Monday, January 28, 2013

Dreams From God




As far back as my early childhood I can remember having very vivid dreams. Some I still recall with great clarity. It wasn't until adulthood as my walk with Christ became more intimate that I learned that God can and often does speak to us through dreams. As I began to study more on the subject, I found a plethora of scripture pertaining to dreams and visions. God began showing me through his word that all through the ages this is one of the ways in which he has always communicated with man. 

Job 33:14-18 "For God may speak in one way or another,yet man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their beds, then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction. In order to turn man from his deed, and conceal pride from man, He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword." 

This is another glorious way in which God has shown his love for me. He is a personal God. He knows his children as individuals and cares about everything going on in our lives. When I first truly got the revelation of this I was just amazed and astounded. That God, creator of heaven and earth would concern himself with me and my everyday life! It is a wonderful feeling when you get  that down in your heart and soul. He loves and cares for us so much that he would speak and guide us through life if only we would be willing to receive from him. As I stated in an earlier blog posting, God speaks to his children in many different ways and that doesn't always include dreams.

Acts 2:17 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh : and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams": 

I have learned over time (through prayer and time in the word of God) ,how to decipher the dreams that are from God and those that are just dreams. Dreams that are from God have a different feel to them. These dreams are usually full of symbolism and there is always a  feeling of importance and urgency. I have even had some nightmares that I have come to KNOW were from God. 

Daniel 7:15 "As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me"

 The Lord sends these types of dreams to get our attention. Usually the message in such a dream is of great importance and contains some type of warning. I would encourage you to take these warning type dreams very seriously. Spend time in prayer over it and ask God to lead you in what scriptures you should be meditating on. 

I have found that writing my dreams down in a journal is of great help. This is also found in scripture, some of the great prophets in the bible wrote down their dreams and visions.

 Daniel 7:1 "In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying in bed. He wrote down the substance of the dream." 

There will come a time when you will have understanding of what the warning/revelation was. When you look back on your writings you will be amazed at how accurate the warning in that dream was. You will literally see how Gods plan unfolded and what purpose the dream served in that plan. Dreams are a spiritual gift. Embrace that gift with humble gratitude. If God is speaking to you there is a reason for it. Trust and draw near to him and allow him to work in every part of your life. 

*** Angela Jennifer***




Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Curly Hair Product Review




In my earlier article (Curly Hair Trick That Works) I mentioned a product for curly hair that I had recently discovered. So I wanted to take the time to elaborate on that in this blog.

I wish I could add up all of the money that I have spent over the years trying out hair products for my unruly locks. Mouses, hair gels, creams, oils the list goes on and on. I must say if anything my search has been vigilant.

A few weeks ago I came across PureShine Curls Lotion at Walgreens and thought I would give it a try. I was actually rolling my eyes as I tossed it into my cart. "defines, defrizzes and promotes shine in wavy/curly hair" yeah yeah.... I had heard or I should say, seen it written before on the many products I have tried in the past. I had always found myself unimpressed and even more aggravated than I had been before making my purchase.

I don't even think I tried the PureShine for several days after I got it home, but when I finally did..... I believe I heard a moment of angelic singing. :)

The product: Pureshine Curls Lotion

Price: approx 6.00 per bottle



I know its called lotion but its resemblance is closer to that of a gel type consistency. Although, it doesn't have the amount of stickiness that comes with an average hair gel. It has a nice (non overpowering) fragrance. Simple and clean. 

How to use PureShine Curls Lotion:

I recommend applying it onto a damp or wet head of hair. Apply it evenly to your hair roots to tips. You will have to play around with the amount that suits you but with this product I really don't think you can use too much.  Comb it through for a more even distribution. Next, air dry or blow dry with a diffuser and be prepared to be dazzled! 

