Feature Friday

Congratulations, you made it through another week in the lovely world of motherhood! As most of you know on Fridays we take time to feature Saved M.O.M.’s . There are so many wonderful mothers that don’t get the recognition they deserve. I am proud to say that this week’s Feature Friday is dedicated to Zaneta Nikita Adell, affectionately known as Nikita. She currently resides in Lithia Springs, Georgia. Nikita is truly a blessing to the kingdom of God. I have watched her serve in our church for many years, dedicating her life to the service of the Lord.

During our interview Nikita explained that she gained a personal relationship with the God at the age of 13. She said, “I actually grew up in church all my life, however, I really fell in love with Jesus at the age of 13. That was a time when all that could go wrong did, and he was the only one, who I could count on. She went on to talk about how this made her relationship with God much stronger.

When I asked Nikita what being a Saved M.O.M. means to her, she shared, “Being a mom period means the world to me, however, being a Saved M.O.M. gives my son a great example that God has placed in his life. Nikita went on to say, “When I was a child, I always knew that one day, I would be a mom and a great one. I feel like because I'm saved, I can show my son what it means to be a Godly woman who walks in character and integrity; a mom who can be a great example to him on how to treat a woman and always have respect for her.” She is a firm believer that having a relationship with God allows her to have great compassion, patience and understanding. She proclaimed, “God has blessed me with a precious gift of being a mother, and for that what more could I ask!” Her favorite scripture is Psalm 34:9. She explained, “When I fear God and totally trust him, he said that he would supply all my needs and wants. That means I can rest and depend on him to give me what I need through my obedience.”

Nikita wanted to take a moment to share these words with all mothers… “If I could give any advice to a mom, I would tell her to always put God first in all you do and set a trend for your children by living a Godly life. What they do and how they act in life starts in the home. Let's create a Godly generation, by setting a great example.”

Be sure to tune in Monday for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment).

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press

Thinking Out Loud

Good day to all, I am praying that each and every one of you have days filled with peace and joy! So today I need to think out loud for a moment and ask for your advice/assistance with one of my most recent visions. As most of you know, yesterdays post was about helping the poor. Well, during church service last night a vision for a homeless ministry hit me like a ton of bricks.

The vision is as follows… I would like to coordinate passing out brown bag lunches to homeless mothers and their children and minister the love of God to them as well. I would want to start off by partnering with my church and establishing a group of volunteers there. We would meet on Saturday morning once or twice per month and each person would bring items to contribute to the lunch (sandwich meat, bread, fruit, etc…). Once we put all of the bags together we would “hit the streets” passing out the meals and sharing the word of God.

I need help in coordinating this project. Do any of you all know how I can locate local homeless women and children in my area? What about getting local stores to donate items for the sack lunches? I have never coordinated a project quite like this one before, therefore, I need help. Just as my pastor was preaching on last night, “there will always be provision for the vision.” It’s so wonderful that the Lord is placing so many visions in me at this time. I just have to seek Him more on showing me how to see them all come to pass. I don’t want to overextend myself, but I do want to do everything that He has called me to do. “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10). I thank God in advance for giving me the strength and resources to see His will be done.

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment).

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press

Word Wednesday

Today is officially “Word Wednesday” otherwise known as “Hump Day.” We’ve made it half way through yet another week on the wonderful, exciting and bumpy road of motherhood. Therefore, some of us are looking for some encouraging words to make it through the rest of the week with Joy and Peace. At night before my son goes to bed, in addition to reading bible stories, I read him a passage out of “Prayers That Avail Much, First Blessings for Your Child” by Germaine Copeland. Mommies we have to keep our children prayed up and constantly put Gods word in their hearts.

Sunday’s passage read, “I purpose to be a constant example to you in helping the poor. I remember the words of the Lord Jesus, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” As Christians we are commissioned to help the poor. We should be kind to them and help them in their time of need. For the word tells us, “He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.” (Proverbs 19:17). It’s so often that we get caught up in our own needs and we fail to consider the needs of others. I have certainly been guilty of doing this myself. I have found that since becoming a mother I don’t volunteer nearly as much as I used to and I don’t take time out to help the poor the way that I used to. Considering that I have a family now, it’s totally understandable that I can’t give as much time as I used to, but I can give some of my time.

