AZA Means Strength

As we all get ready for the new year, many have resolutions that they will or will not stick to. Some will make life altering changes and there are those who we have lost who will not bring in the new year with us. Regardless of where we are/were in our lives in the current year, the new year always brings hope and optimism to those who are looking for something to believe in. As we go into the new year, lets all set aside our selfish desires and help someone in need. I am a believer that God blesses us to be a blessing to others and that is the approach that I am going to take into the new year. I still have some work to do, but as long as I know that I am trying there is hope for another person who has no idea where to start. When I started this blog, I had one thought in mind, to motivate and encourage people to be their best one blog at a time. That is my life's purpose!  I want to thank my supporters of AZA Means Strength and I encourage you all to know that you have AZA withi

Hello Everyone! AZA Means Strength is looking for Artists!!! If you have a talent that you would like to share with AZA Means Strength blog, please inbox me on facebook or message me on twitter @azabeauty! I am looking for artists, singers, poets, etc. share your talent and you will be featured in the January 1, 2012 blog of AZA Means Strength! I want to thank you all for your support!

If today was the last day of my life I would leave all worries aside I would be thankful to be alive I would be all right I would just smile   If today was the last day of my life I would stop to smell the roses I would appreciate all that surrounds me I would be friendly, and I would laugh I would take the time to be closer If today was the last day of my life I would pass on peace I would be generous I would pass on love I would deeply breath     If today was the last day of my life I would accept peacefully all that comes, including my death, for death is just a new beginning. Cristina Diaz

Something that I wanted to share with everyone! I hope you enjoy.

Wishing you and your family peace and blessings for the new year! Thank you for your support! NaTyshca Pickett AZA Means Strength

AZA Means Strength is what my blog is about. I feel that my life's purpose is to influence others to be positive and love who God has created them to be. When I was first on my journey of finding myself, I thought that fulfilling my purpose meant being known for something great or making sure that I touched every life that I came in contact with in a positive way. But I have soon come to realize that I was having problems because I was trying to fulfill my purpose and not God's purpose. Once this came into perspective, things became very clear for me, my thinking began to change and I have a better understanding that in everything that I do, I am to do it with all my strength and with all my soul because I am serving the Lord. Now I am not perfect and I know that I still have some work to do in my personal walk with God, but one thing that I will say is that I seek Him in all decisions that are made. With the fact that I am human, I still have to remind myself that God is in co

Hello Everyone, Since I have started AZA Means Strength, I have received so much love and support from my readers! I want to take this time to say thank you from the bottom of my heart! Since I have been a way for a while, there have been many changes that have taken place for me personally and professionally. One of those changes is me wanting to give back more and do more for those who are doing for others, with that said, I wanted to let you all know that AZA Means Strength has a store called AZA Beauty! In this store you will find products with AZA's slogan "It's My Beautiful!". From items purchased at AZA Beauty, a percentage of those proceeds will go to Shine on Purpose. Shine on Purpose is a non-profit organization whose mission is to nurture, empower and transform the lives of under-served girls and women by building academic and social competence through relevant mentor-ship, professional development, educational and Christian-based programs to achieve th

We all have something that we want. I say go for it! I know that it is scary and you may be taking a risk, but how will you know if you do not try! I hope these quotes can motivate you to take the next step to go for your dream!   The ability to convert ideas to things is the secret to outward success. Henry Ward Beecher     The ability to concentrate and to use your time well is everything if you want to succeed in business--or almost anywhere else for that matter. Lee Iacocca Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement. Brian Tracy, Eat that Frog The virtue lies in the struggle, not in the prize. Richard Monckton Milnes It

"It is always your next move." -- Napoleon Hill The great benefit of heightened awareness is that we have more choice in how we live our lives. At any moment, we can purposefully choose a new experience for ourselves. We can choose to pay attention, breathe more deeply, laugh, rest, play, appreciate, do something different - the possibilities are endless. Whenever you remember, TAKE YOURSELF OFF AUTO-PILOT and really examine your situation. Take charge and make a choice that will enrich your experience. At the end of the day, reflect on what happened and how you felt when you chose a new line of thought, feeling or action. "We cannot tell what may happen to us in the strange medley of life. But we can decide what happens in us -- how we can take it, what we do with it -- and that is what really counts in the end." -- Joseph Fort Newton "When a defining moment comes along, you can do one of two things. Define the moment, or let the mome

