Your Daily Cup of Inspiration!

There Is Grace For Your Mistakes

God knows about every error, misjudgment and mistake. And He has enough grace to cover every single one of them. Read more →

Frenemies: How To Spot Enemies Posing As Friends

Spot enemies posing as friends! Read more →

How's Your Word Diet?

God wants us to live blessed, fulfilled, joyful, full, and productive lives. In order to do that, we must let God's word be our main resource and guiding light. When we do, we'll find the answers we need for all the challenges life presents. Read the full post at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Are Your Connections Connected?

It is so important for our connections to be connected to the Lord. Otherwise, we’ll be tied to individuals who are carnally-minded, and hinder us in our spiritual walk. Read the full post at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

A Recipe for Spiritual Health

Our spiritual journey is not a joke. Real threats exist. The warning in 1 Peter 5:8b NIV is serious that says, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” That's why we must focus on our spiritual health! Read the rest at www.diannahobbs.com. Read more →

Inspiration for those Needing to Cut Ties

I’m encouraging you through today’s post to watch the company you keep. Pay attention to those in your circle. Surround yourself with healthy people who love God, love you, and are bearing the fruit of righteousness. Read the full post at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

The Everyday Stuff Matters

"Look Mommy!" my 6 year old son Kedar said with a great big proud grin. He had brought me his coloring page back that I printed out for him about a half hour earlier. Of course I fawned over his cute little picture of Lightening McQueen from the animated movie Cars that he had diligently and carefully colored. "Wow, it's beautiful," I told him picking up my camera phone. "Let me take a picture of it," I said, holding it up. You should have seen how his little eyes lit up with excitement. Kedar flashed the biggest smile, showing off his two side snags. It only took moments for me to close my laptop and take a break from the time-sensitive project I was working on, and make my young son feel like a million bucks. Of course I couldn't... Read more →

The Everyday Stuff Matters

Take a look at who you are everyday when dealing with the small things; for it is the smallest things that unveil the greatest truths about who we really are. Read the rest of this post at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

All You need is Some Rest

A few nights ago I was up "burning the midnight oil," determined to complete a project. I had been up late several nights in a row. I was feeling pretty drained, but I continued to push through my tiredness. As the hour grew later, I grew more exhausted. It seemed as if I was moving at a snail's pace and the things that usually come easily for me, were ten times harder. I felt so frustrated and at the same time, disinterested in the very thing I was dead set on accomplishing. Unyielding in my resolve, still, I plowed on. It was the most unproductive few hours I had spent in a long time. So, completely flustered, I shut down the workstation and called it a night. When I woke, after getting some much-needed shuteye, I felt completely replenished-- like... Read more →

All You need is Some Rest

God never intended for us to try to carry all of life's burdens on our own. It is not His will for us to be stressed out, worn out, and tired out. He wants us to rest in Him and allow Him to be a present help in our time of need. Read the rest at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Repair It Early

A few days ago, my son Kaleb, who recently turned four, hopped his little self up on my bed, knocked my laptop on the floor, and cracked the screen. *On my knees with fists to the sky screaming whhhhhyyy?!* OK, maybe that's a little melodramatic, but that's what I felt like doing. I haven't even had this computer for a full year yet. Now, if you read my post on Friday, you already know how conscious I am of my spending. And if I don't want to buy new tweezers, you can only imagine how I feel about a damaged computer screen that costs a couple hundred bucks to have fixed. That's why I didn't immediately head over to our neighborhood computer shop for an emergency repair. You see, I figured, "Hey, a cracked screen isn't the end of the... Read more →

Repair It Early

Why do we so often wait until things have gotten way out of hand before confronting issues? This causes us to operate in crisis mode all the time, and leaves us scrambling once things are already too far gone. That's no way to live. Read more at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Make the Investment