We should go the extra mile to be the examples to our children that God has called us to be. If they see us volunteering and helping those less fortunate they will probably have a desire to do the same. We have to get beyond the old adage, “Do as I say, not as I do.” Children usually follow the examples that they see laid before them, so let’s lead them in the way of the Lord. I am in a serious season of self improvement and I am going to take this opportunity to make a commitment to help the poor just as Jesus would have me do. Will you join me in doing the same?

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment).

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press

Testimony Tuesday

Happy Tuesday to all! Let’s be sure make it a super-fantastic day. As most of you all know, today is Testimony Tuesday! Feel free to share your personal testimony as the spirit moves you. To do so, click on the "comments" link below and type in your testimony (if you are reading this from your inbox visit www.savedmom.com to post a comment). It is my prayer that it will be a blessing to many.

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment).

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press

Kid Free Date

Good morning to all of my awesome and spectacularly wonderful readers! Wow, can you tell that Saved M.O.M. is in a good mood this morning. I’m so elated that it’s a start to yet another week and I have another opportunity to bless others and be blessed. So, in all honesty I am also super excited because hubby and I had a KID FREE DATE!!!

Life after children presents so many new and different experiences. One of these experiences being a gross lack of Kid Free Dates a.k.a. KFD. Look at that, I made yet another acronym all on my own. Yes, I know that I am super giddy today, but it’s time for you all to see another side to Saved M.O.M. We all need a break from the “deepness” sometimes. So it’s time to share the details… on Saturday afternoon my mother in law decided to take The Kid a.k.a. TK for the afternoon. Immediately after the door closed and TK was out of site, mommy screamed “Whoo Hoo!” Now my hubby said that I should have waited until they were out of the drive way, but I am sure that my M.O.M.’s out there that need a break sometimes can TOTALLY understand. There is no reason for us to feel bad about being excited for a few hours of some much needed Free Time a.k.a. FT. Okay, I know the acronyms are getting a little out of hand. I will try to calm it down a notch.

Hubby and I decided to go on an inexpensive date (remember Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover is in full effect). Yup, you guessed it, Chile’s 2 for $20! It was worth every penny of it too, appetizer, 2 entrees’s, and desert for less than a tank of gas. Wow, how about that! We were actually stuffed afterwards with left overs to spare. It was just like Life Before Kiddies a.k.a. LBK! OKAY, last one I promise. We had a nice quiet evening with just the two of us gazing into each others eyes and actually enjoying our meal with no interruptions.

In the midst of being the wonderful parents that we all are, we must take time out for us. We all need to be rejuvenated and renew our minds on a regular basis. In addition to renewing our minds in a restful way we should also renew our minds in a spiritual way. The word tells us, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2). Go ahead and take a much needed break ASAP (I didn’t make that one up so it doesn’t count)!

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment).

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press

Feature Friday

Congratulations, you made it through another week in the lovely world of motherhood! As most of you know on Fridays we take time to feature Saved M.O.M.’s . There are so many wonderful mothers that don’t get the recognition they deserve. I am proud to say that this week’s Feature Friday is dedicated to Pastor Kathy Ogletree Goodwin whom currently resides in Louisville, Kentucky. Pastor Goodwin is an amazing woman of God with three beautiful children.

Pastor Goodwin came to know the Lord at an early age. She was born and raised in Barnesville, GA. Her mother was a musician at East Mt. Sinai Baptist Church and stressed the importance of church and the things of God. Church was held on the 2nd and 4th Sunday when the traveling Pastor was in town and Pastor Goodwin along with her eight siblings attended church with their parents. She really wanted to be able to receive communion with the other church members and you could only do so if you had been baptised. She explained, “Taking communion exemplified what it meant to be in the family of God. It’s like we were adopted into His family and now able to sit at the kitchen table and eat with all of the members of the body of Christ.” Pastor Goodwin shared, “At a young age I knew God, but it was at the age of 12 or 13 that I decided to receive salvation and get baptized. I had a hunger to know God and made the decision to get baptized at a revival. I remember that that the Pastor preached a message about love that day.”

When I asked Pastor Goodwin what being a Saved M.O.M. means to her she said, “It means you have a different level of responsibility. Being a mom is difficult, but if you are a Saved M.O.M. you have the responsibility of raising your children in Christ.” She went on to say, “It’s such a blessing that we have another entity in which we can seek wisdom on how to raise them. We have to teach them how to live in this world, but not be of this world. We respond to things and situations differently, we give differently and we have a divine connection with God.” She talked about the fact that we have to teach our kids to love their enemies and to do the work of the Lord. She added, “We are the conduit of life… we are on a mission because we are responsible for our kids and their well being.” Pastor Goodwin’s favorite scripture is Proverbs 3:5. She wants us to understand that we must acknowledge God in all things and know that we are blessed so that we can be a blessing to others.

