I have a request to write about love.  Well, everyone knows that I love, love and I could write about it ALL day long!!! ❤ ❤ ❤

Love is the foundation of all human interaction.  It all began with “for God so loved the world that He gave…”.  Love is Jesus on the cross.  It is this same love that we are to show towards one another.  The things we say, do, and think all should stem from love. The first love we consciously experience is from our parents. It is at this point that things can go one of two directions, right or real wrong {I will save this for another post 🙂 }. However, these experiences are the building blocks from which we develop our basis for love.

As children, we are in an active learning state and we crave knowledge.  We soak up everything we see, hear and feel, then we mimic or reject those behaviors.  These behaviors are what we know to be love.  When we mature we begin to have a new craving, we seek to understand ourselves and develop our own sense of love and we then connect with individuals who we feel meet our needs.  Our subconscious mind creates these connections so that we may receive this love and allows us to show our love towards others.

The most common mistake that we make in relationships is that we seek some magical formula that is supposed to create a perfect love.  Perfection is for God alone and not man.  The foundation of the word relationship is “relation”. Relation is the manner in which people communicate, behave, and interact with each other.  This goes back to love.  The love you desire and the love you require is what guides your relationships. Love is not a noun, do not allow Merriam-Webster to have you searching for a “strong feeling”. There are many who have experienced a strong feeling and it turned out to be pain.  Love is not synonymous with pain. Love is found in actions.  Love is what causes you to care for someone other than yourself.  It makes you put others needs before yours.  Love will make you show compassion and empathy without being told that you should.

Now…we were created to form relationships with one another.  There is no such thing as an army of one. As I said, we were created, therefore designed to form bonds with each other.  It is natural for us to seek companionship. While seeking companionship, we must embrace our differences.  Our differences are what bind us.  We are all flawed but there is someone out there that will strengthen your weaknesses and in doing so they complement your imperfections.  Love is the catalyst that allows this to happen. Love is the acceptance of a less than perfect person and sharing your strengths with them to aid in their growth.  When you can encourage, support, and forgive without expecting reciprocal actions, you have begun to experience love.

What’s love got to do with it?  EVERYTHING!!! Love is what love does.  It is a free-fall experience.  It is vulnerability and selflessness.  In trying to define love, you should understand  that love is a sacrifice.  BUT, with this sacrifice, you add value to your life.  It is my sincere belief that we all desire to be loved and possibly desire even more that someone allows us to love them.  Reach beyond the limits you have placed on yourself and let love flow.

Chorus for today: “I’m a puzzle, yes indeed. Ever complex in every way and all the pieces aren’t even in the box. Yet you see the picture clear as day…You catch me when I fall, accept me, flaws and all and that’s why I love you”~Flaws and All

Somewhere along the way, we have failed to see that all people deserve to be treated as humans. Disagreeing with someone’s view does not make one person right and the other person wrong but it should teach us to see issues from another person’s perspective.

While reading comments posted on a blog site, I noticed the terms reverse racism and white privilege were loosely thrown around, along with comments about who should and should not be allowed to comment on issues within a certain community.  Although most commentators had a point that was valid in their eyes, the message got lost while sifting through cliché’s used to incite emotion.  How do we heal from pain that has not been acknowledged?  If we are not free to say what effects our individual lives or communities without backlash for having the discussion, then how do we find solutions?  On the same note, if we only allow a minimal amount of people to sit in on the discussion, how will things change?

The first step is acknowledgment, there has to be an admission so that acceptance can settle in and from there, the pain of the masses can be healed.  We all suffer from division and we will never heal from our pain by ignoring the cries of our brethren. 

Until we get to the point of acknowledging that we are all human and deserve to be treated as such, we are doing more harm than good to each other.  When you know better, you do better. I’m so thankful for the diverse environment I have called home for the last 2 years. #FAMU 

“Emergency Stopping Only”

When I was younger and I saw a sign on the side of the highway stating “Emergency Stopping Only”, I would always wonder who determines what an emergency is.  In my mind, I figured there was a wide variety of circumstances that could arise while driving on the highway.  So, who gets to determine when you can stop?

On the highway, as in life, we all experience different circumstances that we deem emergencies.  These differ from person to person and our surroundings.  While traveling, if you’re 50 miles from your exit, your emergency is different from when you are 5 miles away. In life, the closer you get to your destiny, you will see your emergencies begin to look a lot different.  The things that caused you to pause or stop, will no longer have that effect on you journey.  Your emergencies turn into urges that push you to your destinations.

