Hey Everyone, I have wonderful news: I've been selected to be a contestant for the Miss Illinois USA pageant, which is a prerequisite pageant to the notable Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants. I am SO EXCITED because I now have the opportunity to go after one of my life goals, but I can't do it without your help.
Read MoreAre you easily controlled by sex or are you easily in control of sex? Every day I see a growing amount of men and women becoming controlled by sex or “sexmatized”--the state of letting sex or the idea of having it control your life through your decisions, emotions & standards. Most people have been sexmatized at least once in their life. Below are some common, but not all, sexmatized symptoms:
Read MoreJuly 17, 2014:"I have officially hit rock bottom today....It seems like everyone's dreams are coming true except mine. I feel like I've wasted the last 21 years of my life. Every morning I wake up feeling worthless and purposeless. I just want to be happy. I just want to feel wanted. I want to feel meaningful. I don't feel valued. I feel like I'm not good enough. I feel like a caged bird trapped and unable to fly..." -Excerpt from Miss T.N. King personal diary
Those are the words of a recent college graduate who had been unemployed for 7 months and hated having to move back home with her parents. I was very close in getting job offers, but none of them fell through. I was so frustrated and depressed. Never in my life have I experienced so much rejection. All I wanted was to move to Texas, be independent, and work in my career. I had spent my entire undergraduate career interning every semester, networking, and consistently making the Dean's List; I couldn't understand why my hard work wasn't paying off.
Read MoreIn my opinion, love is the greatest gift a person can give and receive. People spend a lifetime seeking, chasing, crying, and fighting for love. But what happens when that sweet love turns sour? Your sunny skies turn gray, and the one person you loved the most has given you the biggest heartache. I want to discuss how to let go of toxic relationships and gain the strength to move forward. Since I've published "The 'New' Side Chick: I was Her", a lot of men and women have contacted me sharing their similar experiences and have asked me how to move on from someone you love. I too have faced the same challenge, and through the grace of God, I've made it. Growing up, I've always vowed to never give my heart away. I liked, but wouldn't dare to love. However, all of that changed once I got to college. I met my then Prince Charming my first semester, fell deeply in love, and threw out all of my "player's cards".
Read MoreA side chick is commonly known as a mistress or a woman that's romantically involved with a man who is in a committed relationship. However after doing some reflecting, I realize that's not the only type of side chick. I want to discuss "the new side chick"--a woman who decides to stay by a man's side after he has expressed his lack of relationship intentions with her through his words or actions. So many women have made this mistake at least once in their lifetime, and unfortunately I've done the same thing. I like to think of the new side chick as an appetizer. You're there just to satisfy the immediate appetite of the man, but as soon as that mouth-watering entrée comes out to the table, you will get pushed to the side, literally. Why? Because that entrée is what he really wanted; he went to the restaurant to order steak, not hot wings. You were just a placeholder, fling, temporary commitment, ormaybe even just a "good ol time" until what he really wanted was presented to him. I know I sound a bit harsh, but even I had to realize my then-reality for what it was. Simply put: you are not and will never be his Queen.
Read MoreEvery Monday, social media timelines are flooded with women posting pictures of the men they adore with the hash tag #MCM ("Man Crush Monday"). Those who are in relationships, engaged or married usually post a picture of their man with the hashtag #MCE ("Man Crush Everyday"), which signifies that this is the person they are crushing on 24/7. I've been single for the past 2 1/2 years and never partook in #MCM/#MCE. It's not that I didn't want to participate; I just wasn't in an official relationship with anyone. (Side note: I don't believe in publicly broadcasting someone I am just "talking" to.)
However, every week it seemed as if someone new revealed their #MCE. Everyone around me was getting in new relationships, engaged, or married. Meanwhile, I was still single. I became upset because it seemed like all of the women who were getting "cuffed" lacked quality and substance.
Read MoreI am officially 22 years old. Wow.. *Checks for any gray hairs* LOL. As I sit back and reflect on my life, I can honestly say there has been so much growth and maturity I've seen within myself. I still have a long way to go, but I am confident that as long as I keep God first in my life, he will lead, wreck, protect, guide, and heal me from all things. So what makes this birthday different from others? Well, I declare "Chapter XXII" is the beginning of me living a life full of PURPOSE. That means: I know WHO God says I am, WHAT God has CALLED me to do, and I am stepping out on FAITH because I refuse to let FEAR hold me back from my DESTINY!!!
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