Anybody that knows me will likely tell you that I'm a little bit frugal. I don't like to spend money frivolously, so if I can keep my money in my pocket, I will. Seriously. I do my own manicures and pedicures, style my own hair, and arch my own eyebrows. I don't believe in giving away money for someone to do something for me, that I can just as well do for myself. My philosophy is, if I have the ability and requisite knowledge to do things on my own, then I should not pass that responsibility along to someone else... especially not at my own expense. I come from the old school. But, sometimes, my fierce determination to "save money" can be a hindrance. So, the other day, when I was trying to pluck with my tweezers, I noticed... Read more →

Make the Investment

The other day, instead of making an investment in something I needed, I chose to pursue an alternate course and ended up hurting myself unnecessarily. Learn more about what I learned and how you too, can benefit from this important lesson. Read it at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

He'll Send Help...

Last evening, my husband and I decided to drink some coffee together. Now, neither one of us is a serious coffee drinker... tea is my beverage of choice. We pretty much like the aroma of coffee and the idea of relaxing with a freshly brewed cup. That's about as far as it goes. In fact, we don't even own a coffee maker. It would be a waste, since we only indulge in a warm mug-full once in a while. Kenya and I just buy the instant coffee from the grocery store. One jar usually lasts for months. Well, when I was making my cup last night, I got so engrossed in the conversation I was having with Kenya, that I put one too many scoops of instant coffee in the steaming hot water. Boy was it bitter! I couldn't handle... Read more →

He'll Send Help...

In our walk with God, sometimes we will have to drink from a bitter cup. But the good news is, the Lord knows how much we can bear. When it gets unbearable, He'll send the help we need. Read the rest at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Maturity Changes You

Three year old Kaleb came into my bedroom last night with his eyes wide with excitement. Kyla had found a ladybug in the house and captured it for him inside a jar. I must admit, I was a bit surprised to see the little speckled critter. I hadn't seen one since the end of Summer last year I think, but ladybugs are known to look for warm places to hibernate in the winter. I guess this one decided to take up residence with the Hobbs family. Well, since this particular jar didn't have a top, the girls stripped a pink cloth cap off of one of their baby dolls, and covered the top of the jar, as not to lose their new "pet" bug. Not a lot of time passed though, before the fascination wore off for the older children.... Read more →

Maturity Changes You

Someone once said, "If you want to go up, you must first grow up." In other words, maturity is necessary for the fulfillment and advancement of our Kingdom purpose. Read the rest at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Acknowledge It

The other day, my husband Kenya came home sniffling and sneezing. "Uh oh," I said, "are you catching cold?" Before he answered, I already knew he was getting sick. Of course he didn't see it that way. "Oh no honey, I'm fine," he replied, sounding as if someone had stuffed cotton up his nose. Over the next couple of days, his symptoms worsened. I have no earthly idea why, but Kenya was still convinced that his cold-like symptoms were totally random and unconnected to any greater cause. It was kind of funny and intriguing to see that he seriously didn't make that connection... seriously. Fast forward to today and now, our two sons, Kaleb and Kedar, have the same "non-cold" their dad "never had." Just in case you're wondering, yes, Kenya still denies being the carrier of the plague. This... Read more →

Acknowledge It

Today's post is based on one of my favorite sayings... "You cannot conquer what you will not confront..." Read the rest of the blog post on www.diannahobbs. Read more →

Change the 'Effect'

On Saturday afternoon, I walked into the kitchen and immediately noticed a heaping pile of confectioners sugar on the floor. When I looked up from the spot covered in the white powdery mess, my eyes were immediately met with the guilty gaze of my six year old son, Kedar. "The sugar fell," he said, quickly offering up an unsolicited explanation, which is a sure sign of guilt, by the way. Of course, I knew there was more to the story. After all, I had only stepped out of the kitchen for a brief moment to give Kaleb his two slices of cinnamon toast I'd just made, which happens to be one of his favorite treats. I used to love it when my mom made it for me as a kid too. I just toast the bread, add a little margarine,... Read more →

Change the 'Effect'

Some cycles in our life persist simply because we have not yet identified where they stem from. Discovering the why behind the what, is the key to maximizing your God-given potential! Read the full post at www.diannahobbs.com. Read more →

