April was one for the books, but there was so much information that our guests offered, we would be remiss if we didn't pause and reflect on what we learned. By we, I mean you and me.

Today's Best Kept Secret is that community connects us to purpose! The calling you have, that invitation to partner with God for eternity, that customized life purpose cannot be realized in isolation! You need mentors and good, wise friendships to refresh your soul and hold you accountable.

Hebrews 10:25 (NLT) tells us, "And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near."

Now that the world is reopening as we emerge from the pandemic that we've encountered over the past year, let's choose intentionality and connect with those who are going to help elevate our choice to trust God more every day. Remember, every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17). Let's honor Him and show gratitude in the connections we keep.

Tag me in your stories with the connections you're most grateful for. I would love to see who's a part of your tribe.

Those love languages keep coming back around…we heard them in the interview with Jessica, and now we’re talking about them with Daja. Let's recharge the love in our friendships with intentionality.

Did y’all know that the Bible says that friendships refresh the soul?

It’s true, Proverbs 27:9 reads:

Sweet friendships refresh the soul and awaken our hearts with joy,

for good friends are like the anointing oil

that yields the fragrant incense of God’s presence.

Daja came through to encourage our hearts in the area of friendship and it is good! Here are a couple of questions she answered that you may want to reflect on or consider in your own spaces. 

💫 How have your friendships inspired and cultivated joy within you over the years?

💫 How do you identify people whom you would like to become friends with? 

💫 Can you tell me about one of the best trips or the most fun that you've ever taken with your friends?

💫 How have you learned to support your friends throughout the years?

💫 What would you recommend someone do to make time for the friendships they have when the pressures and busyness of life begin building up?

Need a couple of recommendations to strengthen yours? Here’s what she suggested we start doing…

💫 Ask questions

💫 Listen 

💫 Take Time

💫 Support their Business Ideas

💫 Brainstorm

💫 Shoot a quick text

💫 A handwritten letter

💫 A Just Because List

💫 Create a Yearly tradition

💫 Create a Friendship Bucket List

Remember to tag us on Instagram when you create your friendship bucket list. Daja is at https://www.instagram.com/missdaja/ and I’m at https://www.instagram.com/candidliv/

The blog is at http://candidliv.com/ and I cannot wait to continue this conversation with you.

Today's best kept secret is that serving the Lord and walking in purpose is fun!!!

Venus, Loretta, and December are three women who God used to change my life, and I will be forever grateful for their presence in my life. Today, they've joined me on the podcast to talk about how much fun obedience can be as God transforms our lives. 

Before I met them, I had no clue how much fun it could be to walk in purpose, and I’m grateful that they helped me to identify new ways to obey God’s word. 

Here are a few questions for you to consider with your inner circle, with your mentees, or yourself!

💫 What is the best part about being a Christian?

💫 How did the activities you call fun now change when you chose to accept Jesus into your heart?

💫 What did that transition look like? Was it quick or did it take time?

💫 Do you ever feel like you're missing out on anything?

• 💫 Talk to me about the peace you feel now that you're enjoying life without all the drama?

What emotions arose when you first felt God calling you into a new level of faith, and how did it change the way you say you saw yourself? These are just two of the questions we’re discussing with Nicole O. Salmon, the Purpose Coach, today. 

There’s something sweet, something supernatural that happens when you step forward in obedience and it is undeniably good, which is ironic because the first emotion that rose to the surface when Nicole felt God calling her to a new level of faith was denial.

Your confidence in Christ will be confirmed, but it’s not going to take place over night. It’s going to require time and assistance. Nicole, a mentor herself, has come through to help us learn what it looks like to practice God’s presence, our purpose postures, and what you should look for in a mentor. 

1 Corinthians 12:19 reminds us, “How strange a body would be if it had only one part!” in the New Living Translation, and I hope you meditate on it because it points to how much we need your voice. If you’re ready to own it, you can get registered for Preach, Sis by clicking this link here: https://www.nicoleosalmon.com/preachsis2021

I am giving away two free tickets to those of you who enter the drawing by writing a review of the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Audible, but just in case you don’t win, remember to enter the code UNCONDITIONAL for a discount, and then let me know that you did so because I’ll have a gift for you, too. 

Remember to follow Nicole Salmon at on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleosalmon/ and me here: https://www.instagram.com/candidliv

The blog is at https://candidliv.com/

Guess what?! You have permission to encourage yourself! Encouragement is a gift that we give others, but it’s also one that we give ourselves. Let’s talk about how to grow in it so we can ensure that we’re giving from a healthy place. 

There are so many factors that attempt to impede our ability to grow in encouragement, especially today, but we when we choose intentionality, authenticity, and set boundaries, we remember how much joy encouragement brings.

Today, we are talking to the soul igniter, character cheerleader, and doll authenticator, Jessica Dishmon! She has such a beautiful gift of encouragement that I had to invite her on to the podcast so we could really dig into this subject. 

Romans 12:8 tells us, “If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging,” and this reminds us that it is necessary to hold on to and thrive in. 

As always I have a few questions for you!

💫 Do you ever take your gift of encouragement for granted?

💫Do you ever feel like you give others too much encouragement?

