Queen Jen's Gems

 Where do you feel safe at? When do you feel safe? Who do you feel safe with? These are all questions we should ask ourselves on a daily basis 😊. Feeling safe is important to our well- being. Feeling physically and mentally safe means we feel protected and can be our genuine selves. A safe place is an environment where we feel free of judgement and feel at peace. A safe place will help us grow and thrive 💜. We can have authentic communication in that safe place. We don't have to hide our interests, mistakes, or dreams in that safe space. We can use our gifts and talents in that safe space. All of us should have at least one safe place in our lives. Safe places can be physical. My house is a safe space for me 😊. My comfy chair in my room is one of my favorite places to be as I read, write, talk on the phone, listen to music, pray or just sit in silence in it 💗. Another safe space for me is the library! It's one of my favorite places in the whole world 😊. On Valentine's ...

 Have you ever played the game "Telephone?" If you've never played it before (or need a reminder), it's a fun game that all ages can play! In the game, you stand in a line and someone at the beginning of the line is told a message. That person then tells the next person in line the message. That person passes it on to the next person and so forth. When it gets to the very end, that person shares the message aloud with everyone. Now, the message can't be repeated, so you have to listen carefully the first time it's said. Is the message at the end going to be the original? Usually not!! Sometimes, it's way off from the original message, while sometimes it's very close. I know it's just a game, but all of us at some point have not listened as closely as we should have. We could have been distracted or had our mind on something or thinking about our response in a conversation, so we didn't listen like we should have. When we listen carefully, we av...

 Happy February 😊! Two things come to my mind when I think about February: love and Black History Month 💝!! Love is thought of as Valentine's Day in is this month. Valentine's Day is officially set aside to celebrate love, even though love should be shown all year long. Black History Month is officially celebrated this month, but it should also be celebrated all year long. When I think about how they relate to each other, both involve individuals who care about someone or something. Both involve individuals whose actions and commitments are seen. Both involve individuals who choose faithfulness. When we think about the definition of faithfulness, it's about being true to one's word or commitments. It's about being loyal and steadfast. It's about being unwavering and refusing to give up and change course. I love Black History Month not just this month, but every month 💝!! I'm grateful for all who paved the way for me to be where I am today. I am so gratefu...

 Who or what is important to you? Take a minute to think about it. I'm sure some names and things come to mind. I know some come to my mind 😊! We value what is important to us. We treasure what is important to us. A treasure is something that is highly valued and cherished. We hold on to what we value. We appreciate what we value. We take care of what we value. What we talk about and post about often reveal our treasures. A treasure could be a material possession like a house, but it could also be something that is not tangible and can't be touched by physical hands like a memory. Our life is a treasure and should be valued 💗. We should take care of ourselves, so we are feeling our best, looking our best, and doing our best. We should want to look good not just on the outside, but also on the inside. We should treasure the small things as well as the big things. We should treasure things that give us peace and bring us joy 💗. Treasure the hug and handshake. Treasure the alon...

 We've made it midway through January 💖!! Can you believe it?! Praise God for blessing us to see this new year so far! In this season so far, I hope you have found glimmers of hope and peace. I hope you have found things and people to be thankful for 💖. January is a bittersweet, yet reflective month for me personally. I lost my Mom, my best friend, six years ago on January 18, 2020. Her birthday is January 26. Loss was not new to me as I had loss my Dad on April 14. 2002 and many other family members after that. It didn't make the loss any easier. My first real loss in my life was my Daddy and that was tough!!! My Daddy was my Math guy, my game man and the best Daddy a girl could have. Then when I lost Momma, both of my parents were gone and that hits even harder. As April 14, 2002 rocked my world, so did January 18, 2020. If either of your parents are still here, please appreciate them 😊. As I reflect back on these six years, a lot has changed. Challenges have happened, but...

 I love walking! Walking has so many benefits! It improves our mood, lowers our blood pressure and keeps our muscles from getting stiff and our heart healthy, among other things. When I'm not walking outside, I love following along with walking workout videos. I love the workout videos because it's a group of people who have so much energy and joy and make you feel like you're right in the room with them 😊. I absolutely love that 💖! Walking with others also has its benefits and makes walking even more fun! We just came out of 2025 and are currently walking into a new year. Praise God we have kept going and are taking steps forward! In moments we felt like we were by ourselves last year, we were not alone. God was with us every step of the way. He also sent others our way that walked with us too. They were supporting and encouraging us. In moments this year that we may feel like we are alone, I want to remind you that we are not. We are not walking through this life alone ...