Tag Archives: Nicole D. Hayes

05.28.15
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Voices Against the Grain Turns 2!

“Do not despise small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin…” (Zechariah 4:10, New Living Translation)

Nicole D. Hayes, Founder, Voices Against the Grain

Nicole D. Hayes, Founder, Voices Against the Grain

Mixed with some trepidation but more exhilaration and freedom, I hit the “publish” button on May 28, 2013 to share with the world our first blog post. I was now “out there” with a bold message that would show everyone for sure who I was and where I stood on life issues. No going back. No retreat. I was living and speaking from my authentic self. No longer afraid of being politically correct or concerned about whose toes I might step on in the process of lovingly sharing God’s Word, I still remember that day as the Holy Spirit stirred in me. I stepped out of the shackles of worrying what others thought and boldly began sharing about Jesus Christ in hopes to free and embolden others. That was two years ago!  In this daily journey of yielding to the Holy Spirit’s promptings/instructions and putting our faith in action to share His Word, our ministry team has been AMAZED and HONORED to witness the consistent growth. All to His Name and Glory!! Since our May 28, 2013 launch we’ve:

  • Published 292 blog posts
  • Received nearly 16,000 visitors to our site (15,946)
    • Launched online 1-hour weekly radio show on September 4, 2013
    • Hosted nearly 30 shows with more than 30 guests
    • Transitioning from online-only radio network to a DC-based radio station w/wider reach
    • Have exponentially grown our social media reach
    • Became monthly faith columnist for GospelToday.com (since June 2014)
    • Gained ministry partnerships
    • Secured ministry events with select colleges

Praise God for how He has used our ministry platform as a vessel to equip and empower Believers; to bring clarity, truth and restoration through His Word to unbelievers walking in confusion, deception and brokenness caused by Satan’s counterfeit schemes. We are grateful to be in His service! With a continued mission and mantra of “Advancing God’s Kingdom in a ‘do your own thing society’,” we are excited for what the Lord has done, what He is doing and will do through us and others.

birthday cake 2

I am grateful to God for each of our team members who He has gifted with talents, messages and their own ministries: Ana, Destiney, Herbert, Jason and Jill. Thank you for our ministry partners PureHOPE and The Family Hope Line who have blessed us with support. Thank you for each of our radio show guests who’ve brought excellent messages of truth and restoration to our audience since the show’s launch on September 4, 2013. Thank you to my amazing and dearly loved prayer partners, mentors, family and friends whose godly words, counsel, prayers have guided me on this journey. Blessed to serve and love in truth those who we are reaching through written content, messages from radio show guests, etc.

How did Voices Against the Grain start? What were my feelings about it? Read my first blog post from our May 28, 2013 launch. Thank you for your continued prayers and support as we grow and disperse salt, light, love and truth into the territories God has called us to! Love and Blessings to each of you and yours.

-Nicole

Nicole D. Hayes is the founder of Voices Against the Grain, a bold teaching ministry launched in May 2013. Nicole’s purpose in creating Voices Against the Grain is to be light in darkness, to boldly instruct truth amid confusion so as to bring clarity and restoration.

Learn more about Nicole D. Hayes and the VATG ministry team here. 

05.26.15
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Meet the Team: Q & A With Nicole D. Hayes

A March 2013 spirit-led conversation shared with her dentist while getting her six-month routine cleaning planted the seed to the ministry the Holy Spirit would lead her to birth on May 28, 2013. Committed to serve as a vessel of compassion, instruction, love and truth for Jesus Christ, learn more about Voices Against the Grain founder, Nicole D. Hayes, in the Q & A below. 

Nicole D. Hayes, Founder, Voices Against the Grain

Nicole D. Hayes, Founder, Voices Against the Grain

Where are you from?  Topeka, KS

When is your birthday? June 14 (Flag Day/ U.S. Army Birthday)

How did you come to join the Voices Against the Grain team?  Founded the ministry in May 2013.

What is your favorite childhood memory? So many! Most involved how my younger brother Bryan and I would scheme to get out of trouble with mom and dad! Some of the schemes worked and some didn’t.  A scheme that worked: playing Nintendo Super Mario Brothers after school while we were grounded and then quickly putting it up  when mom got home. We had a long gravel driveway which gave us time to see the car coming! A scheme that didn’t work: My grandma had made fresh blueberry muffins. She, my mom and dad left to run a quick errand while my brother and I stared hungrily at the muffins. Overtaken by temptation, instead of eating a whole muffin, we picked the edges of each one. When parents and grandma returned, my grandma saw the pinched off muffins and screamed to our mom, “Get the kids! There must be a rat in the kitchen!” To calm my grandma down, my brother and I had to tell her there was no rat nibbling on the muffins. We were the “rats.”   😦

As a Christian, what is your understanding of why God allows trials/ temptations to come into our lives? To purify, perfect us, to make us more like Jesus so we may also equip, empower and encourage others on their journey.