💫Have you ever felt like others think you’re attempting to manipulate them through your encouragement?

💫How do you enjoy receiving encouragement? Have you verbalized that to your friends and family lately?

💫How do you encourage yourself?

💫Did you know that encouragement is a spiritual gift in the Bible?

💫How have you felt God’s encouragement?

Remember to follow Jessica at on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/jess_the_doll2/

And don't forget to keep the conversation flowing with on Instagram or Clubhouse. Jessica and I will be talking about Friendship on Clubhouse this Friday at 6PM PST.

https://www.instagram.com/candidliv

The blog is at https://candidliv.com/

I have always been a competitive person in many ways because it feels like a game, but I don’t love it when it interferes with Kingdom work or our ability to celebrate one another. 

In fact it’s killing us, our perspective, and our impact on the Kingdom. 

It’s time humble ourselves and remember Habbakuk 2:2-3:

“Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others.

This vision is for a future time.

It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled.

If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place.

It will not be delayed.

We’re finding inspiration from 2 Kings 13:14-19 so that we can completely annihilate the enemy of competition and enjoy the victory and success God always intended us to.

Shout out to https://www.instagram.com/_kellyafoster/ for leaving a review. Follower her to check out her newest book that will be releasing soon!

The truth is common sense isn’t always as common as you think it might be, and we can always use a reminder sometimes. 

That’s why this week’s best kept secret is that secure, wise, smart, strong people ask for help, and it’s time for you too, as well, because this God given goal you have is bigger than you!

In the past, I have chosen not to ask for help out of fear, pride, and insecurity, but I’m over it and I’m over myself. Can the church say amen?

What have you been procrastinating on? 

Could it be that you need help?

Which part is overwhelming?

How many people can you name who are resourceful or have knowledge in that area?

What’s holding you back from asking them for help?

Remember, the worst that could happen is that they could say no, but the best that could happen is that they could say yes!

Let’s keep this conversation going. 

https://www.instagram.com/candidliv

The blog is at https://candidliv.com/.

This week’s best kept secret is that love is stronger than pride! Someone, cue the Sade! Ayyy!

I know you have every excuse not to do the thing you’ve been called to. You know the thing: the business, the coaching group, the podcast, the event, etc. BUT what about those who have been called to your voice, your influence, and your level of gifting? I know you love them more than you love yourself. 

After all, perfectionism is just a form of pride, and it’s one we have to get over. 

Here are a few questions to help you get over yourself, because at one point we all have to….Let’s put in work. 

What have you been pondering over and procrastinating on over these past few weeks?

What is the one thing you would do if you had no fear?

What’s holding you back?

What mindset shift do you need to make today so that you can start?

What mentors do you need to acquire to learn and begin to step out on faith in that area?

The adventure of an eternity is on the other side of it. Remember, the space may be oversaturated, but it’s absolutely incomplete until you bring your voice to the space.

Remember to keep the conversation flowing with on Instagram or Clubhouse. 

https://www.instagram.com/candidliv

The blog is at https://candidliv.com/

Have you ever thought about how much of the Lord’s rest you need-as a creative? As a mom? As a friend? Today’s best kept secret is that prayer holds incredible power to unlock your creativity.

Y’all, we serve a creative God! As the only creatures in the whole universe who are made in HIs image, we have to remember that creativity is a part of our DNA. We can enjoy the fullest expression of our creativity in His presence through prayer.

I’m so thankful that Desirée Micheels, coauthor of Just Believe: Every Summer Has a Story, is here to help us in this area. 

She came through dropping gems, and, this is one for the books. Save this episode and return to it as often as you need to as you remember that God is blessing your creativity. Remember, “We’re the pen, but He’s the ink.”

You can find Desiree Micheels at @justbelievebook on Facebook and Instagram, as well as at http://www.justbelievebook.com/ so make sure you follow everything good she’s introducing into this world for girls and women, today!

As always, I have a couple of questions for you: 

💫 When was the last time you took time off from that dream?

💫 How often do you pray about that vision and sit quietly at God’s feet to be refilled with new ideas?

💫 What can you begin doing today to trust Him with your creativity?

Today, we’re talking about creativity, prayer, Psalm 127:2, and rest!

Today’s best kept secret is that the likes aren’t always your friends. Yikes! It’s time to talk about it.

If you let those likes motivate you, you’ll miss out on what you were really meant to learn every time. And so will the one. And that is tragic. 

If you’re going to continue to step out in obedience, you need to remember that the one who is paying attention is more important in that moment than the 150 others you’re trying to reach. Appreciate them. Show up for them. Love them. Because God is teaching you valuable lessons in this moment, and we can’t overlook them. 

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had to come to a point where I tear down the alters I’ve built to other people and cut down the poles I’ve erected to attention seeking behavior. Stay with me and listen in because we’re going somewhere. Let’s talk a little bit about Gideon and just how good God is. He always makes a way of escape out of temptation to help us obey His word if we’re willing to take it.

Think about these questions: 

💫 How many times a day do you check to see how many likes your last post got?

💫 Who do you specifically look for to see if they’ve responded to your post?

💫 How often do you thank God for those who did respond?

Today, we're talking about King Saul, Gideon, Facebook, people pleasing, fear, and, of course, prayer.