Trapped.

“Baby, you deserve to not live in fear.”

My fiance told me this last night.

I don't deserve to, huh? I don't. But I secretly live with Fear.

Since college, Fear has paralyzed my soul, trapping my mind in a pool of uneasiness.

Overpowered with trepidation, I typically find myself trying to please others, not living my life to the fullest. After praying last night, God instructed me to read the Book of 2 Corinthians for the month of May. While confessing my fears to Him, He comforted my soul with His words. The first few verses reminded me that God will deliver me from the many perils of Life. God did it before. And He will do it again.

God always graciously answers our prayers and if we pay attention, we will realize that God is embedded in all angles of our daily lives. This is why we must die daily and stopped relying on ourselves. I learned today that the only difference between today and tomorrow is our Faith.

But the more my Faith grows, the closer Fear haunts me, squeezing and tightening its grip around my life. It just won't let go. Why? God only knows why. Whatever the reason is, I find myself running to God more often than ever, shivering like a lost child. Of course, I am still searching for my strength in God so that I will rise victoriously.

"Pray hard. Live easy", they say.

I just wish it was that simple.

The C-Word

Cancer.

It's been a few months since I've regained the strength to type that word. Or wanted to blog about it.

Over the last few weeks, I've been thinking about the c-word and how it has affected my fiancé’s life as well as mine. Boy, I tell ya, it is not an amusing folk tale.

In and out of those riotous times, Reginald and I grew closer in spirit.

And I’ve learned so much more about my righteous buddy, Jesus.

I know that I can never EVER thank God enough for what He has done for my fiancé and me.

However, I don’t just want our story to end just there. I want to reach out to cancer patients, survivors as well as supporters who hold their hands. It’s an arduous task to be supportive of someone in the boxing match, fighting for their life against this grueling illness. I just want to dedicate my life to helping those whose lives were and still are affected by cancer.

I know I can't stop cancer or the tears of disbelief and pain. But I know I can help encourage a child, a mother, a teacher, a soul that cancer will never stop you from living your best life.

I wish cancer did not exist. I talk to God about cancer all the time. Every so often, I would blame cancer for some of the problems that Reggie and I wrestled within our relationship. But I know that this battle is not ours.

I want to remind warriors that cancer is neither a punishment nor a death sentence.

I also want to lend a hand to those sitting by the bedside of their beloved warriors as they go through chemotherapy which is such a bizarre weapon. It fights cancer so good that it can suck the life out of the person. I will never forget the day Reggie didn't even speak or look at me during his chemotherapy. I thought I lost him even when he was sitting right next to me, holding my hand. In my mind, he was million miles away locked inside a dungeon.

I remember those emotions. I want to thrash out those emotions with others who are tormented by those sore and achy feelings. I want to remind them that THERE IS LIFE AFTER CANCER.

Fancy degrees can’t save your life and sometimes dollar bills can’t do so either. Only God.

I want to remind warriors that life is about living the best life that God has given despite the circumstances.

The cancer may eat away the flesh, but never the beautiful spirit of Life.

So many of us have a misconception of what makes Life so beautiful. Blinded by materials. Even myself.

Luckily, my soul mate is here on earth as my daily reminder of what Life is.

What should I do? Any ideas?

I want to be an inspiration to others; my fiancé is mine.

I write this for my hero: Reginald. I love you Honey.

War

Why do I care so much?

I ask myself this question almost every day whenever I look in the mirror.

And this big-eyed, little girl stares back relentlessly, shrugging her shoulders indignantly. Her bitter lips loosen.

"I don't know."

Judged.

Handcuffed.

Blocked in.


Choking...

Suffocating....

Sorrow and Affliction slide inside my veins; pricking and attaching themselves to my heart.

Strangling me.

I, their prisoner.

Whenever Joy sneaks by, I beg her to make love to my heart, unfolding her nectarous sweetness, releasing my broken spirit.

So that I may forget Fear piercing through my flesh.

Scathingly, it chases me into the crooked corners of my deepest and darkest secrets.

Forcing me to shut out the world.

Somehow my heart's quiescent voice rings upon the ears of Jesus.

And He comes to find me, pulling me to shore from bondage.

My heart shivers from bleeding, yet He covers me in His blood.

He breathes unto me, bringing me closer to my destiny.

Every once in awhile, I fall inside the gaps of my wretchedness.
Yet, Jesus comes to save me again.
And again.

And again.


And again.

Because YOU won't rescue me.

"But I love you," You confess.

YOU may. But this battlefield is only big enough for my Savior and I.

This May SHOCK You But....

I am an angry, envious, egotistical bitch.

Whoa.

Where did that come from, huh?

The Truth.

During my journey of Life this year, I have been at war with myself. Trying to find Happiness. Instead, I find coils of fear and residue of self-hatred.

NO. No. no. I am not fighting depression. I fought that years ago.

And I am not going crazy.

PAUSE.

I am simply a human. With emotions. And sometimes I wish to tell my emotions to SHUT THE HELL UP. But it is easier said than done. Emotions are powerful, efficacious, and can place some one's lifeline in jeopardy. Due to emotions, many relationships are poisoned; others are ruptured. But imagine a world without emotions. Bland. Undistinctive. Tasteless. Dull as dishwater. Emotions add color to our lives, procreating flavor. Sometimes too devilishly delicious.

