Happy Juneteenth!!!!!!! 150 plus years!

Free At Last! Free At Last! I Am really Free At Last!

 

People! People! Did you know that TODAY, June 19^th……Juneteenth 2013 marks 150 years since the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 was signed. This was the LEGAL documented which the president Abraham Lincoln declared that all slaves in the rebellious states, “ shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”

History Channel tells us that at one point Lincoln realized that abolition of slavery was a sound military strategy. Modern day abolitionists stand for the ending of sex trafficking, abortion, genocide, unjust treatment or men, women and children throughout the earth especially regarding the Global African Diaspora family. The ending of the ways of death is a profound strategy of Life.

Yes, I have been free for 150 years in the United States and 2013 on the planet Earth. Yes, I was once a slave with No identity and No dignity No respect and no freedom. Yet before I was stolen from my native soil, sold and ostracised, I received a freedom that some hoped I never would know again. You see before I was an African slave, I was free…free in Christ Jesus who by His spirit, though others decided they would attempt to destroy me….He declared life over me and my ancestors. He wrote me into eternity and stained my heart with His identity. What was stripped hundreds of years ago, He has and continues to restore. Oh Beautiful Africa, Oh Beautiful descendants of this rich and promising Nation, God has made promises to you He has never forgotten…Keep your eyes up and your heart open to His truths, He is healing, restoring, saving, calling, delivering and freeing you. I love you, I LOVE you and His love is much GREATER than every symbol of hate that has shown its self against you. HE DOES LOVE YOU.

Happy Day of Freedom, there is many, many, many more to come. You shall eat the fruit of the land, you shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. You shall live in Him and shall not die. Today is not your final chapter, the word of death is not your final call, His word, His Life reigns.

Black Pearl...Daddy's Little Girl...

Let me lift you up where you belong.


These are the lyrics that I have been dancing through my thoughts for the last few days. It is from a 1990's song by the artists Yo-Yo and I believe that she was talking to little black girls...which was I in the 90's. I reflect on the hook of the radio version, " Black Pearl...Daddy's little Girl...Let me lift you up where you belong". The black pearl is a rare and beautiful jewel, it is found in one main region on the planet and when you look at it your eyes adore and your heart is in awe. For years I have preferred pearls over diamonds, I felt that I was "pearl women", they are of a different type of classy women and those who appreciate them will understand me most.They can express ones' place of confidence and elegance while standing in humility and love for they are not a flashy jewel but one of understood influence and non-aggressive power. Within the pearl family there are natural shades of red, pink, white, green, blue and the stunning black, my favorite. Interestingly enough, I learned a few years ago that my first name means "Beautiful View" and I not only think it's fitting of my appearance and my character but the way I look upon most things...especially those that are often overlooked..with a "filter" of beauty...I see some of what God sees..more identity and value then most. The Black Pearl can resemble to me Black Life-men, women and our children-a rare, beautiful, unmatched and desired jewel.

I have been heard many times saying the phrase, "I love Black People", some times during silly moments yet most often as I hear of and see us accomplish another task that best shows one of our more hidden characteristics-greatness. I am one of those who believe we have come from greatness and every time we operate differently, it is because we either lost sight of who we really are or no one has told us yet. The hook says...Let me lift you up where you belong...so that is what I am going to do.

Black Pearl- daddy's (God, Abba) little girl and boy, His man and woman, you are the apple of His eye and the desire of His heart. You are of great power, ability, beauty, influence, wealth and strength...every other Pearl knows this and that is why unfortunately there have been direct efforts to keep you limited, unaware, bound and even have encouraged self-hate amongst you. Your life...your VERY life is greatly worthy of preservation and a tremendous asset to every where you have been and are going. You are phenomenal. You belong continuously in your place of royalty, abiding in the place of "head-ship" and not "tail". God said that the poor will always be among us...but He did NOT say it was you. In the book Song of Solomon, the women who the King pursues says, I am dark but lovely (1:5)..it is as if she reflects a moment, looks upon herself as others may view her and declares...I am lovely. I am, I am...You are, You are....dark but lovely. May you live under His open heaven and identify with the truth of who you are....a priceless beauty of strengthen, power, unmatched character and abilities, you are a jewel worth preserving, Black Pearl...You are Lovely.