This product does what it says it does, plain and simple. It defines your curls/waves, tames frizz and adds a TON of shine to your mane. PureShine does NOT weigh your hair down and leaves it feeling VERY soft (not crunchy). I LOVE IT! Thank you Jesus! :)

I was so impressed with the Curls Lotion that I went back to look for more PureShine products. I found and purchased,

PureShine Spray It Curly

Price: approx 4.00 per bottle



This is a non sticky, light weight curl activating spray that can be added along with the Curls Lotion. 

How to use PureShine Spray It Curly:

This spray goes great with the Curls Lotion. It can also be used alone. I use it after I have applied the Curls Lotion and my hair is completely dry. Spray it evenly through your hair and scrunch it. The Curls Spray rejuvenates your locks for longer lasting Curls/Waves. Its also great to spritz your hair with to revive your curls during the day. I really love this spray!
I am overall very impressed with the PureShine line of hair products and their prices are very affordable which is ALWAYS a plus! I also did a google search on PureShine and found their are also thickening, straitening and mouses in their hair care line. For those without curly/wavy hair. 

The picture provided below is one of me and my hair after using Curls Lotion and Spray It Curly. As you can see extra shiny,soft and uniformed curls!

***Angela Jennifer***

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Need You Now


This song is so powerful and speaks to my situation so perfectly. There are several things I have been pleading and wrestling with God about for many years. I know he is with me and I know that he loves me. He speaks to me and says... "Child, I have heard your prayers and seen your pain. I have been holding you every step of the way. I have given you strength to continue on when you have felt like giving up. This is not all I have for you....there is victory in my name" 


***Angela Jennifer***

code 2B4Y6RMS99WQ

Friday, January 11, 2013

Listen With Your Spirit






Today I want to encourage you to listen more intently to the Lord as he speaks to you. God loves communicating with those who seek him. Sadly not all christians listen or even believe that God speaks to his children today. I assure you, it is his pleasure to communicate with us just as he always has. He is the same yesterday,today and forever more. He is unchanging. 

Its easy to get caught up in "life" and what is going on around us. I've noticed that if I take the time to start my day in prayer and mindfulness of the Holy Spirit my whole day is much more peaceful. When I say be mindful of the Holy Spirit I am referring to being aware of the presence of the Lord. Listening to what He has to say and being sensitive to what He may show you through out your day. 

God speaks to us through his Holy Word 

When we spend time in the word of God we are aligning ourselves to commune with Him. Meditate on what scriptures you are reading and allow God to speak to you through the bible. He will guide you through the verses and chapters. I love the way I can read a scripture one day and get an understanding of what is being said and then later go back and read it again and get something new from it. The word of God is truly alive. Let Him speak to your heart and show you ways to apply his word to your life. 

God speaks to us during prayer

I believe it was Billy Graham that once said : "Prayer is simply a two way conversation between you and God" Many people rush through their prayers, spouting off all of their requests and never experience the joy of that two way conversation they could be having with their Maker. Its not the length of your prayers or the eloquence of your speech that make for an effective prayer. The most powerful prayers are those who come before the King with a humble heart and child like faith. Those who would also listen with their spirit in prayer. These prayers are always more effective, as God will show you things that need to be lifted to him in prayer.

He speaks while doing the dishes

I love the way I can be doing dishes, cooking supper or even taking a shower and feel the gentle nudging of the Holy Spirit. As you draw nearer to Him in prayer and through his word these instances occur more. God will often give revelations or words of knowledge at different times. Remember he is a creative God and he may speak to you in a different way than he does someone else. Whatever he shows you pray about it and know that it should line up with the word of God. In other words, if you believe you heard something from Him it shouldn't contradict what the bible says. I have found in my own walk that the closer you become with Him the easier it is to distinguish your thoughts from the enemies and those that are from the Holy Spirit. 