Therefore, God determines when you can stop.  He already knows exactly how much you can handle and He’s already foreseen the “emergencies” that you may see as hindrances.  It is all about perception.  We should look at  life through our spiritual eyes for our natural eyes will deceive us.  Things that we think will stop us in our tracks are the very things that God has placed in our lives to propel us into our destinies.  When we begin to see ourselves as God sees us, we see that there is no reason to stop moving, it is merely time to stop and pray.

We are only as free as the truth we live…<3

Some are taught to keep secrets to minimize the pain; many are told to lie so that others will not be hurt by their actions; and others are encouraged to paint fairy-tale pictures to replace harsh realities.

The problem with all these things is that they take away from the greatness that we could experience in life.

Give yourself the freedom to live your best life. God has a purpose and plan for you that is greater than you could ever imagine. Your past does not determine the quality of your future.  Everything you experienced was to get you to the very point you are at now. Break free from the things that keep you tied down and Live Your Truth.

As the mother of a teenage son, it is becoming a little too hard for me to be comfortable with the thought of him being out of my sight.  You see, fortunately, my son grew up to be a tall, handsome young man, surpassing others on the growth charts.  But society says he does not fit the mold.  He is not permitted to “act his age” because people would rather see him act his size.  Not only is his size an issue, his appearance altogether is an issue.  In addition to general parental guidance, I have to tell him he’s not allowed to wear his hoodie on his head, he’s not allowed to walk to the corner store, and now I have to warn him about his music when starts driving next year…the irony is, we do not live in a war zone, we live in “the land of the free, thanks to the brave”.  Many members of my family are the those brave soldiers that fought and continue to fight for “our” freedom and yet I have to treat my child as a prisoner of war.

There is a real problem when the life of a child is no longer a priority.  I have witnessed more compassion for animals than for children who resemble my son.  These attacks on the youth are coming from all directions.  So, as a parent, am I to keep my child under lock and key to protect him?  Is it ok for him to feel like he is not welcomed in his community, city, or state?  How is he supposed to feel when society says his life is worthless?

Parents, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, grandparents, and all others that make up our support systems…please continue to love on our sons.  Let them know that no matter who is against them, they have God and us in their corners.  Ensure that they are allowed to be kids.  A child should never have to worry about carrying out normal activities.  With us fighting for their lives, the harder it will be for others to take them.

TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1, by Os Hillman
02-11-2014

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” – Proverbs 1:7

Marvin Wilson, author of Our Father Abraham, has written incisively about the various meanings for our word “fool”:

In Biblical wisdom literature, the pupils of the sages and mentors are the unwise, often termed “fools” (Prov. 1:7) or “simple one” (1:22). In wisdom literature, the different levels of fools – both young and old – are the raw material on which the sages had to work, and they represent the varying degrees of rawness. Perhaps as much as anything else, the term fool is descriptive of an attitude, bent of mind, or direction in life, which needs correcting. The various Hebrew words for fool occur more than a hundred times in the book of Proverbs. [Marvin Wilson, Our Father Abraham (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1989), 284-286.]

The reference to someone being a fool was not necessarily a negative term. A simple fool, or peti, was a person who made mistakes, but quickly righted them and was restored to fellowship with God and with others. King David was a simple fool, one who made mistakes, but kept a repentant heart toward God. This is why God did not turn away from him for his many sins.

The hardened fool, kesil and ewil, makes mistakes, but never learns from them and will not listen to others. Such people can expect God’s reproof to continue and will eat the fruit of their own way (see Prov. 1:31-32). The hardened fool “returns to his own vomit.” King Saul was a hardened fool, one who made mistakes and continued in them even after realizing he was wrong. We’re going to err in our ways. The question is, once we know we have made a mistake before God, do we make the necessary adjustments that will allow Him to intervene on our behalf? And will we avoid the same course of action in the future? God says that if we do, He will pour out His Spirit on us (see Prov. 1:23). He will make known His words to us.

The third level of fool mentioned in Proverbs is the mocking fool or letz. The mocking fool mocks the things of God. This word means “scoffer” or “scorner.” When you encounter cynical people who disregard the things of God, you know these people are “mocking fools.”

The fourth level of fool is the God-denying fool or nabal. This term relates to the morally wicked person who ignores the disgrace he brings on his family and who despises holiness (see Prov. 17:21). This person says, “There is no God.” By failing to acknowledge God for who He is, the nabal declares himself to be a “God-denying” fool.

