Posted on by Kristina Knowles

The night I went to jail…

To minister to an Inmate.

I was so confused to why this person was in jail after receiving a phone call one morning. So, I wanted to make sure what I was allowed to bring(bible) and wear. I contacted the Chaplain of the jail before my visit just to be prepared.

When I arrived to the jail, I was in a line of Attorneys, friends and family members. The welcome/waiting center of the jail was cold and unwelcoming. I checked in with my drivers license and gave the inmates first, middle and last name. Easy enough, right!? Not so fast, I was instantly denied access because I arrived on the wrong visiting evening. But wait, I had just talked to the Chaplain of the Jail who told me to arrive tonight at this time.

Once I told the woman about my dealings with the Chaplain, she acted as if she didn’t care. So I asked to speak to her Supervisor, famous last words. Then this big, tall, burly Officer appears and takes me to the side. I told him that I spoke with the Chaplain, the Chaplain told me to arrive tonight at this time, so this why I am here. He listened and had this real big ego and fake smile to go along with his big persona. The Officer proceeded to tell me that he was sorry that I was misinformed but I wasn’t going to be able to meet with this inmate under no circumstances.

I couldn’t believe it, I had cancelled my own bible study, I got my information from the Chaplain and I waited in line patiently with everyone. I then looked into his eyes and said very kindly, “May I speak to your Supervisor, please?” Then he lost it, he started to say,”Oh you want to talk to MY Supervisor, YOU want to talk to MY Supervisor?” This man turned bright red and no one watching flinched, I sat there in shock that he was acting so unprofessional and inappropriate for a Jail Guard. Then he walked away to make a call to his Supervisor.

As I sat and waited for the next Supervisor, the original Jail Guard came up to my face and stated I would not be getting in tonight. He was so mad and upset with me,  but before he slammed the door as he left I said,”God bless you.” He yelled back to me,”God bless you!” He was still so mad and angry, I couldn’t believe my eyes and what I experiencing?

Then to my surprise, I was greeted by a different, more professional Supervisor and he brought another guard with him; a female. I ,now, was telling my story for the 3rd time. I even played the message from the Chaplain of the jail from my cell phone. The Supervisor listened to me, heard the cell phone message and then looked at his colleague. At this point, I had no idea what was going to happen. Then he looked at me and said,”We are going to let you in tonight.” I instantly thanked him and God.

I was amazed how good God was to me that night, I held steadfast to my convictions. Satan didn’t want me to come into the jail and minister to that inmate but God did and that was beautiful. Whatever is right, holy or just is that of God and that is how we should live, everyday.

God is everywhere, Satan is not but unfortunately Satan leaves this stain on some of our lives if we let him. I see the stain on so many people’s lives, it’s disheartening. However, God sent His only Son to remove the sins or stains of our past. A stain is this lingering mark that doesn’t seem to disappear not matter how hard you try to remove it but that only comes from your lack of faith in God. God is the ultimate stain remover, just have faith.

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

A man from Chicago…

and I had a conversation about food.

He was in town for a wedding and we were talking about all the delicious desserts he is tempted to eat. He then proceeded to tell me that he weighed an extra 180 more pounds a year ago before he had gastric bypass surgery. My mouth dropped because he seemed naturally thin vs. previously obese. I told him how proud I was of him for all his hard word work and gave him a high five.

I then leveled with him about how hard it is to eat healthy every day with all the choices we have these days. We can have bad choices delivered to our front door, we can drive thru fast food restaurants and buy super unhealthy food choices at the grocery store. And television doesn’t help either, every other commercial is about unhealthy food as well. How do we compete with those odds? I will tell you.

We make our bodies a temple in which God created us to protect and nourish. We make an effort everyday to make good healthy choices to make our bodies strong, healthy and pure. We teach others and our children to make good wholesome choices as well. God doesn’t intend for us to live in pain, or be in a body that we are not going to take care of.

