by GSkinner | Nov 4, 2018 | GOD Speaks
Dear Heavenly Father, we come to you in Jesus name, and You have PROMISED that where two or more are gathered in Your Name, that You will be with us. We thank You for Your Presence Lord, and we ask for Your Guidance and Your Provision.
Father, You know our needs before we even ask.
I appreciate you
And Father, we appreciate that You sent Jesus so He would lift the veil and we could come before You.
We thank You Jesus, that You are our Intercessor.
We thank You Jesus, that You love us, and Father, that You knew us from the foundation of the earth.
That You, Father, have created us for Your Divine Purpose.
That You, Father, direct our steps.
Father, You are our Provider. You guide our steps.
Father, show me, speak to me as You have spoken to others, speak to me and tell me what direction, what decision is best for me (and my family).
Lord, Jesus, we ask for healing in the places that need to be cleansed.
Heal the broken areas, Lord. 
Because we are broken.
We ask Father in Heaven, that You would protect this family and their children. That Father, You would make a way, where we don’t see one.
Father, THANK YOU, that we depend on You.
We need You!
Jesus thank You, that by Your stripes we are healed.
Thank you Jesus, that You sacrificed so that we may live
Father in Heaven, we stand on Your Promise that You know the plans that You have for us. Plans to prosper us and give us a future.
Plans to for good and not evil.
Thank you Lord for Your Promises.
In Jesus Holy Name. We pray. AMEN
by GSkinner | Oct 30, 2018 | Holistic Healing, Uncategorized
I’ve been blessed with an artistic streak, drawing during my childhood and teen years. As life takes hold, we forget our gifts as we focus on other things. Raising children, working and running a household can veer you into many directions. Now, I find creativity is an outlet for me. Never did I realize the many forms art can take.
It wasn’t until I bought my own home after my second divorce. I put in so much time remodeling the place with my own hands. I molded it little by little, not realizing the molding process that was occurring inside of me. Where as I grew up feeling unloved and belittled, which I rebelled against, I still had much insecurity. So much so, that my relationships with men were somehow always abusive with much verbal degradation.
Alone now, with my daughter to raise, we worked together to make changes to our new home. Not having the finances to hire someone to remodel, once I decided on a project I would look for discounted products. I would research how to’s and think “That’s not rocket science”. Just plain old hard work. So, I laid my own wood flooring. I painted. I resurface walls. Oh, and the yard! 
I created. And each time, there was satisfaction and pride in my accomplishments. I was dating, and the relationships were “not up to par”, but each “bad” relationship was shorter than the last.
There was a time that I thought I was “supposed to work things out”… but what a male friend said to me one day was a revelation. He said, “Grace, little things like leaving your clothes on the floor, or not cleaning up after yourself… those things can be worked out. BUT A CHARACTER FLAW …” I hadn’t ever thought of it in that term… A CHARACTER FLAW.
What is the character of a man? Or a woman? Are they honest? Do they have integrity? What are a person’s intentions? These are now questions I ask myself when I meet someone. Man or woman. Pay attention to “red flags”. Surround yourself with people who are honorable. People that you can respect. Pray for yourself and others. Find a partner that will pray with you. Live your life with integrity. Work hard and everything else will fall into place.
by GSkinner | Oct 19, 2018 | Skin Care
When do you find time to relax? Do you feel your life is too busy to slow down?
Here are some tips to calm your nervous system before bed or to stimulate when you are taking your bathroom time to get ready for work or otherwise just shower.
You can add essential oils to your shower gel if it doesn’t already have it. I like lemongrass and lavendar, but I will also do a batch of lemon eucalyptus or grapefruit and orange. Here are some of the benefits of adding essential oils to your wash, shampoo and body lotion.
Lavender ~ Soothing and relaxing, lavender calms the nervous system. It is excellent for skin conditions such as bruising, eczema, sunburn, insect bites, rashes and inflammatory conditions. It can be used safely on children.
Grapefruit ~ Stimulating, grapefruit is excellent for mental exhaustion and hangover, muscle fatigue and stiffness. Grapefruit even helps with fluid retention and cellulite because of it’s detoxification properties. Great for headaches, grapefruit is restorative.
Lemongrass ~ Calming to the nervous system, lemongrass is also a diuretic, detoxifier and great for cellulite. Lemongrass is a general tonic to the skin and excellent for acne and infections.
Eucalyptus ~ There are many species of eucalyptus, but the are all wonderful for mental exhaustion, muscular aches and pains, colds and flu, bronchitis, headache, sluggishness, insect bites and so much more. Lemon eucalyptus is great for chicken pox, measles, sore throat, fever, bacterial skin infections, fungal infections, arthritis and is a relaxant as well.
Tea Tree Oil ~ Anti-inflammatory and immunostimulant, tea tree oil is excellent for cuts, rashes, insect bites, wounds, acne and any kind of infection. It is also anti-fungal and is well used for ringworm, nail fungus and dermatitis. Sore throat and brochial congestion also respond to tea tree oil.
Rosemary ~ Muscular pain and weakness, arthritis, rheumatism and exhaustion are just a few of the benefits of using rosemary. Rosemary is wonderful for general debility and memory enhancement, as well as acne, hair growth, infections, headache, colds, bronchitis and constipation. Rosemary enhances circulation and reduces cellulite. It is an overall general tonic to the entire body.
