We Are Black Women http://weareblackwomen.com A Blog Network With A Positive Difference Mon, 01 Aug 2011 17:05:29 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Some works of African American artist Frank J. Dillon http://weareblackwomen.com/2011/08/01/some-works-of-african-american-artist-frank-j-dillon/ http://weareblackwomen.com/2011/08/01/some-works-of-african-american-artist-frank-j-dillon/#comments Mon, 01 Aug 2011 16:36:14 +0000 sherry http://weareblackwomen.com/?p=1719 Oil paintings, sketchbooks, photo albums and more belonging to African American artist Frank J. Dillon and his family were auctioned recently. Here are photos of some of the paintings, most of which were of family members. You can read more about the auction here.

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]]> http://weareblackwomen.com/2011/08/01/some-works-of-african-american-artist-frank-j-dillon/feed/ 0 Bless and be blessed http://weareblackwomen.com/2010/08/16/bless-and-be-blessed/ http://weareblackwomen.com/2010/08/16/bless-and-be-blessed/#comments Mon, 16 Aug 2010 22:43:40 +0000 yslamb http://weareblackwomen.com/?p=1188 My original best friend, as she calls herself, blessed me last month with a daily devotional for my birthday. Leetta really enjoys reading the encouraging words of this young minister from Singapore and wanted to share them with me. The daily reflections, written by Joseph Price and entitled “Destined to Reign,” have opened up my heart and mind to more of the knowledge of God’s grace in my life.

I am blessed each time I open the book and today was no exception.  The reading reinforced for me how important it is for us to bless each other as often as possible. The lesson focused on speaking blessings over your family and encourages us with this thought of the day:

“Pronounce God’s blessings over your children and they will grow up to be winners in the fight of life.”

Price also urges us to bless our loved ones by declaring over them the words from Psalm 5:12: “The Lord blesses you and surrounds you with His favor as with a shield.”

I heard a similar message several years ago while attending a College of Prayer module presented by Cheryl Sacks, a well-known prayer leader, who also talked about the difference we make in the lives of our loved ones when we bless them in word and deed. I  also came across a book sometimes ago by secular author David Spangler who taught classes on the art and practice of blessings.

Experience has taught me that blessing another person is a holy act that each of us can perform.  It is a divine transaction of us releasing the power of God in us to touch the life of another person in ways we cannot imagine.  Countless people have blessed my life and I am sure they did not even know they were doing it.  

 In the course of what may be an ordinary day for us, a person’s life could be transformed when we offer a hopeful word, a warm smile, a helping hand, a right attitude in a bad situation, a silent prayer.  Just think of the life-changing influence you can have when you are intentional in being a blessing to someone.

Yesterday at church, praises filled the room as a member told in a trembling voice how she had received an anonymous monetary gift that morning so that she could attend our upcoming women’s retreat.  Shortly afterwards, another member stood and offered to pay for five other women to attend the October retreat. What a blessing!

Today, bless someone and create a chain of blessings that can bring Heaven to earth.  Release the God in you into the world and see for yourself the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Here is a prayer  I adapted from Ephesians 3: 14-20 that I hope blesses you today.

I pray today to God, the Creator of everything in heaven and earth, that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength though His Spirit. I pray that with Christ living in your heart through faith, you will be rooted in God’s love and remain strong.  I pray that you will come to know and truly understand, as all God’s peoples should, how wide, how long, how high and how deep God’s love is. May you experience the love of Christ, even as it is too great to fully comprehend, and be filled with the fullness of God.

Know always, and cling to this knowledge, that God is able to do above and beyond, to accomplish infinitely more, that we could ever ask or imagine.  May you feel the love of God in a special way today – and pass it on. Amen,

How has someone blessed you recently?

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]]> http://weareblackwomen.com/2010/08/16/bless-and-be-blessed/feed/ 0 Welcome to WABW http://weareblackwomen.com/2009/08/05/welcome-to-wabw/ http://weareblackwomen.com/2009/08/05/welcome-to-wabw/#comments Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:53:45 +0000 sherry http://weareblackwomen.com/?p=50 We Are Black Women is a network of blogs for and about black women over the age of 40. Please subscribe to our individual blogs by clicking on weareblackwomen.com or the blogs below. Then, click the Subscribe icon in the upper right corner.  

Auction Finds

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Juggling Act

Soul Rhythms

Taking on Life

The blogs are updated on the network website, along with profiles of Mighty Black Women, news about black women and our other features.

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