The BEST is yet to come

Author/Founder of ICH Enterprises, Certified Accounting Technician with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, London and Board member of the PACE Foundation.  With all these accolades, who would have believed that I was once a teen-mother.

It all started some 23 years ago but I can remember it like it was yesterday. From the moment I met him, he envisioned everything that I’d dreamed of; that is until I got pregnant.  My parents were devastated!  I was totally clueless as to how this one decision would drastically change my life.  To add insult to injury, my indiscretion came at a time when premature pregnancy was considered taboo (nothing like nowadays).  I had to leave school, friends and activities that had meant so much to me behind.  

The *PACE Foundation was the light at the end of a dark tunnel. They provided an avenue for me to redeem myself and move forward towards a better and brighter future for me and my unborn child.

*The PACE Foundation is a non-profit organization incorporated to support the PACE Programme of the Bahamas Ministry of Education whose goals are as follows: To ensure that teen mothers have the opportunity to complete high school To reduce the incidence of repeat pregnancy among teen mothers To improve the quality of life for teenage mothers and their babies To use the lessons of teen mothers to inform stakeholders of the ways to prevent teen pregnancies Website: http://www.pacebahamas.com/Home.html

To those of you out there who may find yourself in a similar situation, please note that this is NOT the end.  Whoever told you that your life is over - - - -lied!!   God still has an awesome plan for you. The bible states in 1Corinthians 2:9 “Eyes hath not seen, ears hath not heard, neither has it entered into the hearts of man the plans God has for those that love Him.”

On my completion of the PACE Programme, I returned to public school and secured a part-time job to support my child.  While others were enjoying their long summer vacations, I worked full-time to ensure that I had everything that I needed for the next school semester.

I must be totally honest with you by saying that it wasn’t at all easy. I wanted to give up many days and have made lots of mistakes along the way.   Many were convinced that my life was over. I lost some friends, family members gave up on me and even the baby’s father walked away.  

But by God’s grace - - -I made it and You can too!

With faith in God, hard work and determination, the Best is yet to come.

Paulette P. Stubbs

Who Am I? by Paulette P. Stubbs, Author & Founder of ICH Enterprises

WHO AM I?

Have you ever looked in the mirror and quietly asked yourself the question: ‘Who Am I?”  These three simple words will compel even the most intelligent of persons to think for a minute.

But before you answer, I would like for you to firstly dismiss every LIE that the world, your friends, your ex’s or even your family members have sold you over the years. Secondly, destroy and un-create all the negative labels that have followed you from your childhood, assaulted you through middle-school and became the irritating third-wheel in every intimate relationship you’ve had.

The world, too often make the mistake of attributing a person’s worth by what they do for a living or by what they have done in the past. At reunions we proudly flash our business cards with endless professional labels and boast of our accomplishments as if this will somehow validate our existence to others.

Our value is NOT derived from:

Profession or job

·        Education

·        Accomplishments (no matter how great they are)

·        Physical appearance (Ethnicity, Race, Weight, etc.)

·        Geographical location (suburbs, ghetto, etc.)

·        Financial Landscape (wealthy, on-welfare, debt)

·        Possessions

·        Marital Status (Single, Divorced, Married)

·        Personal/Professional Network

Our value is NOT diminished by events e.g.:

·        Lost your job

·        Homeless

·        Bankrupt

·        Suffered abuse, rape, incest, etc.

·        Single (as the world portrays singleness)

·        Made poor choices

·        ___________________Fill in the blank, etc.

How is it that we seek to be affirmed by our jobs, relationships, the media and everything else except by the very one that hold the blueprint for our lives?  Can you see the irony in this unfortunate mindset?

New Self-Reality Consciousness

Our value comes from our Creator: God and his original intent for our existence are found in his Word.  Each of us has been endowed by God with a unique S.E.L.F. purpose and gifting to share with the world.  I have used the below acronym to illustrate the definition of SELF below:

S olo :                 Unique, individual

E valuation of:      Worth, significance,           

L ife:                   Existence, being

F unction:            Purpose, role, meaning

We must endeavor to re-frame our reality with what is TRUE, PURE, NOBLE and LIFE-GIVING (Phil 4:8). With this in mind, let’s discover some of the truths found in God’s Word about who WE really are:

What GOD says about YOU	Scripture reference
LOVED & CHOSEN	1 Thes. 1:4, Col 3:12
WHOLE  AND  COMPLETE	Col 2:10
FAIRFULLY & WONDERFULLY MADE	Ps. 139.14
FULL OF LOVE, POWER & A SOUND MIND	2 Tim 1:7
A TREASURED POSSESSION	Deut 7:6
MORE THAN A CONQUEROR	Rom 8:17
FREE FROM WEAKNESSES & DISEASE	Matt 8:17
BOLD AS A LION	Prov 28:1
A FRIEND OF JESUS	John 15:15
SUPPLIED WITH EVERYTHING I NEED	Phil 4:19
BLESSED WITH ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS	Eph 1:3
ACCEPTED	Rom 15:7
AMBASSADOR	2 Cor 5:20
ALWAYS TRIUMPHANT IN EVERY SITUATION	2 Cor 2:14

When you don't know who you are, you are more likely to be subjected to the views and impositions of who you should be.