Selah in the Hebrew means to "stop and think about it." Grab these little inspirations, quotes, and tales to add to your grab bag. 

"Our faith has stabilized us in times of adversity.... What disturbs me about our faith is the way in which we were taught to believe... we were to hope for heaven while we lived a hell on earth.... Use the faith to fuel our dreams rather than to anesthetize our disappointments." -TD Jakes

                                 (See the video from which the quote was pulled.. Click Here

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.

-Mark Twain  2/6/12

"Be thine own palace, or the world's thy jail."

- John Donne, The Poems Of John Donne 1/30/12

"The depth of your past is an indication of the height of your future." -TD Jakes. (Brought to us by SistaStrong's own Stella Woodley!)  1/27/12

"Friends are like rain, you don't want too many but you will die without any! Keep them close!"  ~Courtney McBath (Thanks for this addition, from our own Kiki Johnson.)    1/20/12

She believed she could, so she did. -Author Unknown   1/3/12

One Cracked Pot  11/21/11

A water bearer in  China had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck.

One pot had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.  At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of  its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it  was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After 2 years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream...

"I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."

The bearer said to the pot,  "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your  side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?

That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path. Every  day while we walk back, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Moral:  Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all  cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. Through our cracks we are able to show compassion to others, through our flaws we can help someone else through theirs.  We are social creatures who need one another. Be a blessing and allow others to bless you. Know that your imperfections make you uniquely you and there is purpose in your flaws.

~Author Unknown

Thou Shall Be Blessed!  10/4/11

1. Thou shall not worry, for worry is the most unproductive of all human activities.
2. Thou shall not be fearful, for most of the things we fear never come to pass.
3. Thou shall not cross bridges before you come to them, for no one yet has succeeded in accomplishing this.
4. Thou shall face each problem as it comes. You can only handle one at a time anyway.
5. Thou shall not take problems to bed with you, for they make very poor bedfellows.
6. Thou shall not borrow other people's problems. They can better care for them than you can.
7. Thou shall not try to relive yesterday for good or ill, it is forever gone. Concentrate on what is happening in your life and be happy now!
8. Thou shall be a good listener, for only when you listen do you hear ideas different from your own. It is hard to learn something new when you are talking, and some people do know more than you do.
9. Thou shall not become "bogged down" by frustration, for 90% of it is rooted in self-pity and will only interfere with positive action.
10. Thou shall count thy blessings, never overlooking the small ones, for a lot of small blessings add up to a big one.1. Thou shall not worry, for worry is the most unproductive of all human activities.
2. Thou shall not be fearful, for most of the things we fear never come to pass.
3. Thou shall not cross bridges before you come to them, for no one yet has succeeded in accomplishing this.
4. Thou shall face each problem as it comes. You can only handle one at a time anyway.
5. Thou shall not take problems to bed with you, for they make very poor bedfellows.
6. Thou shall not borrow other people's problems. They can better care for them than you can.
7. Thou shall not try to relive yesterday for good or ill, it is forever gone. Concentrate on what is happening in your life and be happy now!
8. Thou shall be a good listener, for only when you listen do you hear ideas different from your own. It is hard to learn something new when you are talking, and some people do know more than you do.
9. Thou shall not become "bogged down" by frustration, for 90% of it is rooted in self-pity and will only interfere with positive action.
10. Thou shall count thy blessings, never overlooking the small ones, for a lot of small blessings add up to a big one.

25 THINGS A SISTA SHOULD NEVER APOLOGIZE FOR 9/30/11

1. Never apologize for pursuing what makes you happy. Even if you need to quit your job, transfer schools, or move across country, always do what you really want.

2. Never apologize for using proper English. Keeping it real doesn't
mean speaking Ebonics.

3. Never apologize for giving your best in a relationship that just
didn't work out.

4. Never apologize for being successful. Only haters want to keep you at their level.

5. Never apologize for crying. Wear waterproof mascara and express
yourself.

6. Never apologize for ten pounds you need to lose. People who truly
care about you will accept you as you are.

7. Never apologize for being frugal. Just because you save your money instead of blowing it on the latest fashion emergency doesn't mean you're cheap.

8. Don't apologize for being a single Mom. Babies are a blessing.

9. Never apologize for treating yourself to something special. Sometimes
you have to show yourself some appreciation.

10. Never apologize for leaving an abusive relationship. Your safety
should always be a priority.

11. Never apologize for keeping the ring even if you did not get
married.

12. Never apologize for setting high standards in a relationship. You
know what you can tolerate and what simply gets on your nerves.

13. Never apologize for saying NO.

14. Never apologize for asking for what you want in bed. If you don't,
then who will?

15. Never apologize for wearing a weave or braids. You bought it so it's yours.

16. Never apologize to your new friends about old friends. There's a
reason she's been your girl from day one.

17. Never apologize for ordering dessert. Or more than one dessert.

18. Never apologize for dating outside your race. Just because you found Mr. Right across the color line doesn't mean you don't love your brothas.

19. Never apologize for asking him to wear a condom. If he likes you
he'll wrap it up without making you feel guilty.

20. Never apologize for not knowing how to cook. Even if you can't burn like Grandma you know how to order good take out. (Right Girl!)

21. Never apologize for your taste in clothes. It's your style.

22. Never apologize for changing your mind, it is your prerogative.

23. Never apologize for making a decision from your heart, even if
others don't agree. You have to live with the consequences not them.

24. Never apologize for making more money than your man, you work hard and you deserve to get paid.

25. Never apologize for being you! "KEEP YOUR HEAD UP AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD"
ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT GOD LOVES YOU AND HE ALWAYS GOT YOUR BACK!

~Author Unknown