Move Forward

Happy Monday Daily Cup Readers! I hope you had a wonderfully blessed and enjoyable Christmas. Now, we're looking ahead toward 2010. It's so amazing to see how rapidly time moves forward. We've got to be prepared to move forward too. There's something that happened over the week-end that serves as the inspiration for this post. You might be able to guess that my 3 year old, Kaleb, was at the center of this whole thing. Well, Kaleb has this little "Jingle Bell Dog" that wears a Santa Claus hat, has bells on its ears and tail, and sings Jingle Bells... all year round. He loves that dog so much, which he named Chip by the way; his late Grandma Rosie gave it to him last Christmas before she recently passed away. He drags Chip through the house all the time,... Read more →

Move Forward

When it comes to moving forward, if we're not careful, we can miss God, as well as our season of increase. This is why we have to be careful to obey God's leading and embrace the new things He wants to do in our lives. More on www.diannahobbs.com... Read more →

Drawn to the Light

"Oooh, the lights are so pretty," my daughter Kaiah said, with her eyes all aglow--partially from the white lights on our Christmas tree and partly from the excitement of the holiday season. Every year, my husband and I, and the kids work together to put the tree up and decorate it. It's one of our many fun traditions. Usually, it's a psychedelic mess! (Put together with love, of course) But, this year, we decided to stick with a red and gold theme and it turned out well... for the first time ever I think. Typically, my sisters come over my house and double over in laughter looking at our tree. You see, Kenya and I tend to let the kids have fun with it and do what looks beautiful to them. This Christmas, however, we made our tree look a... Read more →

Drawn to the Light

Everyday, you're giving off some kind of aura... good or bad. What do people see when they see you? Do they see the light shining through your life, or are they witnessing something else...? Read the full post at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Do What Works for You!

Happy Monday Daily Cup Readers! Hope you all had an enjoyable and productive week-end. Today, I want to kick off this week of blog posts, by sharing something that happened to me last night and deriving a principle from it, that I think can be very helpful to us all. Well, ever since I was a young girl, I've had a condition called Eczema, which is basically a chronic skin disorder that causes the skin to become irritated and inflamed, resulting in dry, scaly rashes, dark skin patches, and even clusters of fine bumps. To look at me, you wouldn't know it, because, thankfully, I've learned how to manage it over time to minimize flare-ups. When I was a teenager, however, the Eczema got so bad that certain parts of my hands, legs and neck would crust over, crack and... Read more →

Do What Works for You!

If you're considering embarking on a new path in your life, don't do it before you read this! And if you've ever changed course at the urging of someone else, only to wind up in a mess, this post will really connect with you! Read it at www.diannahobbs.com. Read more →

Rejection is a Good Thing

Last night I got so sick out of the blue. Ever since Thanksgiving, I must admit, I have drastically changed up my diet, allowing myself to eat things I don't ordinarily eat. Well, I guess last night was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. I had no idea that, shortly after I indulged in pizza and Pepsi(My most guilty pleasure), I was about to go through a horrible ordeal that let me know my body finally had taken all it could take. I'll spare you the grotesque details of what happened next, but let's just say, today, I'm turning over a new leaf! It's back to the fruits, veggies, chicken, fish and no fried foods for me. Pray for me that I can put the "bottle" down and stay clean and sober from my favorite soda. We all... Read more →

Rejection is a Good Thing

Last night I got so sick and it's because I've been indulging in the wrong things since Thanksgiving. When my body rejected last nights junk food, I got pretty sick, but it taught me a really good lesson! Read the rest at www.diannahobbs.com Read more →

Turn on the Night Light

My two sons, Kedar (6) and Kaleb (3) do pretty much everything together. They share a room, where they can be heard giggling and laughing at night when they should be sleeping. They play matchbox cars, "church" and hand puppets together for hours at a time. They also get quite a kick out of nearly snapping their necks doing headstands, coming up with schemes to replace dinner with candy and snacks, performing life-threatening back flips, and anything that remotely resembles something that might scare their poor mother half to death. What is it with boys? They seem to have no fear when they're together. Well, last evening, Kedar wasn't feeling so great. He said he had a headache and wanted to lie down. Now, all of this happened well before Kaleb and Kedar's usual bedtime, but, as I said, they... Read more →

