10 X Better

God is about to give you a mate that is 10X better — and yes, it’s possible. You might be asking, How could that even be? But if God did it for Hannah, He can do it for you.

This is not just about getting a better partner — it’s about becoming a 10X better version of yourself. Because when you grow in wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, you attract what you’ve become.

Hannah was a wise woman. She was loved and honored by her husband, Elkanah, yet she carried deep sorrow because she could not bear a child. In 1 Samuel 1:8, her husband asked,

“Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? Am not I better to thee than ten sons?”

Elkanah wasn’t being prideful — he was speaking to identity. He was reminding her that her life was more than what she lacked. And still, Hannah’s pain had purpose. Her womb was closed because timing had not yet met purpose.

You may have a successful career, a thriving ministry, or a full life, yet something in you still feels missing. Maybe you have children but no spouse. Maybe you’re married, but the person beside you isn’t yet walking in their full anointing. God wants you to know — He can place an anointing on your mate and make them 10X better for you.

And I can prove it.

Daniel 1:20 says:

“In all matters of wisdom and understanding that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm.”

When God breathes on something, it multiplies in excellence. His anointing doesn’t just make you good — it makes you 10X better.

Proverbs 24:3–4 reminds us:

“Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”

When we let God build our homes — our marriages, our families, our futures — with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, He promises to establish them and fill them with good things.

God gave you that desire to be married, and it’s not just about you. It’s about purpose. Hannah wanted a son, but the world needed a prophet. Your longing for partnership isn’t simply personal — it’s prophetic. The world needs what’s locked inside that covenant.

Stay in position. Keep praying. Keep preparing. Because just like Hannah, God is about to remember you.

No matter how long you’ve waited, or how impossible it’s seemed, you are on the brink of a divine turnaround. Your 10X better is not just coming — it’s already been set in motion.

Get ready for the love story that heaven has written just for you. 💖

Poetic Reflection: “You”

You see, with every love letter,

you got to know me better.

God downloaded me into you —

this is intimacy.

See, you see me,

not like them, but like you.

I’m in to you,

because I came out of you.

Now I’m naked and not ashamed,

but you are to blame —

you set me free with the longing of your desire,

fire.

You’re being uploaded into me,

you into me,

this is intimacy.

How are we not yet engaged like a “friendly”?

You got me locked in like a bogey ready to fire like a jet,

locked and loaded.

You unlocked my gift to another level,

this is God-given — no devil.

In to me, intimacy,

see you see me,

not like them, but like you.

“This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” – Genesis 2:23

I waited

I Waited — And He Wasn’t Late

Have you ever waited for something so long that you started to believe it wasn’t going to happen? Maybe you even gave up because it didn’t turn out the way you dreamed it would.

You were that small child sitting by the window, waiting for a parent who promised to come — but never did.

You poured your heart into a business, only for a partner to betray you and sign the contract without you.

You waited to have a child until marriage, only to hear the doctor say it’s too late.

Or maybe you lost your only child to tragedy — and along with them, your dreams, your laughter, your hope.

You prayed. You fasted. You waited.

And when it didn’t end the way you believed it would, you settled — maybe with other people, maybe with lesser dreams — like the woman at the well who had tried again and again, searching for something that could only be found in Him.

But God wants you to know — it’s not too late.

He’s waiting for you, just like He waited for her.

He wants to address your issue — not to shame you, but to heal you.

He wants to bring you into a new revelation that changes your reality and forever shifts your perspective.

When Jesus met the woman at the well, He asked her for a drink — but what He was really offering her was living water. He said,

“Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,

but whoever drinks of the water I give will never thirst.

It will become in them a well springing up into everlasting life.” — John 4:13–14

That same well He dug in her heart, He wants to dig in yours.

The well He forms inside of you through worship, surrender, and love becomes a source others can drink from — a well that never runs dry.

God doesn’t want you to stay thirsty.

He’s offering you a drink — not from the world, but from His heart.

He’s even sending someone who will hold your cup with care — and when you drink from that love, you will never thirst again.

I waited.

I waited 6 years,

And Overcame my fears,

I waited like Jack did at the clock,

Like Jesus did when he left his flock,

Waiting for the one.

To return,

While I yearn, 

Make it count for the Son.

The difference is our ship won’t sink,

and I don’t care what they think,

I waited.

 like Jesus did at the well for a drink .

So You will never again thirst, 

He sent me 6 years ahead first,

So I could teach you that sometimes dreams die and bubbles burst.

But don’t cry,

Dry your eyes,

Look to the skies,

Where your help comes from,

Because he saved us a seat not just a crumb.

I waited 

He sent me 6 years first to give you a head start, 

to outsmart,

the enemy.

So I could learn how to run and not fall,

So I could cover you until you learned to crawl.

I waited,

Placated, 

with the promise of your love,

Thinking of, 

how  deeply you will drink from my well,

From the story we will tell,

How he sent me 6 years ahead first,

So you could see,

when you searched for me, 

You would make it through better and for worse.

He made me wait, 

But wasn’t late,

So you would recognize, 

Not by surprise, 

The love 

We shared in eternity,

To infinity. 

We chose then,

That we would always win.

He made me wait 6 years for you,

until you could believe our love is true.

So I like Jesus could prepare a path,

So you would know my humor and laugh,

Like Sarah did, 

When God told them they would have a kid.

I waited

For our promise to live happily ever after

Now our joy is coming in the morning

And

we will live forever in his laughter. 

Better Together

December 26, 2023, seemed like just another ordinary day. I went to the movies in Chicago with my daughter and her godparents to see The Color Purple. But what I didn’t know was that heaven had already scheduled an encounter. A few weeks earlier, I had received a prophetic word from Apostle Donald Garner. He told me that God was going to begin revealing things to me about the cloud of witnesses and the ministry of angels — that heaven would begin to share secrets, and I would begin to speak as God revealed. He asked me, “Has it started yet?” I quietly said, “Yes.” What he didn’t know was that God had been showing me glimpses of heaven for years. But that day, while watching The Color Purple, something in the spirit realm opened.