Over the last few weeks, I have fasted and prayed heavily with my Father. In doing so, God has told me several things that involve my emotions.

1. God says I try to please too many folks. I don't understand why I do. People don't have a Heaven or Hell to put me in, so why am I so caught up in trying to please them?

2. God says I need to love myself more. Working on it. That's all I can say.

3. God says I need to STOP wanting what others have and start wanting what God wants for me. I have to understand that my life is curving down a different pathway than many of my loved ones and friends.

4. God says I am so angry. I need to let it go.

5. God says He is forever faithful. What's my deal?

Don't get me wrong, I am in love with my life. I feel very blessed and favored. But when my emotions run loose, I start to feel confused and conquered.

Thank God for chocolate. But I also thank God for His Grace and Mercy. The flesh is always losing, but souls that sojourn with the Lord always win and bear His fruits with exceeding joy. And I am going to continue to keep my eyes on the prize.

Please don't judge me.

27 things about me.

1. My name is Tamara Je t'aime Lawrence
2. I was born in Detroit, MI.
3. I never lived in Detroit.
4. But I love Detroit.
5. I lived in the same house since I was born.
6. For years, I wanted my parents to move.
7. Thank God, they didn't.
8. I love writing.
9. I will forever cherish ballet.
10. I am infatuated with cheesecake.
11. I have the world's fastest metabolism.
12. I used to hate my dark skin.
13. Now, I love my exotic skin.
14. And my fiance' is crazy about it.
15. I won "Best Smile" in high school.
16. I started wearing weave at age 16.
17. And I still wear it.
18. I cut my hair at age 18.
19. And I cut it again at age 20.
20. And again at age 24.
21. I think I will cut it again.
22. I am engaged to a very fine brotha named Reginald.
23. You think you know me.
24. But guess what, you don't.
25. I randomly thought of writing this list.
26. Don't ask me why.
27. But thank you for reading.

God Favors Me In Spite of.... Everything.

"The devil had a plan to kill me, I know but God intercepted his plan, And told the devil, NO, God blocked it. He wouldn't let it be so, no, He wouldn't let it be so...."

What kind of God would do this for me?

Daydreaming and reflecting over my blessings, I constantly ask myself this question. It just seems like I do more wrong than right. I have never lived a perfect life. And can't seem to do so either. But God has always been there and restrained my mind from giving up.

Oh, and, guess what.

I am engaged!

Truthfully, it still has not hit me that I am months away from marrying the man of my dreams. But I am sure that the day when this vibrancy settles in, my soul will be electrified with much more excitement.

Over the last few months, I have grown spiritually not only with Reginald, but with myself and GOD. My life has transpired and metamorphosed into a marshmallow of hearty goodness. All thanks to the man upstairs who I love so much. My relationship with God has incredibly ripen and thicken. We are closer than ever. In the misst of my journey with God, I have never depended on my faith more than ever in the flood of life's worries and evil.

And holding on to faith is not the easiest thing in the world to do. It is SO HARD. VERY. Especially for a champion worrier. Worry lives in my blood. But every morning when I rise, I make a decision. Choose which side I was on. God's. Or life's. Which do you think I choose?

God is such a Keeper, ain't He?

Achilles' Heel

I’m nervous. Very.

Where is my confidence? Where did it go? I swear it was just here a second ago. Or was I just mesmerized by its silhouette? I am at the point of my life where I am standing on my tippy-toes, knees bent, ready to leap in the deep sea of writing, and release my first book, Snow Angels. A memoir of my life. A mystery of God’s power and mercy. A true story of my boyfriend’s battle against brain cancer. What a risk, huh?

Who am I kidding? Can I really do this? Who would really do this? These questions are circling through my brain every.single.day. It’s only a matter of time when I ….

My book, Snow Angels, is my baby. It encompasses the recipe of two souls conjoining together. Creating a masterpiece. A work of art that I am truthfully terrified of liberating to the public. Don't get it twisted. This book means so much to me. Each chapter embraces a special ambiance of the recollection of my memories within the last years.

But my question is why I am so nervous? Am I really that dangerously in love with my book that it would leave me feeling so weak and insecure in expressing my true feelings to the world? I wonder if every writer goes through this phase when preparing to give birth to their new sculpture of words. Since July 2011, I have carved the ins and outs of the earliest forms of my novel. I documented those special moments and private prayers that Reginald and I clinched upon and they have manifested into the existence of my book characters, Aubry and Charles and their unconditional love.

According to Oprah, “Whatever you fear most has no power; it is your fear that has the power.” Maybe I just need to get over it, face my fear and let go. Release.

I need to.

I need to show the world that cancer is NOT a death sentence. I need to show the world that love can transpire in people that you would lease expect it. I need to show the world my testimony of what God can do for His people. Cancer handpicks its “victims”. But God always fight back. And win.

Perhaps, I am not nervous. Maybe I am just darn selfish. Whatever it is, I am determined to break up with my love and give the world a piece of my heart. Regardless, I need to learn that I must focus my innermost energies on lessening any constraints that I may face so that I can feel that inconceivable sagacity of power and confidence that bestows before me.

I must validate myself. I am not weak. I am a writer. And thee author of Snow Angels. Be prepared to witness.