Ladies, the Lord has been placing on my heart how it breaks His when we compete with one another.  His desire is for us to operate in grace, acceptance and love toward one another, yet we are so competitive with our sisters.  Being driven by the need to always be on top—to look better, have longer hair, a better body, make more money, have a newer whip, a larger house, a husband or boyfriend with more money… it’s all killing us and robbing us from our purpose, which is in Him.  I look at some of the competitiveness in my own sister-circles and it crushes me.  My prayer is that each of us will hang up the gloves and stop sizing each other up.

The time we spend and energy we waste being competitive takes us away from sharpening our minds and spirits toward His word.  Competitiveness is a trick of the enemy—satan wants you to remain insecure and to operate in immaturity towards one another.  Your existence becomes a threat to him when you are razor-sharp focused on living out God’s calling for your life.  However, as long as he can use deception to keep you preoccupied with meaningless thoughts and actions, he wins.

Points to Ponder:

• Philippians 3:14 reminds us that the reward we should most desire to receive is the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
• Our posture should be to remain humble.  Matthew 5:5 teaches us that the meek will inherit the earth.
• Our goal in life, according to Colossians 3:17, should be for our words and deeds to align with our Lord Jesus.
• Colossians 3:23-24 instructs us to keep our focus on the prize– we are serving God and will receive an inheritance from the Lord as our reward. Earthly material gain doesn’t matter in heaven.
• We should not glorify ourselves or our accomplishments— Romans 12:3 urges us to self-assess and not to think of ourselves more highly than we are.  The truth is, we are noting without the grace and goodness of God.  Everything we have and all that we’ve become is because of Him, alone—because He master planned it and He allowed it to happen.

I urge you to spend time today reflecting on your own competitive nature and to join me in repenting— self-reflection will identify roots of competitiveness in each of our hearts.  Let’s make immediate steps toward changing our thought patterns and actions.  Let’s celebrate what God is doing in the lives of each of our beautiful sisters.

Employ purposed living,

Aziza Bailey

Sisters, it’s normal for us to have short spurts of fear concerning our ability to live out our calling.  However, we are purposed to move forward and to take action by trusting God to guide us day-to-day as we live out the destiny that He planted in us.  What has God spoken in your heart concerning your purpose?  What steps are you going to take today to begin walking in your purpose?

Points to Ponder:

• The word of God reminds us that He has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, love and of a sound mind. — 2 Timothy 1:7
• Obeying God’s purpose for our lives = living His unique word for us.  James 1:22 reminds us to not just merely listen to the word– listening only deceives ourselves. We must do what God says.  Living a life of obedience requires us to actively, fervently and diligently live out the unique purpose He has exclusively planned for each of us.
• Obedience brings rest. Psalm 119:45 gives us comfort that we walk in freedom when we obey God’s precepts.
• John 8:29 instructs us to meditate on the fact that God is the One that sent us.  He is with us and will not leave us on this journey alone.  It blesses God when we do things that please Him.

Employ purposed living,

Aziza Bailey

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life… have the courage to follow your heart and intuition” — Steve Jobs

I’ve always had a passion to somehow touch the hearts and lives of women and teen girls.  My heart literally sinks when I see hurting sisters.  Over the past few months, the Lord has been unveiling and unmasking women all around me everywhere I go and all I’ve seen is a continual theme of brokenness.  I don’t yet know exactly how to usher millions of heartbroken sisters through their pain, but I’m crystal clear in knowing that God put me on earth to make an impact and I trust that He will continue to be a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Please join with me in praying for all of the women and teen girls in this world.  Pray that yokes will be destroyed and burdens removed from every broken-hearted, neglected, abandoned, abused, disrespected, misunderstood, judged and confused sister.  Pray that God will do a mighty, miraculous work across the globe in the hearts and lives of His daughters.  Pray that every woman and teen girl will come to know His lavish love and grace.  Also, please pray for me and the Purposed Princess ministry—that God remains the central focus of it all.  

Employ purposed living,

Aziza Bailey

I woke up early this morning with a clear and bold message on my heart to share.  This blog post isn’t about pregnancy abortions—it’s not a pro choice or right to life campaign whatsoever, so keep reading until you reach the end and pray that your heart and eyes remain open as you read.

Before pregnancy abortions were legal in this country, women would go through life risking measures to get one.  Throughout history, women have had unplanned and unwanted pregnancies. Time after time, we have found ways to terminate those pregnancies.  If you study underground abortions you’ll learn about women that injured themselves as a result of obtaining an underground abortion under dangerous conditions, or from trying to induce the abortion themselves.