Salt or sugar scrub to exfoliate skin ~ Only use the essential oils, as any other oils may clog the drain. Use one cup salt or sugar. Add 20 drops of lavender oil, 10 drops rosemary oil. Stir with metal spoon and keep in glass jar. When you get into the shower, you can either massage onto dry skin for “dry brush” exfoliation, or wet your skin first. If it is your first exfoliation, you may want to wet your skin so it is less abrasive. Moisturize afterwards. Your skin will feel like silk!
For moisturizer ~ 4 ounces grape seed oil, 10 drops lavender oil, 7 drops sweet orange oil, 3 drops lemongrass. Grapeseed oil is water soluable so it will not stain your clothes. I keep this combo by my shower and while my skin is still damp, apply lightly.
by GSkinner | Oct 16, 2018 | GOD Speaks
In my early 40’s I had a boyfriend who was much younger. He was a great guy, and we had lots of fun together. One night, we were at his apartment watching Shawshank Redemption. We were laying on the couch, him behind me, spooning. “GRACE”, I heard. I turned around to look at him. He looked down at me and smiled. I waited for him to speak. Time passed as we gazed into one anothers’ eyes. He finally kissed me on the forehead, and I, frowning a confused expression, turned back to the television. “SHOULDN’T YOU BE DOING THIS WITH SOMEONE YOU COULD HAVE MORE WITH?” “Well, yeah”, I thought. “But WHO IS THIS ?!
The following week, one of my NFL clients offered me tickets to Sunday’s game. I accepted, and excitedly called my boyfriend. We made plans to go to the game and meet up with friends. It was a one o’clock game so we would get to the stadium around 10:00 for tailgating. The night before the big game, I spend the night with him so we could get up early. We were “night owls” but I told him we have to go to bed early so we can get up early. Yes, ok, he says. About 12:00 am he said he couldn’t sleep. “Let’s go out and get into the jacuzzi. We won’t stay long. I promise.” Grabbing a six pack of beer to take with, I thought “uh oh”.. I won’t say what went on in that jacuzzie, but we got in around 4:00 am, and I set the alarm for 8. We had to be downtown at 10! “I will get up”, he promised.
The alarm went off in what seemed like minutes. I got up and made coffee. Get up, I said. We have to go. Ok, he said. I’m getting up. I got into the shower. When I got out he was still sleeping. I got some coffee and tried to wake him again.
Ok, I’m getting up.
I went to get dressed, thinking he would be in the shower. No!
I went to wake him again with coffee in hand.
This was my third attempt, and this time, he wouldn’t move … or even speak. He was gone.
Dammit, I thought. I’m older than you and your ass should have more energy than me!
As I laid on the couch, watching the game, thinking about how we could have been having a great time, there was the “Voice” .
“THIS IS A PREVIEW OF WHAT YOUR LIFE WITH HIM WOULD BE LIKE”
NO!!! I don’t want this life!!!!
That was it. I finished out the day with my cute young boyfriend, but I never returned his calls after that. Poor guy
I just STOPPED.
If I was out with my girlfriends an we happened to run into him, we would say hi, but in the bar we would never “converse”. My friends were like, “He’s following you around like a puppy” … By then, I had told them the story… STILL not realizing who that ‘Voice” was.
Does God care about our daily lives? Does God want more for us than we want for ourselves? ABSOLUTELY
It took me years to recognize ….
by GSkinner | Oct 16, 2018 | GOD Speaks
One day, walking through my living room, I heard “Grace, you’ve had a good life.” Immediately I stopped in my tracks. “SELF?! What did you just say to yourself?! Because, if you wrote a book, people would say your life sucked!” I heard, “You wouldn’t be the person you are today had you not gone through the things you went through.” I contemplated the message. “Yeah”, I thought. “You’ve worked hard to over come, and you finally love yourself!” There was a feeling of peace and satisfaction. I went about my day and didn’t think too much more about this “conversation with myself”.
It wasn’t until years later that I realized it wasn’t my “self” speaking to myself.
When I heard that voice that said, “Grace, you’ve had a good life” … the first thing I thought about was all my struggles and all my sins. I am not an innocent woman. I lived a very hedonistic lifestyle for many years. And my life was chaos. I was surrounded with like minded individuals, like we always are, and their lives were in chaos too. Birds of a feather … God would judge me harshly, IF He were not a Good Father. If Jesus had not taken all my sins. I deserved judgement. But when I heard that Voice, there was no condemnation whatsoever. None.
He judges everything. But because He loves us, He is merciful and kind. How else would you appreciate Him? How else would you learn to trust Him? When you finally understand … when you finally go to Him, HE IS GRACIOUS. Because He loves you. And forgives you. And restores you. Just GO to Him!
Think of the story of the Prodigal Son. That’s you. It was me. And I am still that ever wandering child, seeking my own way, my own adventures. He pulls me back, gently … through the wonders of nature. I marvel. He pulls me back, through the beautiful night sky and the gentle breezes. I thank Him, especially when the moon is full and bright! “Look what You’ve done!! It’s beautiful! Thank You!”
What is the Character of God? You can trust Him. He is always with you.