I have found that it is helpful to try to understand if people are teachable. Are they simple fools, those who make mistakes but seek to learn from them? I can work with those people. But if I sense I am working with a hardened fool, I know I should not spend much time on that person. Jesus did not spend much time trying to convince the rich young ruler. He presented truth, and let him make his decision. Some people must get broken before they can become simple fools. Sometimes it is simply better to let satan chew on people until the ground is fertile enough to present truth to them.

Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders.

On the show Bones, Special Agent Booth is a Christian and no matter what happens in an episode, almost always, his faith is tested or God is mentioned…

Booth is a FBI agent and a scientist is his partner.  He sees things that could cause some people to question their faith and their belief that God has the final say.  His partner, the scientist, does not believe in God because she has a scientific explanation for everything that happens.  She often asks him does he still believe in God or if he made a decision because he wants to go to heaven. Booth has decided that no matter what he sees or what others say, he will serve God.  He has decided that he will stand on God’s promises even if he stands alone.  He owes everything to God and everything he does is because of God.  Booth does not concern himself with what science says or the evil things that people do.

We are taught for the most part that we must conform.  We have to fit into the ideal mold of “normalcy”, mirror those that surround us in our different areas of life.  The issue with normal is, there is no clear definition of the word.  Normal to you is not necessarily normal to me.  The truth is we were born to stand out.  My beliefs are rooted in what I learned as a child and what I have discovered as an adult.  They will not line up with any one else’s because no two lives are the same.  Our foundations may be the same but we will most certainly go about things differently because God has called us all on a different walk within our lives.  On our individual walks, we must become unapologetic about the fact that we were born to stand out.  God did not create us in the image of fear or inferiority.  We are the children of a King.  A King’s children do not minimize their existence because they will not be accepted or liked.  Just as Booth, we must stand alone at times.  Being different is a gift.  Embrace who God has called you to be and do not apologize for it.

Passing The Test

TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1, by Os Hillman

01-26-2014

The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors – to David. – 1 Samuel 28:17b

When God anoints a person, a pattern of testing appears to take place at specific times in the leader’s life. God often takes each leader through four major tests to determine if that person will achieve God’s ultimate call on his or her life. The person’s response to these tests is the deciding factor in whether they can advance to the next level of responsibility in God’s Kingdom.

Control – Control is one of the first tests. Saul spent most of his time as king trying to prevent others from getting what he had. Saul never got to the place with God in which he was a grateful recipient of God’s goodness to him. Saul was a religious controller. This control led to disobedience and ultimately being rejected by God because Saul no longer was a vessel God could use.

Bitterness – Every major character in the Bible was hurt by another person at one time or another. Jesus was hurt deeply when Judas, a trusted follower, betrayed Him. Despite knowing this was going to happen, Jesus responded by washing Judas’ feet. Every anointed leader will have a Judas experience at one time or another. God watches us to see how we will respond to this test. Will we take up an offense? Will we retaliate? It is one of the most difficult tests to pass.

Power – Power is the opposite of servanthood. Jesus had all authority in Heaven and earth, so satan tempted Jesus at the top of the mountain to use His power to remove Himself from a difficult circumstance. How will we use the power and influence God has entrusted to us? Do we seek to gain more power? There is a common phrase in the investment community, “He who has the gold rules.” Jesus modeled the opposite. He was the ultimate servant leader.

Greed – This is a difficult one. Money has the ability to have great influence for either good or bad. When it is a focus in our life, it becomes a tool of destruction. When it is a by-product, it can become a great blessing. Many leaders started out well – only to be derailed once prosperity became a part of their life. There are thousands who can blossom spiritually in adversity; only a few can thrive spiritually under prosperity.

As leaders, we must be aware when we are being tested. You can be confident that each one of these tests will be thrown your way if God calls you for His purposes. Will you pass these tests? Ask for God’s grace today to walk through these tests victoriously.

Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders.

While being interviewed, a popular correspondent was asked about her children and the appearance of a softer side since becoming a parent.  The interviewer asked what changed.  The correspondent answered, she thought that she would never have a family. Many years prior,  she experienced a tragedy and thought having a family was impossible for her.  Then she said, never give up on your dreams, no matter how long it takes to reach them.

Although you may have heard these words before, let it serve as confirmation that God is still writing your story.  Delay is not denial. Rest assured,  the plan for your life will come to pass.  Kept striving to reach your dreams.  Everyone’s story is different, do not compare your life to others because they will never look the same.  Also, from her tragedy, she was forever changed.  When God changes your life, nothing is the same.  People, places, and things will change.  In order to get to the place He’s taking you, you must also emerge a new creature.  You have to trust that no matter what it looks like, God is still in control!

Philippians 1:6…Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: