How to Recognize Manipulative Behavior

Manipulation Exposed
by Jacki Kash

Have any of you dealt with the effects of a manipulative relationship?

Sometimes being a nice person, trying to do the right thing, and not wanting to burn bridges, among other things, keeps people in bondage to unhealthy and toxic relationships. The effects of being involved in relationships with people who use, abuse and manipulate can cause feelings of stress, guilt, depression and physical and mental fatigue. In addition to these symptoms, the victim of manipulation may experience anxiety and a diminished sense of self-worth when contact is made with the manipulator.

While the Bible tells us to "pray for them who despitefully use you" in Luke 6:28, I would like to know how my readers have handled manipulative relationships. What did you do to end the manipulation or relationship? How did the other person respond? How did this make you feel? (Did it cause you to put up with the relationship a little longer?)

I read an interesting article on this subject, which should also help readers to identify the signs of a manipulation. Let me know what you think!

http://www.rickross.com/reference/brainwashing/brainwashing11.html

Life on purpose,
Jacki Kash

Urgent Request! Will You Support Women in Need?

Greetings Friends,

Did you know that there are women here in Georgia who are facing dire situations and don't know where to turn? In fact, there are people all over the nation who are in unfamiliar territory and don't know what to do or where to go.

I am writing today because God has put a very strong desire in my heart to reach out to you on behalf of hurting women. In fact, I woke up a few days ago in the early morning wondering what I could do to help women, not next year or in the next few years, but right now.

The holiday season is quickly approaching, and there are many whose basic needs are going unmet. I can't get this out of my head. Some are facing eviction, others cannot pay their utility bills, while others are struggling to take care of their children and pay their rent.

I spoke with a young lady a few weeks ago who told me she had no money to buy her baby diapers and wipes. Although she has been searching for work and receiving assistance, the assistance is not enough and it's very difficult to search for work without transportation or bus fare.

She told me she felt like s---.

Another young lady that I met is in an abusive relationship. She wants to leave, but has nowhere to go. She has a home, but her "partner" waits for her to come home from work and doesn't allow her to go anywhere by herself. Even if she wanted to leave, it takes some money to start over.

I can't be silent when there are single mothers who desire to support their families, but find it difficult to find work. Some states, like here in Georgia, make it difficult for those with true needs to qualify for assistance, and among those who do, the programs are so harsh that once you make a few hundred dollars, the assistance is stopped.

The point is, there are hurting women out here that need help NOW!

Some are one step from homelessness, others are being turned away from receiving the little assistance the state offers, others have lost their jobs and many of these women don't have money saved or have spent the last of their savings. It is a blessing to have supportive family members who will help in a time of need, but many women that I am meeting don't have a support system and feel their only alternative is to degrade themselves to make a few dollars.

It is not that they would rather receive government assistance or do things to lower their self-worth rather than work, they are just facing seemingly hopeless situations and don't know where to turn.

God put it on my heart to start Inspire To Dream, a personal-empowerment ministry that motivates, inspires, empowers and supports women to live life more purposefully. And now I am charged to be a distribution center to help hurting women and women in need. Our goal is to provide life coaching, inspiration, support, mentors, education, training and resources to help women become self-sufficient.

I am asking everyone that I know to donate $5 or more to help hurting women in need. And, if you are reading this, please spread the word and ask your contacts to help.

One person, ministry, or business cannot eradicate poverty, lack and abuse, but together we can touch women's lives in needs, not 2-3 months from now, not when everything is perfect in our own lives, but NOW!!!

Through prayer, education, resources and teaching women how to renew their mindset we can partner together to do our part to overcome these issues and help women get on the pathway to self-sufficiency.


Let's lend a helping hand to help women who desire to come up to another level, and let's do it today.

Please use this link to donate:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=9476896


Order my book, Platinum Dreams for $10 and $5 of the proceeds will be distributed through Inspire To Dream to help women in need.

Thank you for your help and I pray that your donation will be returned to you in abundance!

Sincerely,
Jacki Kash
Founder, Inspire To Dream
http://www.inspiretodream.org/

It's a Mind Thing

It’s a Mind Thing
Inspiration from Jacki Kash

October 26, 2009

Atlanta, GA-Do you know how important your words and thoughts are to your life? The thoughts you think and the words you speak have creative power to bring forth what you think and speak.