The gentleman told me that he could polish off a Chicago style pizza with all the toppings all by himself, every weekend. I asked him if he felt like he was in a constant food coma most of his life until now, he agreed. I have seen this behavior in many people’s lives, we develop habits that our life style condones. We surround ourselves with people that eat, live and sleep like us for the most part. So if you want to change your lifestyle with how you eat, live or sleep make an effort to make changes that encourage a healthy life. Lack of sleep and poor eating habits rob us from energy, overall health and happiness.

Daniel knew King Nebuchadnezzar’s food and wine was not healthy to eat. God gave Daniel the knowledge to discern healthy decisions vs. unhealthy choices. Just so you know, God gave us discernment too, we just have to decide to use it and not ignore it.

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

The 5k…

That made me incredibly happy.

I started a tradition of running in The Susan B. Komen 5k Race for a Cure in Memory of Grandma Mary Miles. My Grandma was my rock and soul. I miss the way she loved me and cared for me but I also appreciated the time we had together.

My Son had grown up watching me train and run the race, he was so proud of me. In 2004, Griffin says to me at the last minute, “Mama, I am running with you.” I instantly tell Griffin,”No honey, stay with Papa and I will be done very soon.” Griffin insisted that he too wanted to race in Memory of Grandma Miles, he pleaded with me.

I gave in, and we ran the race, side by side. There were times when Griffin wanted to quit and give in because he didn’t realize the commitment he made. His heart was in a good place for a 7 year old but he never ran a 5k before. I felt so much pride and love for my role as Mother. Sometimes we are so in the “Mom Mode” teaching and correcting that we don’t realize the positive impact we make on our children until we see them do things that make us proud.

Griffin and I finished the race together, with great big smiles on our faces and tears of joy in my eyes. I told Griffin to look behind him at the finish line, to see the 1000’s of people behind him. Griffin was amazed and pretty proud of himself.

Remember that God knows our limitations and struggles but He is always supporting us no matter what. And we need to support our children for the good of God’s kingdom, no matter what. Sometimes it’s hard to teach and convince our children the trials of life. Sometimes we refuse to let God convince and teach us His plan for our life. Be open to the goodness of God, His plans are far better than our plans for ourselves.

 

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

Sitting with a Veteran…

I struck up a conversation with a very kind hearted man. This man was waiting for his wife, daughter and grand-daughter.

I thanked him for his service and started to talk to him about my son who recently graduated from The United States Air Force. He started to beam with joy to hear the story and look at the pictures from the graduation. It was hot and I wanted to get a cup of water, as I got up I asked him if he needed anything, he responded; just more time.

My heart sank, I never heard anyone ask for time in such a humble manner. When I came back, I asked him about time. He said, Oh Kristina, I am on the other side of my life, the side that is almost over. I have a beautiful wife, an amazing daughter and such a spectacular grand daughter, my time with them is growing shorter and shorter every day.

We don’t know how much time we have with each other he replied but I do know one thing, I don’t want to waste my time with them arguing, fighting or complaining. I want to have happy filled moments with them. I want smiles and not frowns, tears of joy instead of tears of pain. I started to cry just a little bit to hear this man, who fought in Vietnam, who loves his family and just wanted the peace of love to over rule his last remaining moments.

Do you think about the time you wasted on someone that didn’t care about you? Or all the wasted time you sat in front of a video game or television? Maybe time at a job that didn’t amount to anything? We waste hours upon hours of time on things that don’t really matter, until we are faced with the grim reality of time running out. I ask you to stop wasting time at this very moment on the things in your life that are wasting your time.

God waits patiently for all of His children to wake up but wouldn’t you rather wake up now before it’s too late?!

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

Happy vs. Holy..

Which one is more important to you?

I recently met a couple, they told me that they have been married to each other for 28 years. Wow, I exclaimed and congratulated them both. I was intrigued to know how were they defying the odds and avoiding divorce.

The gentleman, quickly responded,”I married up” for sure. We all laughed but then his wife responded. “It’s not about finding someone who makes you happy but someone who makes you Holy.” I responded with a firm, Amen and added when you are holy, it is when you are truly happy. We were all smiling, shaking our heads in agreement.