Turn on the Night Light

My two sons, Kedar (6) and Kaleb (3) do pretty much everything together. They share a room, where they can be heard giggling and laughing at night when they should be sleeping. They play matchbox cars, "church" and hand puppets together for hours at a time. They also get quite a kick out of nearly snapping their necks doing headstands, coming up with schemes to replace dinner with candy and snacks, performing life-threatening back flips, and anything that remotely resembles something that might scare their poor mother half to death. What is it with boys? They seem to have no fear when they're together. Well, last evening, Kedar wasn't feeling so great. He said he had a headache and wanted to lie down. Now, all of this happened well before Kaleb and Kedar's usual bedtime, but, as I said, they... Read more →

Citizens of the Kingdom

My uncle passed away. His funeral is Thursday and I have to sing a song. I can't really get my head clear about what to sing... or say for that matter, so please be praying for me. The death of a loved one always disorients me and causes me to ponder so many things more deeply. Aside from the obvious sadness that naturally comes along with loss, death has a way of bringing to mind my own mortality and the fact that, this earth isn't my final destination or yours. As the "old saints" used to say, "We're just passing through here" and it's true. We are. This is not our home, no matter how attached and connected we feel to it. We're citizens of the Kingdom of God. You and I have been chosen to walk this earth for... Read more →

Citizens of the Kingdom

My uncle passed away. His funeral is Thursday and I have to sing a song. I can't really get my head clear about what to sing... or say for that matter, so please be praying for me. The death of a loved one always disorients me and causes me to ponder so many things more deeply. Aside from the obvious sadness that naturally comes along with loss, death has a way of bringing to mind my own mortality and the fact that, this earth isn't my final destination or yours. As the "old saints" used to say, "We're just passing through here" and it's true. We are. This is not our home, no matter how attached and connected we feel to it. We're citizens of the Kingdom of God. You and I have been chosen to walk this earth for... Read more →

In Your Shoes

Whenever I'm not going to a special event or business meeting, I always prefer comfort over fashion. For me, it feels so great to slip into a pair of flats or flip-flop sandals, run errands and take care of business comfortably. Anyone who knows me will tell you, I can hardly take it when my feet hurt. I can barely see straight, let alone think straight. But, last night, when I went to church to hear Tye Tribbett minister the word of God (He was awesome and anointed by the way), I decided to dress up for the occasion. So, I wore a pair of black stilettos, which worked out fine until I decided to run across the street after the event was over. While I was running, I felt a weird sensation in my right knee, but shrugged it... Read more →

In Your Shoes

Whenever I'm not going to a special event or business meeting, I always prefer comfort over fashion. For me, it feels so great to slip into a pair of flats or flip-flop sandals, run errands and take care of business comfortably. Anyone who knows me will tell you, I can hardly take it when my feet hurt. I can barely see straight, let alone think straight. But, last night, when I went to church to hear Tye Tribbett minister the word of God (He was awesome and anointed by the way), I decided to dress up for the occasion. So, I wore a pair of black stilettos, which worked out fine until I decided to run across the street after the event was over. While I was running, I felt a weird sensation in my right knee, but shrugged it... Read more →

When It Hurts

Yesterday, I blogged about a breach of trust that I endured some years ago due to a failed business deal and how painful, and traumatic that was for me. It took me a while to get over it. Today, the Lord laid it on my heart to revisit this issue of breached trust and betrayal. So, here we go. For someone reading this post, the hurt you've sustained in your life, may have nothing at all to do with business. It just might be more personal: Infidelity in an intimate relationship; character assassination by a "friend" or family member; a moral failure by a leader you hold in high esteem... the list could go on and on. When someone you love and trust disappoints you, it hurts. Plain and simple. There's no way around it. Like it or not, it... Read more →