The Lord revealed to me that so many of His daughters abort God’s divine plan for their lives every day by uprooting themselves from where He’s planted them– maybe the journey began to be too difficult or the people too hard to tolerate. Regardless of the reason for the self abortion, we harm ourselves by trying to uproot from where He has planted us.  Just like the women from yesteryear, we back-alley abort ourselves from being planted firmly in good soil. God sees the end from the beginning; He planted us for good reason.  Uprooting ourselves usually leads to humiliating and regretful results. Think about those countless women that made things much worse when they took matters into their own hands to carryout the wire coat hanger abortions.  Sure they terminated the pregnancy, but their physical bodies also suffered perpetually.

God is crying out asking His daughters to not butcher themselves. Will you trust Him today?  Make up your mind to journey with God and to trust in His sovereignty alone.  He planted you in that role for a reason—be still until He tells you otherwise, not your flesh.  Stay strong in prayer relying on God’s divine will to manifest.  Ignore your emotions and your “wisdom”.  Pay no attention to the opinions of your girlfriends, how dare we trust them over an all knowing God. Don’t take matters into your own hands, rely fully on His wisdom.  It breaks His heart when we say, “God’s plan? Yeah right, mission aborted!  Sister, don’t you know that His gift is in His plan.  His best blessings are hidden in His divine will. 

REFLECTION:  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

Heavenly Father in the matchless, incomparable name of Jesus, I pray for an open spirit and a godly heart for each of my sisters.  Forgive us for taking matters into our own hands.  Have mercy on us, God.  Show us daily, how to learn to trust in You more.  Shower us with the fullness of Your presence. Lord we ask that You remove any and every hindrance from us that causes us to question Your perfect plan.  Mute the Zechariah’s in our lives, Lord. Make them silent and unable to speak until the day of Your plan for our lives blossoms at the appointed time.  We thank You for Your word and the renewing of our hearts and minds.  Although the road is winding right now and we can’t see ahead of the curves, we completely surrender to You, Lord.  All that we have and all that we are, we commit it to Your faithful, loving hands.  We take our jobs (or current unemployment), our husbands (or boyfriends), our children (or potential future children), our gifts, our churches, our finances, our friends and family, our dreams, our businesses, our goals— we take everything we have and know, Lord and we place it at Your feet. Spare us. Mold us. Shape us. Mature us. Bless us. Perfect us. Equip us. Prepare us. Carry us, Lord. Thank You loving Father for hearing our prayers and for answering our prayers. Thank You Lord for loving us so passionately and unconditionally—even when we don’t know how to love or trust You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I encourage you to spend time with the Heavenly Father today.  Get serious about trusting Him as you journey and remain firmly planted until His appointed time.

Employ purposed living!

Aziza Bailey

Lately I’ve been frustrated because it seems like people have lost the art of calling, emailing or texting just to send their love.  It seems like every time someone reaches out, they are reaching out to take, take, take– but few are giving, exhorting or replenishing.  This is why I don’t like answering my phone or emails sometimes.  I’m constantly flooded with requests for advice, help, resources, time, money… the list goes on and on.  It’s discouraging when your loved ones treat you like a means to an end.  As a matter of fact, it infuriates me and makes me want to change my phone numbers, email addresses, cancel my social networking accounts—anything I can do to get away from the haters and the takers. I’m waiting for a caller that gets it– the one that calls just to say, “Aziza, I just wanted you to know that I was thinking of you.” Do you know how great that would feel? 

Well, imagine how God feels when we constantly plug into Him to receive, but fail to tune in solely for the purpose of soaking up His existence. God wants the one that calls on Him and cries out, “I don’t want the blessings without the fullness of Your presence, Lord. I want every morsel of Your glory.  I don’t want fame without Your friendship, Father. All I need is You!”

The first month of the new year is almost over. Don’t let another minute pass by without crying out to receive more of God’s presence.  On January 9, 2011, I had the pleasure of listening to my pastor preach this message titled, Desperate for God’s Presence, which hit me like a ton of bricks.  After meditating on that sermon, I realized how selfish I have been.  My time with God was typically filled with prayer requests for myself and others.  However, I had failed to establish a practice of reaching out solely to say, “Lord, you were on my mind and I just wanted you to know that I love you.”  After hearing that sermon, I repented because my initial thought was good for you Moses, but I’d never turn my back on a blessing.  I felt bad, but I was real with myself.  I believe my honesty opened up the door for God to meet me where I was and to help me along the way.  Two and a half weeks later, I can genuinely state with conviction that I DO NOT want the blessings of God without His presence.  I had to contend with the scriptures for a minute, but thank heavens God didn’t leave me in my selfishness.  I will spend my life chasing after God’s presence alone.  Here is your invitation to join me!

