Posted on by Kristina Knowles

Two years ago today I…

Witnessed and intervened on a beating against a woman by a thug, November 2, 2015 in College Park, Maryland.

I remember it like it was today still fresh in my mind. I was at work in my office on the phone. Several of my co-workers were looking out the window, then all of sudden one of them came in and said something bad is happening out in the parking lot. I instantly got off the phone and proceeded outside.

Have you ever seen an elbow cock back and fourth in a blow to a body part or face of a woman? Have you seen an arm of a man swing up to the face of woman, like an uppercut? Or have you seen a man not care that a stranger is pulling him off a woman while beating her?

On the scene you had your videographer, your silent and in shock bystander and everyone else just walking by. I was told that 5-7 men walked by without stopping to help her. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

I approached the situation calmly, I reached into the car to speak and get the thug off the woman. He got in a few more punches before getting out of her car. The thug was huffing and puffing, wearing a wife beater(you can’t make this stuff up) he tried to convince me that what he was doing was okay, she deserved it. I am positive some video game, rap song or rap video gave him permission to do this, or perhaps a family member or friend.

After my brief discussion with him, the thug ran off.  I instantly went over to the female. Her face, her eyes and body all badly bruised and bleeding. I ran into my job to get her ice and towels to start the healing, the physical healing. We needed a private place to go, we agreed to meet inside the public bathroom at Potbelly’s. I ran back with ice and towels and realized she just saw herself for the first time bruised and battered.

I started to cry because she didn’t want to wait around for the police. A man has destroyed this woman’s face, spirit and ability to think straight. I started to reason with her to no avail. I told her that I loved her, but more importantly that God loved her too. I prayed over her and went back to work. Then I watched her get back into her car and drive away, confirming she wasn’t waiting for the police.

Do I know what happened before the beating began, no. However, I know it’s wrong to beat up a woman. I also prayed for the thug, hurt people hurt people. And truth be told God loves us all, even in our most deepest darkest moments He loves us.

I wonder from time to time what ever happened to her, I pray she is doing great things. I also hope the thug is no longer a thug and changed his ways. As a reminder to you, always be the shelter in someones life, you might be the only one who comes to their rescue.

May God have mercy on our souls.

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

Our society doesn’t understand…

The true meaning of Love.

I enjoy talking to people especially about cultivating healthy relationships with themselves and others. And more often than not, people don’t understand the true meaning of love. Webster’s Dictionary defines love 6 ways.

1. a quality or feeling of strong or constant affection for and dedication to another

2. a:  attraction based on sexual desire, the strong affection and tenderness felt by lovers

2. b:  a beloved person

3. a:  warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion

3. b: the object of attachment or devotion

4. a score of zero in tennis

Webster’s Dictionary is wrong, completely and totally wrong. Unfortunately there is no mention of God, He is the very meaning of Love. He himself created the definition and Webster doesn’t even mention Him once!? Now you can see why I made my claim about society not knowing the true meaning of love. And to be clear some truly know the true meaning of Love but those are in the minority.

John affirms that “God is love” ( 1 John 4:8 ). God does not merely love; He is love. Everything that God does flows from His love.

When we take our attention off of the definition of man’s version of Love and set our sights on God. We can truly love, love each other the way God has instructed us to love. When we truly love like God, we follow the commandments. We don’t lead others to sin, do harm or do things that will enable someone to ruin their lives. Love is wanting the absolute best for someone else.

Love is hard, we can be so selfish. Sometimes we need to be in total control of things, so much so we lose sight on the important things. We need to focus on things that are holy, right and just. Love can be scary, fear makes us do things that are not proper. Never love out of fear, that is not real or good. True love is when you can be at peace with your relationship with God.

The entertainment industry has done an amazing job of hurting us with lies. If I believed that all of us went to a movie, listened to a song or watched a television show and left the experience at the door-fantastic. However, that is not the case at all. How do I know? Life is imitating art day in and day out because of what we see, what we watch and what we listen to. Be wise and careful what you fill your mind with, even more important be diligent about what your children are watching and listening to as well.

Love is God, He wants the absolute best for us. God should be the over arching pinnacle of love in your life.He also gives us free will which enables us to show Him how much we love Him back. There is not ONE person on this earth that I want to see harmed, hurt or suffer, not one. It’s not our job as humans to hurt each other, our job is to love. Satan relishes in the hurts of everyone, how sick and sad. And what is even more sick, we give Satan permission. Make today the day you start to understand and read about God’s love, then start to live in it.

Thanks be to God’s love

 

 

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

Dear You…

I am so sorry that you were hurt at the hands or verbal abuse of someone you love, trusted, tricked by and care about. I am so sorry that they hurt you because they are hurting. I am so sorry that instead of asking for help they decided to hurt you. I am so sorry that instead of being a good human being they decided to be mean, unkind and deplorable. You didn’t deserve it, it’s not your fault and you must get the help you need.

Now…

I know this might be hard for you but please forgive them. Please show them the grace and mercy they need. Forgiving the abuser blesses you. I know that might be confusing but it’s true. Healing begins, health beginning to be restored over time. Holding on to the darkness of the abuse doesn’t allow God’s love or light in. And that doesn’t help you at all. For anyone that has been involved, witness or been the receiver of Domestic abuse, physical or verbal…I am so sorry. You didn’t deserve it, it was never your fault.

And if you were the parent, friend, family member or neighbor that witnessed the abuse and didn’t get help or stop the abuse, you are an Accomplice and you need help too. I don’t think there is anything worse than watching someone you love stand by and let the abuse take place.

I believe if enough of us care about helping those who have been hurt, things will change for the better. Instead it looks as though we continue to protect people that don’t deserve protection but deserve to be confronted. The first step in recovery is acknowledging the problem, the offense and the pain the abuser inflicted. Then true healing and restoration can begin.

As National Domestic Violence Month comes to an end tonight, unfortunately the truth is the abuse will continue unless we take a personal stand. See it, report it. Hear it, report it. Told it, report, it.

Remember if we keep sweeping these people and their offenses under the proverbial rug, no one heals…NO ONE!!!

Praying for Peace!

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

Wow, she said I reminded her…

Of the new Wonder Woman.

A friend recently saw the movie Wonder Woman and remarked that I remind her of the character. I had not seen the movie, but I was flattered. I mean, as a little girl I watched Wonder Woman before or after my brother watched The Bionic Man. I adored Wonder Woman, she was so AMAZING!

After I came down from floating off of the very kind compliment, I asked “Renee”, “What about the movie made you think of me?” Renee instantly responded that after the movie begun the story line of Wonder Woman became very obvious. “Wonder Woman has values that she lives by and believes in,” “Renee” explained, just like you.” “Kristina ever since I met you you want to help as many people as you can.” If and when you see the movie, you will see that Wonder Woman wants to help people, just like you.” “She also is tall, brunette and likes to work out and eat healthy, just like you.” “Renee” and I both laughed and I thanked her for the compliment.

The next weekend I went to see the movie, it was great. I enjoyed the story line, “Renee” was correct, Wonder Woman does want to help everyone. And I pray that everyone took that away from the movie as well. Wonder Woman didn’t give in or give up, she persevered. God calls us to help the least of these as much as we can. It’s why we all should wake up in the morning. It should be our driving force to make this world today, a better place.

Our influence on the people who we directly affect every day is important. We create a ripple effect on the way we raise our children, the way they go out into the world to do good or bad, help or hurt and/or build or condemn. The good news is, it’s never too late to change their world for the better. Make Godly goals with your family, friends and neighbors, and watch all the positive things unfold.

Peace be with you!

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

The one that got away…

Thanks be to God!

I know society talks about this person in television shows, movies and talk shows. The infamous “person that got away”, I am here to explain to you why this person doesn’t truly exist. We can waste a lot of time pining away for this person with questions or statements. Why didn’t I do better? Where did I go wrong? Why couldn’t they change? What if I said this? Waste. Of. Time.

I read the bible for thousands of reason, this would be one of them.  We live in a world that requires us to believe in man more often than we should believe in God. Healthy and well meaning relationships are important and necessary to strive in this world, we need them. The most important relationship we create is the one we establish with God.

After we develop our relationship with God, the next relationship we create is the love for ourselves. I see so much self hate, it’s terrible. People would rather ruin their lives with medication, drugs, fantasy, alcohol and jealousy. Instead of loving themselves, accepting themselves as God created them.

When we are in right relationship with God and ourselves we tend to attract the good people of our lives. And even if we don’t, a few bad seeds might slip in from time to time. Just know in your heart that God gave you an internal hard drive that allows you to know the difference. It’s up to you to listen or ignore the truth.

So let go and let God be the ruler of your life. Let go of ” the person who got away” and don’t look back at the “what if’s” of life. Just realize at this very moment you have the opportunity to change everything that is wrong about your life, especially the relationships. Learn from these past relationships, learn what you loved and what you hated. Don’t look back, its just a waste of time…

God bless “the one who got away”!

 

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

To pick up or to not pick up…

Your dogs poop.

Please just pick it up! I am beyond boggled by any individual that rescues, purchases or fosters a dog and refuses to pick up their own dogs poop-mind blowing. I believe just like the people who believe it’s okay to leave shopping carts anywhere and anywhere-completely selfish.

While walking Bentley today, I was stopped by a person who was amazed to see that Bentley poops into a bag…lol. I know, it’s a sight to be seen. Way before I moved to Texas with my Son and my dog Bentley, Bentley was trained to poop into a recycled grocery bag.

I don’t mind being confronted now and again by someone who has just watched Bentley poop into a bag. I live on a golf course, we see a lot of traffic, people are amazed. Then it dawned on me, why don’t people stop and ask the people who don’t pick up their dog’s poop?

Where I live, it’s the rule, pick up your dog’s poop. The city where I registered Bentley, it’s the rule, pick up your dogs poop. You may not believe it’s a big deal,”It’s just dog poop.” I’ll tell you why it’s a big deal. Once again, we are teaching our children how not to follow the rules, how not to take care of our dogs and how not to care-period. And with that, you will start to erode away good principles we as a society put forth to make the world a better place.

