No one knows the day or the hour when Jesus will return. His charge to us is clear: BE ready.

In ministry, regardless of size, denomination, or location; that same charge applies.

We are called to function in excellence, because every detail matters when every soul matters.

This post comes not from a place of judgment or critique, but from a deep place of love, lived experience, and genuine care for the Body of Christ.

As a child, I watched my mother lead worship with reverence. My parents later became pastors, and I served alongside them as a Church Administrator for years. I’m also an alumna of Oral Roberts University, where my foundation in faith and service were further solidified.

Now, many years after their passing, I find myself visiting churches again and longing for a new church home. And what I see through fresh eyes, perhaps as a returning soul or a newcomer, stirs my heart deeply.

There are so many like me walking through your doors: new believers, weary hearts, broken spirits.

People praying for restoration, connection, and a glimpse of Christ, in action.

So I offer this as a loving reminder, a nudge, not a knock that churches aren’t exempt from growth, intentionality, and continual improvement.

We must never lose sight of the POWER OF EXCELLENCE done in love.

Here’s what that might look like:

✅ Leadership Preparedness: If the Pastor is away, a designated leader that ensures seamless operations. Excellence requires accountability.

✅ Accessibility & Clarity: Share detailed directions, parking instructions, and access information clearly, especially online.

✅ A Welcoming Digital Presence: Let your website reflect the love, inclusivity, and order you offer in-person.

✅ Prepared Atmosphere: Think through everything, from room temperature to tissues and coverings.

✅ Intentional Greeters: Greet guests like they’re royalty. Guide them, offer water, help with childcare. Be present, not distracted.

✅ Spotless Cleanliness: Excellence shines in restrooms, hallways, lobbies, and parking lots. Dusted. Swept. Vacuumed. Sanitized. Stocked.

✅ Tech That Cares: Use real-time tools to gather visitor info, eliminating outdated methods. Not to spam, but to serve and stay connected.

✅ Ready Teams: AV, prayer, ushers, music all in place early, fully prepared and prayed up. Excellence starts before the first song.

✅ Cheerful Giving: Don’t just pass the plate but educate and encourage joyful, informed giving.

✅ New Guest Acknowledgment: Take a moment before the sermon. They may leave before you realize they came.

This isn’t about being perfect, it’s about being intentional.

It’s about being ready. And staying ready.

Because excellence isn’t a performance, it’s a posture of the heart.

Let’s continue to grow. Let’s welcome better. Let’s serve deeper.

Let’s be the light someone didn’t know they needed.

You never know who just walked through your doors looking for restoration.

My dad was a proud Jamaican man who lived life fully in the country of his birth. He married my mother, built a successful career as a bank branch manager, and raised our family in beautiful homes surrounded by comfort. Life in Jamaica, for him, was vibrant and dignified.

But everything changed for him when we migrated.

I remember watching the light in his eyes dim as he traded his suit and freedom for a uniform. We didn’t understand it then. Questions surfaced like, “What happened?”, “Why can’t you get back to where you were?”, “Are you trying hard enough?”.

Now realizing how unfair those questions were for a man starting over in a world that often overlooks people like him.

Walking my own path as a Black woman in the US, degree in hand and experience behind me, seemingly qualified yet still facing invisible and some very visible hurdles.

I finally get it. I finally feel it.

I’m heartbroken it took this long to understand the silent war he fought every single day.

I now understand what it means to fight for dignity in a place that doesn’t always recognize it. To feel the weight of your name, your skin color and your very being as something to be questioned.

I understand how hard my dad must have been trying, even when the world didn’t see it.

And yet, in all that struggle, he found something unshakable. He found Jesus.

After years of wrestling with smoking and heavy drinking, he surrendered to grace.

He became an ordained pastor. He loved the Lord deeply and passionately. And just before he passed away, he earned his security guard certification, however, he never made it to his first day on the job.

His life was cut short by the cruel disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob. At first, we didn’t understand. We thought he was just tired or giving up. But the truth was devastating, his brain was slowly being taken from him while his heart still longed to press forward.

In those final months, I had the sacred honor of being by his side. I watched him fight to stay alive, waiting for my mom to come home from work just to say goodbye. He passed peacefully, wrapped in my love, and held in the deepest respect I could ever offer.

Pops, I see you.