Then I started to think of every relationship I ever had in my entire life. Romantic, platonic, family, friendly, work, neighbors, college, high school and elementary, all of them. Which one’s were leading me to be holy and which ones were not, the list was short but instantly I was able to identify each and every person who wanted to do good in my life for God.

I love this concept, help and lead people new and old to be more holy, which will lead to true happiness. Great concept but are people in general ready to be happy on God’s terms or are they striving to solely be happy on their own? I truly believe this is the #1 hang up in most people’s lives. Let go and let God I like to say when someone is so stuck they can’t see straight. However, easier said than done for most.

I will choose God for the source of my holiness which will undeniably lead me to happiness. My happiness from holiness will lead to the happiness and holiness for others. I pray for you today, choose God’s plan for your life above your own. I promise, it’s even better than you could have ever imagined for yourself.

 

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

The overview of the Five F’s…

F…FRIENDS

Friends and family mean a lot to me. A good relationship is worth it’s weight in gold. I have friends from school, work, my neighborhood and friends of friends. We need to nurture our relationships with our friends and family. If you are in a relationship that is hurtful, you need to reevaluate why you are letting yourself be hurt. Or, if you are blessed with friends and family that love and respect you, pat yourself on the back. I will share advice on how to keep a good relationship going or how to leave a bad relationship behind.

F…FASHION

Fashion is so fun and can be intimidating for some. My life long love of fashion started first in my DNA then was encouraged by my Mother. My Grandma Leola had a love of making clothing and owned her own dress shop, my Mother started dressing me in fashion as soon as I left the hospital, I didn’t have a chance or choice. However, I love helping people look and feel their best, that can be so rewarding. So I am here to help and assist in any way I can…you’re welcome.

F…FAITH

Where do I start, I absolutely love God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit with all my heart, with all my soul. I don’t know where I would be without it but I do know I will be a Christian all the days of my life. I want to help people find and understand Jesus on their own with awesome examples of my own experience. My testimonies are special, real and my own. God will put us through a storm for a good reason and we must be grateful for it.

No judgement here, just my daily belief in God. I will share my opinions and concerns of being a believer. What makes us all so amazing, is our own personal relationship with God. I attend church on Sunday’s, I bless my meals, pray every day and try to navigate through the reality of life while raising a man-child. I am a grateful person and appreciate all my blessings. God has a plan for each and every one of us, I pray you are using your gifts.

F…FITNESS

I enjoy healthy living and eating. My amazing parents decided at the ripe old age of 4 years old I would be a member of the College Park Maryland Boys & Girls Club. I love organized sports and have been an Athlete ever since. I have had my unfortunate times with mistakes and blunders when it came to eating and working out. I want to help those who want help and coaching maybe even a cheerleader in eating clean and healthy along with exercise. I share my easy recipes and easy work tips on my YouTube Channel: Kristina Deignan. The hardest part of anything is change, especially when we are bombarded with ad after ad and television commercial about this food or food restaurant. I am here to help you navigate through the confusion.

F…FINANCE

Your relationship with money is so important. I learned early and I am still learning to be a better steward for me, my family and God. I like to help people save money on purchases and curve their spending. And I am looking for new ways to improve my own relationship with money as well. I want to help others see the warning signs and avoid some of the mistakes I have made my self. I want to help you, let’s do it together.
Well, there you have it. The Five F’s and what they mean to me and you. I am excited to officially start my journey to help, save, minister, free and love all of you. God bless and have a great day!
Posted on by Kristina Knowles

The $250 Million dollar Powerball…

Jackpot can make you dream like never before. The “What If” I win dream is a very powerful feeling when the jackpot is high. I really like thinking about all the wonderful things money has the power to afford me to do for others. It evokes grandiose dreams, charity donations and gifts to family and friends.  Lavish thoughts and splurges galore, all for a $1 ticket for a chance to win. Wouldn’t it be awesome if we didn’t have to wait for a lottery jackpot to dream big? Dreaming is free, we all are allowed to dream good intentions and happy thoughts about our friends and family, even complete strangers we would like to help.