Employ purposed living,

 Aziza Bailey

Many congrats to Denise Hires for winning the Zumba® Fitness Total Body Transformation System DVD Set.

I truly appreciate all of you for staying connected with me on this blogging journey. There will be more blog posts, more drawings and more opportunities to connect this year than ever before. The best is yet to come!

There is something about the New Year that energizes me each year.  There’s something dynamic about God blessing the world with a chance to start over and another opportunity to get it right.  Be bold this year by utilizing your talents– begin 2011 by employing purposed living!!!

Sisterly love,

Aziza

Purposed Princess Blog is having a random drawing on January 1st to give away one (1) Zumba® Fitness Total Body Transformation System DVD Set just in time for your New Year’s resolution to get fit!  To enter into the drawing, all you have to do is follow the instructions below.

New Blog Email Subscribers

New email subscribers can enter into the random drawing by signing up during the month of December 2010 to receive Purposed Princess Blog email subscriptions (http://purposedprincess.wordpress.com) AND by connecting with PurposedPrincess on Facebook.  You must do both to enter to win.  Once you complete both steps, simply send an email to moreinfo@azizabailey.com indicating your name and the email address you used to sign up for email subscriptions. Only entries that completed both steps will be accepted.

Current Blog Email Subscribers

If you are already an email subscriber, for every female that you get to sign up during the month of December 2010 to receive Purposed Princess Blog email subscriptions (http://purposedprincess.wordpress.com) AND to connect with PurposedPrincess on Facebook, you and them will be entered into the random drawing.  They must complete both steps to enter to win.  Once they complete both steps, simply have them send an email to moreinfo@azizabailey.com indicating your name, their name and the email address they used to subscribe. Only entries that completed both steps will be accepted. The more people you recommend, the more it will increase your favor to be the winner!

It’s just that simple!  The random winner will be blessed with one Zumba® Fitness Total Body Transformation System DVD Set (retail value $59.95). 

Don’t let time slip away, sign up to today!

Employ purposed living,

Aziza Bailey

Imagine a hot, summer day where the temperature is 114 degrees outside.  The heat is smoldering and your clothes are sticking to you.  Your hair has gone from beautiful silky tresses to a kinky or frizzy mess.  All day, you’ve been walking around desperately craving an ice cream cone, but you don’t have a dime in your pocket at the time to buy one.  Meanwhile, everywhere you go, you see someone with an ice cream cone and it seems like you are the only one on the planet without one.  No matter what you do, you can’t shake the craving.  The desire to devour the creamy, cold treat is driving you crazy and there is absolutely nothing you can do, but go home to a hot house empty-handed.  

God is showing me that so many of my sisters are struggling with being content while we wait for Him to deliver on His promises or bless the desires of our hearts.  Waiting on God is an extremely humbling experience, but in the end we are always blessed more than we can think or ask.  If God has promised it, the blessing He has in store for you is going to knock your socks off!  Some of you are waiting on God for a husband and every time you look up you see happy couples hugging and kissing all around you.  Meanwhile, you go home to an empty house every night.  Maybe, your biological clock is ticking and you desperately want God to bless your womb so you can experience the joys of motherhood.  However, every time you look up you see a pregnant lady or a woman with beautiful children and you go home childless feeling like your prayers will never be answered.  Perhaps, you are married to a man or have children that refuse to surrender to God and you are waiting on the Lord to move mightily on their behalf.  Maybe you are waiting on that promotion or for the job of your dreams to manifest.  Regardless of what you are waiting for right now, in different seasons of our lives, we each have to learn to trust and wait on our Heavenly Father.

No matter what we are waiting on God to do, we have to discipline ourselves to soak up His presence while we wait.  In our emptiness, our posture needs to be all about Him.  He desires to have true intimacy with us.  However, we cannot realize genuine intimacy with God until we learn how to fully immerse ourselves in His glory and experience the fullness of Him alone.  The Lord wants us to clear our calendars and make a reservation just for two—God and you, with no interruptions.  Every time the feelings of incompleteness and lack bully us, we need to immediately stop what we are doing to spend Daddy-daughter time exalting Him through worship.  Make a habit of abiding in the secret place of the Most High.  When you least expect it, at God’s ordained time, He will open up the heavens and pour out showers of blessings. 

