming story full of epic love and romance.
Contrary to popular belief, the bible is also full of relationships where couples express their very romantic and passionate feelings for one another through steamy love letters and erotic poems. One of my favorites to read, for example, are the poems in Song of Solomon (also recorded in some bible translations as Song of Songs). This book of the bible follows the relationship between a man and woman who are deeply in love and write poems to each other throughout their courtship that leads to marriage.
In closing, I share with you one of the eloquently written love poems from the woman in Song of Solomon about her persistent and determined search for her soul mate that goes as follows:
"Upon my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loves;
I sought him but found him not.
I will rise now and go about the city in the streets,
and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loves;
I sought him but I found him not.
The watchmen that go about the city found me;
I asked them, Have you seen him whom my soul loves?
Scarcely had I passed by them, when I found him
who my soul loves;
I held him, and would not let him go
until I had brought him into my mother's house
and into the chambers of her that bore me.
I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
by the gazelles or by the young roes of the field,
that you stir not up nor awake my love till it please."
~Song of Solomon Chapter 3:1-5
Holy Bible, Lamsa Aramaic Translation
Now that's epic! Until next time...I surround you in LOVE & Light!
However, many of my favorite love stories, and most of my creative inspiration as a writer, have come from reading the many beautiful and profoundly poetic messages and stories of love found throughout the Holy Bible as well. Although there are several love stories in the bible that are more popular and equally worthy of reading like, Samson and Delilah, Jacob and Rachel, David and Bathsheba and, the most notable of all, Ruth and Boaz. My favorite among them that's rarely, if ever, mentioned as a biblical love story is The Book of Esther. It's a short story in the old testament about a Jewish girl, Hadassah, who later in the story becomes Queen Esther after winning the heart of King Xerxes, who ruled the throne in Susa, Persia.
After falling deeply in love with King Xerxes and becoming his Queen she saves her native Jewish nation from their arch enemy by courageously revealing to the King his secret plot to destroy her people, which resulted in his own death. After reading the bible version of Esther and watching the movie version, One Night with the King, both several times, I found this to be a profoundly heart warming story full of epic love and romance.
Contrary to popular belief, the bible is also full of relationships where couples express their very romantic and passionate feelings for one another through steamy love letters and erotic poems. One of my favorites to read, for example, are the poems in Song of Solomon (also recorded in some bible translations as Song of Songs). This book of the bible follows the relationship between a man and woman who are deeply in love and write poems to each other throughout their courtship that leads to marriage.
In closing, I share with you one of the eloquently written love poems from the woman in Song of Solomon about her persistent and determined search for her soul mate that goes as follows:
"Upon my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loves;
I sought him but found him not.
I will rise now and go about the city in the streets,
and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loves;
I sought him but I found him not.
The watchmen that go about the city found me;
I asked them, Have you seen him whom my soul loves?
Scarcely had I passed by them, when I found him
who my soul loves;
I held him, and would not let him go
until I had brought him into my mother's house
and into the chambers of her that bore me.
I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
by the gazelles or by the young roes of the field,
that you stir not up nor awake my love till it please."
~Song of Solomon Chapter 3:1-5
Holy Bible, Lamsa Aramaic Translation
Now that's epic! Until next time...I surround you in LOVE & Light!
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Don't Let Go
Whatever happens don't let go of God's hand...
No matter how it looks or feels
keep trusting in the Master Plan...
When it seems impossible for you to do,
know that the Most High can
Some say seeing is believing
I say, don't believe everything you see
No matter what the human condition may be...
Proclaim God as your entire reality
Cause giving up is not an option
and failure is not your destiny
Through sickness and health...
poverty and wealth
The Most High does not lie
An awesome provider he promised to be
And I've never seen the day he failed
to do so perfectly
Though you shall walk through the fire,
you shall not be burned...
Where wisdom is needed,
he gives a spirit to discern...
To the broken hearted,
you shall see new love return...
For His Truth we seek,
...His living water we yearn
Never give up...Never give in...
Be non-resistant as a river,
yet spontaneous as the wind...
Strong as an oak tree,
yet know when to bend
Look adversity square in the face,
and be not afraid...
For you are a child of the Most High God
...and of His image and likeness you're
magnificently made
So keep on livin and givin'
life your very best shot
Then after you're done givin' all you've got,
and absolutely sure you've done all you can...