Pastor Goodwin wanted all of the mothers to know that even though we weren’t given an instruction manual after the birthing experience, God wants us to be an instruction manual to our children. She explained, “When my first son was born I realized that there was no turning back and there were no instructions, but we have to order our lives so that we can be an instruction manual for our children. We have to be the best that we can be spiritually, emotionally, physically and mentally then teach our children to do the same... We are an extension of God’s love, we were created for a special reason. Each of our children is born with a God given purpose and we should see to it that it is fulfilled.”

Pastor Goodwin closed by sharing one of her ministries with us. She founded KOG Ministries, Inc. as a platform to fulfill the Kingdom of God. This ministry was created to encourage, empower and enhance women to do ministry while affirming their gift of preaching. Every year she sponsors the These Preachin’ Women Conference. The conference is used to show how God can utilize women in the Kingdom of Christ. Each year nine women are selected to preach and hear the word as the learn ways to enhance their ministry. There are scholarships given to the women so that they can go to workshops and receive the resources that they need to help them fulfill their mission. The website is currently under construction but soon can be viewed at www.kogministries.ning.com

Thank you Pastor Goodwin for allowing the Lord to use you in such an awesome way! Be sure to tune in Monday for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment).

Momme Blessings,

Shonte’ Press

Word Wednesday

Today is officially “Word Wednesday” otherwise known as “Hump Day.” We’ve made it half way through yet another week on the wonderful, exciting and bumpy road of motherhood. Therefore, some of us are looking for some encouraging words to make it through the rest of the week with Joy and Peace. At night before my son goes to bed, in addition to reading bible stories, I read him a passage out of “Prayers That Avail Much, First Blessings for Your Child” by Germaine Copeland. Mommies we have to keep our children prayed up and constantly put Gods word in their hearts.

Monday’s passage read, “I pray that you will stay close to anything that makes you want to do right. You will have faith and love, and you will enjoy the companionship of those who love the Lord and have pure hearts.” So many of us don’t realize just how important it is to be around positive and God loving individuals. Remember the old adage, “Birds of a feather flock together.” Well, it’s true! When I received salvation there were friends that I just couldn’t keep close company with anymore. I had to shed some of them on my own and some of them God had to shed for me. I didn’t really understand it at the time, but in retrospect it was truly necessary so that I could grow in certain areas.

The same is true for our children. We can’t pick all of their friends for them, but we can place them in environments in which they can be around children that too have been taught to love the Lord. The word tells us, “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22). In addition to placing our children around those who call on the Lord, we can also give them advice in regards to the company that they keep. There were so many times in my childhood and adolescence that my mother would advise me about the individuals that I called “friend.” It was astonishing that she was ALWAYS right! We mustn’t be afraid to use our discernment and be open and honest with our children about the decisions that they make. We can’t always dictate who their friends will be, but we can lay the right foundation and show them through our leadership and example.


Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment).

Mommie Blessings,



Shonte’ Press

Testimony Tuesday

We have been blessed to see yet another day, praise be to God! As most of you all know, today is Testimony Tuesday! Feel free to share your personal testimony as the spirit moves you. To do so, click on the "comments" link below and type in your testimony (if you are reading this from your inbox visit www.savedmom.com to post a comment). It is my prayer that it will be a blessing to many.

One of our readers shared her testimony a couple of weeks ago. Just in case you didn’t have an opportunity to read it, I am sharing it today… I have so many testimonies, but one that is short, yet beneficial is my testimony of living a transparent life… For whatever reason God allows me to expose my mess for His glory, I'm fine with it. People like to keep their business to themselves, but my business is not my own. My life is not my own to keep personal. If God takes me through something, I have to remember it's not about me - someone needs to hear my story before they stand in awe of my glory! Being transparent and sharing my ups and downs as a wife and mother is freedom to me. I'm not ashamed to share my struggles and I sure don't want others to think I've always been saved. Yes, at one time, I was ashamed of my past, but since I've been blessed with transparent living, I know my past is cause for my story that brings God glory!Do I struggle as a wife and mother? I sure do, yet sharing my struggles has opened the door to others to realize God's power and greatness in their own lives. We all have mess; I choose to use my mess to bless.

