What?! I have a black friend!

2017. If I didn't know better, I'd think I was back in 1950. 


When I look at the world today, I am ashamed. I am ashamed of our leaders and those in authority. Racism is rampant in our society and some people act as if nothing is wrong. Every day something racially motivated is reported in the media, it's sickening.

My mother is mixed with Spanish and East Indian and my dad was of African descent. I am a mixture of many races and cultures and I am very proud to be me. But when people look at me, they don't always see all of that, to them I'm just a black girl. 

A few years ago I met someone and we became friends. This person and I had many things in common so our conversations were easy and natural. After a while, I started noticing things and I started to pay closer attention to the things they said. 

One day, I decided to be blunt because I was quite sick of their behavior. I asked if I was the only mixed race friend they had. To which they quickly replied "No! I have a black friend, we used to go to the movies together."  Now, this may sound innocent, but to me, it was alarms and whistles going off in my head. 

There were so many little incidents that occurred where I knew this person was prejudice, but somehow I allowed myself to ignore it. Maybe I'm too trusting, maybe it was stupidity or maybe I was just curious to see the outcome. 

I think now I can understand myself and I am better able to deal with such situations. But being depressed at that time I endured and allowed someone who was clearly prejudiced and whose family was prejudice to stay in my life for much longer than they should have been. 

I realize now that I had something they needed and wanted and that's why they stayed. The moment they stopped getting what they wanted, that friendship crashed and burned. Go figure people.

It's 2017 and why people are still racist and prejudiced is beyond my understanding. Every day I still pray for that person and their family, and I pray that the world changes so our future children could live in a better society. 

Not until we put aside our differences, will we come together and unite our world. God created us ALL in his image and likeness. We are ALL mankind.

PEACE. LOVE. RESPECT.

Until next time, love and take care of each other.
- Latoya. 

Hi ↑ Lo ↓ Depression.

Gosh! I hate depression!!

Sometimes, I can be in the middle of a big, happy family event. Sometimes, I'm at home watching a movie and BAM!!!!!! Out of nowhere comes an overwhelming sadness, deep in my soul. I have tried to analyze this change and what causes it (triggers). However, sometimes I find that there aren't any rational explanations. It just is, what it is. The sad reality of depression.

When it's good, it's good and when it's bad, it's crippling. I think all we really want is to find that semi-solid medium ground. But until then the battle continues. I know depression won't win because I will never give up.


I serve a God who is bigger than any problem, and mightier than any foe. I have come too far to give up now. To anyone suffering from depression, keep the faith and know that we are in this together. God bless you until next time.

- Latoya.

Choose when to get your period !!!

This was an accidental discovery for me. I tend to skip breakfast and sometimes lunch, thus I suffer the consequences of severe gas pains later on. One of my friends told me his mother suggested I try boiling some water with cloves and garlic.

Out of desperation, a few days before my cousin's wedding I tried this concoction. I made it fresh every morning and drank at least two cups per day for three days. It did help with the gas a little, but... it also gave me a surprise.

The morning before my cousin's wedding, I was shocked to see that I got my period. Now my periods are fairly regular and according to my app, I was three weeks away. You could imagine my mental status at that point.

To test to make sure it was indeed the tea I made causing my period. After that period, I tried the tea again for three days after and yup here we go again.

So if you have a vacation coming up and you'd like to get your period before, or if you have irregular periods try this tea. All you need are a few grains of cloves and two cloves of garlic. You can also just use the cloves only if you don't like the garlic taste. I realized it's the cloves that actually causes the period.

I hope you try this and if you do, please comment and let me know if it works for you. Have a blessed day.

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT MEDICAL OR NURSING ADVICE!!! PLEASE CONSULT A REGISTERED PHYSICIAN IF YOU HAVE IRREGULAR PERIODS.

-Latoya.

Bruno Mars wrote our national anthem.

Bruno Mars said it right "Today I don't feel like doing anything. I just wanna lay in my bed." But I have a feeling he meant on occasion, just a day to chill.