As I watched, tears streamed down my face. My heart wept for the things I had endured in my previous marriage, and for the deep, generational pain my ancestors carried. I felt the weight of their sorrow and the strength of their survival. Yet, in the middle of my tears, I heard the gentle voice of the Lord whisper: “Your next marriage will be an answered prayer — not just yours, but theirs too.”

I sat there overwhelmed by His love. God was reminding me that He redeems not only our stories, but our bloodlines. He’s the God of generations — the same God who heard the cries of our ancestors and preserved their dreams in us.

As we entered February — Black History Month — my heart was stirred again with the memories of those who fought and bled for freedom, equality, and truth. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream because he had already seen the mountain top — like Abraham, who saw the promise from afar. Has God shown you a dream, too, even when it still feels far away?

Malcolm X’s life was taken while exposing truths that brought my great-grandmother great sorrow. Those wounds ran deep, but so did the call. One of the burdens I carry is to see marriages restored in my family and in the Black community. Because it’s not just a personal mission — it’s generational. The brokenness from the past, including the damage caused by my late great-grandfather Elijah Muhammad’s teachings, left many families shattered. But God is raising up repairers of the breach.

Hebrews 11:39-40 says, “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”

We are the better that they never saw. We are the generation called to finish what they started — to rebuild what was torn down. Isaiah 58:12 declares that we shall “raise up the foundations of many generations” and be called “the repairer of the breach.”

How do we begin? By turning our hearts back to God. By humbling ourselves, forgiving, and letting Him heal our families. By ending divorce, loving intentionally, and letting God be the foundation of our homes again.

Our ancestors dreamed of family — of love unbroken and homes unshaken. Though The Color Purple may not have been a true story, it represents a very real truth: they suffered for what we now have the privilege to build. They died dreaming of what we can live — a family free to love, stay, and grow together.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.” We are better together. We are the living fulfillment of their dream. And God says, “Get ready — because what’s next is better.”

Our Martial Constitutional

You were intentional,

Declaring your desires,

Being Unconventional,

Writing your marital constitutional,

You, me, and the trinity, 

in order to form a more perfect union,

Taking communion,

 to Establish a new revolution, 

Of relational bliss to debunk chaos and dethrone divorce,

You cried loud and lifted up your voice,

You made a choice,

This will never happen again,

We will win,

We will remain until the end,

until death do us part,

You will have my love and my whole heart,

never abandoned and forsaken,

Let there be no mistaken,

I do love you.

You are my hearts desire,

My fire.

We declared our Justice, our liberty and blessing,

No more guessing,

You are the one. 

We have defeated giants and lived to tell,

We had the audacity to hope for our future

and dug a well, 

we stormed the gates of hell,

walked out of the furnace and the lion dens,

We laid down our lives and have become friends,

We took back generational blessings that were ours, 

We overcame death and open communication and love are our super powers,

Now we are partners in freedom, in love, in faith, in purpose with definition,

We have settled the matter with confirmation, knowing this was a God given position. 


We tore off the roof

Tear the Roof Off — A Faith That Heals and a Love That Jumps”

Sometimes in life, you have to get desperate with God to receive what your heart truly longs for. Desperation isn’t weakness—it’s a signal that you’ve reached the end of yourself and are ready for Heaven’s intervention.

There are moments when we must realize we are the answer to someone’s 911 emergency in the earth, yet life has left us paralyzed—by fear, pain, disappointment, or mistakes. Some of us are emotionally and spiritually crippled, carrying wounds from relationships and family cycles that still haven’t healed. But this is the hour for God to heal us—in our hearts, in our homes, and in our connections.

Sometimes God will send a few people who are determined to get you past the crowd.

What is the crowd? It’s not always people. It can be the crowd of voices in your own mind. The opinions, the doubts, and the words others have spoken that still echo inside your spirit: “You’ll never be enough.” “You don’t qualify.” “You’ll never have that kind of love or success.”

The enemy has drawn invisible lines in the sand of your life—barriers meant to make you believe you’ll never enter certain rooms. But God! He has a way of breaking lids off your destiny and removing ceilings that once limited your view.

Sometimes you must be bold enough to take an unconventional path and declare what God said you could have. If you believe it, He’ll send people to lift you, support you, and carry you into places you couldn’t reach alone—even if they have to tear off the roof to get you there.

Mark 2:3–5 reminds us:

“And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.”

Those four friends refused to let the crowd stop them. They tore the roof off with faith—and God responded with healing.

Do you have people in your life who want to see you whole? If not, pray for them. Because the miracle you’re waiting for may require someone else’s faith to lift you up.

But even if no one helps you—do it blind, do it crippled, do it scared. Just do it. Step out. Tear the roof off with your faith. Some breakthroughs require bold, roof-ripping obedience. You may not know how it will end, but your worship, your faith, and your love will catch your fall.

God is answering your 911 call—and for others, you are the answer.

The Sun will come out Tomorrow

The Sun Will Stand Still for You

God loves us too much to let the enemy steal our prophetic tomorrow. That truth has been echoing in my spirit lately. Sometimes life feels like the enemy has stolen too much — time, opportunities, relationships, even hope. But I want to remind you today that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His promises are not fragile. His Word does not expire. He said in Jeremiah 29:11 that He knows the plans He has for us—plans to prosper us, not to harm us, to give us hope and a future. That means even when the night feels long and the battle is fierce, the sun will come out tomorrow.

I think about Joshua standing before God in Joshua 10:12–13. The children of Israel were in battle, and the day was slipping away. The victory wasn’t yet complete, but Joshua had the audacity to ask God to make the sun stand still. And the Word declares that the sun obeyed. It stopped in its tracks until the people of God had finished avenging themselves against their enemies. That moment shows us something profound—God will defy the very laws of nature to make sure you win.

There are times in life when it feels like we’re running out of time—when the sun is setting too fast on our dreams, our relationships, or our faith. But the God who caused the sun to pause for Joshua will pause time for you if that’s what it takes to fulfill His word. You will not lose what God has promised you. The enemy cannot steal your prophetic tomorrow.