Thanks for that testimony MomsWeb! Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment).

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press

Judgmental

Good day to all! What a beautiful weekend and a beautiful start to a lovely week. I recently had a conversation with a good friend about people prematurely passing judgment on others. It’s so often that we can be judgmental about so many different things. I find myself saying from time to time that only God can judge us. Although, when I sit back and reflect on my thoughts and allow myself to be totally transparent, I too can be judgmental at times. I try to shrug it off as just stating fact, but in reality I have to work on not judging things, people and situations the way that I do.

Most times that I verbalize my judgmental thoughts, my husband immediately checks me. Then I either realize that he’s right or I get defensive. As with all things, in these moments I should consider what God says about it. The word tells us in Luke 6:37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

We really have to constantly renew our minds. Our thoughts rule and govern us and this is why we have to win the battle in our minds first. I am currently reading Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyers. This book is truly helping me to transform into an even better me. It’s great to constantly improve upon ourselves. Not only does it help us grow, but doing so equips us with what we need to effectively show our children what they should and should not do. Just think about how well we can prepare them for life if we take the steps now to develop into what God has called us to be. I am making every effort to stop passing judgment because there is only one true judge of all, God our father.

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Be sure to subscribe on the website.

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press

Feature Friday

Congratulations, you made it through another week in the lovely world of motherhood! As most of you know on Fridays we take time to feature Saved M.O.M.’s . There are so many wonderful mothers that don’t get the recognition they deserve. I am proud to say that this week’s Feature Friday is dedicated to First Lady Christina Murray. She currently resides in Douglasville, Georgia. Christina is truly a beauty to behold, both inside and out. She serves as First Lady to Pastor Anthony Murray at Oasis Family Life Church in Hiram, GA.

Christina came to know the Lord at a young age. Although, it wasn’t until her teen years, that she received salvation. She shared, “Well as a small child God was always a hot topic with my grandmother, but as a young teenager was when I actually knew Him for myself.”

When I asked First Lady Christina what being a Saved M.O.M. means to her, she exclaimed, “It means the world!” She went on to say, “Without my “Daddy” I could not be the mother that I am today! He keeps me strong, loving and patient. Without Him my girls could not have a role-model. My hope and prayers are that my daughters see the life I live and the mother that I am and understand that it is only through our father in Heaven that it is possible. Her favorite scripture is Matthew 6:25. She explained, “It talks about worrying. Sometimes in life, the simple reality of what is happening can get you in a panic mode, but this scripture has always helped me to understand how important I am to my Father that He would never forsake me.”

I asked Christina if she wanted to leave any words of encouragement with our readers and she shared, “The funny thing is that I wonder sometimes how I make it…. I still would not trade my life for anything in the world. There is such a beauty that a mother carries. I consider it an honor and a priveledge each and everyday! Cherish the life God has placed before you and enjoy every moment. There is no real handbook for mothers, but the one thing I can say is that I am a true “Daddy’s Girl” and my Father has never let me down. Keep your heart open so He can continue to fill it and stay strong! Mothers have the most important job in the world! We are the ones who bring forth greatness into this world!”

First Lady Christina wants everyone to know that she is so thankful that God has blessed her with being able to have a beautiful church with so many other spiritual sons and daughters at Oasis! She lives everyday of her life for each and every one of them! God has also blessed her with a wonderful career in Real Estate. She works for Coldwell Banker and has been in the real estate business for 8 years. If you are in the metro Atlanta Area and need real estate assistance you can contact her at Christina.Murray@coldwellbankeratlanta.com.

She closed the interview by sharing, “I am also honored and proud of launching “Christina’s Closet” which is a ministry that provides hope and encouragement to women who may need some form of assistance in reaching their business goals and careers. Many women have lost jobs or do not have the finances to purchase business attire, accessories, briefcases, shoes, etc. that they may need for interviews or new corporate jobs. Many women have been assisted in this area and our goal is to also find job placement for serious and dedicated women ready for a new level in their lives.” Praise God for this beautiful woman of God!

Be sure to tune in Monday for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Be sure to subscribe on the website.

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press

Stop and Listen

This past weekend my father in-law and his mother came in town to visit our family. It was so delightful to have time to fellowship with our loved ones. During their visit I asked my husbands grandmother about her past and her family. It was such a joy to hear the stories of old and learn information that I can one day pass on to my children.

