Living,Loving,Encouraging

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope that you are safe and well. I've missed you and wanted to check in. It's been a little while since my last post, but I always think of you. This year I am working on wrapping up a fiction book for adults. I have been working on it since the beginning of last year and hope to come back and tell you more about it. With that being I will be gone for a bit but will be back soon. To new beginnings! With love, Noelani

Joshua 1:5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Two weeks ago, I visited my local cafe to get some work done. On my walk to the cafe around 8:00 a.m. I stumbled upon what looked like a lime green cicada that was about the size of half of my palm, until I realized it was a baby bird. The bird was in the middle of the sidewalk a couple of steps away from the cafe and it looked like it couldn’t fly. As I walked closer to it, it didn’t move. It looked afraid and cold. As I walked into the cafe all I could think about was the bird. “Did it fall out of a tree? I hope someone doesn’t step on it." I thought to myself. Being the bird and animal lover that I am I was distracted and all that I could think about was the bird. Sitting down, I searched online for the Environmental Protection Agency in North Carolina's number. Finding it I called and didn't get an answer, b...

I recently took a solo trip to Los Angeles, California. My soul had been wanting to go since I last visited in the Spring of 2021. I lived there for a little while in my late 20s and fell in love with the weather, the palm trees, the lifestyle, and the beach. I had it on my vision board to go sometime this year but kept putting it off. After praying about it in August and receiving confirmation from God, I booked my ticket to go for a weekend the following month. I made an itinerary, packed my bags, and headed to LA.  On Friday, September 6, I landed at the Los Angeles International Airport around 2 PM. The flight took five hours from Charlotte, North Carolina, and I stayed at the  Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotel . Once I got settled in my room, I refreshed myself and headed in an Uber to my favorite soul food restaurant, Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen . For lunch I had baked chicken, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, and cornbread. It was so good. After eating, I walked ar...

I am a picky eater and grocery store shopper. On the weekends you can find me in the market with my list in hand, glasses on, head down, and reading the back of food labels. When looking at the food labels, I am searching for short ingredient lists with little to no preservatives, and checking the sugar and sodium contents per serving. Though this routine can take me about an hour or so, there are 7 items that I don't think twice about. 1. Egg-Land's Best Large Eggs- I love these eggs! They were suggested to me by my grandma and were the only eggs that my grandfather bought. For the past few years, I have purchased them for myself and like them because the hens are vegetarian- fed, the eggs are tasty and fresh, and they are affordable at $3.99 a dozen. 2. Grass-Fed Beef - I rarely eat beef but once a month I crave a hamburger. When giving in to my cravings in the past I would normally order a burger from outdoors, but after eating it my stomach would hurt. I believe it was...

  1)   Who are you? Marcus Burke, The Artist. Born in beautiful Beaufort, SC, and raised in Queens, NY. All-around multifaceted visual artist.  2) What is your blog, program, agency, or organization about? When did it start? Marcus Burke Artistry is an art-based business dedicated to pushing the beauty and passion for life. I started my business in 2016. I have been drawing and painting since I was a kid.       3) What is your mission? Why do you feel strongly about this area of interest?  My mission is to express myself and show others how to do it through the multiple aspects of art. It’s my purpose and passion and I’m so grateful to be using my God- given talents.  4) If someone asked for your feedback on how to live their best life, what would your response be in one sentence? “Follow your heart and intuition, believe in yourself, and execute your dreams into reality. Keep God first.” 5) How and where can people find...

"Sis, You're Her!" said a Black brother to me at my local lounge, one day. I was not feeling my best but went out to hear some music and shake off whatever I was feeling. He and I started a conversation after I gave him the eye and asked him to come sit with me from the bar. He had been sitting at the bar alone and I was at a table nearby sipping on a glass of wine.  He caught my eye, coming from the bathroom in his brown sweat suit, Cartier frames, and fresh line-up. Instead of coming over to my table, he pulled out a chair for me to sit beside him. When we started talking, he said “Sis, You’re Her!" Though I was looking good, smelling good, and had my hair done, the truth was, I was not feeling my best. I was depressed and thought that I would get some time outdoors. Though I smiled, he sensed what I was feeling. “Sis, You're Her!” he said with a big smile. As he continued to say it, I asked him why he kept saying it. He replied, “You are. You're it. I can ...