In one of my personal reflections, I wrote a poem about God’s love for us—a love so deep and sacred that even creation joined in its rhythm. Heaven sang over us before we ever knew the song. The angels danced and fought battles we couldn’t see, clearing the path for us to walk in destiny. There were seasons of sorrow, seasons of silence, and times we thought the night would never end. But then God spoke, “Let the sun stand still.”

What that means in our lives is powerful. God sometimes hides us in pain so He can reveal His glory. He allows seasons of waiting—not because He’s punishing us, but because He’s preparing us. Just like the dew that falls before the dawn, there’s a refreshing that comes right before breakthrough. When we finally surrender and trust Him, the night ends, and the sun rises again — not just for light, but as a prophetic declaration that we have won.

Maybe you’re in that in-between season right now — the space between warfare and victory. You’ve prayed, fasted, and believed, but it seems like nothing is moving. I want to tell you today, don’t give up. Even if the sun seems to be setting on your dreams, God can make it stand still until the victory is complete. He won’t allow the enemy to close a chapter that He has already written for your good.

The same God who held the sun in the sky for Joshua is holding time for you. He’s holding space for your healing. He’s holding back defeat until your deliverance is fully formed. He’s holding tomorrow in His hands, and when the time is right, He’ll let the sun shine again.

So lift your head, wipe your tears, and stand firm in faith. The night may have felt endless, but dawn is breaking. Your prophetic tomorrow is protected by a faithful God who cannot lie. And if He has to defy the laws of the universe for you to win — He will. The sun will come out tomorrow.

New Wine

When the Wine Runs Out

Sometimes in marriage — or even in love — we run out of wine.

I don’t mean literal wine, but the joy, excitement, intimacy, or connection that once flowed so freely between two people. That “spark” you had in the beginning can start to fade, and you find yourself wondering, “Can this love be restored?”

Maybe you’ve hit a season where the laughter has quieted, the conversations have grown short, or the closeness feels distant. The enemy will whisper that it’s too late — that what was once vibrant can’t be revived. But the truth is, God still turns water into wine.

Let’s go back to a wedding in Cana, where Jesus performed His first miracle (John 2). Mary, His mother, was there — and she noticed that the wine had run out. She turned to Jesus and said, “They have no more wine.” Jesus’ response might seem distant at first: “Woman, why do you involve me? My hour has not yet come.”

But Mary didn’t argue. She simply told the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”

That’s it right there — the key to restoration.

When we run out of wine in our relationships, it’s not the end of the story. It’s an invitation to bring what’s empty back to the One who can fill it again.

Jesus told the servants to fill the vessels with water — not wine, water. It made no sense in the natural. But obedience is what turns the ordinary into the miraculous. When they obeyed, Jesus transformed the water into wine — and not just any wine. The master of the banquet said, “You have saved the best till now.”

That’s what God wants to do in your relationship. He doesn’t just want to refill what’s been lost — He wants to upgrade it. He wants to take what feels common, cold, or watered-down and transform it into something new, rich, and full of flavor.

Maybe your “wine” is joy, trust, affection, or spiritual intimacy. Maybe you’ve been praying for God to restore what’s been broken or reignite what’s grown still. The miracle happens when you’re willing to do whatever He tells you to do — even when it doesn’t make sense.

Jesus’ first miracle was not in a temple, but at a wedding. That’s intentional. He was showing us that He’s not just the God of salvation — He’s the God of restoration, too. He cares about your covenant, your love, your connection, your home. He’s able to breathe life into what’s gone stale and reveal His glory through it.

If you’re in a season where the “wine” seems gone, don’t lose hope. Take what’s left, bring it to Jesus, and let Him do what only He can. Because the truth is — He saves the best for last.

So, let this be your reminder: It’s not over. What you’ve lost is not beyond God’s reach. Your relationship can still be renewed, your heart can still be healed, and your story can still glorify Him.

There’s new wine waiting.

And this time, it’s better than before. 🍷

New Wine

As a fine bottle of wine,

that has fermented in time,

Is my love,

A drink that has not lost its flavor,

That is a sweet smelling savor,

In spite of,

A taste that must be acquired, 

Filled with warmth, with much to be desired,

A sweetness of NEW juices that are flowing, and growing,

From a new wine,

that is intoxicating enough to cause you to 

ARISE

To new heights,

new sights,

new depths, 

And new breaths. 

Unforgettable

Proverbs 30:31 Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

I want to encourage other women on their journey as you are being prepared for the man of God he is preparing you for. We don’t have to sleep with him to get his attention. We need to focus on getting the Father’s attention and he will get that man’s attention. He didn’t forget me and he didn’t forget you. I came to tell you to stay in a place of rest before the Father and when it’s the right time, the right one will wake you up. Wait on God and allow him to make you Unforgettable.

When you can’t get me out your head,

and I’ve never been in your bed.

Unforgettable.

See your heart betrayed you first,

Like Judas did Jesus,

 And even worse,

You didn’t even get a kiss.

You were brought to a cross,

Abandoned and loss, 

And charged with a crime and the scene was love,

You will never be able to go back to the moment,

I was never thought of,

I will run laps in your head,

reminding your body it’s not dead,

You split my chest and entered a room,

 in my heart only reserved for the bridegroom,

You woke me up and now I’m yours to keep,

 you got me dreaming but I can’t sleep. 


Two…..

Love without Punctuation

Keep Your Eyes on the Lighthouse

Often we experience things in life that feel overwhelming — storms that shake us, relationships that test us, and moments that make us question whether love is still worth believing in. But I’ve learned that every storm carries a greater purpose, one that’s always bigger than us. If you find yourself in the middle of one — or just coming out of it — keep your eyes on the lighthouse.

That light is God’s love guiding you through the darkness, reminding you not to give up. The waves may rage, the winds may howl, but the lighthouse stands unmoved. It represents hope, faith, and the kind of love that endures even when the sea around you is stormy. Allow God to heal what’s been broken and speak peace in the midst of it. He is able. Don’t abandon love just because of the storm. Cross over to the other side and let love — His love — be your light.

In that spirit, I wrote this poem as a reflection of what love looks like when it weathers storms — imperfect, evolving, but anchored by something divine. It’s about the beauty of connection, the rhythm of relationship, and the sacred space where friendship, faith, and love intertwine.