So let me make this clear, you have a responsibility to pick up your dog’s poop. If you don’t, you are a selfish, uncaring, lazy and inconsiderate law/rule breaker. Here’s the good news, you can start picking up your pets poop today. And you can apologize to your family for not making it a priority to be a better role model. Make today, the day!!!

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

The Rescue Dog Affect…

Is worth their weight in gold.

Many, many school years ago I made a deal with my Son. If you make Honor Roll, you may adopt and rescue a dog. Well, he made it and we were off to the kennels within a 50 mile radious in Virginia, D.C. and Maryland. We continued to look high and low, near and   far. I was proud that my Son actually took the experience seriously, wanting to find the perfect fit.

One day we were visiting with family at American University in Washington, D.C. for a field hockey game. It was a beautiful fall day and we decided to have lunch in Georgetown after the game. Since there are several ways out of D.C. back to Maryland we were headed out on New York Avenue. It just so happens, on New York Avenue sits The Washington Humane Society, as we drove by we noticed they were still open and stopped in.

As we walked in, we got our normal “hi’s” and “hello’s”, signed in and proceeded to walk back to where the dogs were located. The ruckus began immediately when we opened the door, if you have ever been to a kennel, you know exactly what I am referring to. As we passed every single kennel, read every story we continued down the hall in anticipation. Was today we found our dog? And there sat Bentley, not barking, not getting up just sitting there looking at us with this expression on his canine face…What took you two so long? We had no idea about his breed[Giant Schnauzer], Jetty was his kennel name which had the first 4 letters of my last name[Majett] and he was super cool. This was our DOG!!!!

Jetty was his name, being a stay was his game. Jetty was found walking the streets of D.C., brought to The Washington Humane Society during the late rainy spring, adopted and then brought back to The Washington Humane Society again. Can you imagine our surprise that he was found, adopted and returned?! And now we wanted him immediately. However, the process would take a few weeks of a background check of us and WHS approval. In the background process they determined that the house we were living in belonged to my Mother, so we needed her permission. Yikes, I forget to mention this to my Mother because we were nervous she wouldn’t want us to have a dog in her big, beautiful house.  But as God would have it, she immediately gave us of her blessing.

Six years later, we are blessed beyond belief with our decision. I can’t thank my Mother enough for giving us permission, I am so grateful for the path we took that day because family was in town and I can’t thank God enough for these little blessings that end up being so major. We obviously changed Jetty’s name to Sir Bentley Schnauzer. Bentley has protected us far beyond words can imagine or describe. He is my fitness running buddy, my protector and friend .

God has created so many incredible blessings in animals. We must appreciate and care for the gifts He gives us. It’s a blessing to be given an animal to care for, love and nourish. However, owning an animal is not for everyone. Recognizing the fact that you shouldn’t or can’t own an animal is so important. To the person who let Bentley get away, along with the person who adopted Bentley and returned him gave us one of the biggest blessings of our lives-thank you. And most importantly, Thank you God!!!

 

 

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

Pink ballet flats and a Scar…

I once heard that scars are a reminder that the past existed. Several years ago my wonderful birthday fell on Thanksgiving. As I looked at the pile of pink presents, I couldn’t wait to wear my new pink ballet flats my Mom bought me. And when I tried them on, I noticed the 4 inch scare on my foot that had become a distant memory. My son and I went on a camping trip to a friends cabin in Bluemont, Virginia one Memorial Day weekend. We didn’t know what to expect but the closer we got the sky was bigger and bluer, the mountains taller. It was just so gorgeous and peaceful. Our mornings started off with kayaking and taking in the sights. Our nights were relaxing and quiet. We were free from video games, emails, constant telephone calls and other distractions we’ve grown accustom too.

My son and I talked and laughed a lot, more so than normal. I was really glad we were able to take this trip together. On the morning of our departure, I was cleaning up after our meal and out of a bag of trash poked a piece of glass that ripped open the top of my foot as I walked by. I couldn’t believe my eyes, I think I went into a calm shock. My son rushed over, looked down at my foot and took over. He got a wet paper towel and tried to apply pressure in order to stop the bleeding. My son then picked me up, like I weighed nothing, and took me over to the truck. The owner of the cabin took us to the emergency clinic. Once I was seen by the Doctor, she told me that my son was asking about me and wanted to come to see me so he could cheer me up. I told her that he may come back, so he did and he started making me laugh. Seventeen stitches later we were back in our car headed home.

As I looked in the rear view mirror as we were leaving Virginia, I was smiling. Smiling ear to ear and so happy because I was so proud of my son. I needed to see my son in a different light, he showed me a side of him I never knew existed. The scar will be a positive reminder of our amazing weekend away to Bluemont, Virginia.

We should allow our children to know what it feels like to be responsible, take charge and be the greatness God put in each and every one of them.

Have an awesome day!

 

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!