Be still...just stand
And whatever happens...don't let go of God's hand.
A One Love Production
By Anna 'Ms.Poet' Hendricks
copyright 2012
Now please click on the video attached below. Enjoy this musical masterpiece appropriately titled, "Whatever Happens, where two of musics greats, Michael Jackson featuring Carlos Santana, colaborated their talents delivering a message through song that supports the message of this Inspirational Love Note Poem.
Until next time...I surround you in Love and Light!
Monday, September 3, 2012
A Labor Day of Love: Barbeque...Baked Beans...and A Baby
This was a special Labor Day in my home because today was about more than just barbeque and baked beans. Today we celebrated the anniversary of my "Labor" Day of Love. On this day three months ago I "Labored" our beautiful baby girl Khaliah into the world. I can't believe she's three months old already. She's growing so fast...so alert....full of personality and smart as a whip too. (LOL)
A few days ago, I caught her putting her pacifier in her mouth by herself. She did it all by herself three straight times in a row. I'm so glad I was able to quickly grab our digital camera and video tape her the last time she did before she noticed I was watching her and stopped doing it. And when she looked up and saw me recording her she just looked straight into the camera unmoved and kept right on going as if she was used to being on camera. I swear she's acts like she's born to be a Super Star. Who knows...maybe she is...(LOL)
Now she's moved on to trying to hold her bottle by herself when we're feeding her. (Smh and LOL)She tries to sit up by herself too but she's got a little more ways to go before she's strong enough for that just yet. But at the rate she's going...with a bit more practice I won't be surprised if she has that down too real soon. I'm sooo proud of her!!!
Until Next Time...I surround you in love & light!
A few days ago, I caught her putting her pacifier in her mouth by herself. She did it all by herself three straight times in a row. I'm so glad I was able to quickly grab our digital camera and video tape her the last time she did before she noticed I was watching her and stopped doing it. And when she looked up and saw me recording her she just looked straight into the camera unmoved and kept right on going as if she was used to being on camera. I swear she's acts like she's born to be a Super Star. Who knows...maybe she is...(LOL)
Now she's moved on to trying to hold her bottle by herself when we're feeding her. (Smh and LOL)She tries to sit up by herself too but she's got a little more ways to go before she's strong enough for that just yet. But at the rate she's going...with a bit more practice I won't be surprised if she has that down too real soon. I'm sooo proud of her!!!
Until Next Time...I surround you in love & light!
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Induction to Motherhood
Only two and a half months since I've become a mommy and my baby girl has wasted no time and spared me no expense of testing my resolve for Motherhood. So far I've been sneezed on directly in my face on a pretty regular basis. I've also been spit up on several times, and experienced things that I NEVER imagined happening to me prior to becoming a mother...like being pee peed on.
But the absolute worst so far has been having her "poop" during the middle of a diaper change and it got on my hand. Ewww gross right!?! Yet I handled it well and didn't even freak out like I normally would in my pre-mommy days. Instead I just cleaned my hand off, finished changing her, washed my hands about 5 more times just for good measure, then kissed her and told her how much I love her.
So after going through all that, without walking out and leaving her with her Dad, I think I can safely say I have successfully passed by first round of new mommy initiation test. I believe I have been officially inducted into the wonderful world of "Motherhood".
Still, despite all the aforementioned gross things she has done to me, what I find the most joy and delight in thus far is sitting in my rocking chair with her snuggled securely in my arms with her head pressed against my chest. Quietly, I pray over her as she falls asleep to the comforting sound of my heartbeat.
My second favorite thing so far is standing over her crib each morning watching her with sheer enthusiasm and anticipation of her opening her eyes to the new day. As she awakes she looks up with sparkles of love in her beautiful precious little eyes. When she sees me there ready and waiting to greet her, she fills up the room with her smile like the sun lighting the world as it makes its daily ascension in the sky. Then together we start a new day of her giving me more joy than I've ever known and me bathing her in more love than I ever knew my heart could give.
~Until next time I surround you in love & light!
A One Love Production
By Anna "Ms. Poet" Hendricks
Copyright 2012
A One Love Production
By Anna "Ms. Poet" Hendricks
Copyright 2012
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