It’s very important that we take time out of our busy schedules to stop and listen. Our elders have so much wisdom and knowledge to share if we would just take a moment to ask and take note. The wisdom that they have gained over the course of their lives is invaluable and the wisdom they share can lead to a better level of understanding for us. The word explains,” Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding,” (Proverbs 3:13).

I know that at times we may try to dodge conversation with our elders because we don’t have time to listen to their long stories. I have to admit that I have been guilty of doing this more than a time or two. Although, what I have realized is that they are sharing priceless information and they won’t always be here to share those moments with us. In the future, I don’t want to have any regrets about the time that I could have shared with them and wisdom and understanding that I could have gained from them.

It’s such a blessing to have the opportunity to learn about our past and our ancestors firsthand. I am so thankful for my husband’s grandmothers willingness to share so many wonderful stories about her younger years. I think I will take time this weekend to call one of my grandparents and ask as many questions as I can! How about you?

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Be sure to subscribe on the website.

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press

Word Wednesday

Today is officially “Word Wednesday” otherwise known as “Hump Day.” We’ve made it half way through yet another week on the wonderful, exciting and bumpy road of motherhood. Therefore, some of us are looking for some encouraging words to make it through the rest of the week with Joy and Peace. At night before my son goes to bed, in addition to reading bible stories, I read him a passage out of “Prayers That Avail Much, First Blessings for Your Child” by Germaine Copeland. Mommies we have to keep our children prayed up and constantly put Gods word in their hearts.

Yesterday’s passage read, “God the father has His eye on you and has determined to keep you obedient by the work of the spirit through the sacrifice of Jesus. May everything good from God be yours! Grace and peace be yours in abundance.” The part of this passage that really struck a nerve for me was, “the sacrifice of Jesus.” Sometimes I find myself sitting back and thinking about how Jesus hung on a cross in insurmountable pain to bear all of my sins. How profound is that? A man that I never physically met died an unfathomable death so that we can have eternal life. That’s so amazing!

God loves us so much that He gave His son so that we may have everlasting life! The word explains, “For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). As a mother, could you even fathom the thought of having your child die painfully and voluntarily so that millions may live forever? This encourages me to do things that are pleasing in His eye and to be the very best parent that I can be. Continue to be the mother that God has called you to be and when the load seems too heavy find solace in knowing that because of His sacrifice we will have eternal life. A life that will be so much better than anything we could ever imagine!

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Be sure to subscribe on the website.

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press

Testimony Tuesday

Well there was an "attack" on our computer on yesterday, but it made it out alive :-) I'm glad to say that we are back up and running today. I hope that you had a marvelous and magnificent weekend. It's Testimony Tuesday so let's hear how the Lord has blessed you.


Feel free to share your personal testimony as the spirit moves you. To do so, click on the "comments" link below and type in your testimony (if you are reading this from your inbox visit www.savedmom.com to post a comment). It is my prayer that it will be a blessing to many.

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Be sure to subscribe on the website.

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press

Feature Friday

Congratulations, you made it through another week in the lovely world of motherhood! As most of you know on Fridays we take time to feature Saved M.O.M.’s . There are so many wonderful mothers that don’t get the recognition they deserve. I am proud to say that this week’s Feature Friday is dedicated to Sondra Susanne Hulette. She currently resides in Mount Dora, Florida. Sondra has such a kind spirit with a willingness to help others grow in the Lord.

Sondra came to know the Lord at 8 years old. She grew up in a Christian home (her father is a Baptist minister.) In our interview she explained, “A bitter departure from a church he was serving caused me to have much anger toward the church for many years. In rebellion, I lived my teen years disobedient to the Lord’s will. But thankfully, He never was unfaithful to me. I finally turned to Him after a failed marriage in 1992 and began living an obedient life.” She suffered the consequences of a lot of bad choices in her younger days, but she said, “What Satan intends for evil, God can use for good.”