When It Hurts

Yesterday, I blogged about a breach of trust that I endured some years ago due to a failed business deal and how painful, and traumatic that was for me. It took me a while to get over it. Today, the Lord laid it on my heart to revisit this issue of breached trust and betrayal. So, here we go. For someone reading this post, the hurt you've sustained in your life, may have nothing at all to do with business. It just might be more personal: Infidelity in an intimate relationship; character assassination by a "friend" or family member; a moral failure by a leader you hold in high esteem... the list could go on and on. When someone you love and trust disappoints you, it hurts. Plain and simple. There's no way around it. Like it or not, it... Read more →

A Tribute to My Mother

I first published this tribute to my Mother in this month's issue of EEW Magazine--the one woman I admire above any other in this world. She soothes me. There’s no better way to explain it. No matter what I’m going through, or how difficult a time I’m having, my Mom—Annie—always knows just what to say. As I was coming up, I learned more from my mother’s example than I did from her words.For instance, back at home before I got married, I remember barging in her room on several different occasions. “Oops,” I would whisper as I tiptoed backward out of the room, watching carefully as Mom knelt alongside her bed with her hands clenched together, and her eyes squeezed tight. In these moments, she taught me prayer. She would frequently sing her way through chores. Mom’s silky voice floated... Read more →

A Tribute to My Mother

I first published this tribute to my Mother in this month's issue of EEW Magazine--the one woman I admire above any other in this world. She soothes me. There’s no better way to explain it. No matter what I’m going through, or how difficult a time I’m having, my Mom—Annie—always knows just what to say. As I was coming up, I learned more from my mother’s example than I did from her words.For instance, back at home before I got married, I remember barging in her room on several different occasions. “Oops,” I would whisper as I tiptoed backward out of the room, watching carefully as Mom knelt alongside her bed with her hands clenched together, and her eyes squeezed tight. In these moments, she taught me prayer. She would frequently sing her way through chores. Mom’s silky voice floated... Read more →

Streamlining Your Life

It's pruning time again... time for more cutting away, purging, and refining. Sigh. Again? Yes, again. No need to get bent out of shape and discouraged, though. This isn't a bad thing... it's a good thing. Refinement is a cause to celebrate. After all, it just means that God is preparing you for increased productivity and prosperity in your life. "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful" (John 15:1, 2). If he's cutting things and people out of your life, it's only because you're being productive, but He knows that you have the potential to be even MORE productive. So, put a smile on your face while God... Read more →

Streamlining Your Life

It's pruning time again... time for more cutting away, purging, and refining. Sigh. Again? Yes, again. No need to get bent out of shape and discouraged, though. This isn't a bad thing... it's a good thing. Refinement is a cause to celebrate. After all, it just means that God is preparing you for increased productivity and prosperity in your life. "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful" (John 15:1, 2). If he's cutting things and people out of your life, it's only because you're being productive, but He knows that you have the potential to be even MORE productive. So, put a smile on your face while God... Read more →

It's About Emotional Independence!

Ever had the rug pulled out from under you at a crucial time in your life? Have you ever been betrayed or neglected by those you depended on for viability? Have you ever wondered why things like this occur--often when you feel that you're in dire straits? Well, I've got the answer for you. Sometimes, we become too emotionally dependent upon people and things outside of ourselves to make us whole. We begin trusting in them more than we trust in God. So, God, in His infinite wisdom, will allow something to happen that causes an upset in our daily routine. He'll stand silently by and let things "go South" while we look on in dismay. "...The Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what... Read more →

It's About Emotional Independence!

