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Rise Up and Rebuild!
Happy Monday! This may be your very first time ever reading this blog. I do not want you to be hopelessly lost. I’ll do my best to get you up to speed quickly. My church is currently in the midst of a “Rise Up!” campaign. We are deeply entrenched in the book of Nehemiah. Every week, we learn more of his story. Bit by bit, we are given tools that will help us craft a life that is full of purpose. Hopefully, today’s sermon recap will add to the arsenal of tools that have already been given out. This week’s sermon finds us in Nehemiah 3. Nehemiah is no longer…
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A Different Perspective
Perspective is so important. Sweet Baby was explaining one of her games to me. She proudly proclaimed, “I have $322 in this game. I’m rich!” For most of us, having a net worth of $322 would be distressing. That would not cover rent or all our utilities. A family of four would certainly find themselves in a precarious situation if that was all they had. But in Sweet Baby’s eyes, that money is astounding. It’s all about perspective. My perspective has certainly been a little off. I am guilty of having my sights focused on the wrong things. I have heard it said many times, from many sources, that we…
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The Present Is The Gift
For the past year, I have been very self-reflective and introspective. I have been doing the work of getting to the core of my issues. It has not been a pretty journey. As a matter of fact, it has been downright ugly. While I do not like some of the things I see, I thank God that I am beginning to see myself as I truly am. Flawed…but God’s treasured possession none the less. This week has been all about acknowledging where I am. In this space. In this moment. Not thinking about the past. Not worrying about the future. Focusing on where I am at this specific moment in…
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Round and Round and Round We Go
Isn’t it funny how quickly we lose certain skill sets? If I go without walking for a week, the first walk after my break makes my heart pound just a little bit faster. My body feels the burn and regrets that we ever slacked off. I always vow to remain consistent so that I do not have to feel like I’m starting all over again. During one summer break, I remembered that I used to be a champion hula hooper. Don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t entered in competitions. I didn’t stand in front of large crowds and show off my skills. But I was BAD! Do you hear me?…
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It Finally Happened
Well, it finally happened. I am new to the cat-loving community. And by new, I mean that I love one cat exclusively, Fitz. Since I did not grow up with cats or have anyone very close to me that had a cat for a pet, there are many things about cats that I do not know. Many of my thoughts about cats have been formed from their portrayal in media. I take my cues from movies and television. So, when it finally happened, I was a little unprepared. Have I built up the suspense enough? Are you curious to know what happened? I was sitting at my computer preparing to…
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Tell Me A Story
My grandmother is a masterful storyteller. When I was a kid, I spent my summers with her in St. Louis. Our days were filled with trips to the library to pick out books and sometimes videos. We would hang out at the pool and try to improve our swimming. We would go to the park so that we could get some fresh air. We would visit the zoo. We explored the city. All the nooks and crannies. The days were epic. But nighttime held a special magic that day could not ever provide. Nighttime was storytime. Bible Study Brother and I would get all cuddled up in the bed with…
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Rise Up and Make Something Happen
Well, it’s another day’s journey, and I am glad about it. Last week kicked off the Rise Up campaign at St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church. We are studying the book of Nehemiah and taking nuggets of wisdom from his life. While not a prophet or priest, Nehemiah was a worker in the kingdom of God. The sermon from Sunday provided more practical ways that I can apply the word of God in my life. Nehemiah 2:1-5 opens by telling us that it is the month of Nisan. This means that four months have passed since Nehemiah has prayed his prayer in chapter one. Four months of fasting. Four months of…
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Piercing Focus
Unlike many people, I did not get my ears pierced as a baby. I suppose Bible Study Mama had more pressing issues to think about. You may know by now, that even as a child, I had extraordinarily strong opinions. Four or five-year-old me wanted pierced ears. I launched a fierce campaign with Bible Study Mama. She was persuaded by my impassioned plea. She called the rest of the village to see if they agreed with my idea. They complied. We were off to handle business. I wish I could tell you why I wanted my ears pierced so badly. I just know that it was extremely important to me. …
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Another One Bites The Dust
YA’LL!!!!!! I AM SO BESIDE MYSELF! For those that are not aware, I accepted a challenge for Outrageous October. Before the month is finished, I need to have walked 60 miles. As of October 7, 2020, I have walked 30 of those miles already. Now you may be thinking that I am pumped because I am halfway to the goal seven days into this month. While I am grateful to halfway there, it is not the reason that I am beside myself. See, before the month started, I had a pull and a tug on my heart to walk a 5k for seven days straight. I made a list of…
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Rise and Shine! It’s Action Time!
I will RISE UP and pray for ways to be an ACTIVE participant in building the Kingdom of God! Week 1- Rise Up Declaration If you read the sermon recap on Monday, you are aware that my church has embarked on a Rise Up campaign. The campaign is an opportunity for us all to get involved in the work of the church. When I say church, I am not talking about a building or even a particular congregation. I am speaking of the universal church of Christ. I am all about action points and tangible steps that I can take to improve my life and the lives of others. I…