Love without punctuation

Sometimes my love feels like a sentence that runs on,

leaving me with questions of where it begins and where it ends,

I’ve discovered there is no punctuation for it because we are forever friends,

Yet,

it fights for periods where there are commas,

demanding verbs that eliminate dramas,

Leaving places and spaces,

for fill in the blanks,

for laughs and for pranks.

Longing for days together that include prepositions like, on, down, between and behind,

where pronouns are intertwined like our bodies, hearts, souls and mind,

Writing new chapters with adjectives that describe our love in directions,

that cause our lives to be defined by new languages of affections.

Where emotions are not followed by conjunctions like but,

that leave us with clarity and not always asking what,

because our love is able to handle semi colons to join our yesterday and tomorrow,

without sorrow,

strong enough for colons that connect us together never leaving room,

for anything to consume,

Us.

Forever bonded by trust,

in the parenthesis that include (you and me),

and God’s degree.

Ecc 4:9-10 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falls; for he has no one to help him up.

Heaven's Honor Roll

June 28, 2015, is a day I will never forget. There was another significant event happening that same day, and I had to choose which one I would attend. My heart led me to honor and celebrate a woman who had labored quietly in prayer for many — Pastor Juanita Clay, a true intercessor and a pastor to the Body of Christ.

I was running late and accidentally walked into the wrong church. God must have smiled because that wrong turn was part of the right plan. I quickly redirected myself and found a seat, telling myself I wouldn’t stay long — just long enough to give her my flowers and a card. But God had other plans for me that day. I didn’t know it yet, but I was about to have an encounter with His glory — a glimpse of how it felt to make Heaven’s honor roll.

The first time I had ever been in that church years prior, I remember weeping and asking God not to let my sufferings be in vain. I had honored Him deeply in a season that almost destroyed me — my previous marriage. It was there, in my sorrow, that I learned how to worship from a broken place.

If you’ve ever been faithful, honorable, and it felt like no one saw you — hear me: God has not forgotten. He is not unrighteous to forget your labor of love. He saw every tear, every prayer, every quiet “yes” when you wanted to quit. If we suffer with Him, we will also reign with Him.

That day, as I sat there quietly, Mother Clay entered the room. Right before she did, tears began to pour from my eyes. I whispered, “Lord, it wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

Have you ever done everything you knew to do — prayed, fasted, sowed, stood — and it still didn’t turn out the way you thought it would? That was me.

Then, something unexpected happened. Mother Clay took the microphone and began to honor the leaders in the church. Suddenly, she called my name. I wasn’t on the program, but I was on Heaven’s agenda. I had come to honor her, and God decided to honor me.

She said, “Today would have been Marie’s late ex-husband’s 41st birthday. I want to honor the Christ in you.” She said it multiple times and each time, Gods glory overwhelmed me.

It was thick, tangible — you could feel it in the air. I broke. I didn’t feel that kind of compassion when he was buried. Though our marriage had ended years before, the way I had honored God in it was bigger than the marriage itself. That day, God stamped His seal of approval and said, “I remember how you honor me.”

Then Prophetess Makeba Buford, whom I had never met, ministered prophetically to me. She said God saw me when I walked into the wrong church — that I had made a mistake years ago, but the Lord was putting me back on the right path. She said I was about to have encounters with God like never before. That day was one of them.

God reminded me that He knows exactly where we are. He deals with our root systems — our pain, our losses, our hidden traumas — not to condemn us but to heal us. Jesus came for the broken, not the perfect. If we let Him touch the roots, He’ll heal the fruit.

Jabez prayed, and because he was more honorable than his brothers, God enlarged his territory (1 Chronicles 4:9–10).

Get ready — God is about to do the same for you. You’ve been honorable when it wasn’t easy. And just like Jabez did and me—you’re about to make Heaven’s Honor Roll.

 

God's perspective: Life's playground

I wrote this poem on June 24, 2004 in the midst of a three year consecration and separation from from my late ex-husband. I was on my lunch break and went to eat alone at the park across the street from my job. I skipped lunch with my best friend that day. After lunch, I immediately wrote this poem. It’s time to come in from the playground…. God was letting me know how he sees us at times.

Jonnie and Susie are still in the air on their swings,

 Caught in between their childhood and the decisions of adult things,

 Who forgot to go get them?

 

Leslie and Timmy are on the seesaw,

 No one told them, if you steal that they would be breaking the law,

 

The law of gravity, because what goes up must come down,

Please tell them its time to leave the playground.

 

Samaria and Michael are playing in the sand,

Crying because the wind blew and the castle they built won’t stand,

But who forgot to tell them, you can’t build a house on the sand,

But who forgot to tell them, you need a strong foundation to understand,

That the sun doesn’t always shine and there will be rainy days,

Go tell them to come in from the playground, that childhood is only a phase.

Kimberly climbed up the slide and now is afraid to come down,

Who forgot to tell her, you don’t do drugs and get high,

Go tell her someone told her a lie,

 Because she’s afraid if she comes down, she’ll have to face the issues on the ground.

Vincent and Amber were hanging from the monkey bars and were afraid to go across,

But who forgot to tell them, if they try and fall that they can recover from the loss.

No one wanted to go first and be the boss,

Where are the leaders?

The interceders,

Please, tell them we need them to leave the playground now.

Todd found a beautiful toy in the park, jut after dark, that had been left all alone

 And Mark came by the way and claimed it as his own,

 Who forgot to tell them, they’re not children anymore----they are grown.

 And that Pamela’s not a toy, she’s real and that was not the deal,

 It was till death do them part.

 Please tell the girls to be responsible for themselves and not become toys,

 Because girls become women and men sometimes become boys,

Don’t forgot to take care of your things,

 And children, please, get off those swings,

 And the seasaw that takes you up and down,

 Please, come down from the slide, and face the issues that make you hide, stop playing on the merry go round,

 Please, please somebody tell the children to come in from the playground.