When I asked Sondra what being a Saved M.O.M. means to her she said, “I’ve dealt with a lot of heartache as a mother of three adult children. I’d like to think I was a good mother in raising my two sons and one daughter, but the truth is, I made plenty of mistakes. I look back now and see how selfish a lot of my motives were. But I know that “God is working in all things for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.” Through her experiences the Lord has shown her how to trust Him in every circumstance. He has shown her that even though she thought she had situations under control she didn’t, but He did. She explained, “He has taught me to not be so quick to judge the sins of others before looking as myself. (“Judge not, lest ye be judged.”) No matter what the circumstance He has been there to comfort, guide, teach, forgive, and love in every trial of life. I just don’t know how anyone could tackle the responsibility of motherhood without the Lord. He is my Rock!” Her favorite scripture is Romans 8:28.

She wanted to leave all mothers with these words… “Instead of looking at difficulties in life and asking God why, ask Him what He wants you to learn from it. He has so much to teach us. When we ask Him for things to go the way we want them to, we are missing the blessing. He isn’t in the business of making our lives comfortable. He’s in the business of perfecting our hearts. As Jesus so perfectly stated in the Lord’s Prayer, “… Thy Will be done.”

Sondra has been blessed with an awesome ministry. Cornerstone Ministries was founded with a vision to teach others to apply Biblical principles to their lives. At Cornerstone Ministries they want to show you how to take a fresh look at what you do, how you do it, and why you do it. The ministry lines up life principles with God’s word in order to discover His truth, learn to look at the internal instead of the external and search for cause and effect through Biblical reasoning. Sondra explained, “It’s always exciting to see His Word afresh and anew. So many times we find ourselves doing something because that’s how we were taught. If we stopped to examine our methods or even our way of thinking, it might surprise many of us how secular our life principles are.” You can visit the website at www.ephesians2-20.org or call to schedule an event for your church or group at 352-408-7418.

Be sure to tune in Monday for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment).

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press

Be Careful

Good Day to all! So, this entry was inspired by yet another intellectually stimulating conversation that my mother and I had not very long ago. We were talking about the fact that so many young girls don’t have positive male role models in their homes. This is true for young boys as well.

It’s so vitally important that young children grow up with positive male role models that are in their lives on a consistent basis. The preference is that these male role models are their fathers. If you think about it and consider the research, the relationships, or lack there of, that a girl has with her father parallels the type of relationships she will have with men in her adulthood. It is also apparent that a boy needs to see a positive male as an example of what being a man means. Our young men are so lost in present times due to the fact that they had no man to show them how to be a man.

So how do we break the cycle? I say simply, “Be Careful.” When you are choosing a man to spend the rest of your life with and procreate with, you must be sure that you all are equally yoked. The word tells us in 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” Don’t be blinded by a man being nice, or hot, or having lots of money. Look at the inner man and see that his heart is turned towards Christ. Allow the Lord to send you the one that He made just for you.

It wasn’t until I stopped searching for the man that my flesh wanted when the Lord sent me my Boaz. We must completely submit ourselves to the Lord so that he can order our paths. I thought that I could make a man be exactly what I wanted him to be, but boy was I wrong!

For those of you that are already in situations in which the man has not stepped up to the plate in regards to the way that he interacts with his children, please find good male role models for them to interact with. There are lots of mentoring programs available to children today that can help. Maybe Big Brothers, Big Sisters is the way to go or maybe there is a family member that could help out in these instances. You know that old adage, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well, it’s so true and we all must do our part to make the change that we want to see.

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment).

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press

Word Wednesday

Today is officially “Word Wednesday” otherwise known as “Hump Day.” We’ve made it half way through yet another week on the wonderful, exciting and bumpy road of motherhood. Therefore, some of us are looking for some encouraging words to make it through the rest of the week with Joy and Peace. Every night before my son goes to bed, in addition to reading bible stories, I read him a passage out of “Prayers That Avail Much, First Blessings for Your Child” by Germaine Copeland. Mommies we have to keep our children prayed up and constantly put Gods word in their hearts.

Yesterday’s passage read, “I acknowledge that God has entrusted you to our care, and I pray that you will listen to His laws! Then you will have peace flowing like a gentle river, and great waves of righteousness.” This month’s passages are centered on peace. It’s so funny that when I sat to type out this entry my peace was SCREAMING out loud. I have had a few personal challenges this morning that have rendered me quite frustrated. When I think about the things that I have allowed to get me frustrated, I realize that they are so petty.

Why is it that we allow little innocent children to disrupt our peaceful nature? The word tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7). This just ministered to me in such a profound way. So, in my moments in which I am lacking peace, I should pray and petition with thanksgiving and present my request to God. Wow! It’s so amazing that all the answers are truly in God’s word. I knew some of what to do in these moments, but never the complete instruction as it is given in the word. Thank you, Lord, for revealing this to me in such a wonderful way.