Praying is a form of dreaming our heart makes. I pray that with a clean heart we can focus on so much good on our world and the world at large. It starts with me and you, to pray big Godly prayers. We should make time every day to pray so we can get closer to our real happiness. I believe true happiness comes when we can help our neighbors, friends and family right now, don’t wait for the lottery to be a jackpot winner or giver. We are all winners at this very moment, no ticket needed. God is the jackpot giver, He knows exactly what you need and when you need it. So be intent on praying for God’s jackpot plan for your life and not your own, I promise it’s better than you could imagine for yourself.

I have been blessed with amazing friends and family that have helped me beyond belief, I am so grateful.

Have a great day!

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

Are you a victim of Identity Theft…?

We hear about cyber security and identity theft a lot lately. It’s scary to think that someone out there is willing to destroy you or to steal from you. It is sad, but it reminds me how we give permission for our own personal identity to be lost. I would love to see an ad that would remind us to protect our personal identity that God gave us when we were born. We can lose it when we start a new relationship, a new job, pregnancy, even a sibling can rob us of our own personal identity. And it’s because we let them take it away from us in the first place. I remember feeling a bit of an out of “Kristina” experience when I had my son. I am a huge advocate of being who God made you to be, I began to feel that slip away. I quickly realized it and got back to me. I felt it slip away again when I was divorced after 13 years of marriage. Be cognitive, be in the present and never forget you. The natural good of who we are is very special, never let anyone take that away from you. Protect it like you would eggs in a carton, a seat belt in a car, a helmet during a motorcycle ride or even a credit score. We are constantly protecting every thing but ourselves. Do you feel like you’ve lost your identity? I promise you can get it back!

I hope you have an awesome day!

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

What if you had 3 minutes…

To talk about your son or daughter?

Early one morning I was eating breakfast with my son when he was 15 years old. While listening to our favorite Christian radio station, 91.9 WTGS, they announced Joseph was the name for The Family Name game. My son and I instantly looked at each other with excitement. I called in, got through and waited patiently to talk about my son, Joseph. I could hardly wait, I was busting out of the seams. Joseph had to leave for his carpool but I gave him a kiss good-bye and continued to wait. The DJ’s finally took my call and asked me to talk about Joseph. I told them how proud I was of Joseph, he attends a christian high school (DeMatha Catholic High School) that he played sports (football and lacrosse) and volunteered for the homeless (S.O.M.E.). I was beaming through the phone, then I started to tear up. Why? As much as I love Joseph and how proud I am for him, I just want him to be a good man in the end. The DJ’s were so kind to listen, to be so kind to me. At the end of our phone call I was told we won the Chick Filet dinner out, so awesome.

I got to thinking, do our children or loved ones truly know what we would say if we had 2-3 minutes. And if in your heart you didn’t have anything special to say about your daughter or son, why not? I sometimes find myself at a store listening in shock to parents scream at their children, it breaks my heart. If our children don’t feel or see our love for them, how will they ever love themselves. Take time to be patient and love your child/children. You’ll be amazed with the results, I promise.

When Joseph got home from school he mentioned that he and everyone in the car heard what I said on the radio station. Joseph smiled at me and told me thank you and that he loved me, that is all I needed to hear.

Have an awesome day!

 

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

Love thy Neighbor…

As you love yourself. We have heard this over and over again, I can’t tell you how many times but it is a lot. Easy enough, right!?

Well, not really and not for a lot of us. First, we must raise up children who truly understand the definition of love by God. Then we must show these children by our
 example what is looks like when we truly loves ourselves to give it as a gift to others. God created love in all of us but we are so quick to abundantly love the world’s view of love and not His. 

I am not surprised that so many people find it so difficult to love themselves. Most can’t stop the self hatred that comes from comparing themselves to others, instead of being grateful for who God made them to be. We were all created in His image what better way to see ourselves, right!? 

Let’s all vow to God today that we are going to start to love ourselves today, even the ugly parts that we convinced ourselves exist. We will wipe away all the mean things that have been spoken over us by the enemy. And finally, let us appreciate ourselves where we are today and celebrate in anticipation of being better with every tomorrow.