 

Sometimes you just need a reset

The other day my daughter’s iPad went completely black. It had been working perfectly fine the night before as she watched her favorite show, so when it suddenly wouldn’t turn on, she panicked. Everything looked fine from the outside — the screen wasn’t cracked, the buttons were intact — but something on the inside wasn’t connecting.

As I watched her cry, I couldn’t help but think about how relationships can feel the same way. Everything can seem normal and stable, and then suddenly, without warning, it goes dark. What do you do when something that once felt full of life and light suddenly stops working?

My first thought was simple: maybe she didn’t charge it all the way. Maybe it wasn’t properly connected to the power source. And right there, the Holy Spirit whispered to me — just like her iPad, we too must stay properly plugged in to our power source.

If we go too long without connection — without prayer, without time in God’s presence — we start to lose power. We stop functioning the way we were designed to. We might still look okay on the outside, but inside, we’re drained, disconnected, and spiritually dead.

As she sat there, my daughter cried and said, “Mommy, I think I broke it.” I could hear the guilt in her voice. She was struggling to forgive herself, assuming it was worse than it was. She thought it was beyond repair, or that it might cost too much to fix.

And how many times do we do the same thing? When something in our relationships breaks — a friendship, a marriage, a family bond — we automatically assume it’s over. We carry guilt, shame, or blame, instead of hope. We think, It’s too late. I can’t fix this.

But just like with her iPad, sometimes it’s not as bad as we think. Sometimes we just need to go back to the root — to examine what caused the disconnect, to forgive ourselves, and to invite God to repair what’s been broken.

I didn’t get angry with her. That, for me, was growth. I’ve learned that relationships need grace to make mistakes and space to heal. We have to allow each other the freedom to grow and the grace to fail.

As I sat there, I opened Google and started searching for solutions. My mind was racing through every possible worst-case scenario. What if it can’t be fixed? What if everything is lost? What if I have to start all over again?

And that’s exactly how we spiral when relationships go dark. We fear the worst before we even seek God’s wisdom. But instead of getting stuck in my head, I decided to take the iPad back to the manufacturer — the one who made it.

That’s what God wants us to do. When things break, He wants us to bring them back to Him — the original designer, the one who knows exactly how to restore what’s malfunctioning.

At our Apple appointment, the technician took one look and said, “It just needs a reset.” We hadn’t been turning it off completely, and over time, it shut down on its own.

And that hit me again — sometimes we just need to reset.

Not everything that’s gone dark is dead. Some things just need to rest. God is saying, you’re not starting from scratch when you turn it back on this time. You’re just restarting with fresh power, renewed purpose, and a stronger connection.

So today, don’t be afraid to reset. Unplug. Rest. And reconnect — to God, to your purpose, and to the relationships He’s entrusted to you.

Can you see like Jesus?

I remember years ago being in a McDonald’s in downtown Chicago. It was busy, loud, and crowded like it always is in the city. I stood in line watching a lady order food for herself and her small daughter. She was swinging on the little girl, yelling and cursing her out right there in front of everyone. People started staring, whispering, shaking their heads. You could feel the judgment in the room.

I got my food before they did and went to find a seat. I sat down, opened my bag, and put a few fries in my mouth. Just as I was about to swallow, I noticed the woman had sat down with her daughter. The little girl snatched her food from her mother’s hands and ran off to a corner so she could eat in peace. And right there, as I tried to swallow that bite, something happened. My throat started to close, and I could feel the love of God swell up so strongly in my heart that I almost choked.

I knew immediately—God was interrupting me. His compassion hit me like a wave. I spit out my food, got up from my seat, and walked right over to that woman. I didn’t know what I was going to say, but I knew I couldn’t ignore that moment.

I sat down beside her and told her what just happened. I said, “God loves you, and He’s so concerned about what you’re going through that He literally stopped me mid-bite.” I asked her what was wrong, and she looked at me—tired, heavy, worn. She said her son had just been falsely accused and put in prison, and she couldn’t get him out.

Here I was, sitting next to this strong, stocky Black woman who had clearly been carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. And when I told her how God had interrupted me for her, she broke. All that toughness melted away, and she began to cry—deep, uncontrollable tears. I took her hand and prayed right there in that crowded McDonald’s.

And you know what? The atmosphere shifted. The same people who were judging her started to quiet down. The same space that held judgment just moments before began to hold grace.

That day changed me.

Can Jesus interrupt you? Can He speak through your ordinary moments? Would you even recognize Him if He did? So many of us walk around with eyes that can’t see and ears that can’t hear. We look at people through the lens of behavior instead of brokenness. We react to the symptom and miss the story.

How would most people have seen that lady? Angry. Loud. Out of control. But God let me see her pain. I didn’t see her sin—I saw her sorrow. I didn’t see her attitude—I saw her anguish. And that’s how Jesus sees us.

I’ll never forget that encounter as long as I live. I’ll always be grateful that I obeyed God in that moment. I’m thankful I didn’t join the crowd of silent judges but chose to sit next to her instead.

When someone is acting out, can you still cover them? Can you look beyond the surface and see like Jesus? The next time someone offends you, frustrates you, or seems unworthy of grace—pause. Let God interrupt you. Because that interruption might just be someone’s divine encounter.

Anointed for Forward

Anointed for Forward: Breaking Up with Your Past

You may be asking, “What is God trying to separate me from?” The answer is simple but life-changing—He wants to separate you from your past so He can bring you into your future. Pastor Keion Henderson said it so powerfully in his message Built to Last: “Your future wants to have an exclusive relationship with you.” But here’s the catch—when we try to cheat on our future with our past, we end up in a bad breakup.

In other words, God can’t bring us into our next if we keep dragging the last season with us. He’s calling many of us to break up with our past once and for all. The only reason that breakup becomes painful is when we insist on carrying old habits, old hurts, or old identities into a season that can’t hold them. Your future deserves to be guarded, not sabotaged by what used to be.

Let’s look at how God did this with the children of Israel. After generations of bondage in Egypt, God performed miracle after miracle to bring them out. But even after freedom was declared, Pharaoh changed his mind. As Israel stood trapped between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army, they felt hopeless. Maybe you can relate—you thought you were past the worst of it, only to find yourself facing another impossible situation. You made progress, but the past keeps chasing you.

