Cage Free Voices Spoken Devotionals

Chips of Mercy by Bathsheba Smithen

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The Eyes of Grace by Bathsheba Smithen

When you begin to face yourself in the mirror, you'll realize two things: 1) You like what you see or you don't; 2) You are not "better" than the person or people you ridicule and/or criticize. Why?  Because, being overly critical and judgmental of others is rooted in pride and self-righteousness.  Pointing out someone else's flaws is an attempt to prove that we are more worthy of love than they are, when the truth is, we are all worthy of love.   We, too, are ill -- and need to be forgiven "seven times seventy times ......"

 

Read the blog at https://cfvonlinelearning.com/Becoming-Cage-Free 

Beautiful Ugly Part II: Love Is A Formidable Opponent

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Too Many Tabs Open by Bathsheba Smithen

Read the post here: https://cfvonlinelearning.tutorbird.com/Becoming-Cage-Free 

Beautiful Ugly by Bathsheba Smithen

Ugh!  I can't get rid of this.  I've tried to pray it away but it's as if years of suppressed aggression is now surfacing and I'm sitting over the porcelain throne, tossing up my guts for hours; puking up my dysfunction. Nothing has gone or is going the way I want it to.  I'm good....so I should have the finer things.  But that's the religiosity speaking.  I'm leaking with self-righteousness. Pride. Bitterness. Jealousy.....and RAGE.  All of my ugly is coming out on this page and I can't contain it any longer.  I've been taking it to the altar, reading the Word of God, but it won't disappear and I'm near the cross.  Why do I feel loss, like I can't find me in this sea of despair--anger.

And now, I'm condemning myself for being in pain and actually dealing with the feelings associated with the hurts that were never expressed.  Frustrated that my sins are exposing themselves,  looking in the mirror and seeing my beautiful ugly, I've discovered that the Word of God does not function like a microwave although I've treated it that way.  Some healing will take time.  However, the desire to expedite the process gnaws at me like an irritating gnat that won't go away.

Read the full article here: https://cfvonlinelearning.tutorbird.com/Becoming-Cage-Free

Beautiful Souls in Dark Places by Bathsheba Smithen

Walking or driving outside late at night allows us to notice things while remaining blind to them.  You see the scenery, but not really.  The silhouette of a man or woman crossing the street, but not the outfit in its entirety.  You can't see the individual for how they truly look because darkness impedes your ability to see clearly.  What about when it's raining... I mean when there is a torrential downpour.  Your vision is definitely impaired and for that reason you must reduce your speed and not drive according to the legal speed limit. 

I hate driving late at night because everything is not the way it appears.  The light of day brings to life the truth of what darkness made a lie.  Some things that seem beautiful are actually not that attractive and those things that are not so attractive in the dark, we see the beauty of them in the day.  

Read the full blog post at https://cfvonlinelearning.tutorbird.com/Becoming-Cage-Free

Special Episode: This Is A Test of the Emergency Broadcast System: Urgent Care NEEDED

Change by Bathsheba Smithen

When Change demands our attention, we mustn't turn our backs to ignore Truth simply because we are concerned about other people's opinions or the discomfort involved in transformation.  One will never observe a caterpillar checking his chrysalis to see it is pretty enough, a flower rejecting its petals because it hates the Spring, or an infant fighting against his or her delivery.  We too, then, must welcome Change, no matter how much we must endure Pain.  yes, struggle happens when you change, but it is purposeful and yields fruit.  Struggle as a result of not welcoming Change--well, that could last forever...that is, until you accept Change after all.

Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/What-Happens-Them-When-Change/dp/0615853889

Crossing & Clearing Hurdles by Daniall Marshall Foskey, LPC.

System Reboot by Bathsheba Smithen, CEO & Founder, Cage Free Voices

Bathsheba is an international motivational speaker, radio personality, performing artist, author, educational consultant, 7^th grade English teacher, and the CEO and Founder of Cage Free Voices, LLC, a multi-service educational entertainment company, that seeks to educate youth and young adults who struggle with self-image and identity by constructing powerful learning experiences.  She is the playwright, producer, and lead actress for, From Divorce to Restoration.  From Divorce to Restoration is the first play to come out of the Cage Free Voices Theatre division.  The play was featured in the Page to Stage Theatre Festival at the Kennedy Center September, 2018 and Capital Fringe Festival in 2019.

Ms. Smithen provides training and curriculum development to school districts, church leaders and educational publishing companies such that they may infuse youth culture in educational materials. Bathsheba has spent time training leaders within the Omaha School District, and Abyssinian Baptist Church. As a curriculum developer and writer, Ms. Smithen has made contributions to PEARSON, US, Urban Learning and Leadership Center, GEAR UP, REAL Women, and others.

Born and raised in Virginia, Bathsheba Smithen is an International Baccalaureate diploma recipient, a graduate of An Achievable Dream Academy, and a Mary Hughes-Harley Davidson and McNair Scholar. She is also a graduate of Virginia Tech with a degree in Biology and holds a Master’s in Health Systems Management from George Mason University. Her creative memoir, Who Cares What You Think...So What You Think?: A Journey Through the Mind, takes readers on the common journey from anger, disappointment, and hopelessness, to love, forgiveness, and peace. A companion book of her poetry entitled, No Longer Hidden as well as the sequel to the first; What Happens to “Them” When You Change, were released in 2013. Bathsheba has been featured in Urban Buzz, NURA, and Path Magazines, Pretty Period, The Daily Press along with many others.

Ms. Smithen has made appearances on abc7, WHUT, WHRO, DCTV, WEAA 88.9, The Voice of the Community with multi-award winning journalist, Sean Yoes, Conversations Live with Cyrus Webb Blog Talk Radio, and WPFW 89.3, for her expertise in education, youth development, and entertainment.

 

Find out more about the following services:

Cage Free Voices: https://cagefreevoices.com/

Cage Free Voices Online Learning: https://cfvonlinelearning.tutorbird.com/

Bathsheba Smithen- http://bathshebasmithen.com/