I honor the man you were, the father you were, and the battle you fought in silence.

I love you. I understand you. And I carry your strength with me every day.

Rest in Heaven, Pops.

You were a true warrior.

The Story Behind Jesus Is My New Best Friend!

For most of my life, I’ve walked the steady path of gainful employment.

Layoffs had come and gone before, but in 2023, when I lost my job, it felt different.

No matter how hard I tried — networking, applying, striving — nothing worked. Rejection after rejection chipped away at my confidence. My self-worth crumbled, and I began to steadily lose hope.

But then, God sent me a dove. She didn’t come with judgement, but with something far more precious — love, light, and a gentle reminder of the one thing that had always carried me: my #faith.

I had been so focused on finding work that I had drifted away from the One who had always sustained me. So, I returned to Him.

Jesus Christ, the lover of my soul and the lifter of my head.

Every day since then, I have devoted myself to a simple yet powerful framework — quiet time with God, surrendering my worries, and expressing gratitude.

One night, during this time of renewal, a phrase kept whispering in my spirit:

“Jesus is my New Best Friend.”

I didn’t understand why it kept coming to me, but I knew I had to hold onto it.

Then, one morning, during my quiet time, God led me to my late father’s Bible.

He had passed away from a rare brain disease, but his legacy remained. At the back of my pops Bible, I found something extraordinary — handwritten scriptures my father used to teach and guide new believers in their faith.

In that moment, everything became clear.

I wanted to share those 28 scriptures that I found to remind you that Jesus will always be your best friend no matter what trials you face, no matter what season you’re in.

This #coloringbook is a playful yet powerful way to focus on your faith, healing and restoration.

As you fill the pages with color, you can silently reflect on each scripture and open your heart to receive God’s guidance and friendship.

So, despite what I was going through, I knew I had to dig deep and find the courage to create this coloring book by listening and sharing God’s word and His eternal love for us all.

One minute you’re getting ready for work and going through the motions, the next minute you’re not.

Was it something that I did wrong? Could I have done things differently? All the questions begin to surface while in the midst of shock and unbelief.

God, is this a joke? Apparently not, I guess I don’t have a choice!

So, after all the typical grieving rituals of denial, anger and disbelief, here comes acceptance.

What do I need to do now to start the process of looking for another job? No one’s going to save me and pay my bills for me, I wish, I need to figure this out.

I begin doing all the things that you’re told to do once you’re laid off:

File for unemployment

Re-do the resume

Update the LinkedIn profile

Tell all friends, family, colleagues that you’re back on the job market

Gain new skills

Apply for jobs — nothing is too demeaning

A few months turns into a year plus and I’m still trying EVERYTHING I know to do.

The ONLY comforting thing is knowing that I’m not the ONLY ONE going through the agony, however, this doesn’t seem to change how I FEEL.

After so much time has passed by, the mind really blares the questions of self-worth, value and purpose in life. I began to compare myself to others and mentally it slowly began to wear me all the way DOWN!

Then one day, I hear a knock.

It’s actually LOVE knocking!

Do I invite LOVE in or remain in the void and continue to struggle?

You know what! I’m actually happy LOVE is here. I recognize LOVE and its sweetness! This type of LOVE is PRICELESS.

God has truly favored me. LOVE in the form of a PERSON.

In my lowest moments, she is always there Stephanie Chick, however, I had to discern and be ready to receive.

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Now it’s time to FIGHT!

LOVE’s guidance says time to put in MORE work.

Time to arise.

KNOCK THE DOOR DOWN type of determination.

Every day, LOVE is teaching me how important it is to set the tone for the day.

🗝Find the sweetness in every day (Quiet Time with God)

🗝Don’t allow myself to sit in bitterness (Surrender to God)

🗝Always expect to receive a blessing (Show Gratitude for what I do have)

Now that I’m taking the time to add a framework to my day, starting with Quiet Time With God, I can:

BREATHE AGAIN

HOPE AGAIN

LIVE AGAIN

I guess I do have a choice now! Thank you, God, for sending love into my life to bring me back to the number one love in my life and that’s my faith!

I hope by sharing one of my most life changing journeys it will help you to achieve more freedom in your freedom journey.

I’m going to share a personal story of how I was able to essentially create a better me.

So it’s 2018, I really wanted to create a new life with a new job in a new location. I was ready for change. My truth was knowing that working at the same company for almost a decade was no longer serving me.

So I honored my truth and took action to move from Florida to Atlanta. Seemingly detached myself from everything that was comfortable and decided to start the process and list my home.

Well as fate would have it, I couldn’t sell my house for over a year. I started my job search as well but crickets. It was an incredibly quiet year with no movement.

A few months later, eventually my home sold in the most unexpected way and I had to muster up the courage to temporarily stay with a friend. Quickly moved my things into storage and had to learn to live minimally. No more comforts of home.

That’s when the real work began! I really had to find a job in Atlanta and find it quickly. I told my friend that I was staying with to please give me 2 months. I continued my job search and it was rejection after rejection, month after month.

Family members were constantly teasing me and asking me whats taking so long. Friends were questioning my sanity. Why move from a home of almost 16 years and a steady job of almost a decade. It didn’t make sense.

I had to dig deep to find the courage to make my dreams a reality.

So I took control of what I could and that was protecting my why, while simultaneously starting to update my LinkedIn profile.

Many more months went by and still no traction.

I was incredibly embarrassed at this point Because I initially told my friend that I’d be with her for only 2 months. However, She was so gracious and reassuring.

One day, I courageously reached out to a lady on LinkedIn, Miss Norma. She reviewed my LinkedIn profile and made a few suggestions but the biggest thing she told me was I needed to start sharing content on LinkedIn.

That was a totally foreign concept to me. I told her I had nothing to say and I didn’t think anyone would care. Yet she so graciously held my hand as I began to write content, she helped me find my voice and told me that I mattered.

My confidence slowly began to increase and I also got the courage to fly to Atlanta in 2019 for a professional photo shoot. This is also when I came across Miss Stephs content for the first time on LinkedIn not knowing that one day we would be connected in a way that I could not have anticipated.

My self esteem and self worth continued to take a terrible beating for another year with no traction and to top it off the world shut down with COVID in 2020.

There were many times that I wanted to give up yet I remained faithful throughout all of the mental torture.

I held my focus, stood steadfast and believed in my truth. I attended prayer groups, motivational material on LinkedIn, I continued to create content and build relationships. I also had some incredible mentors who reinforced I was on the right path. I pushed forward.

Finally in early 2021, this is when my life changed in a way I couldn’t have planned myself, lo and behold. from stage left — the 7BEhaviors.

I initially couldn’t find the session on Clubhouse. So on January 15th 2021 I sent a connection request to Miss Steph.

I mentioned I had been walking the hallway up and down on Clubhouse and couldn’t find her and was able to determine I had the right time but the wrong time zone.

The following week, I joined my first 7BE session and that’s when I received my AHA moment.

My behavior was my limitation. I needed to change in order to get to the next level and create a better me.

Up to this point, I had my own understanding of how to be truthful, how to be detached, how to be courageous, how to faithful but I hadn’t mastered or understood how to to be loving, how to be happy and most importantly at that juncture, how to be still.

I slowly learned what the 7BEhaviors was and committed to the 49 day practice. I took extensive notes during each CH session, downloaded the app, tried to soak in as much as I could and began to build my relationship with the tribe.

I then shared my long arduous journey with Miss Steph and was greeted with kindness, wisdom, love and unimaginable support.

She helped me to put the 7BEhaviors into practice to simply get through my day to day to start to identify steps of success! What’s next!

I started to consistently practice be loving and be happy at work. The frustration of still being in the same place left me with a short fuse.

I analyzed how I used my energy, showed kindness and gratitude towards my coworkers and tried to be more thoughtful in my communication. I asked myself daily what would love do? I also extended Grace to myself.

I learned to focus on being still, taking a pause, silencing the negative thoughts and staying mindful and grateful for everything that was going right.

The very next month after finding the 7BE I get a request for a job interview and shared with the tribe as my step of success for that week. Everyone was so supportive and encouraging. My personal cheerleaders.

It turned out to be an effortless interview and after a little wait I got the news that they couldn’t wait to get me on board. I was finally moving to Atlanta after a long 3 year wait. WOW!

Everyone was so happy for me. It was still during COVID obviously so there was no going away party. I simply took my things out of storage and drove up.