Yet, God was not done. He told Moses in Exodus 14:15–16, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.” That command—go forward—is everything. It means that even when it looks like the next step could drown you, God is making a way where there is no way. The miracle didn’t happen until they obeyed and took a step forward.

And what happened next is symbolic for us today. God parted the sea and created dry ground for His people, but once they crossed over, He let the waters return—drowning the Egyptians who tried to follow. God was intentional about the separation. He made sure there was enough distance between Israel and their enemies so that when He dealt with the past, His people wouldn’t drown in it too.

God is about to drown your enemies—fear, insecurity, trauma, rejection, abuse, lack, shame, and regret. But first, He has to separate you from them. He has to pull you forward far enough so that when He closes the waters, your past can’t reach you anymore.

I’ve lived this truth. There was a time in my life when I took five steps forward and felt like I went ten steps backward. Transitioning from my past into my future was hard. I had to learn to love myself in the in-between places, to allow God to love me while I was still healing, still learning, still becoming. Nearly seven years ago, I made a decision—I wanted everything God had for me more than anything I wanted for myself. That’s when I aligned myself with His dream for my life, and everything began to shift.

This year, as I’ve listened to so many podcasts and messages about relationships and growth, I’ve realized that becoming a better version of ourselves isn’t just about us. It’s also about not coming into agreement with the enemy’s lies about others—especially those God has connected to our future. As God transforms your future spouse, your family, your calling—don’t fight the process. Transformation takes time, and love covers a multitude of faults.

You are anointed for forward. God is calling you to step into your next, not stay stuck in what was. Your future wants an exclusive relationship with you—no more cheating with your past. Go forward. Love is waiting in your future.

You are somebody's rainbow

🌈 You Are Somebody’s Rainbow🌈

Today, one of my dear nieces and her husband celebrated their 9th wedding anniversary. As I scrolled through her post, something she wrote gripped my heart. She said, “This year was filled with rainbows, and you only get rainbows after a storm.”

That simple statement carried such prophetic weight. It reminded me of how God uses storms to produce beauty — how every flood, every trial, every moment that feels like it might break us actually births something sacred on the other side.

When I read her words, I responded with what flowed from my spirit:

“Your union is so important to our family’s tapestry. May God’s love and grace continue to sustain you through every flood. May He give you wisdom to build and understanding to establish His purposes. And after you both have obeyed Him like Noah, who built an ark for his family, may the Lord Himself shut you both in — securing your union from destruction. I love you both to the moon and back! Your ability to overcome in marriage is a prayer answered and a rainbow in my sky after all my teary years of praying that God would restore honor and marriages in our bloodline.”

After I wrote those words, the Spirit of God began to stir within me. I found myself in tears of gratitude and worship. Then I heard the Lord speak so clearly:

“I came to remind you that I haven’t forgotten your sacrifice.”

In that moment, He showed me something — their marriage was more than a celebration; it was a sign. A rainbow. Just as He promised Noah, the rainbow was a reminder of His covenant — His promise that after the flood, life and restoration would follow.

Genesis 9:12–16 says:

“This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature… I have set my rainbow in the clouds… Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant.”

God reminded me that the rainbow isn’t just a symbol of beauty — it’s a sign of remembrance. A declaration that the storm didn’t win. That the flood didn’t destroy you. That His promises still stand.

You, too, are somebody’s rainbow.

You may not see it right now, but your endurance, your obedience, and your faith are signs of God’s covenant to someone watching your life. Somebody is waiting for you to come through your storm because when you do, your victory will be the confirmation that God still remembers His promises.

Don’t give up in your flood. Don’t curse your storm. Let God reveal the rainbows He has placed around you. He is not finished with your family, your purpose, or your story.

Apostle Dr. Matthew Stevenson once prophesied to me that God would begin to avenge my tears and that He would start in the lives of my nieces. And I’m seeing it now — God keeping His word, generation by generation.

Just like Noah, you’ve got to keep building. Keep obeying. And when you’ve done your part, trust that God Himself will shut you in and secure everything you’ve built.

Genesis 7:16 says, “Then the Lord shut him in.”

That means what God seals, no storm can destroy.

There’s a rainbow waiting on the other side of your obedience. 🌈

Perception is our reality

So many times, in relationships we don’t see the way God sees the situation—and that’s because our perception becomes our reality. We can only interpret what we see through the lens of our own understanding, experiences, and emotions. That’s why it’s so important to stop and ask God, “Lord, show me how You see this.” Because sometimes, what we think we see, and what God sees, are two entirely different things.

When God got ready to judge King David, the way He described David’s sin was nothing like how David perceived it. The story in 2 Samuel 12 is powerful. Nathan the prophet comes to David and tells him a story about two men—one rich, one poor. The rich man had plenty, while the poor man had only one little lamb he cherished as family. When a traveler came to visit, the rich man didn’t take from his own flock. Instead, he took the poor man’s only lamb and prepared it for his guest.

David was outraged. His anger burned hot. He said, “As the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die!”—not realizing he was the man.

This was David, the man after God’s own heart, yet he was so far removed from his own actions that he couldn’t see them through God’s eyes. That’s what blind spots look like. We can be walking with God, loving Him, serving Him, and still not see our own inconsistencies until God sends a Nathan to open our eyes.

God had to show David how deeply he mishandled Bathsheba and how much He valued Uriah’s life. David saw desire; God saw dishonor. David saw a choice; God saw corruption of the heart. Sometimes we mishandle people in relationships—whether friendships, family, or romantic connections—because we don’t know the work God has done in their lives or the value He has placed on them.

Nathan reminded David of everything God had already given him: the throne, victory, honor, wives, and the kingdom. God even said, “And if that had been too little, I would have given you more.” Yet David’s actions showed a heart that, in that moment, despised the Lord’s commandment.

God told him his sin gave “great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme.” That’s a heavy statement. It means our actions as believers—especially when we fall short publicly—can give unbelievers and even fellow believers a reason to question God’s character.

That’s why Scripture says, “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” We must live in a way that doesn’t give the enemy ammunition. It’s not about being perfect—it’s about being submitted. It’s about allowing God to deal with the heart before the heart deals deceitfully with us.

Social media makes this even more real. Our posts, comments, and attitudes are all on display. Whether in public or private, God still sees, and perception still shapes reality. People will draw conclusions about our faith by what they see. But God is asking us to go deeper—to see not as man sees, but as He sees.

When was the last time you asked God, “Show me how You see this situation”? Maybe your heart’s been heavy, your emotions loud, and your perspective clouded. But one glimpse through God’s eyes can bring conviction, clarity, and compassion.

Because perception might be your reality—but God’s truth is the only reality that sets you free.

The Covenant Still Speaks

Sometimes we read the Bible like it’s a fairytale, but it’s not. These were real people with real lives and real pain. When I read the story of Lot, I don’t see a suspense thriller or an action-packed movie—I see a man whose world was about to be consumed by fire. Lot and his family were the only ones about to be spared, not because of their righteousness, but because of Abraham’s covenant with God.

The sins of Sodom and Gomorrah had risen before God as an abomination, and judgment was coming. Yet, even in destruction, we see mercy. The only reason Lot and his family were rescued was because of Abraham’s obedience. That’s the power of covenant—one person’s “yes” can shift the destiny of generations.

You might be wondering, Does God really honor obedience? Absolutely. God not only honors obedience—He multiplies it. When we say “yes” to Him, that obedience creates a covenant that stretches beyond our lifetime. Scripture says He keeps covenant and mercy “to a thousand generations” (Deuteronomy 7:9). That means some of the blessings you’re walking in right now aren’t even because of you. Somebody in your bloodline made a vow to God, and you’re living in the overflow of a promise they never saw fulfilled.

Hebrews 11:39–40 says,

“And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.”

That means there are promises that didn’t die with them—they’re being perfected through you. Your ancestors may not have received everything God showed them, but those promises are still alive in your bloodline, waiting for someone to carry them to completion. God has been waiting generations for you to step into the “better things” He reserved for this season.

I remember praying one day and saying, “Lord, I don’t just want what’s mine—I want what my great-grandmother, my grandmother, and my mother never received.” That became a battle cry in my spirit. I went to war for generational blessings that had been delayed or denied. I refused to let those promises remain buried beneath time, trauma, or disobedience.

When you carry generational purpose, you’ll also encounter generational warfare. But you have the authority to break it. God is unlocking ancient covenants and eternal secrets, waiting for those who will ask Him, “What are the better things You have reserved for me?” He’s looking for those who will seek Him beyond convenience and carry His covenant forward.

Even in Lot’s story, we see God’s mercy in motion. Genesis 19:16 says,

“When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them.”

Even when Lot hesitated, God still sent angels to pull them out. That’s the kind of mercy covenant brings—it rescues when hesitation would have destroyed. God is still sending angels for our families. Some of our loved ones may be stuck in cycles or caught in destruction, but God is not finished with them. Because of your “yes,” your obedience, and your prayers, deliverance is on the way.

If God went out of His way to save Lot for Abraham’s sake, He will do the same for you. The covenant still speaks. The same mercy that pulled Lot out is reaching into your family line right now. Stand on that covenant. Declare it. Activate it.

Your obedience today is protecting tomorrow’s generations. God is still honoring every “yes.”

All is well

I rushed frantically into the emergency room, holding my limp 2-year-old in my arms. The woman at the front desk looked up, asked me to fill out a small sheet of paper, and told me to have a seat. Surely, I thought, they’d call him right away. But moments later, she got up casually to grab a bag of chips—as if nothing else in the world mattered—while my son’s lips were turning bluer by the second.

Then it happened.

Jeremy let out a loud gasp for air. I ran to the desk, interrupting her snack break, and cried out, “My baby is not breathing!” Suddenly, everything changed. He was rushed behind the curtain as the loud announcement echoed through the intercom: CODE BLUE. CODE BLUE.

At just twenty-two years old, I stood there watching doctors and nurses swarm around my baby boy. Jeremy had gone into cardiac arrest while I was told to sit and wait. But in that moment of chaos, fear, and confusion—I heard a whisper in my spirit reminding me: all is well.

God’s peace covered me in a way I can’t explain. No tears. No panic. Just a supernatural calm. I was simply praying for answers and trusting that God would do what He does best—be faithful.

The Bible says, “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small” (Proverbs 24:10). That verse became my anchor. Jeremy lost oxygen to his brain and lay in intensive care for five long days. Machines beeped, doctors spoke in codes, and yet—I could still say, all is well.

This moment reminds me of the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4. Her son had died, and yet she declared, “All is well.” She didn’t deny what happened; she just refused to let her circumstance dictate her faith. God wants us to have that same kind of trust—to be able to look at the impossible and still say, it is well with my soul.

When Elijah raised her son from the dead, it wasn’t just a miracle—it was a testimony of what happens when faith meets obedience. She brought her lifeless situation to the man of God. She didn’t gossip about it. She didn’t even tell her husband. She just saddled up and went straight to the source.

Sometimes, we have to do the same.

We talk too much about the problem instead of taking it to the One who can resurrect it.

Have you brought your dead thing to God?

That broken dream? That relationship that flatlined? That faith that feels faint?

When we learn to bring it to Him and not everyone else, we begin to see His power move.

The Shunammite woman kept her composure because she knew who held her promise. And that’s what I had to do with my son—I had to trust that God would breathe again into what looked lifeless.

Five days later, Jeremy opened his eyes. His heartbeat was steady. His breathing was restored. And I could say, with even more conviction, all is well.

God is not finished with you either. Whether you’re facing loss, heartbreak, or a diagnosis that’s shaken your faith—trust Him. He’s still the same God who restores, revives, and resurrects. He’s still writing your story, and in the end, your testimony will declare: All is well.

Negatives

There we were framed in a moment of time. We were mounted by a prophetic promise and vow that was holding it all in place. The nails that it hung on, were the same ones that held Jesus to the Cross-love. It began to lean to the side and the picture was now suspended in air. I didn't know if the love was strong enough to keep us in place. The image was no longer clear. I couldn't see him anymore in the picture with the kids and me. I thought mine would be different from all the other marriages that ended up destroyed and torn by adultery. The picture was ripped.