Ever had the rug pulled out from under you at a crucial time in your life? Have you ever been betrayed or neglected by those you depended on for viability? Have you ever wondered why things like this occur--often when you feel that you're in dire straits? Well, I've got the answer for you. Sometimes, we become too emotionally dependent upon people and things outside of ourselves to make us whole. We begin trusting in them more than we trust in God. So, God, in His infinite wisdom, will allow something to happen that causes an upset in our daily routine. He'll stand silently by and let things "go South" while we look on in dismay. "...The Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what... Read more →

A New Identity

Just because you were born and raised a certain way, and grew accustomed to a particular set of beliefs and values, this does not mean you cannot change. You can choose a new way of thinking, living, and behaving; essentially, you can adopt a brand new identity. It just takes a lot of effort on your part. Why am I focusing on this? Well, there are two reasons: 1. I want to awaken you to the idea that you can indeed re-train your thinking. That's right. You can replace old patterns of thinking with new ones. But you have to be willing to discard all of the junk you've carried around for years, and that's much easier said than done. Whether we realize it or not, we are each attached to our unique paradigms-- no matter how flawed. Without putting... Read more →

A New Identity

Just because you were born and raised a certain way, and grew accustomed to a particular set of beliefs and values, this does not mean you cannot change. You can choose a new way of thinking, living, and behaving; essentially, you can adopt a brand new identity. It just takes a lot of effort on your part. Why am I focusing on this? Well, there are two reasons: 1. I want to awaken you to the idea that you can indeed re-train your thinking. That's right. You can replace old patterns of thinking with new ones. But you have to be willing to discard all of the junk you've carried around for years, and that's much easier said than done. Whether we realize it or not, we are each attached to our unique paradigms-- no matter how flawed. Without putting... Read more →

I Won't Compromise

When making decisions in life you absolutely must uphold your standards. Ask yourself, "What are the things that I will not compromise under ANY circumstances?" You have to define those areas where you won't budge. Otherwise, you'll end up in some highly regrettable situations. If you're ever thinking about going against your own value system, whether it's for: Money, love, sex, notoriety, power, or any other thing, remember one thing. "People who compromise end up in compromising situations." Can I get an amen? Think about the last compromising situation you got yourself into. It didn't feel good did it? At the time, you didn't quite know how you would shake it did you? That's a horrible feeling isn't it? Until you begin basing your choices off of solid principles, instead of temporary circumstances, you'll end up in one bad predicament... Read more →

I Won't Compromise

When making decisions in life you absolutely must uphold your standards. Ask yourself, "What are the things that I will not compromise under ANY circumstances?" You have to define those areas where you won't budge. Otherwise, you'll end up in some highly regrettable situations. If you're ever thinking about going against your own value system, whether it's for: Money, love, sex, notoriety, power, or any other thing, remember one thing. "People who compromise end up in compromising situations." Can I get an amen? Think about the last compromising situation you got yourself into. It didn't feel good did it? At the time, you didn't quite know how you would shake it did you? That's a horrible feeling isn't it? Until you begin basing your choices off of solid principles, instead of temporary circumstances, you'll end up in one bad predicament... Read more →

Get Over It (Pt. II)

(Here is the much-anticipated continuation from yesterday ... Enjoy!) Many folks claim to be "so over it" until the person that hurt them resurfaces. Can you relate? You think you're fine until you hear that person’s voice, or see them face-to-face again. Then, you fly off the handle. You lose your cool. You get angry all over again. Everything they said and did wrong comes rushing back to your mind like a flood of angry seas. Before you know it, you're reliving the moment when it all went down. Without warning, you blow your top! Has anything remotely close to that ever occurred in your life? Well, when you really and truly forgive someone, you can be civil without a struggle. I'll say that again... you can be civil without a struggle. You can talk to them without wringing your... Read more →

Get Over It (Pt. II)

(Here is the much-anticipated continuation from yesterday ... Enjoy!) Many folks claim to be "so over it" until the person that hurt them resurfaces. Can you relate? You think you're fine until you hear that person’s voice, or see them face-to-face again. Then, you fly off the handle. You lose your cool. You get angry all over again. Everything they said and did wrong comes rushing back to your mind like a flood of angry seas. Before you know it, you're reliving the moment when it all went down. Without warning, you blow your top! Has anything remotely close to that ever occurred in your life? Well, when you really and truly forgive someone, you can be civil without a struggle. I'll say that again... you can be civil without a struggle. You can talk to them without wringing your... Read more →