So Lena, When's the Baby Due?!

Well, hello HELLO folks!

It has been way too long since I've given any updates. Interesting thing is, I actually started writing a post back in September but I never shared it. It was a story about my journey to finding a church home. I suppose now I'll save it for a rainy day.

What I would like to talk about is my CD project! I'm sure many minds have wondered when the official release date is.

"So Lena, when's the baby due?"

Oh my goodness, guys....after two years, folks may as well ask me that ha!. It's been quite a journey indeed! As mentioned in my previous post, I've steadily been working on the completion of The Mixstory: Vol. 1, Tales of Love. A few adjustments here and there and we'll be done! My goal was to release this October but oh the winds of change. So, I will now be releasing this November. Like, for real. 

Why the push back? Well, the short story is I ended up dropping a song from the project, had plans of adding another as a replacement, recorded that song, aaaand as of about an hour ago decided I should just stick with 8 tracks instead of 9. Yes, let's praise God for decision making.

Seriously though, I've learned it can definitely be tough doing something like this solo. I don't know how often I mention my professional job but I work as a counselor by day. Juggling work, family, church, etc., etc. can be a lot. I'm just so glad I'm not a single mother and my "baby" has been a CD project called The Mixstory. 

When it's all said and done, although you may face a few bumps in the road, that doesn't change the worth of what you do and definitely not the necessity.

I really believe this project is necessary.

And literally everything recorded for the album has been the work of 6 hands. My friend Tai Habersham recorded four songs, my sister Sabrina P. Robertson recorded the music for one song, and I recorded four songs. So yes, it's been quite an independent venture. I definitely would like more assistance for the next one but I am proud of what has been created. And more than anything, I'm glad to have had Tai and my sister to be a part of it.

In the meantime, can you do something for me? Will you pray for me? Please pray that God will put this project in the hands of people who really need to hear it. Please pray that doors of opportunity will open wide to share these stories of love. Pray that the message of Christ's love will shine through so that people will come to know what and who Love truly is. Pray that I will be a good steward of God's gifts and remember that I am His instrument. Pray that I remain humble so that God may be glorified.

And while I could simply pray this singularly for myself, I am a firm believer that there is power in the unity of our prayers, Matthew 18:19. We're better and stronger together. It's a "Mixstory" for a reason. The stories are for you and me.

I'll update more frequently in the coming days. Perhaps in the next two weeks, but remember you can always find me on my other social media pages by referencing the links to the right of this post. And if you have any prayer requests, reference the tab at the top of this page.

I am super excited about the birthing of this beginning. And am looking forward to you "pressing play" on me! Love you guys, always!

Officially,

Lena

 ...oh and before I forget, I usually include a link to a song for you to check out.  Today, I present Awe-Struck by B. Reith!  B. Reith is an artist I absolutely LOVE.  His messages are always pretty well thought out and his music can flow in and out of various genres.  And the man loves Jesus.  I hope that folks will say the same thing about me! Use this link if you're on a mobile device,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO7k3TU944M.

It's Alright, It's Okay

Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.  -Psalm 55:22 NLT 

Everything is alright.  Everything is okay.  And it will all work out.  

It's words like those that I've had to speak to myself during these past few years of my life.  And some day I will share more of my testimony with you, but it's not the right season to do so now.  What I do know is that you and I have a choice about whether we choose to remain in a season of contentment during our tests.  The only reason our hope is deferred and heart becomes sick (Proverbs 13:12) is because we allow room for the atmosphere to shift in our lives by forsaking our joy, our trust in God and we become impatient.

I refuse to allow that to happen.  Not just because other folks have far worse circumstances but because it is by the hand of God that I exist and it is through Him that I have purpose.  I think it's on the CoverGirl commercials where they say, "...because you're worth it" or wait, is that Maybelline?  Anyhow, that commercial reminds women of their exterior beauty.  Well, I can smile knowing that the beauty of my worth is found in Christ alone.  Not only does he reconfirm to me daily that I am worth more than any circumstance but I am also reminded that He is so worth it.

He is worth more than the tears I could pour.  More than the heartache I could feel.  And worth more than the life that I Iive.  Christ is worth more because He saw me as more and demonstrated it through His life, death, and resurrection.

Allow those refining moments to serve as a reminder that He is worth it.  He didn't give up on us so what right do we have to give up on us?  Life has never been about whether it feels good to go through the fire yet there's beauty in the process.  And the fact that you live to see another day is evidence your godly purpose remains.

Today I leave you with J Moss's new single (which I am currently loving).  It's called, Alright Ok.  Here's the link if you're on a mobile device, http://youtu.be/Y5EpcKJdriU.

...These past few months have been very busy with me moving around Atlanta.  But I wanted to make sure I wrote some words for you today and if you're new to my site, "Hello!"  I try to share pieces of my journey so that you will be inspired while traveling on yours.  And the only road I take is through Jesus.

Thank you for allowing me to speak life into your today...

Officially,

Lena

p.s. Here's the link to my cover of Just the Way You Are which I referenced in my last post, https://soundcloud.com/carlenaprophet/just-the-way-you-are-bruno 

Be Still...

I have a tendency to think A LOT.  

That can have its pros but it can also have its cons.  I'd say I am a pretty  "calculated" person.  By that I mean that I typically like to know what's about to happen next in a story.  Or I try to analyze the reason behind why certain things have or have not happened in life.  So thank God I have Jesus because otherwise I would rack my brain like crazy.

When I graduated from college in 2012 I had a good bit of time to think about my next moves in life.  Where would I work? Where would I live?  Where would I be in 5, 10, 20 years?  What would I wear the next day?  How could I save the world?  Seriously, my mind was just running around in circles.

It was during that time that I realized there was only so much I could do.  I actually wrote a song called Control to serve as my reminder that God had the final say.  See, He has this great and fascinating ability to add his SUPER to my natural and I found that to be pretty amazing.

I know this full well but even after 2 years in what is now 2014, I still have the tendency to think SO MUCH.

I know it's sad, but I'm human and chances are you probably face the same battle.  I think we all do at some point on this journey.  We lose sight of the fact there's only so much our sight can do for us.  God doesn't operate in the same way our human eyes do.  He's SO beyond that.  And that's good news for you and me!

So earlier this week when I was ministering to my Chi Alpha ladies at State, we arrived at the words of Jesus.  We've been focusing on beauty for the past month but this passage dove beyond beauty and into my current circumstance.  Perhaps it wasn't just for us but was meant for you to read today.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. -Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)

The message of this blog post is simple.  

Do not worry about your life.  Be still and know that He is God.  He is more than capable of taking care of you.

I will probably be reading this post a few times as a friendly reminder to my busy mind.  Here's one simple scripture to hide in your heart today...

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” -Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

Mary Mary has a song I love that serves as a musical reminder for me.  Check out Stand Still and follow this link if you're on a mobile device, http://youtu.be/r2_p2Ck9uk0.

God loves you and I love you!  Have a stress-free day!

Officially,

Lena