This entry really blessed me as you saw it unfold before my very eyes. Thanks for sharing in this experience with me today. I already feel better. It is my prayer that this blessed you just as much as it blessed me!

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment).

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press

Testimony Tuesday

We have been blessed to see yet another day, praise be to God! As most of you all know, today is Testimony Tuesday! Feel free to share your personal testimony as the spirit moves you. To do so, type your testimony in the comments box below this post. It is my prayer that it will be a blessing to many.

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment).

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press

Start It Up

Happy Monday to all of the blessed and beautiful Saved M.O.M.’s out there. I hope that all of you had great weekends filled with fun and bar-b-que, I know I did! Patiently sitting and looking at the blank computer screen this morning, I asked God to speak through me. When I turned my head, I saw in plain view, written on a DVD case, “Start It Up!”

It’s so often that we sit by and wait for things to happen in our lives instead of going out there and making things happen. What are we really waiting for? I have even been guilty of not making the moves that I wanted to make for lack of direction, fear, or plain out procrastination. When I sit back and think about this hesitation, I realize that sometimes we are just postponing our next level of blessings or breakthrough. For those of us that have allowed fear to come in and keep us from going to that next level, we must be reminded of God’s word concerning fear. The Good Book states, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7). Just think about it for a moment, fear is the opposite of faith. As believers how can we say that we have faith, but then allow fear to hold us back or keep us bound?

This is an issue that I have struggled with for quite sometime. There are moments when the enemy comes in and places fearful thoughts in my mind to throw me off course. In those moments, I simply remind myself of 2 Timothy 1:7. As parents, we witness moments in which our children are fearful, but we must remind them too that the Lord has not given them the spirit of fear. We have to teach them to rebuke fear as soon as it comes their way. We are raising a generation of warriors, but how can they win this battle if they are living in fear?

Back to the other issue at hand… please don’t hesitate any longer. It’s time to “Start It Up!” The Lord may have given you a witty idea or invention. Don’t be afraid and don’t procrastinate anymore. Step out on faith and ask the Lord to guide your steps. When I started Saved M.O.M. I didn’t know what God had in store for it, but I knew that he told me to do it. Let’s continue to hearken unto the voice of the Lord and move into our next level of prosperity and breakthrough!

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment).

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press

Feature Friday

Congratulations, you made it through another week in the lovely world of motherhood! As most of you know on Fridays we take time to feature Saved M.O.M.’s . There are so many wonderful mothers that don’t get the recognition they deserve. I am proud to say that this week’s Feature Friday is dedicated to Ellen Samuel. She currently resides in Hayward, CA. Ellen has such a lovely and radiant spirit. She recently retired from the Social Security Administration and has devoted her time to assist in caring for her grandchild.

Ellen has attended church all of her life. In our interview she shared, “When I was a little girl I went to church every Sunday. I loved the Lord and I loved learning about Him.” She gave her life to Him at the age of thirteen during alter call, at Bethany Baptist church in Baltimore, MD. She said. “I just wanted to belong to the Lord and give my heart to Him.” After receiving salvation she learned more about God gradually. She knew that God loved her and that He would be with her. Ellen attended Sunday school and church but didn’t really learn about what salvation meant until her adulthood.

When I asked Ellen what being a Saved M.O.M. means to her she explained, “Being a Saved M.O.M. means that I am following Christ, loving Christ and reflecting him in my walk so that my children and others will see Christ in me. I asked her to share her favorite scripture with us. She has many scriptures that she often reflects on, but the one that came to mind was Philippians 4:13.

I want to take a few moments to share a testament of Ellen’s love and selflessness. Her daughter and son-in-law embarked upon the calling of parenthood last year. In the midst of enjoying the new phase of her life in retirement, Ellen made an awesome commitment. She decided to move to California so that her grandchild would not have to go to daycare for the first couple of years of his life. I asked her what prompted her to do such a selfless thing and she explained, “It’s love that makes me help and I know the type of struggle it is when there is no one to help. God has afforded me the opportunity to be retired at this time and I am honored to be able to share my time with my daughter and her family. It pumps me up and energizes me to know that the Lord is allowing me to be there.” She went on to say, “It’s hard work, but God is allowing me to do this. I could be cripple or deceased but God has made me capable of doing this and it’s such an honor.” She told me that if it weren’t her daughter’s baby, she probably would be doing it for someone else’s child. She shared, “God made me with a mother’s instinct. There are so many people from teenagers to adults that I have assumed the mother role for and I am grateful that God allows me to do this.”