The Lord speaks as we slumber

This is the primary way God reveals things to me. In dreams. Not everyone will have dreams from the Lord. Some may have one every now and then, and others still, have them very often. If God has given you a dream or vision I highly recommend writing it down. I am trying myself to make it more of a habit to open my journal and jot everything down even if I wake in the middle of the night. If you have a dream and write it down you can look back over it and pray on it. The best way to explain knowing your dream is from God is that you will feel it in your spirit. It will have a sense of urgency,importance and meaning. You will not be able to forget it either. At times God gives me a dream and it is strait to the point but more often than not I have to pray and wait. He ALWAYS reveals the meaning and gives the interpretation. Sometimes, slowly over time and sometimes quickly.(Ill be blogging more about dreams and visions in upcoming posts) 

So as you can see Jesus loves to speak today to his flock and the ways he communicates are many. Listen with your heart and with your spirit. Doing so can help you gain victories you never thought possible. He is longing to have you draw nearer to him. I challenge you to move from the "ordinary" walk with Christ to an extraordinary one. God Bless!

***Angela Jennifer***             






Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Savoring the present..


Today as I cleaned out my son Leland’s closet and drawers I was struck by just how fast time has passed since his birth. Two and  half years. I then began to think about all five of my children and how time has literally flown by with each and every one. God has blessed me with four beautiful, precious daughters and one amazing, handsome son. At times I am saddened by the fact that I will never have another child… that, that part of my life is over. Its hard sometimes, moving from one phase of life into another. 

God showed me there is no need in mourning for what is past, but to rejoice in the present and for what is to come. Don’t get me wrong, being a wife and mother of five children is definitely not without difficulties. In fact some days I am so worn out I don’t think I can make it another day. There is a certain strength that God gives each mother and though the job is demanding ,dirty and sometimes tearful we are empowered to continue on.

 Thankfully, I don’t seem to focus on the obstacles of parenthood. Instead, I find myself laughing at the silly things I hear them chuckling about in the next room, when they think no one is listening. I smile at them as I watch them play and interact with one another. My heart swells with joy as I hug each one and take in their sweet smell. 

Dear Lord, I thank you for this time of my life. I thank you for this home full of crazy, chaotic love that you have given us. Thank you for the memories we make each and every day…. even the small things




***Angela Jennifer***


Friday, January 4, 2013

Curly Hair Trick That Works!


For those of you who don't know me personally , I have loads of thick naturally curly hair. I've had a love/hate relationship with my hair for most of my life. It sort of consumes my life! I have spent countless hours trying different methods of taming my unruly locks. If you have curly or wavy hair you know exactly what I'm talking about.  I've purchased product after product claiming to tame frizz and define curls to no avail. 

I found a really good hair product a few weeks ago. It is by far the best of all of the hair products I've ever purchased. (I will post about that wonderful product in a future blog entry). Still something was lacking so I continued my research on line. One thing kept coming up over and over again in my search engine and even Pinterest.  Articles about the sulfates in the shampoos that we use every day. Most shampoos contain harsh, drying sulfates that are extremely damaging to curly hair. (ammonium laureth sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth, sodium lauryl sulfate ect.) These are common detergents found in shampoos that make curly hair frizzy and uncooperative. I also read that conditioner alone is sufficient in cleaning hair. 


I guess I just couldn't wrap my mind around my hair and scalp being clean without using shampoo. I finally decided to give it a try and I must say the results were AMAZING! 


What to do:


Find a good conditioner you like ( i use Tres Eme )


While in the shower wet hair and apply a liberal amount of conditioner to your hair.


Work it thoroughly through your entire head of hair. ( I comb my fingers through my hair for more even distribution.)


Massage your entire scalp for several minutes to remove dirt and dead skin cells from your scalp.

Rinse WELL

Towel dry hair, brush and apply your favorite mousse or hair gel and style as usual.


This method works miracles! My hair has never looked or felt as healthy as it does now. It feels like I have lost 5 pounds of weight to my hair and I have almost no frizz! 


 The picture below is of my hair after washing with conditioner only and believe it or not I have NO PRODUCT in my hair. I just washed and let it air dry and it looks fabulous! 

*** Angela Jennifer ***






Thursday, January 3, 2013

Once upon a time....

I remember when I was a child how exciting it was to simply sit down at my desk with a tablet and a sharpened number #2 ....and just write.