I was suddenly thrown in a dark room.

But in my spirit I had negatives that needed to be developed. I could see us together; we were called to the multitudes. My tears became the solution that allowed me to see the images that were still hid to the naked eye. I was interceding in the dark and even when it didn’t looked like anything; I still kept praying.

1 Corinthians 7:1616 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

When I wanted to stop praying, I couldn't. I was compelled. I was driven to this dark place where only God could help me see what no one else could. He was sharing his eternal secrets and causing the passions of Christ to be developed from the negatives in me.

Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

It was in this place, that I would discover the beauty of who he had created me to be. Why did I have to go through this? Why me? I was torn, split and I desperately wanted to quit. I didn't even know why I still wanted to be married anymore. But other things began to appear in the negatives as I kept weeping. The solution for the images was producing a clearer picture. It was no longer about what he was or wasn't doing, if he loved me or not, how angry and bitter I had become. I had finally gotten passed me, passed us. I began to see my great-grandmother, Clara Muhammad. I was close enough now to the negatives, that I could hear her cries and her cries became mine.

Negatives.jpg

Get God's attention

“Get God’s Attention and Recover All”

I love King David. The Word says he was a man after God’s own heart. Did he make mistakes? Absolutely—BIG ones. He committed adultery, orchestrated murder, and lost a child as a result. Later, he allowed pride to creep in and numbered the people to see how many were following him—and because of that decision, thousands died. David paid a heavy price for his sins, yet through all of it, he still belonged to God.

What I love most about David is that he understood something most people never learn—he knew it was better to fall into the hands of God than into the hands of man.

David had issues like many of us—family problems, betrayal, heartbreak, loss. He went through things that could have broken anybody else, but even in all that, he never lost his position. He was still the King. And he knew how to get God’s attention.

David understood the power of posture. He knew when to fall on his face, when to cry out, and when to worship through the pain. He didn’t just ask God for deliverance; he sought divine strategy. He inquired of the Lord before every major decision. David was a man of war—so much so that his son Solomon never had to fight a single battle. Why? Because his father’s obedience and warfare had already secured his peace.

That’s the kind of legacy I want to leave behind—one where my children and my children’s children walk in victories that my prayers secured.

One of my favorite moments in David’s story is at Ziklag. The enemy had burned everything. His wives, children, and the families of his men were taken captive. And to make it worse, his own soldiers—men who had fought beside him—turned on him. They were ready to stone him. Can you imagine? Betrayed, grieving, exhausted, and yet, David encouraged himself in the Lord.

He didn’t wait for validation. He didn’t wait for someone to come check on him. He went straight to God. And he got heaven’s attention. He asked, “Shall I pursue?” And God answered, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.”

That’s the word for somebody right now—it’s time to encourage yourself, get God’s attention, and recover all. Even when you don’t know which direction to go, trust that God will order your steps.

When David reached the brook Besor, some of his men were too weary to go any further. They stayed behind while the others went into battle. And after David recovered everything, some of the men didn’t want to share the spoils with those who stayed. But David’s heart revealed why he was chosen. He said, “As his part is that goes down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarries by the stuff; they shall part alike.”

What a reflection of the heart of God!

So don’t despise the ones who couldn’t fight with you. Don’t get bitter at those who didn’t believe in you or couldn’t go the distance. Everyone can’t carry the same weight. Everyone isn’t called to your war. But when God allows you to return with victory, keep your heart right. Handle your wins with humility.

This is why God called David a man after His own heart—not because he was perfect, but because he knew how to repent, recover, and return with the right spirit.

So, in this season, posture yourself like David. Fall on your face before God. Ask for strategy. Then get up and pursue, overtake, and recover all. Every promise, every dream, every relationship, every ounce of peace and purpose that belongs to you—it’s time to get it back.

Tomorrow about this time

You have received prophesies and are believing God to fulfill them in this season. Yet you have people around you just like Elisha’s servant did that have challenged you what God showed you is impossible. Yet, you know you have heard from God like Elisha did.

 

Elisha was not moved.

 Neither should you be

Don’t let the past season make you believe that God cannot fulfill his promises. God is going to do it. God’s ways are not our ways. His thoughts are higher than ours! You know what you have asked God for, and no man can give it to you.  Your right to it is found in your ability to have faith to receive it! 

  

Then Elisha said, “Hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord: Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will sell for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gate of Samaria!

There had been a famine in the land and no rain for three years.  The famine was so bad they were selling bird poop and eating their babies!  You may be thinking it can’t get any worse than this! Out of the blue the man of God releases the word of the Lord and this happens next!

 

 Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay here until we die? If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’—the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So, let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.”

 

Notice Elijah didn’t prophesy to the lepers.  You may be saying, I haven’t received a prophetic word to confirm this season. They didn’t get the prophetic word either. He said this was going to specifically happen tomorrow---the next day. What if the lepers decided that they were going to stay where they were longer with no sense of discerning of the time and season? They said, if they stayed where they were that they were going to die.  Do you know that you must decide to move forward? It’s not even an issue of going backward anymore, you can’t stay where you are anymore!!!

Your season of drought and famine is OVER!!! You may not know how or who God is going to use, but it is going to happen if you move forward.

 Do you not know that although you may be the least to think you could affect a city, a nation or your own family, your ability to discern the time and your season to OBEY is critical. 

It is critical for everyone around you to receive the fulfillment of their prophetic word and for your own deliverance and prosperity for you to obey!

The obedience of the four lepers was completely hinged on the prophetic word coming to pass and they never got the prophetic word. They just recognized in their own personal lives, they needed to move forward.

Some of you have decided to camp out longer because of the fear of the unknown. They had no idea that God had angels that were with them, and that the enemy would hear them as a mighty army. You are not alone. God has sent his angels on assignment to help you accomplish this assignment. It’s time to receive the spoils that God has promised you, about this time tomorrow. God is holding our prophetic tomorrow in his hand.