What do you do in your spare time? Read, enjoy time w/friends and family, dancing!

What is your favorite bible verse?  Jeremiah 29:11, because I know He has a great future designed for me! A close second is Proverbs 3:5-6.

What does having a relationship/walk with God mean to you? EVERYTHING! He is at the forefront of all that I do. He has proven His faithfulness to me over and over. I love Him with all that I have and desire for others to know His love too.

What is your favorite food? Avocados, Mexican food, TAMALES and breakfast any time of day!

If you had a superpower what would it be? To warp through time (past or future).

Is there anything else we should know about you? My colleagues nickname me “The General” because I am a leader who gets things DONE!

Learn more about Nicole D. Hayes here.

05.22.15
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VATG in Photos

VATG devotional writer Herbert Bowen, Jr. (black shirt) and founder of B.T.E.P. (Bringing Together Extraordinary People), poses with his BTEP team and partners, Charlotte Hornets center Bismack Biyombo and 14-year-old Charlotte race car driver Matt Murphy IV (purple shirt) to host their first annual fundraiser on May 14, 2015 to purchase new equipment and uniforms for a disadvantaged high school baseball team.

VATG devotional writer Herbert Bowen, Jr. (black shirt) and founder of B.T.E.P. (Bringing Together Extraordinary People), poses with his BTEP team and partners, Charlotte Hornets center Bismack Biyombo and 14-year-old Charlotte race car driver Matt Murphy IV (purple shirt) to host their first annual fundraiser on May 14, 2015 to purchase new equipment and uniforms for a disadvantaged high school baseball team. (Photo courtesy Ken Bebe)

VATG devotional writer Herbert Bowen, Jr. (black shirt to right of sign), and founder of B.T.E.P., poses with his team, Charlotte Hornets center Bismack Biyombo, coaches and players of the Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology baseball team at B.T.E.P.'s kickoff event on May 14, 2015 to raise funds to purchase new equipment and uniforms for the baseball team in Charlotte, N.C. (Photo courtesy Ken Bebe)

VATG devotional writer Herbert Bowen, Jr. (black shirt to right of sign), and founder of B.T.E.P., poses with his team, Charlotte Hornets center Bismack Biyombo, coaches and players of the Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology baseball team at B.T.E.P.’s kickoff event on May 14, 2015 to raise funds to purchase new equipment and uniforms for the baseball team in Charlotte, N.C. (Photo courtesy Ken Bebe)

VATG founder Nicole D. Hayes and VATG digital media coordinator Destiney Bishop, enjoy a perfect weather day, brunch and fellowship in DC on May 22, 2015.

VATG founder Nicole D. Hayes and VATG digital media coordinator Destiney Bishop enjoy a perfect weather day, brunch and fellowship in DC on May 22, 2015.

05.18.15
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Serve Without Outrageous Nonsense

Nicole D. Hayes, Founder, Voices Against the Grain

Nicole D. Hayes, Founder, Voices Against the Grain

As Christians, shouldn’t our “God talk” be followed by “God acts”? Yes. We likely know people who talk the talk but their promises aren’t kept or followed up by actions. Unfortunately, we see this most often in public office. The candidate campaigns, promises to take certain actions to help the public once they’re in office and then…actions fall short. Is there anyone who will not only say God’s Word but carry it out to serve others?

This fall, I will pursue my Master of Public Administration (MPA) with Regent University’s Robertson School of Government. While I already consider myself a Christian public servant by virtue of being Christ’s hands and feet on this earth, I desire the additional knowledge and undergirding to lead effectively our Voices Against the Grain ministry and in other areas of public service to which God is calling me.

If you are a Christian, layperson, minister, business leader, etc., you are also a public servant wherever you are, wherever you go. Delighted to share the following devotional written by fellow Regent University Robertson School of Government student Matt Whitman. The Christian Public Servant is a Monday through Friday devotional service written by Regent University Robertson School of Government faculty and students, offered to anyone who wishes to subscribe. Following the devotional is information about the The Christian Public Servant and how you can receive their devotionals.