Proverbs 23:7 tells us that as he thinks in his heart, so is he. So if you think you’re poor, you are. If you think you’re a failure, you are. And likewise, if you think you’re successful, creative and prosperous, you are. Even when you don’t see the immediate results of what you think and say, by constantly meditating on right or wrong thoughts, you program your mind to produce a roadmap. This in turn, tells your mind to take action to bring you to the destination that your thoughts and words tell it you desire to be.

This is why it’s so important to meditate on good things and to guard your heart against those things that oppose what you truly desire.

Have you ever heard successful people say they surround themselves with positive people? That’s because who you hang around, what you listen to, read, and watch influence your thoughts and words.

Therefore, you have to train your mind to focus on positive thoughts, words and images. The best way to transform your mind is by focusing on God’s word. Other things may change. You may hear varying opinions coming across the airwaves through television, radio and people, but God’s word remains the same and He has given us wonderful promises to meditate on.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
What are you thinking about?

Are your words and thoughts aligning with what you desire to see in your life?

How can you align your words, thoughts, imaginations, relationships, actions and environments with who you truly desire to be? Begin by taking one small step towards change today!

ACTION STEP:
This week, choose to be conscious of the words, thoughts, and images that you allow to influence you. Write down one thing you can change. Begin to make necessary adjustments. This is what living life on purpose is about.

Enjoy your week!

Jacki Kash

Personal Empowerment Leader

Inspire To Dream

www.InspireToDream.org

Inspiring millions to live life with purpose, on purpose!

For more inspiring articles by Jacki Kash, visit the Inspiration Cafe'

What do you do when you don't know what to do?

Which way do I turn?
Inspiration from Jacki Kash

October 25, 2009

The Bible instructs us to acknowledge God in all our ways, and He will direct our paths. This means in everything we think, do and say we should seek God’s way of being, even when His way seems to go against what we are seeing in today’s world.

For so many of us, there may be a temptation to trust in your own education and the advice the world has to offer, but the best way is God’s way. His way causes us to avoid destruction and to choose the right decisions. The world’s way of doing things may seem right or bring instant gratification to satisfy our needs, but if what we are thinking, saying and doing does not line up with God’s word, then we are operating in selfishness.

The good news is that when we make mistakes, God is willing to forgive us and show us the right way so that we do not have to continue to operate in darkness, seeking the wrong things, thinking of how to get even with people, treating others badly or simply seeking to satisfy our own desires, at the expense of others.

In what ways are you acknowledging God? Which areas of your life have room for improvement?

Let’s make a conscious decision to be more aware of how we can align our thoughts, words and actions to God’s word this week. It takes 21 days to form a habit, but let’s start with today!

Enjoy your week!

Jacki Kash
Personal Empowerment Leader
Inspire To Dream
www.InspireToDream.org

Inspiration for living Life with purpose, On purpose!

Trusting God in the Midst of a Storm

Inspiration from Jacki Kash

How are you when it comes to trusting God in the midst of a storm?

I have finally figured out that really trusting God commands rest. Have you ever been in a situation where you really needed something and didn't know how you were going to get it? How did you respond?

Have you ever faced tough times where you didn't know how your needs would be met? I have. Before I began to study and do the word of God, my response to these situations was to panic. I would wake up full of fear and allow myy thoughts to be dominated by thoughts of despair. I did the opposite of what His word said. I wanted to have faith, but what I was going through caused me to be fearful. However, faith and fear cannot co-exist, but faith in God's word will banish fear.

During seemingly hopeless situations, God has come through for me. Even in the midst of unfamiliar territory, I've learned that He is faithful to His word. As I see miracles performed in my own life, I develop more confidence in God's word.

When you walk upright before God, He will honor His word. Our job is to trust Him, not to try to figure out how He is going to come through, but to trust that when He promises something, He will also do it (Isaiah 46:11).

This blog comes from personal experience, not from what I've heard about. Therefore, I can say with confidence that no matter how situations look, we have the ability to walk by faith and not by sight. And remember, what you see is subject to change.

When you begin to trust in God, you will experience growth. When you become skilled at trusting God, you begin to declare His word more in the midst of difficult circumstances. When you begin to gain victory over battles, you learn to trust God more, which in turn develops your confidence that He will do what He has spoken and what He purposed, He will bring to pass.

The moral is, trust commands rest. Are you resting? And if not, are you truly trusting?