Ellen wanted to leave us with these words…”Motherhood does not come with instructions so you really need to align yourself with saved moms that will be there during the challenging times. Rest assured that God will be with you always and you will make it through. It’s good to be around others that will help you and lead you to Christ when you fall. God wants you to get up, turn around and seek Him during these times. Read His word and study His word, He is there and wants us to succeed and do our best. As long as we are down we won’t see those things that He has in store for us.” It was put on her heart to share these scriptures for you to study and reflect on… John 17:23; Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:3, 9; Psalm 9:9-10; and 1 John 1:9.

Be sure to tune in Monday for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment).

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press

Misplaced Priorities

I had a rather disturbing conversation with my mother this morning. We were talking about financial stability and proper fiscal management. Most of you may not be aware of this, but my husband and I are currently doing the Total Money Makeover program by Dave Ramsey (http://www.daveramsey.com/). This program is all about becoming wealthy by way of TOTAL debt elimination, sacrificing everyday comforts, and building wealth aggressively. It is my desire to minister to mothers and families across the world and assist them wherever they may be lacking. As we all know, to effectively minister to others worldwide, there is definitely a need for capital. Hence, the necessity for wealth building.

Back to the issue at hand… my mother was telling me about the kids at my sister’s school. They seem to be more concerned with the hottest trends in fashion and less concerned with their grades and living arrangements. I have to place a lot of responsibility on the parents regarding this matter. My mother told me that one of the mothers of my sisters’ friend actually asked her daughter why my sister doesn’t wear designer clothes as much as the other kids. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! Why is it that many parents of today seem to be more focused on superficial things instead of the wholesome morals and values that really matter? My sister lives in a nice home, her family has very little debt, education is top priority and she is instilled with Christian values on a daily basis. Isn’t this more important than rockin’ the latest Coogi jeans?

I don’t mean to be on my soap box right now, but it bothers me when I see that parents have misplaced priorities when it comes to their children. Now I have to also address the root of the problem. Parents that are parenting this way in so many instances just don’t know any better. They may have been raised in communities and families that are driven by the importance of appearances, but how do we break this cycle?

We are supposed to be examples for our children and instill Godly values and morals in them. “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6). How will our children ever learn fiscal responsibility and proper prioritization if we aren’t leading by example? I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time for a parental revolution. I pray that the Lord leads and guides us on how to properly address this issue.

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment).

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press

Word Wednesday

Today is officially “Word Wednesday” otherwise known as “Hump Day.” We’ve made it half way through yet another week on the wonderful, exciting and bumpy road of motherhood. Therefore, some of us are looking for some encouraging words to make it through the rest of the week with Joy and Peace. Every night before my son goes to bed, in addition to reading bible stories, I read him a passage out of “Prayers That Avail Much, First Blessings for Your Child” by Germaine Copeland. Mommies we have to keep our children prayed up and constantly put Gods word in their hearts.

Sunday’s passage read, “I pray that you will be kind to others, tender-hearted, forgiving others, just as God in Christ also forgave you.” The thing that really stood out to me in this passage was the part about forgiveness. It’s so often that we get caught up in our past hurts and choose not to forgive the ones that have hurt us; or we say that we have forgiven them with our mouths, but we really haven’t forgiven them with our hearts. This is an area that the Lord dealt with me in for many years.

As I child I was repeatedly disappointed and hurt by my father. This blog entry is not written to bad mouth him or the things that he did. I am only using this experience as an example for others. It wasn’t until I reached adulthood that I realized just how much these pains and disappointments had affected me. After receiving salvation I told myself that I had forgiven him, when deep down inside I really had not. When we harbor feelings of unforgiveness the only person that we are really hurting is ourselves. How can God truly work in us to His fullest potential when we have those kinds of toxins lurking around? For the word tells us, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:30-32).

We should teach our children to always forgive the ones that have hurt or offended them. I don’t want my children to ever lack in what God has for them because of unforgiveness that may be living in their hearts. When we are hurt or offended by others we must turn it over to God and allow Him to handle it the way that He deems necessary. We should always remember that it is God whom fights our battles, not us.

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment).

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press