Then there's the other 350 million of us with depression, for whom this feeling occurs every day. I can understand busy people wanting to take a break and relax. But having depression is having your brain stuck on 'sad mode' almost every day of your life.

Getting up to take a shower any day is a challenge in itself. I distinctly remember days, I was barely able to drag myself off the couch to shower at 3pm. I would just lay there all day. Not because I was lazy, I had a great job as a registered nurse. I was just so depressed, I could not function.

I remember days when I would put my phone on silent mode and hide it under the couch cushions. I could not bear to look at my phone when it rang or when a message came in. I wanted to isolate myself from the rest of the world. I felt safe in my little bubble.

Depression transcends race, religion, and socio-economic background. I have lost so much to this disease that sometimes it is difficult to see the upside. Especially when an ignorant society tries to call you lazy and say you brought it on yourself. It makes me very sad and sometimes angry enough to say things I probably shouldn't. So to answer the person who said depressed people should use "the lazy song" as our national anthem...

NO! I'm not lazy. I can not 'snap out of it'. I did not cause this to happen to myself. I try so hard every day to improve myself for ME. No one knows my pain, no one knows my hurt, no one knows the constant influx of thoughts I have every day.

Yet I still smile. If I didn't tell you I suffered from major depression, you'd never know. Don't judge me unless you've lived the things I have survived.

I am hopeful for better things, for myself and for all those suffering from depression. Together, we can do anything. Thank you for reading. God bless you. Please comment below and let me know of your experiences.

- Latoya.

Depression or Demons???

As a Christian, this was an important question for me. Even as a registered nurse, in the early stages of my battle with depression, I was unaware of what was happening.
One Sunday morning in church, the pastor called my mom to the altar and began praying for her. I was at home that day because my mood was so low, I could not and did not want to go anywhere.

The pastor told my mom "I know what is wrong with your daughter". Mummy was in shock as he started listing all of my then behavior and attitude because she didn't tell him about my problem yet. That evening, our pastor along with another pastor came over to our home.

As they walked in, the second pastor said, "I felt it as I was approaching the house". Mummy and I, both confused asked "What?!", to which he replied, "there is a strong man spirit in your front yard, preventing you from leaving the house to go out."

You could imagine that at this point, I was a little scared. I just wanted to know what was wrong and how to fix it, and so the process began. I have witnessed demonic manifestations at church where other people were being delivered. But NEVER in a million years, I thought I would need deliverance from demons.

As they began praying and commanding demonic forces to exit, I admit things were happening. I suddenly felt like I had no control over my body, I was aware of what was happening, I just had no control. It took three days of prayer and fast to get the breakthrough we needed.

Now to a nonbeliever, I know this may sound quite ridiculous, but I can tell you from personal experience it was very real. On the final day of my deliverance, the pastor belted out three names and descriptions, all of which perfectly matched three specific people I knew. One a relative, the other a former friend and neighbor, and the last a colleague from the hospital, someone I trained with.

All of those people were engaged in very non-Christian like behavior and according to the pastor, they had done spells or some form of evil to kill me or make me insane. Though this seems far-fetched to some, I know what I have been through. I know where I was and what I was like before those pastors came to my home.

Now, this brings me to the following questions: 

1. Can demons cause depression or mental health issues?

My answer is yes, they can. And it may even make an individual seem mentally insane. I am not an expert on this topic, but I can speak from my experiences. The bible says in John 10: 10  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 
The devil is the thief, he came to steal my health and my job. But I know God is more than able t restore all I have lost.

2. Can deliverance alone help your depression?

Deliverance was my first step to recovery. But I also absolutely recommend you see a physician to have a medical assessment. Remember, doctors are part of God's plan too.
So get to a church and get all the prayer and help you can get there. But get to your doctor and get medical help. Combined, these two things will motivate you and keep you walking the road to recovery.

In conclusion, it is my opinion that demons can indeed cause depression. But if you arm yourself with God's word and a great doctor, you'll be fine.
Thank you for reading. 
God bless you, until next time.
- Latoya.