May 18, 2015 – Monday

Reading

James 2:14(b)-17 (The Message) do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?

ReflectionJames 2-14 work your faith

When public servants campaign for office, they try to convince the voting public how they will govern. If elected through the faith of the public, the citizens will actually get the chance to see that faith in action…or not.

Too often, promises made are not promises kept. Talk of future action is never realized. After the election, too many forget to walk the walk. And that means not just knowing what’s right, not just saying what’s right, but doing what’s right.

As Christian public servants—elected, appointed, or employed—we have a daily obligation to practice our faith. To translate God-talk into God-acts. To keep promises for the good of those we serve. To proclaim what is right, and then to do what is right. To do as Jesus would do.

Today at work, put your faith into action. For His sake, serve without outrageous nonsense.

Prayer

Lord, in Your name, I step up and accept the responsibility of putting You into my action. Today I serve without outrageous nonsense. In Your name, I pray. Amen.

Matt Whitman

City Councillor

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Canada

What is The Christian Public Servant?

Issued Monday through Friday since 5 November 2012, The Christian Public Servant is sponsored by the Robertson School of Government at Regent University (Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA). It is dedicated to public servants world-wide in all areas of government, non-profit management, health care, social work, faith-based service organizations, public safety and defense, k-12-college education, and church management. For the glory of God, it affirms the public servant on six continents by offering morning devotionals and by receiving prayer-requests. Regardless of faith-path, all are welcome to join us!

If you are blessed by this devotional, forward it to others so they may also be blessed. Encourage them to subscribe!! No cost to subscribe. The sending and receiving of this devotional does not constitute SPAM, based on U.S. federal law. It is in compliance with the 2003 Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act. To subscribe, either (1) send request to jslack@regent.edu or (2) click here to subscribe. Link will open to a message “quiet subscribe”. Press send. To unsubscribe click here or send request to jslack@regent.edu.

05.10.15
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Are You a Compelling Witness?

2 Corinthians 4 8-9In these 11th-hour times, are you sounding the clarion call for people to take courage and hope in Christ Jesus? Or are you staying silent? In the face of persecution and trials, will YOU be a compelling, convincing and irrefutable witness for Christ? “Too many Christians have become passive bystanders in this spiritual warfare when they’ve had a sword in their hand the entire time. The hour is at hand for complacency to end.”-Hakim Hazim, co-founder of Christian think tank, FreedomSquared.org .

Read our ministry founder’s Gospel Today article “Are You a Compelling Witness?” 

05.04.15
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Baltimore: What Our Words Really Mean

Nicole D. Hayes, Founder, Voices Against the Grain

Nicole D. Hayes, Founder, Voices Against the Grain

“Cultural competency training.”‎ “Treat people like you want to be treated. ” “Civility.” “#BlackLivesMatter.” “Inequality.” “Injustice.” “Bad apples.” “Accountability.” “Added protections.” “Depraved-heart murder.”

These are some of the words and phrases that emerged from last week’s conversations surrounding the volatile and tragic Baltimore riots. The unjustified death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray while in Baltimore police custody surfaced familiar feelings of anger among Blacks and others. Another Black man was dead at the hands of police and it was uncertain if anyone would be held accountable, as seen in other cases across the country.

 

To the aforementioned familiar terms introduced in this piece…here’s what those words really mean— and their potential to drive the desired community, national and global outcomes we seek:

God’s love. Man and woman He created in His image (Genesis 1:26-27). Fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), God fashioned each of us. Create in me a clean, pure heart and renew a right spirit within me  (Psalm 51:10). Help me to extend to others faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, joy, kindness, love, patience, peace and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Let me seek another’s highest good. To love one another as Christ loves us. (John 13:34). Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6), and more…

 

Are we naive to believe that society’s morality will progress if not for a heart transformed by Christ Jesus? If this transformation doesn’t occur within each person, then we will continue to battle injustices as there will have been no transformation of the heart. Those unchanged will audaciously and ignorantly operate in their own version of “truth” thinking their version is superior to The Truth, God’s Truth.

Baltimore riots April 2015 woman faces police

Baltimore riots April 2015 raise the race conversationLofty hopes of new laws, programs and trainings will fail as some people hold onto their self-interests rather than invite Christ to be the Captain of their lives; their Lord and Savior, the resident and president of their lives. So long as humans subscribe to their wills and not the will of God, injustices (whether or not intentional, driven by self-interests and self-centeredness) will persist.