Waited too long for God...

A Poem...Short Story...or a mid afternoon reflection.

 

I waited to long for the Lord and my heart sunk. My fire went out. I went time and time again to the prayer alter of fire but the wick on my candle grew cold and it could not hold a flame for long.

How could this be? I prayed and fasted, I believed and declared, I disagreed with the lies of the enemy and turned a deaf ear to those who spoke but never once listened to the voice of God for their wisdom. I did it all. I believed beyond the due date of bills (believing that His response included a miracle, I mean He said He would supply my needs but I guess the tuition bill was not a need?...but then again that ment my degree was not a need either?)...but He sent me to school.

So I continued to believe and I waited for justice, since He is the God of justice....but it never came. A few say, it is coming...but for this situation, it is not. So what do you do? Keep waiting? When do you stop and say, He has not completely abandonded me but He has completely stopped responding to the situation?

I waited too long for God here, maybe I should have made a turn a few months ago..or maybe a few years.

I asked Him, I asked Him for understanding, clarity, HELP...I searched scriptures and daily spent hours in prayer when finally there was one devastation my heart could not recover from....and I became numb.

His scriptures stirred up angry like when a child is told repeatedly that a gift is coming and they grow-up old waiting for the unfulfilled promise. My lips could not utter prayers because disbelief in what would be said, out-weighed the belief that it was still true. Let me remind you, this place of numbness comes from years of believing and being disappointed, believing...and more disappointment; promises manifested & then being stripped away, family members tragically losing their lives and friends drastically losing their manifested promises. It did not happen over night but I hope healing does...and that it last a while.

Well, we can get up from the stoop of waiting...not that we were sitting still twittling our thumbs...we waited for the BIG, stepped out of the boat & walked on water like Peter (Matthew 14:29).....and kept walking and I guess its like Jesus bid you to come like Peter...but then moved the goal further out into the darkness of the sea and when you turned around, the boat was gone too.

Real reflections of a heart, wondering if it waited too long. Selah.

Africa sees you...but do you see them?

There are moments in history where we have seen footage of children in Africa, portrayed as poor and in great need with very minimal resources. Often in those same images, we may see t-shirts with pictures of celebrated American musicians, actors and rappers.  For me personally, I often wondered how our shirts and cds have reached these regions of the earth but the resources that support ending of cyclic poverty and enable sustained livelihoods, often do not. These images portray children who "see" Americans, even study and give us their undivided attention, but I am not sure we give them the same courtesy. When I speak of "we", I am not just referring to Americans but one step in a more personal directions, I am speaking of African Americans.

I was standing in the lunch room as a graduate student at a university in Scotland. On the front page of the Scotsman newspaper was a picture of a baby crying and extremely thin in size displaying malnutrition. The article highlighted a crisis in Ethiopia in the summer of 2011 which was the result of drought. The child on the front of the newspaper was the same color as I, originiated from the same continent as I and had a valued life like mine. I decided at that moment that this child was not another casualty of war or extreme poverty, he or she was not another neglected starving African child that needed me to send a few dollars a month to help keep alive, this little baby was my cousin...a child of my lineage and family. I thought I could understand them looking into a face that did not have the same features, bone structure or color as theirs and be ignored but if they looked into my face, they would not understand me looking the other way. The interesting part is that quite often the face that does not look like theirs, does not look away and instead loves, holds, nurtures and makes them stronger. Too often my face is actually not even seen by those little eyes, they don't even know I looked away.

I decided at that moment to stand stronger in the African proverb, " It takes a village to raise a child", and physically carry that photo in my notebook so that my cousin would not be overlooked and I could more directly advocate for their life. This was a monumental moment where I decided that I would no longer look away and begin a strategic journey so that his or her little eyes would see our faces and that our eyes would see theirs. 