I realized that I saw movement in my journey by staying consistent to focus on the behaviors that had been lacking which were Be loving, Be happy, and be still. I manifested in a much more rapid pace because of the 7BEhaviors.

Listen! Making your mark on the world isn’t easy.

Let’s use the metaphor of a tunnel. You make a decision to start your journey. It’s going to take sustained and consistent effort as Your goal is eventually to get through to the other side right.

In the beginning, the tunnel is very dark, you can’t see very well but you know why you entered in the first place. Spend each moment searching for the truth and fighting for what you believe.

It may seem like a long tunnel with no light in sight but you still have to push through because if you turn back you’re at the same place.

Dig deep in those gloomy moments. Remember your why and your worthiness. Once you learn how to be comfortable with consistently changing your behavior then eventually you will see the light.

Take the time to break out of your shell and show the world you’re coming out on the other side no matter what.

Had you given up, you wouldn’t be able to feel the glory of the light on your face.

What seems hard now will one day be your warm up. Stay consistent to create a better you and never give up. Ain’t no stopping us now!

I share my mantra and journey in graphic tees, sweatshirts, mugs and tote bags.

Click here to see the covenant sayings that serve as a daily reminder.

Once I made the decision that I was ready for a new life with a new career in a new state, the old me had to die away.

Little did I know that this type of death to the voice in my head constantly saying “That’s how you are” and “That’s how you’ve always been” would be so incredibly difficult.

As time went on in my journey with no movement and stagnation, I had to make a change and do it quickly.

I found the courage to reach out to a lady on LinkedIn one day. She was incredibly active on the site and her content was informative and inspiring.

She graciously accepted my connection request and was willing to meet with me.

So we talked for a mini consult one day and she point blank said that in order for me to see movement in any respect, I had to share content.

“Find ways to use your voice”, she said.

Introduce people to Peta-Ann!

I immediately told her that I had nothing to say and no one would care. I’ve never in my life, up to that point, really took the time to share an opinion or speak out.

She was adamant that I needed to take the leap. She literally held my hand through the process. I would write a post about something professional or inspiring and she would review and critique it until I started to make strides on my own.

Using my voice and sharing content turned out to be THE turning point. It was a PIVOTAL moment in my journey. Sharing me, started to bring the right people into my path. It opened up doors to building lasting relationships. The opportunity allowed me to share my journey and receive insight and support.

It got to the point where I was now on a regular cadence with using my voice. Friends who didn’t comment or take the time to react to my content on LinkedIn were telling me thank you for inspiring me. I love your content.

Using my voice had finally opened up the door to freedom. Freedom to BE me, freedom to share who I was, what I’d been through and where I was going.

If I could give anyone struggling with finding their voice, I would say START sharing and START now. Be authentic and genuine, stay consistent, add value and always be kind.

Using your voice brings you freedom that NO ONE can take way.

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I share my journey and mantra in graphic tees, sweatshirts mugs and tote bags.

Click here to purchase the covenant sayings that serve as a daily reminder.

As I moved forward with my journey, it became extremely clear and real that I had to figure out how to adjust to significant change and the unfamiliarity.

Once my condo sold after 16 years of being in a safe and cozy space to now moving in with a friend to pursue my why, I had to woman up!

My intentions were to stay with my friend for a few months while I looked for another position in a new state.

I had to figure out what items I would need to get by on a day to day basis from your basic toiletries to work clothes and everyday clothes. Everything else would have to go in storage.

I purposely came to her house and put myself in her shoes. What would I want from my new “roommate”?

That also included my mindset. Yes, I bawled and cried when I realized that my reality had suddenly become different but it only lasted for a moment.

Change is necessary for growth!

I set up my room in her house as neatly as I could. I made sure to ask permission to temporarily put down some mats in the room and the bathroom.

I immediately helped her to clean the fridge, so we could establish sides of the fridge.

My friend is very spontaneous, so I used my Project Management skills to be on task and predictable. She could predict when I would do laundry, clean and go grocery shopping. My planned days allowed her the flexibility to move more freely.

I made sure to be respectful of the volume of my TV and any noise level.

If I had a visitor, it was something I would let her know and make sure to be as thoughtful as possible in her space.

If I left the house, I would leave my door open, so she knew I was out of the house. This also allowed her to see how clean I was keeping her house and dispel any anxiety.