Points to Ponder:

• His word encourages that He will keep us in perfect peace when our mind is stayed on Him, because we trust in Him (Isaiah 26:3).
• Psalms 91:1 reminds us that He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
• Philippians 4:7 teaches that the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will be a garrison to guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  A garrison is a major military station that has the specific role of guarding a particular location. Garrisons are very secure.  When we have this type of peace, which comes only from God, we are blessed and protected in Him.
• Colossians 3:15 instructs us that we should let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, since as members of one body we were called to peace and to be thankful.

One of our goals as a Purposed Princess is to live a life that’s reflective of a woman who counts her blessings continuously. Instead of throwing a pity party or allowing jealousy or discontentment to grow in our hearts, let’s keep our eyes on God and wait patiently on Him.

Employ purposed living,

Aziza Bailey

In the last post of this series, I blogged about how walking in our purpose requires that we live out God’s word, as well as implement practical tactics to obtain and maintain a purposed career. The success of our careers is dependent upon our application of the Word of God in our lives, as well as the choices we make.  We have to place God first in our careers.   Staying connected with God is our insurance that we will walk in our unique purpose. By spending time with Him, the Lord will direct our paths.  I fully believe that God is the author and finisher of our lives and in everything we do, we need Him.  I caution you to not treat this blog post as a blueprint for success, but more so as an opportunity to refresh your perspective about your career plan. 

Although there is no cookie cutter approach or formula for success, there are some very practical tactics that we can employ to add value to the workplace or in our entrepreneurial endeavors.  We can begin by assessing the market’s needs against our personal resources.  In this post, the market refers to our employer, business or our ministries.  What are your employer’s needs?  What does your business need to elevate it to the next level?  What are the needs of your ministry? Then begin assessing your resources.  What values, gifts talents, skills, competencies and qualities can you contribute to your employer/business/ministry to meet the needs?  This requires that we broaden our thinking to discover our unique combination of resources.  Ask God for discernment in assessing the market to determine the most opportune places, methods and timing to contribute your resources.

Our success depends upon our ability to step out of the box in our thinking and to not box God in.  Consider changing your mindset.  Think of yourself as a co-proprietor.  We are joined together with God on this journey. He is our partner.  Our career decisions have to be in action with His word and will.  Additionally, our comprehensive brand has to be reflective of His kingdom.  We have to manage ourselves like a co-proprietorship business regardless of who we work for.  We represent God who has called us to do His work.  We need to be deliberate about seeking Him for opportunities to add value to the market.

Heavenly Father, we thank You for equipping Your daughters to carry out Your will.  Lord we ask that You perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish us to be the women You created us to be.  In everything that we do, may it bring glory to Your name.  Teach us in the way that we should go. Lead us in a path of righteousness.  We submit to Your transformation and the renewing of our minds.  Our desire is to live in wisdom and to walk boldly where you have ordained us to go. Help us to stay focused on our assignments and bless us to be a blessing to others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Points to Ponder:

• James 3:17 teaches us that the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 
• Proverbs 24:14 reminds us that Wisdom is sweet to our soul and if we find it, there is a future hope for us.
• Psalm 119:133 directs us to establish our footsteps in God’s word, so no iniquity has dominion over us.

What a mighty God we serve!

Employ purposed living,

Aziza Bailey

Our mouths and our tongues plant seeds for our own destruction when we spit venom at people who have hurt us. We have to turn all that hurt over to God for Him to heal and restore.  In every harsh word and in every judgment, we speak evil against ourselves when we have a wayward tongue toward people who have wronged us.  God’s grace is sufficient.  When we are huring, sometimes it’s best that we remain quiet and be still.  I have to often remind myself that the person who has hurt me is a repentant child of God. They are God’s servant regardless of their past mistakes. Likewise, I am a repentant child of God who has been cleansed by the blood for the sins that I have caused and the lives that I have hurt.  The truth is, we all experience pain and we all have hurt one another.

 Points to Ponder:

• Isaiah 43:18-19 teaches us to not remember the former or old things. God will do a new thing.  The new thing shall spring forth.  God will make a way in the wilderness for us and will provide rivers in the desert.  We have to trust God to do a new thing in our relationships and in our hearts.
• Philippians 4:8 encourages us to focus on whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, we should securely fix our minds on those things.

Lord, I invite You into the hearts of every person reading this right now, starting with me first.  Measure us Father.  Where there is hurt, remove it and in its place leave love and peace.  Restore us Lord.  Show us the beauty and Godly character in individuals that have once crushed us.  Teach us how to trust You and to submit to Your will.  Instruct us daily on how to walk in forgiveness.  Father, do a new thing in our relationships and in our hearts.  Bless us abundantly as we rely fully on You to be our source. In Jesus name, Amen.