To change, we must go through a transition zone. It's not easy being in transition. Thoughts, beliefs and habits are all in flux. It can create a sense of groundless, of being in a void that can be quite uncomfortable. When we’re in the void, our first impulse will be to revert to old habits because they feel comfortable. Our goal is to hang in there until the change is complete.  Knowing that TRANSITIONS ARE PART OF THE CHANGE PROCESS helps us muster the courage to put up with the discomfort, the uneasiness, the void. Change requires a letting go of what we’ve always known and done to allow in something new. We need to trust ourselves and higher forces to unfold a new reality for us. "Every positive change - every jump to a higher level of energy and awareness - involves a rite of passage. Each time to ascend to a higher rung on the ladder of personal evolution, we must go through a period of discomfort, of initiation. I have never found an exception."

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the US on September 11, 2001. It is hard to think about that date without the mental images of the destruction, grief and loss that swept over America and the world following those tragic events. So many lives were changed, but through all of this we have overcome. I have read many status posts about people stating that this is what America deserved this because we are bullies to other countries, etc.   In my opinion, retaliation is never the result. It would be nice to have peace on earth and everyone live in harmony, but the reality of it is, there are people who have evil in their hearts and will not stop their hate until they get the revenge that they seek. With this being true, it is up to us to change this. We can all learn from these tragic events of September 11 to become better than those who tried to take America down. We need to be merciful and show love to one another, try to live just as Christ lived. I know th

This really hit home and I wanted to share it! Hope it speaks to someone as well! When a high school student tried using a thermometer to measure a table, his teacher was dumbfounded. In 15 years of teaching, Dave had seen many sad and shocking situations. But even he was amazed that a student could make it to high school without knowing the difference between a ruler and a thermometer. When a friend told me this story, my heart broke for that student and others like him who have fallen so far behind in their education. They can’t move forward because they haven’t yet learned basic lessons of everyday life. But then a sobering thought came to me: Don’t we sometimes do the same thing when we use wrong spiritual measuring devices? For example, do we assume that churches with the most resources are the most blessed by God? And do we ever think that popular preachers are more godly than those with few followers? The proper measure of our spiritual condition i

Jill Scott: Rolling Hills ~ Ladies this song is for you! You have to love YOU first, not everyone is worthy of your prized possession! Please listen to the message and Enjoy! <p><br><br><br>Lad</p>

How willing are you to learn something new? How open are you to new perspectives? Only when we're open can we really hear what's being said or really see what's happening or really experience the moment. Openness demands that we be willing to move to places we've never been before. It asks us to continually challenge the foundations of our belief systems so we can test out new ideas. And to do that, we need to accept insecurity. Be open to seeing things: - from another's point of view, - from a higher and more inclusive perspective - with a beginner's attitude of wonder. "The struggle of the mind to keep itself free from every sort of bondage -- to remain curious, open, unsatiated in all its relations with nature -- is tenfold more difficult than the cultivation of a stable, satisfying point of view, but a thousandfold more precious." ~ Gardner Murphy

I found this and I thought that it was so motivating that I just could not keep this to myself! I hope that you find something from it and you have the motivation to keep going! Enjoy and Be blessed! Your passion is your dream it keeps you going. It's the fire in your bones. It's your purpose your destiny. It's what motivates you to keep running the race when you don't feel like running because you have a dream that the lord put on the inside of you and you know the end result because God gave you a vision or a glimpse  of your future and you win. Because if God be for you who can stand against you. That passion God put on the inside of you is what you were born for and the lord has given you everything you need to get the job done. It's Christ in you the hope of glory. There is nothing or no one that can stop that dream from coming to pass only you! I know it's been hard. I know it's been trying times. Know this Satan will throw everything in you