Communication was a big thing as well as making sure to stay out of each other’s personal business unless it was something she wanted me to know.

In being who I was, keeping my friends needs and concerns top of mind, allowed us to live together in peace and harmony.

Her recognition of my efforts made the adjustment to change and the unfamiliar a much easier process. We were both adults, understood our boundaries and she extended such grace and kindness.

Adjusting to change and the unfamiliar doesn’t have to be so bad if you pray, communicate, appreciate, remember your why and always stay in gratitude.

I share my mantra in graphic tees, sweatshirts, mugs, masks and tote bags.

Click here to see the covenant sayings that serve as a daily reminder.

As I embarked on a new journey with my condo finally sold, it hit me that everything I’m working towards has been held close to the chest.

In making that one decision to take action and change my comfort zone and familiarity to the unfamiliar, it didn’t make sense at first glance.

I’d been at my job for close to 10 years and in my condo for more than a decade as well. I knew my job inside and out and my neighbors had been some quality folks and even felt like family.

So why leave? I knew this would have been the persistent question had I shared with everyone my decision to move from one state to another.

So, I proceeded with caution.

I only shared my new journey with individuals that I knew were in full support and my mentors. I shared it with people who had the expertise that I needed to get to the next level.

Also, those that knew and understood that in order to grow, sometimes BIG changes are necessary.

I 💯 protected my journey.

Not everyone can perceive what it is you are called to achieve.

Protect your why!

I share my mantra in graphic tees, mugs and tote bags.

Click here to see the covenant sayings that serve as a daily reminder.

The seed has been planted. I slowly begin to see my worth after a significant time at the same job.

I now work with a realtor to list my condo and make plans to move to an entirely new state.

Keep in mind, in listing my place, there is no guarantee when it will sell, so there was a BIG risk in taking that action to list it.

Signing the paperwork to list it felt surreal, as I’d spent so many years snuggled in the familiar.

I worked with the realtor for a year. It was showings after showings with no interest, so I made the decision to pull the listing.

On a lazy Sunday, I’m sitting in the living room watching TV and my realtor calls to say she has a potential buyer and asked to come over.

I initially told her no but my friend immediately hollered to call her back, even though it’s Sunday and you’ve taken down the listing, this might be the one.

So I leave the condo for awhile to allow my realtor to show the place and she calls to tell me, not too long after, that the buyers want it.

WAIT!!!! WHAT!!!!

When I tell you that was in itself a miracle after showing the place for over a year, taking down the listing and almost not allowing the realtor to show it on a Sunday.

God indeed showed up!

Miracles happen when you least expect it!

In comes the value of my character and how extremely important it is to focus on how you treat people day in and day out.

There was a friend in my building that I had known for more than 10 years at that point. She had been over to my place a few times and knew my family but we weren’t the closest.

Since my condo sold so unexpectedly, I needed somewhere to stay temporarily, so I asked my friend one night if I could stay with her while I worked on my next move in life.

She immediately said yes, no problem. There was no hesitation, she didn’t say she had to think about it. Nothing that you would normally expect from such a BIG ask.

So I asked her, what made you say yes so quickly and she confirmed it was my character. She said she’s seen me year in and year out, the way I dress, speak, carry myself, how I interact, the way I kept my condo and I’ve always showed up in a positive way to her all those years. She admitted there was no hesitation.

In that moment, not only did I realize how important character was and that it literally made room for me, you really never know who is watching you!

Character matters!

As I continue to share my journey, I’m grateful to share my mantra in graphic tees, mugs and tote bags.

Click here to see the covenant sayings that serve as a daily reminder.

My close friend planted the seed, now the question was what will it take to see that seed flourish?

I will admit after years of staying comfortable, when he said to me, “you should think about moving, there are better opportunities up here”, I was initially hesitant.

Then something within, said why not!

After that moment, he continued to highlight various reasons I should think about the change and something within me felt that this is my time to move.

No better time than the present.

Even though I had been living in my condo for almost 13 years at that point, the decision to make some serious choices felt right, so I took action.

There was a realtor friend that lived in my building, so I started the process of working to list my condo.

When you move from simply seeing things in your head to physically taking action, that’s where the magic happens.

So, whatever it takes to water that seed, do it!

I share my mantra in graphic tees, mugs and tote bags.

Click here to see the covenant sayings that serve as a daily reminder.