Blog Archives

11/17/2024 4 Comments

Tiredness Will Sometimes Be Your Companion

My sister asked me if I was OK. "Yes," I replied, and it was an honest response. I'm OK, but I'm also weary. I'm holding on to the fact that God isn't a man who can lie to me. My soul is exhausted, but I'm committed to getting my S.H.I.T.—Strength, Hope, Intentions, and Tenacity—together in this season.

This season has been arduous. I've wanted to quit multiple times, but the power of His Holy Spirit is making me resilient. I will not give up! I might cry, complain, write, pray, fast, cry some more, worship, talk, and vent, but giving up isn't an option. I'm committed to resilience.

Then I received a devotion that said, "Tiredness will sometimes be your companion." Those words comforted me. Instead of feeling ashamed of my humanness, I felt the arms of my Savior wrapped around me. It was a welcoming embrace—one I must remember is always waiting for me.
God said He has a plan and will guide me in the way I'm supposed to go and grow. So this weekend, I'm choosing to R.E.S.T.--Release Every Single Thing—so I can continue Putting my S.H.I.T. together. I trust in His plan and find hope in it.

I believe 2025 will be a year of manifestation—a year of the things God promised me and mine coming to pass. We've been patiently waiting for our turn, in Jesus' name.

If you're feeling weary, I hope this reminds you that tiredness doesn't mean defeat. It's a companion we can acknowledge without letting it define us. Rest, cry, write, pray—do what you need to renew your spirit. The journey may be long, but His embrace will always strengthen us.

We will not give up.
With love and faith,

✨️Dee

"Scripted"
Psalm 32:8
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you."

Matt 11:28
Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."

4 Comments

11/10/2024 2 Comments

A Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Join the Journey of Healing

Suspended in the air.
Hypervigilance mixed with commitment.
Committed to becoming a better form of self.
What lives inside wants to be free.
May God show us all The Way.

Sometimes, we find ourselves suspended between where we are and where we want to be.
For over 13 years, I've worked with incarcerated youth, and it's a role that requires a heightened sense of awareness, a state of constant vigilance. At times, I feel suspended in that world—between the demands of my work and my longing for peace, comfort, and relaxation. I'm living in a season where I sense that more is coming, but it hasn't arrived yet. This tension, this space of waiting, can be challenging to navigate, especially when the path forward feels unclear.
Yet, within this space, a desire for freedom lives inside me, yearning to be released. We all carry that longing. We're thankful for what we have, guided by faith to be content in abundance and scarcity. But there's also a whisper inside us—a desire for more, a need to break free from the weight we carry. My journey led me to create Get Your S.H.I.T. Together, a bridge for anyone seeking more from life, a way to release what holds us back and move forward with renewed strength.

A Bridge Over Troubled Waters
I envisioned this book as a bridge over troubled waters because it's meant to connect with readers navigating pain points in life. Each page encourages you to reflect, sit with your thoughts, and—most importantly—to write. Writing has become my place to lay down my burdens and release emotions that otherwise stay trapped inside. Over the years, my writer's notebook has transformed into a safe, brave space. Recently, I revisited a poetry book I wrote in 2015 and realized that while some pain points remain, they don't weigh me down as they once did. This realization, this transformation, is the power of writing, and it's a power I want to share with you.
I don't slip into bouts of depression the way I used to; I recover more quickly now.
This book and the act of writing have been part of that healing journey for me.

Finding Strength, Hope, Intentions, and Tenacity
Each part of S.H.I.T. (Strength, Hope, Intentions & Tenacity) has shown up differently in my journey, and I know they will for you, too. Strength is something I tap into daily, especially when times get hard. That strength comes from hope—a hope rooted in my faith, trusting God for the unseen. With hope, I find the courage to pursue my goals intentionally, even in the face of obstacles. Tenacity keeps me going on days when nothing seems to change or when those around me aren't on the same page. I want my readers to connect deeply with hope because we lose our footing without it.
Hope gives us something to hold onto; with it, we can tap into our strength, intentions, and resilience on the healing journey.

Your Notebook as a Place to Lay Down Burdens
We're not meant to take this journey of healing and growth alone. I'm looking for a community of writers—people ready to put in the work, share their stories, and lean on one another for support. Just as Get Your S.H.I.T. Together has been a bridge for me, I want it to be a bridge for you, a way to lay down your burdens and make space for healing. Your notebook can be your safe space, just as it has been for me, a place where you can explore, reflect, and write your way to clarity. Together, we can create a supportive community where we lift each other through the words we share and the experiences that connect us.