Embrace the positive and negative in wholeness "Only when we can love hell will we find heaven." -- Unknown source People often view the spiritual path as a search for the light. In truth, spirituality asks us to bring light and darkness together in wholeness. And in fact, this is the only possible solution. In our world of duality, any effort to focus all attention on the light only serves to increase the power of the darkness. Our aim is not to deny or reject anything but to embrace it all. "When you are able to contain both the light and dark together, that is a very enlightening state. It means that you no longer have to choose one experience over another. You do not have to choose love OR hate, blame OR forgiveness, sadness OR joy, anger OR openheartedness. You are no longer polarized; no particular feeling boxes you in and keeps you from the light of true self. You then have access to the full range of human experiences you came into this life

I borrowed this from Our Daily Bread Devotional Readings. I wanted to share this, I hope you like it! The Ironman Triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run. It is not an easy feat for anyone to accomplish. But Dick Hoyt participated in the race and completed it with his physically disabled son Rick. When Dick swam, he pulled Rick in a small boat. When Dick cycled, Rick was in a seat-pod on the bike. When Dick ran, he pushed Rick along in a wheelchair. Rick was dependent on his dad in order to finish the race. He couldn’t do it without him. We see a parallel between their story and our own Christian life. Just as Rick was dependent on his dad, we are dependent on Christ to complete our Christian race. As we strive to live a God-pleasing life, we realize that in spite of our best intentions and determination, we often stumble and fall short. By our strength alone, it is impossible. Oh, how we need the Lord’s help! And it has been provided. Paul de

Here are some quotes for you. Take charge and be the leader that God has called you to be! Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. Harold R. McAlindon (also attributed to Emerson and others) Leadership: The art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.   Dwight D. Eisenhower   There go the people. I must follow them for I am their leader. Alexandre Ledru-Rollin Go to the people. Learn from them. Live with them . Start with what they know. Build with what they have. The best of leaders when the job is done, when the task is accomplished, the people will say we have done it ourselves. Lao Tzu

Hello World! I have been away from blogging for a whole month. I had one month of writers block. I guess I was going through some things and just did not have the creativity needed to write. Well I am back and I am ready and do I have some things for you! I hope that what I write today can be the thing someone prayed about, or encouragement for your soul! So please read on and be blessed! " In reality there is perhaps not one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Disguise it, struggle with it, beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive, and will every now and then peep out and show itself...For even if I could conceive that I had completely overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility."  - Benjamin Franklin Today I read Philippians 2: 1-11. These scriptures speak on being humble. I looked up the word humble from dictionary.com and this is one of the definitions that I received:  not   proud   or   arrogant;   mo

All About the Readers is something new that I am trying for my blog. This give my readers an opportunity to express themselves on my blog. You the reader have the opportunity to write about who you are, what you want to be, what you like to do etc. Express something that you have been going through, whatever you'd like This is an open forum for my readers. Just think about it, you never know what may happen by doing this! In the mean time. enjoy life, help others and smile!

Hello Everyone! I know that it has been a while. Now with some of my festivities over, I can get back to my blog. While I was a way for a bit, I have been doing some self reflecting. I realize that everything that I do has an effect on someone in my life. So from this day forward, I am going to focus on doing all the good I can, in all the ways I can, for all the people I can, while I can. This is my new life motto. I will put self aside and place others first. Now don't get me wrong, I am not going to neglect my needs, but my focus will be more on what I'm doing that will be a benefit to others. For example, I will get more involved in church and give of my time and talents instead of just going to church. This revelation came about after seeing that there are so many selfish people in the world. I know that I am far from perfect and I have flaws in this area as well, so I am  going to do something to change it, by showing kindness in my attitude, words and deeds.  Thank

