Don’t Despise Your Small Beginnings

by Shal-Mar Hill

Have you ever felt like things are not going the way you would like for them to. Being at a place in life and wondering what are you doing there. Being at a job that you know is not connected to your passion. Well, these are all questions that I have asked myself millions of times. Coming to that place of crossroads in every year that pass. Sometimes I wonder why am I here. Different life situations we are put in will cause us to think. What if this situation is permanent, and I will never get out. That is not true, you can always turn a negative situation into a positive opportunity. One person in the Bible, which I love to read about, is Joseph found in the book of Genesis. Let’s look at Joseph through the different events that took place in his life and how he turned those negative situations into positive opportunities. Because of many things that he went through, he still rose to the top. 

Genesis 37 talks about Joseph, who was seventeen years old, the son of Jacob and the youngest of all his brothers. Joseph was a big dreamer and saw the big picture in a lot of things. One day Joseph had a dream and decided to share it with his brothers. Sometimes I wonder was that a mistake on his part, but not really. Once he shared the dream that all his brothers were sheaves and they bowed down to him as a sheaf. Joseph brothers’ did not like it. That wasn’t all, he shared another dream that God gave him. This time he dreamed that the moon, stars, and sun was going to bow down to him. They had enough, so his brothers plotted to kill him. But, one brother stood for Joseph and said no. 

After that the other brothers decided to throw him into a pit and sell him into slavery. After they sold him into slavery, he was sold again to an Egyptian officer named Potiphar who was an officer for King Pharaoh. 

Joseph worked under Potiphar as a lead workman in the house. Potiphar’s wife thought Joseph was a very attractive man and sought after him. Joseph kept denying her, and that did not make her happy. So, she accused Joseph of rape. He was thrown into prison for several years and became an excellent lead worker there. Joseph was released years later, and because he was a man of God. There was an excellent spirit upon him in getting things done as a leader. He eventually, became the governor overseer in his city.

In the other surrounding cities, there was a famine in the land, so people and families had to come to him for food, including his own brothers and father. Both of the dreams that God had given him in an early age was now manifesting in his later years of his life, regardless of all the obstacles he faced. 

What I am saying, is no matter where you start in life, there always will be obstacles that get in your way. Just don’t allow the obstacles to stop you from progressing in your passion and love of what you were put here on this earth to do. Who knew that I would be today writing articles to inspire people? Writing blogs, or writing spoken word poetry? God always knew. One day soon, I hope to write a book that will motivate and inspire people. I encourage you to step out on your dreams and follow them. No matter how rough things get or try to stop you, push pass the obstacle and jump over the hurdle to conquer your passion and dream. Joseph kept going until the dreams God showed him manifested.

How are you going to push pass obstacles and pursue your dreams?

The Power of Your Words

Have you ever said something you wish you could take back? Even said something good that you thought Wow! Did that come from me? We all have done both and training our mouth is the most difficult thing for us to do. You know the myth saying if you can’t say something nice don’t say anything at all. We all have said some things that were not nice to say or said something beautiful, and wonder where did that come from. In a nutshell, we have the authority over the power of our words. God gave us the control over our mouths and what we speak.

Proverbs 16:24, reads, “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”

I constantly think about what I am saying in conversations and how I speak. I don’t always hit the mark, but I am more conscious about the way I say things, and what comes out of my mouth. I have learned that the powers of my words are effective. Let’s look at God and how he spoke.

(Genesis 1:3,6,9,11,14)

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

Throughout all these scriptures God spoke in existence how he wanted the earth to be formed. He knew that there was power in everything that he said. That is the same way we have to view ourselves when we speak things into the atmosphere. I make daily positive confessions from God’s word to keep my spirit man encouraged and uplifted. There are days that I miss doing this, and I can always tell when that happens. My flesh and emotions are leading more than my spiritual man. My emotions start ruling the outcome of my day and week. So, it is always important to speak inspirational positive things over your life. We don’t realize, when we say negative or positive words out of our mouth into the atmosphere. How it could affect the outcome of our life?

James 3:9-11 reads, “Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?”

I promise you, the power of our words are so important in how we speak to people, our children, and over ourselves.


How many of you are living the outcome of what you have been speaking over yourself, whether positive or negative?

Being Groomed For Your Purpose

Growing up from a young age, we all had thoughts of what we wanted to be as an adult. Some of us wanted to be teachers, lawyers, doctors, nurses, business owners, etc.

Every adult would ask you the question. “What you would like to be when you grow up?”

And of course we would say one of the careers stated above, and there was nothing wrong with that.

I am willing to bet, some of us are not living out those careers, or living out our divine purpose. Sometimes we go through life; completing high school then off to college. Graduate, and maybe a Grad school after that. Sometimes we do all of these things under the impression that we will land that awesome job or career that we so dreamed of at a young age. This is not to say, this should not be every young person’s goal. But when it has not happened for you, and education has been top priority on your list; you didn’t land that awesome job, or not flourishing in that career you so desired to be in—the question to some is:

“Now what?”

“What do I do with all this education I have?”

“Why can’t I find a job I am happy at?”

You see, I have been at this place in my life. I have completed high school, and graduated from college with an Associate of Arts degree. Growing up, I never thought about or even knew what I was going to do with my life. I just knew it was going to be something big!!!

Reading through the Book of Esther has given me great enlightenment over the years. Esther was a young woman that was taken from her village along with other young virgin women. This happened because the King summoned his leaders to find him a new Queen. Esther and the other women were brought back to the King’s palace. For one year, Esther was being groomed for the King to take on the role as his Queen.

Throughout this time Esther did not realize what was happening. She did, however, know that it was something major. So she remained obedient and followed the instructions that given to her. Esther had visits with the King throughout the entire year and was not the only one to visit him. There were other women but, she was the only one that stood out to him. Something about her that was different, something that made her unique.

After a year had past it was time for the King to choose his Queen, and he chose Esther. She was well pleased, of course, for after a year of getting to know the King she had developed feelings for him. They married and she became Queen Esther. I know this may sound like a love story, and it is, but there is more to this…so stick with me.

Esther had a cousin that had known she was going through this grooming process for a year. He stood with her and kept encouraging her to be all she could be as a Queen. After Esther became Queen, a situation arose. Her cousin informed her that the King's right hand man was going to have some people killed in her village and to notify the King of this situation. She found a way to talk to the King for 3 days. As, this occurred she asked her cousin to request the people in the village to fast, pray, and seek God’s face during the 3 days. Queen Esther also did the same thing, fasting, praying, and seeking God’s face.

You see, Esther, had a purpose that was set in motion by God before she became Queen. Her purpose was to pray and intercede on behalf of her people. That was God’s assignment for Esther all along. She just had to go through the process of being groomed as a Queen to finally step into her purpose.

I have gone through some bumps and bruises in my life time heading toward my destiny and purpose. Not, sure what all is going to unfold in my life, but, I do know it will all be good. God will produce Greatness out of me. So, you may not see it, or even imagine what God has set you apart for. But, I encourage each and every one of you—whatever trials, test, situations that are tight for you right now. You are just going through a grooming process for your destiny and purpose. Allow God to guide and instruct you, on how to connect with your purpose and destiny. Because, we all have one…



by Shal-Mar Hill