Join the Journey
I invite you to start your own healing journey. Buy Get Your S.H.I.T. Together—A Journey of Strength, Hope, Intentions, and Tenacity, and discover the power of writing to unlock your strength, hope, intentions, and tenacity. Let's create a community of resilience and growth where we lift each other through the words we share and the experiences that connect us. Grab your notebook, and let's begin. Your journey starts now.

2 Comments

11/3/2024 3 Comments

There Are Levels to This S.H.I.T. - Building up your Strength, Hope, Intentions & Tenacity

In 2010, I walked into Aspire Prep in the Bronx, ready to serve as the Literacy Coach, and there she was—Chrysalix, the English teacher with a heart for her students. Each morning, I would pray, and Chrys would follow with a worship song, setting the tone for our day. I was only at Aspire Prep for a year, but those mornings left a lasting impact. Over the years, life took us in different directions, but fate brought us back together at a writing workshop I hosted in Harlem. Since then, we've been inseparable. We are no longer colleagues or friends. We are sis-stars.
Over the years, we've evolved into visionary women, each leading purposefully—she as C.E.O. of Butterfly Beautiful, and I as C.E.O. of Dee's Passion-Filled Experience. Chrys has supported me in countless ways over the years. One of the most indelible marks she left on my journey was creating my first film, Behind The Mask, which we'll release soon.
After a pause, we're both back in execution mode, committed to Getting Our S.H.I.T. Together. We're here to rise with Strength, Hope, Intentions, and Tenacity.

Creating with Pain and Purpose
One day, Chrysalix sent me a beat called Warrior Angels. The moment I heard it, I felt the presence of heaven around me. I listened to it over and over until a poem resurrected inside me.

As I listened, I wrote this poem:
Sometimes I get tired of carrying all this pain,
Telling my story over and over while things remain the same.
I suffer while everyone else seems to gain.
Abba Father, have you forgotten my name?
Cast your light on my heart and show me why I'm being slain.
The beast inside me is alive, and she no longer wants to be tamed.
The power of focus has become a mental strain.
Inner desire sending electric shocks to my brain,
Leaving me strapped with my pen, plunging in deep into my veins.
Blood mixing with ink, spilling onto my page.
A grave site for my emotions and my internal rage.
Call the priests, rest in peace.
Sweet relief, free the beast.
This artist, deep Denice
She won't cease.
She won't cease.

A Moment of Tension, A Lesson in Trust
After I shared the poem with Chrys, she was inspired to create a song called Warrior and transformed my poem into a rap. When I first heard her rendition, I was angry. I felt like the piece was no longer mine. Creative boundaries came into play, but the pain point in my heart was more profound—I felt like I'd lost something personal. I had a conversation with Chrys, and she understood. She apologized and returned the song to the vault, promising not to release it.

Chrys joined me for T.E.A. with Dee on November 1 (episode coming soon!), and we spoke about the echoes in the shadows and the light we carry within us to illuminate our paths and others. The next day, I spent some time reflecting on our tea time. I revisited all three parts—the instrumental, my poem, and Chrysalix's song—and heard it clearly: There Are Levels to This S.H.I.T. - Strength, Hope, Intentions, and Tenacity.

I realized that I can't be afraid or intimidated by the light of others because I'm carrying light, too. Even though there are boundaries to respect in friendship and business, I must be open to trusting the process. Past friendships have left me with trust issues that have become a pain point. But this experience with Chrys taught me that what's for me is for me, and the people meant to be here this season will stay.
Throughout the years, Chrys has shown me that she has not just my back but my heart, too. I can trust her with the vision I'm executing.

Stepping into Strength
Healing, growth, and unity are layered. Each of us has unique levels to uncover as we move forward. The journey to get our S.H.I.T. together is ongoing, and it's in the trust, collaboration, and courage to create that we will find our way.

My new book, Get Your S.H.I.T. Together--
A Journey of Strength, Hope, Intentions, and Tenacity, is a call to action.
With the final quarter of 2024 here, it's time to focus strategically.
We must get our S.H.I.T. together to step boldly into our dreams for a better tomorrow.
It's about owning our struggles and doing the work to heal our bodies and souls!
-Dee

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YOUR CART

Tiredness Will Sometimes Be Your Companion

"Scripted"
Psalm 32:8
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you."

Matt 11:28
Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."

A Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Join the Journey of Healing

There Are Levels to This S.H.I.T. - Building up your Strength, Hope, Intentions & Tenacity

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Categories

YOUR CART

Tiredness Will Sometimes Be Your Companion

"Scripted"Psalm 32:8 "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you."Matt 11:28 Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."

A Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Join the Journey of Healing

There Are Levels to This S.H.I.T. - Building up your Strength, Hope, Intentions & Tenacity

Archives

Categories

"Scripted"
Psalm 32:8
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you."

Matt 11:28
Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."