 

As someone who hopes for the hearts of mankind to change, it is not my desire to be a “Debbie downer.” I am simply sober about the realities many fear to acknowledge, even though the patterns repeat and intensify with every generation. Rather than push for another program to be created, pray for hearts to be transformed by Christ Jesus.

-Nicole

Nicole D. Hayes is the founder of Voices Against the Grain, a bold teaching ministry launched in May 2013. Nicole’s purpose in creating Voices Against the Grain is to be light in darkness, to boldly instruct truth amid confusion so as to bring clarity and restoration.

Learn more about Nicole D. Hayes here. 

04.28.15
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No, I’m Not Dating and I’m Doing Great!

Nicole D. Hayes, Founder, Voices Against the Grain

Nicole D. Hayes, Founder, Voices Against the Grain

I hesitate to give this topic any more oxygen than it requires. I write in hopes to squash fears and encourage the hopeless. I’m an attractive, intelligent, single godly woman, successful, free to do as I please. I live in a city brewing with activity any day of the week with myriad opportunities to engage with highly cultured, educated and successful people. The aforementioned ingredients seem a prime cure to the perceived problem: my singleness. Several people have asked me the dreaded question: “Who are you dating?” My reply: “No one.” Their next question in rapid response, “WHY AREN’T YOU DATING??!”

From family, to colleagues and some friends who haven’t yet caught on, I realize they ask the question in love, and not to criticize me. They desire to see me fulfilled, perceiving that this area of my life is dead, denied or failed. Society has us under the gun to fill that slot with nearly anyone if we’re still single after 30. But rest assured: my singleness is a GIFT and I am doing great! I am living my singleness to the max; operating to the “nth” degree in service to the Lord and His Kingdom! My mind is straight focused on doing His will daily, hourly! It’s an absolute joy! Desires I have asked for in serving Him and His People, He is bringing to pass. There are married people who would happily trade places with me, realizing the freedom in which I live.

Yes, we all desire love and companionship. I have fallen in love with Jesus Christ, the lover of my soul. Anything beyond that is icing on the cake. Yes, I desire and sometimes yearn for the helpmate, husband and partner that God has for me. But I am worth the wait and so is he. In my wait and being prepared, the Lord has done a great work in me and I am encouraged by what He has shown me. Areas where I wasn’t previously patient, God has developed my patience. Areas where I offered less understanding or compassion, God has enabled me to extend greater levels of understanding and compassion toward others.

Another encouragement rests in a dream the Lord gave me a year ago conveying some of the character and physical traits this person will embody. Having advance knowledge of these particular traits enables me to pursue God’s work without the distractions of dating aimlessly and the potential drama that invites. I won’t be dating just any man as I know the particular traits to expect. I also won’t feel the need to “fix” my situation to where I may be operating precariously outside of God’s timing and will.

Ecclesiastes 3-11 he has made everything beautiful in its timeThose who are waiting on marriage or other desires placed before the Lord, Ecclesiastes 3:11 encourages us that “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Additionally, Habakkuk 2:3 assures us of the Lord’s faithfulness: “Though it lingers, wait for it: it will certainly come and will not delay.”

Read encouraging “Single and Content” themed articles from Whole Magazine.

-Nicole

Nicole D. Hayes is the founder of Voices Against the Grain, a bold teaching ministry launched in May 2013. Nicole’s purpose in creating Voices Against the Grain is to be light in darkness, to boldly instruct truth amid confusion so as to bring clarity and restoration.

Learn more about Nicole D. Hayes here. 

04.20.15
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Hear in 3 Minutes What Satan is Up To

counterfeitSatan has done well to deceive the world. Unfortunately many have played into his hands. They thought they were pursuing paths of happiness, greater freedoms, quicker paths to prosperity and love, only to find themselves broken, empty and enslaved. What counterfeit schemes is Satan unleashing next? How do we stop this?

Listen to our 3-minute message on how you can successfully navigate around Satan’s counterfeit schemes and walk confidently in God’s Truth.

04.12.15
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Holding the Keys, But Still Shackled

shackled-feetAm I saved? Am I free? Despite Jesus’s victory obtained for us on the cross, some Christians have forgotten their right-standing in Christ Jesus, their God-given authority and that Christ has defeated Satan. They are still shackled by the enemy’s lies. Nicole D. Hayes, our ministry founder, provides four tips in this Gospel Today article on how you can encourage others to walk in their God-given authority against the enemy! Read “Holding the Keys, But Still Shackled.”