I read this and thought that I should share it. I hope it answers a question that you were asking. Please enjoy! Knowing God’s Will Posted by Mart De Haan June 22nd, 2011 Filed in His Will 6 Comments »   Because more than a few of us struggle with the question, “How can I know the will of God?,” imagine this scenario: We plead with God to show us what he wants us to do in a difficult situation. That night as we toss and turn, we dream that God shows up to answer our request. In his presence, we sense a love that is far beyond anything we ever imagined. But we are surprised when, after hearing our request, God asks us two questions: “Why are you asking? “What do you want to do?” Then we wake up… While trying to imagine such an encounter, let’s try to think this through together in light of the way our Lord talks about his will in the Bible. When looking for what the God “in whom we live and move and have our being” wants us to do, 1.  What can we learn from asking ours

Here is a Father's Day Tribute to all Fathers, Grandfathers, God Fathers, Uncles or any man that played the role of a father for someone! Enjoy your day! What Makes a Dad God took the strength of a mountain, The majesty of a tree, The warmth of a summer sun, The calm of a quiet sea, The generous soul of nature, The comforting arm of night, The wisdom of the ages, The power of the eagle's flight, The joy of a morning in spring, The faith of a mustard seed, The patience of eternity, The depth of a family need, Then God combined these qualities , When there was nothing more to add, He knew His masterpiece was complete, And so, He called it ... Dad

Hope you enjoy!   Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Helen Keller   Life is like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you represents determinism; the way you play it is free will. Jawaharal Nehru Life is like the dice that, falling, still show a different face. So life, though it remains the same, is always presenting different aspects. Alexis Our life's a stage, a comedy: either learn to play and take it lightly, or bear its troubles patiently. Palladas  We make our fortunes, and we call them fate. Earl of Beaconsfield   The best way to prepare f

I love my life. God has been so good to me and I have been blessed with so many opportunities. I have accomplished so much in my life before the age of 30 and I have so much more to do. Through all that I have and all that I have been blessed to do, I still take every day to give God all the honor and glory and thanking him for all that he has done. I thank him for his peace, patience, love, omnipresence and everything else. When I was at my lowest point, God kept me. I know that I am here for a purpose. I believe one of those purposes is to empower and encourage. Which is why I have this blog. I have worked with so many people, young and experienced and I have been around individuals who feel that they have nothing to live for. They live for the moment and do not care about the choices they make that will affect their future. To those who read my blog and fall under that category, I want to thank you also. I thank you because you I know that you too have a story to tell and I am thank

Hey Everyone! I am starting my Artist of the Week blog for the Month of June. If you have a talent that you want to share let me know. I am looking for writers, poets, singers, artist, hair designers, fashion designers, whatever your talent is I am looking for you. Just send me your information and I will publish you on my Blog!

This past month has been a bit of a whirlwind. I have gone through a lot of emotional ups and downs. My faith has been tested, finances were a bit shaky, I lost a friend, I questioned myself as to who I am and who I am suppose to be and so much more. Through it all, I was able to keep my sanity and pray. Some may say that they have been through worst and I just experienced the normal things of life, and that maybe true. But regardless of the trial, whether it be big or small, I still see it as a test. One thing that some tend to forget is that we will be tested in life with many trials, but it is how we handle the pressure that will determine our outcomes. This experience has given me the opportunity to get closer to God. To seek his guidance in all situations that came my way. One thing that I know is that it is so hard to talk to God when you are going through the toughest times in life. But it is during those times when you need Him the most. God allows some things to happen in our

Throughout life I have had many "friends". People who I thought I could trust and would be there for me through anything. As time moved on and we grew older our friendship faded and then that was it. Our friendship was over. That type of situation used to bother me. I would ask myself if there was anything wrong with me, did I cause this friendship to fall apart? But I realize that people just grow apart. Each individual has experiences in life that everyone cannot be apart of. I know that this interpretation does not make the ending of  a friendship easier, but this is what I have told myself in order to deal with the fact that this person and I are no longer friends. People lose friends for so many reasons. Some reasons being good, and some bad, but either way that relationship has come to an end. Now that I am a bit older, I can count on one hand the number of friends that I have. One thing that my grandmother used to tell me was "nowadays you are lucky to have one go

Here is some inspiration for your day! Make it a great one!   Every artist was first an amateur. Ralph Waldo Emerson Experience is the child of thought, and thought is the child of action. Benjamin Disraeli The more difficulties one has to encounter, within and without, the more significant and the higher in inspiration his life will be. Horace Bushnell No great man ever complains of want of opportunities. Ralph Waldo Emerson Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true. Leon J. Suenes You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. Wayne Gretzky    

This is my Theme Song for the Year! So Motivational!!!!