I believe that many African Americans do not see these images with understanding and do not know the depth of what is going on in the country of Africa that we celebrate as our origin. The truth is, some do know...and do not care...we cannot do much about them....but there are many more that do care and we who do will stand in agreement for justice, true change and revival. If we know the truth of what is happening, we...and the little ones...will be made free. John 8:32.

We see you little ones....here we come.

I Actually Got PHYSICALLY Healed by Forgiving Them

In 2002 I got in a car accident and have suffered back pains for 10 years.
I have begun to believe God to fully heal me over the last 3 years...but before then I just said temporary relief prayers and used various medical treatments. Many, many people have prayed for my complete healing...and I still wait..believe..but wait.

Two weeks ago, I began to pray things like..."Lord, I am sad praying to you with so much pain in my back, I know you want to heal me....so why aren't I healed yet", "This isn't cool God." The pain in my neck and upper back region was tense and I could not even bend my neck fully towards my ear without pain.

On Good Friday (Friday before Resurrection /Easter Sunday) I went to service and Pastor Lambert spoke on few profound topics but it was the part on Forgiveness that kept me looking deeply at the condition of my heart. I began to forgive the 1st person who came to mind but it was the 2nd that I began to negotiate with God regarding. You see, 3 months prior a man murdered my cousin. I was very close to her and though he was in jail, the trial was still on going and I kept my discussions of him very minimal...though I wish that ALL come to Christ...the level of rage and hate I initially had towards him was something I have never felt before and I hope to never again. Yet in that Good Friday service, I thought it would be stupid to end up before the Lord and not enter into the kingdom because of the hate I had towards this person who I often call "that idiot". (This is real talk people).

So I said..."I choose to forgive him". I went to the alter, no one layed hands on me, no one actually prayed over me directly that I am aware of...yet the Lord began to remind me of several others (people and companies) who I had held in my heart and not really forgave for the way they treated me. So I prayed... I felt a tug around my head and neck and I said...I am getting fully free today...today.
I walked away from the service, much lighter and filled with satisfying peace.

I began to think....I wonder if my healing is connected to my unforgiveness? I am going to wait a few days and try my neck.
MONDAY MORNING.....I could bend my neck to my shoulder with NO PAIN AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Genuinely Forgiving people in my heart....healed my body???!!!!!!!!
By His stripes...I am healed? Could also read...He took stripes so that the Father would FORGIVE them...and in that...FORGIVENESS...I am healed. WOWOWOWOWOWOW!
Jesus is real. Lord....extend your sceptre...release more revelation of these things...may your people experience more healing and justice as we Love & Forgive, Love & Forgive, Love and... Forgive.

Christmas Day was April 12, 2012

Merry Christmas!
It 'twas the night before Christmas and all through my house, a few creatures were stirring but none were a mouse!

It was late on the night of April 11th and I could not sleep, it felt that it was the night before Christmas. That level of excitement and anticipation does not happen often in life since most events do not match Christmas day when you are a child so its a relevant memory by the time you are an adult.
So I put on worship music from the devotional playlist from ihop.org...I worshipped and agreed with God, worshipped and agreed. I did not know what I was agreeing with specifically yet I decided to agree with Him and worship. I finally went to sleep.

I arose the next morning and greeted my dad with, "Merry Christmas", he looked at me funny and laughed it off. A little while later a friend called and I greeted her, "Merry Christmas", I told her about the night before and let her know that today was Christmas. There are a few of us who are anticipating miracles of miracles in this month of Nissan (Jewish calendar) which ends April 22. Christmas gifts from our heavenly Father...would make perfect sense to us that live in His favor, respect His word and understand the prophetic. The day went on.

Midday I get a call and the same friend who agreed with me in faith and declaration that morning, said that someones facebook status stated, " I just got a Christmas card today! I sent it to someone in December but it was the wrong address and it just returned to me today".

