A Woman’s Worth

Last week, my family threw my mother a surprise retirement party.  It was quite an operation that got all of the family together.  It was a lovely event with 25 family and friends, hosted in private room at a new upscale urban restaurant (Big City Chophouse) in downtown Akron, Ohio.  We gave my mother gifts, words of appreciation, and showed her a 22 minute video interviews of her coworkers wishing her well.  In all the jubilee and excitement, I sensed a reservation in Mom.  When the hostess opened the french doors of the dark private room, the lights came on, and the guests yelled surprise, my mother was numb.  At first I thought Mom was numb because of the surprise, but I soon discovered it was because nothing like this had ever been done for her.  In the 61 years of Catherine Ford has graced the earth, she has never had a day where she was the center of attention and made to feel valuable and worthy of “all the trouble.”   Not in 41 years of marriage and motherhood.  Not in 25 years working for the state of Ohio.  Not in 18 years of being a grandmother.  For all the struggle, for all the sacrifice, Mom has never had her day to be appreciated and celebrated.  Not on her wedding day.  She was married in her mother’s living room.  No special birthday parties or trips.  She may get a nice card.  No surprise vacations to her favorite city.  Only trips to see her out of state children or to check on a home in rural Mississippi that she hates. The only thing she has done is work. Quite possibly in her work, she received passing recognition and appreciation.  On this October night, I saw my mother differently.  I saw women differently.  That night, I saw this woman’s worth.  In this post, I want to discuss the importance of acknowledging, nurturing, and celebrating a woman’s worth.

I learned three valuable lessons concerning a woman’s worth at my mom’s retirement party.  Let’s being with Proverbs 31:27-29:

Proverbs 31:27-29 reads concerning the virtuous woman,

²⁷ She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹ “ Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”

The first lesson is a woman’s worth must be acknowledged.  Before I proceed, I must define worth.  Worth, as described in a dictionary, is the quality that renders something desirable or valuable or useful.  Proverbs 31:10 describes a woman’s worth as being more precious than rubies.  Okay, let’s proceed.  In Proverbs 31:27-29, the virtuous woman is praised by both her children and husband.   Both her children and husband rise up to acknowledge her.  The context of the Hebrew word for rise up (arise) means to stand up out of reverence.  Think of when the Queen of England or the President enters a room, all the people stand to acknowledge them.  Likewise, it is important for a woman to have her value, usefulness, and attractiveness acknowledged by those around, especially family.  Acknowledgment is simply pausing and taking notice of what God created.  Men, we do this when we notice a woman’s hair after she has returned from the salon, or when tell a woman she is dressed nice.  If you really want to acknowledge a woman’s worth, then observe a woman’s God given talent.  My mother is great with numbers and accounting.  Every chance I get, I tell her how great she is at her work.  At the party, my sister Angela composed a beautiful poem and short story for my mom.  I took a moment at the party to tell everyone that Angela composed the poem and short story in 48 hours!  During the 22 minute video, I acknowledged my sister Knatokie’s great communication skills by allowing her to interview each coworker. And boy, she did a great job! I can see her on television.  In my sisters and mother, I see how a woman comes to life when her worth is acknowledged.

Women Come To Life When Acknowledged

The second lesson is a woman’s worth must be nurtured and celebrated.  During the retirement party, we showed more than 22 minutes of video of my mother’s coworkers wishing her well in retirement.  My younger sister and I conducted all of the interviews.  We must have talked to 20 people.  Those 20 people painted a picture of my mother that I had never seen before.  They described her great leadership, persistence, compassion, problem solving acumen, unwavering positive attitude, dedication, and how invaluable she is to the organization.  One coworker stated, “At the staff meeting when they announced her retirement, they gave her a standing ovation. That has never happened at this place and probably never will again.  That is just how special she is.”  While I was aware of my mother’s strengths, I had no clue of the magnitude of her abilities.  I wondered why I had not noticed.  I discovered the answer that day after the retirement party while at home with my parents. My mother is a different woman at home than at work.  At work, she flows in her gifts because it is needed and nurtured.  At home, she is criticized and penalized for her shortcomings.  During a brief exchange, my dad complained about how unorganized my mom is.  Immediately, I saw my mom go into a shell and become morbidly quiet.

Criticism Causes the Worth of a Woman To Hide

Unknowingly, my father focuses on her weaknesses and withholds love from her.  Instead of celebrating the many good things she does, he focuses on the few things she does not do well.  Sadly, many married men do this to their wives.  Even more tragic, is that children see their father criticizing their mother, and grow up to date and marry people who do not celebrate their gifts.  You wonder why Proverb 18:21-22 says,

²¹ Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.
²² He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
And obtains favor from the LORD.

I made a covenant with God, a la Job (except Job’s was with his eyes), to let my tongue be used to celebrate and not condemn all people, especially the wife God will bless me with.   John Maxwell has coined the 101 percent principle.  You find the one thing a person does well and give 100 percent attention and focus to that one thing.  A key scripture to correct and empower you to be able to speak love when your mind reminds of someone’s shortcomings 1 Corinthians 13:5 and Proverbs 10:11-12,

Proverbs 10:11-12,
¹¹ The mouth of the righteous is a well of life,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
¹² Hatred stirs up strife,
But love covers all sins.