Why do we hold grudges? Why do we allow arguments or disagreements determine our happiness? When we take the time to think about what caused the disagreement, we realize that it was over something stupid or we even forgot what the argument was about. I have had situations like this happen and now I am at a point in my life where I can make amends with the situation and move forward with life. If I have been the cause for the disagreement, I am willing to take the mature approach and sincerely apologize for what I have done. I understand that if I can face my faults and admit my mistakes, I am growing to be a better person. Is this an approach that you are willing to take? Are you willing to admit your faults and apologize for past hurts that you have caused? If you answer yes to these questions, then you are ready to make peace with yourself. If you are not at that point, it is okay. It takes time to get to this point in your life. Perhaps it's not your time to get here, you have m

     ©2001, 2006 Karen K. Talley The truth of the matter is There is nothing more beautiful Than a black man Whether five-two or six-seven, Yellow fabulous or chocolate heaven There is nothing more beautiful Than a black man Long and lean With deep brown eyes Wavy hair or dreds With strong thick thighs There is nothing more beautiful Than a black man Bald head with goatee Cornrows or a fade A little thick, a little thin Oh the choices to be made There is nothing more beautiful Than a black man Scholarly or not Wall Street or hip hop I'll sing your praises To the mountain top Head of the home Provider and love Obedient son and loving brother There's nothing more beautiful Than a black man A mighty provider you've proven to be Sacrificing your life to keep me free Working for crumbs When the table is bare Praising the Lord Leading the famil

Relations As our lips met, the conversation grew deeper. It's like I could taste the words that were coming next. I almost choked on his sweet breath cuz He spit some real s**t that I could only respect Now, this kiss was no normal kiss at all It was more fictional, A conversation turned visual (in my mind of course). This brotha let words pass so easily through his lips That whatever he said sounded good, even if it was just bulls**t. So my naive mind allowed him to manipulate my thoughts. He invaded me on a mental note And honestly... I didn't want him to stop So I, searched for something more to talk about, But he caught on to my game. He started speaking to my heart and my mind, Trying to make it orgasm in this small amount of time. His flashy smile only made it worse. I was in love with the current situation though so I, Snapped back to reality and realized that conversation and good words have only Lead me to broken hearts so I, Quickly withdrew mysel

Here are some quotes that I think that you will enjoy! The fact is, that to do anything in the world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can. ~Robert Cushing Know thyself means this, that you get acquainted with what you know, and what you can do. ~Menander God ever works with those who work with will. ~Aeschylus We are sometimes as different from ourselves as we are from others. ~Francois de La Rochefoucauld   We only become what we are by the radical and deep-seated refusal of that which others have made of us. ~Jean-Paul Sartre If we all did the things we are c

What do you do when all hope is lost? Do you give up? Or do you keep trying? Many will say that they will keep trying because that is the thing to say. If it is mentioned that we decide to give up on something, we will be seen as weak or a failure. So in order to keep up with societal norms, we all try harder and harder just to make it. We will struggle and sacrifice and lose sleep just to make it. And all that we go through is worth it, we go through all of this struggle just to make it and we never gave up. But.... What if one day I said you know what, I am tired and I do not have the energy for this, I don't want this bad enough. Does this make me a loser? Am I weak? Many may say YES! But what if this is our way of knowing our limitations? There are some people who just don't like college, they don't like sitting in a classroom and they do not like taking classes on line. Are these people weak if they tried and said that they just didn't want to go that route and

RAW Incite Fashion Show 05/12/11 When: Thursday, May 12, 2011 @ 7:30PM Where: Ghost Lounge | 202 N Central | Phoenix, AZ 85004 Details: 18+ event. Cocktail attire. Tickets are $10 via presale Featured Item: Shelvey Skirt In early 2011 Sharra took her love of art and design, and behold, the “Shelvey” skirt was created. Sharra states that she was inspired by her aunt Shelvey Myers who was a strong influence in her life from the love of God to walking without fear. “Shelvey” skirt represents the confident, timeless, elegant, sophisticated and unassuming uptown girl. Please support my Soror Sharra Harvin!!!! She is a talented artist and designer and she needs your support!!! If you are in the Phoenix area, you can support by attending the event above. If you are not in the area and want to know more about Shelvey Skirt, please visit Sharra's website www.movementartgalerie.com. On her site you can see more designs of the Shelvey Skirt as well as her art collect

Most people think that they have to settle for what is right in front of them. Many think that because they do not have the money, they can't live. We should all make the most of life and enjoy it! Why have bread when you can have a salmon? We only have one life to live and since that is the case, we all might as well live it by doing something that we enjoy! Just think about it...What is it that you are passionate about? Do you like the job you have? Is there something else that you wish you could be doing? Now with the economy being how it is, I am not suggesting that you quit your job today, but I do think that if there is something that you are passionate about or you want to do something different then take the chance and do it! Just go for it, today maybe the last day that you can!

FREE GAS!!! That's right FREE! How is that? You ask, well it's easy, the first 5 people to join my blog at http://azameansstrength.blogsp ot.com/ will receive a $20 Chevron gas card! Once you've joined my blog, send your name and email to my Facebook Inbox so that I can verify the information. Once everything has been verified more instructions will follow. Thank you and Good luck!

This drawing is by Jobeth Hood-Mayberry. Here is her explanation of the drawing: This is my drawing of a woman after a day being a mother,nurse, and teacher.... But after all that she is still a WOMAN! Thank you Jobeth for sharing your gift for all to see! You are a woman of AZA!

When you read this think about who you were before your children and who you are now! Thank God for allowing us to have children to bring out the best in us! Before I was a Mom Before I was a Mom - I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed. I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday. Before I was a Mom - I cleaned my house each day. I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby. I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunizations. Before I was a Mom - I had never been puked on - Pooped on - Spit on - Chewed on, or Peed on. I had complete control of my mind and My thoughts. I slept all night. Before I was a Mom - I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests...or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching

Not understanding why you are here, the absence of time allows you to lose track of who you are to be. You try different avenues to fill unused space because you have no clue of what else to do. "Why me? What am I to do? Who am I to be?", are the questions of the lost soul. The lost soul has no limit because being lost does not come to an end.  "I guess I will try this drug thing to fill my void or have sex with countless partners because I do not have anything significant going on with my life," says the lost soul to self. At rock bottom you come to the conclusion to end life, you feel that there is nothing left to live for because you do not know what to live for. Deep down something keeps you from dying, something keeps you from giving up. Maybe there is hope, a light at the end of the tunnel. In order to find out, you must live, you are lost to find your way and when you do, you have a story to share for other lost souls that will come your way.

Hello All!!! For the Month of May I will be posting poems and art from Artistic individuals! If you have a poem or a picture that you would like posted on the AZA means Strength blog, please inbox me your information on FB. Thank you and remember there is AZA within you!

In today’s society women are not in love with themselves. Many are in love with the idea of loving self, but they do not understand what it really means to love self. Some feel that by having a man it means that they know how to love. There are some women who believe that if they are beaten by their men, she is being loved. Why is it that we do not understand what LOVE is? Is it because we were never shown by the women before us? Is it the influence of television and media that says women should objectify themselves in order to find love? I believe that all women, young and old, not matter the race, size, height, etc., should learn to love self. Once we learn to do this, no one will be able to tell us who we are, how we should look, what type of job we should have, how we should dress. Once we learn to love ourselves, we will be a force to be reckoned with! Once we learn to move on from pasts hurts and realize that our past does not determine the outcome of our futures,