I could not believe it....it really is Christmas!!! So we became encouraged. A little while later that facebook status was updated and the mother of the girl got a report from the doctor....NOW CANCER FREE!!!! What God?!!!- healings... and Christmas in April....KEEP IT COMING!

I was excited and kept listening out for the phone, waiting on the delivery of the mail and emails to receive Christmas gifts! And yet I did not receive any...so I took a nap...had a dream that I was given an invitation to a birthday party...I think it was a surprise. When I woke up I had an invitation to a wedding from my friend Angel....so I get an invitation to a wedding by an Angel? Ok Lord.

Then I get an email, my friends grandmother had gone home to be with the Lord the week before so her home was being flooded with flowers and bereavement cards. She walks into the kitchen and there was a new card....it was a Christmas card!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT???

So the Lord is going out of His way to let me know He is moving...BIG time for me...and before my heart can settle in doubt or discouragement...He kept it coming... so it goes----I felt it's Christmas, 2 separate people get Christmas cards, I get an invitation from an Angel to a wedding and then a dream inviting me to a surprise birthday party......LORD Thank You for these gifts.....Merry Christmas.
I look to you with expectation....you will not pass me by...it is my time for your miracles of miracles...healing, revival, currency, profit, land, job offered well, salvation in my family, the deep desirs of my heart and more intimate encouters with the Holy Spirit. Thank you, my time...our time is now.
Abba, you are Faithful...Merry Christmas.

PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!

He ran down the street yellowing, PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!
He had a panic in his heart and an urgency that pulled at the ears of the hearers.
Many turned to look, was there something chasing him? was there a message to accompany this urgent command?
Their minds started to think of all the reasons he could be running and yelling in such a way.
The word "Pray" was not foreign to them but the actions were something of a small scale and hardly ever commanded an immediate response, so why in the world is he running and yellowing?

PRAY!PRAY!PRAY!

This is all he could get out, nothing else made sense fore he knew to explain would cause the listeners to lessen the need and make light the urgency so he just continued to run and yell.
He grabbed coats of men, looked at them with eyes of fear and panic begging them to PRAY!PRAY!PRAY! He grabbed the forearm of women and looked up with eyes of a persuasive child helpless, in need and tears of pain gliding down his cheek yelling PRAY!PRAY!PRAY!. He looked softly into the eyes of little boys and girls compelling and encouraging them that prayer from their hearts was needed as well and expressed PRAY!PRAY!PRAY!

Was he mad? Was he crazy?
He was a familiar face to the townspeople but it was his voice that pulled their attention. Soon nothing else would matter.

This story has TWO endings depending on ONE thing--their response.
One ending is that because their hearts were connected to the same source that caused him to run with urgency, they dropped to their knees and layed down on the streets-men, women, boys and girls-and began to pray to the Father God through the Son Jesus Christ via this unction of the Holy Spirit. You see they knew the same scripture that sent him running with panic that day--If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land (2Chronicles 7:14). They knew if they called on God, God would respond.
So prayer begot prayer...and repentance begot worship...and God responded with healing, restoration, miracles and revival. God healed every aspect of their "land."

The other ending is that they starred at him, told him to stop being ridiculous and causing a scene. They became angry in their hearts because they felt no urgency and pride took a front stance. They attempted to use their evil stares and words to discourage him and they refused to respond and pray. Men and women told their children to ignore him, and gossiped amongst themselves. There was no repentance, no response of healings, restoration, miracles nor revival from God...they did not humble themselves and pray....so God could not heal their land.

The urgent heart continued on time after time until one day the Lord spoke and said, "My son, I am grateful for your faithful heart to warn the people, they can never say my love was not extended to them nor can they ever say they did not know. This was your calling...to call them to me...and you did well my good and faithful servant, come home and rest."

The question to ponder is this, in your town today which ending to the story is most likely to occur...unfortunately just like my town, the second ending. May we respond differently tomorrow, it really could be the last day God sends an urgent, crying heart begging us to PRAY!PRAY!PRAY! By the way, this is not a hypothetical story. Selah.