1 Corinthians 13:5 (AMP;added emphasis):

⁵It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

Imagine how different our world would be if men would nurture and celebrate the gifts in their wives, sisters, mothers, and all the women in their lives.

Why is it so important for a man to acknowledge, nurture, and celebrate the worth of a woman?  This question leads me to the third and final lesson I learned from my mother’s retirement party.  It is important for a woman’s worth to be acknowledged, nurtured, and celebrated because neither man nor woman can be who God has called them to be without it.  When a woman suffers the abuse of being told they are worthless through neglect, criticism, or deed, they mentally distort the image God has created them in.  No longer do they flourish in the security of being joint heirs in Christ, but rather they flounder as slaves of man.  A woman who believes she is worthless will work her body until she has no breath left to breathe.   The breath that God breathed in Adam is now used to suck the life out of Eve through criticism and demands of performance.  No longer can she see Christ as a protective covering, but as an unloving man who will not protect her if she does not perform.   As a result, this woman does not trust God to meet her needs, is controlling, and does not know how to submit to God’s authority.  No wonder marriage counselors and pastors here this complaint from men, “She does not listen to me, ” or, “She does not submit.”

Distored Images of Worth

I observed distorted images of worth first hand with my two beautiful sisters, Angela (aka Angie) and Knatokie (aka Toka or Tokie).  Angie is married with four children. Toka is single.  Angie works tirelessly as a wife and mother and is not acknowledged enough (or at all) by those whom should.  She broke down crying at her surprise 40th birthday party last year because, as she put it at the party, “I was mean, controlling, and fussing all day before the party and feel quite unworthy of such a celebration.”  Toka who suffers extreme criticism as a Ph.D. student at Harvard in Biomedical science.  Recently, as I was helping Toka with her high school reunion, she asked me to grab some items, put them in a box, and take them to a car.  As I am taking the box to the car, she stops me to ask if I had grabbed the items.  I pause, holding the box with the proper items in it,  look at her, say her name in a fatherly voice twice as to communicate, “Do you trust me to take care of this.”  She apologizes and confesses, “I am so used to people not taking care of things.” I did not get upset with her as I could see she was under stress suffering from the symptoms of being told she is unworthy.  If I would have allowed Satan to get me to believe the lie, “Toka, does not think you are man enough to handle such a simple task,” I would have gotten angry and created strife with Toka. Or even worse, if I would have not lovingly corrected her, I would have emasculated myself as a man of God.   Mind you I did not raise my voice or lecture her, but from a place of love, spoke to her spirit, “Trust the God in me to handle this,” by simply saying her name twice.  So many married men have emasculated themselves by not correcting their wives when they have not trusted them.  Marriage is a covenant between man, woman, and God.  A wife commits to trusting her husband as the Lord when she says, “I do.”  Colossians 3: 18 is clear on this, “¹⁸ Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.” When a husband corrects his wife,  he is saying, “Honey, honor the covenant.  I want to love you as God has anointed and appointed me to do so.”  You show me one woman who does not want to be corrected in this manner, then I will show you a woman who does not want the love of God.  I know too many Christian men who have emasculated themselves and are afraid to walk in the authority God has given them.  Emasculated men of God and distrustful women of God have created a distorted image of God.

In closing, it pains me to see the strategic plan of attack Satan has on our women being carried out by men. Look at the statistics: 1 in 6 women have been raped (60% of rapes go unreported), 77% of girls between the ages of 10 and 14 in the US and UK negatively describe themselves using terms such as ugly or fat when compared to media’s image of beauty, women make less money for the same job as men.   Even worse, is that men in the Church are abusing women through neglect, criticism, biblical brow beating, and coldness in the name of Jesus.  This is the purest and vilest form of using the Lord’s name in vain.  All the while, Satan and his minions are laughing at the body of Christ.  Women of God hands are stained as well.  Women in the church can be catty and offer harsh criticism of their sisters instead of celebrating each other.    I desire to see a woman’s worth restored and healed as the prophet Jeremiah declared about the bride of Christ  in Jeremiah 30:17,

¹⁷ For I will restore health to you
And heal you of your wounds,’ says the LORD,

‘ Because they called you an outcast saying:

“ This is Zion;
No one seeks her.”’

A Renewed and Healed Image of Worth

This begins with love being expressed in truth and deed.  Children, tell your mother she is beautiful and celebrate her talents. Do something special for her.  Husbands, hold your wife close, kiss her, and whisper in her ear how special and valuable she is.  Do something to show you support her.  Fathers, no matter the age of your daughter, hug her and tell her how proud you are of the woman she is and how much you respect her abilities.  Do something to show your love.  Men, at every opportunity, compliment, celebrate, and applaud the talents of the women in your life.  When we as men celebrate a woman’s worth with a pure and sincere heart, God opens the floodgates of heaven.  I am a living witness.  This is a fight every man must fight to have his dream.  A man must protect the worth of the women in his life.

Until next time, keep fighting for your dream!

To Hell and Back: The Day of Resurrection (Part 2)

In finishing this series “To Hell and Back,” I will share the most important point of my year long journey in 2008.  What is that point?  You will have to wait a few sentences.  I know I promised to give, in a self help manner, the truths in walking in your resurrected identity, but this point was recently impressed upon me.  This point is the key to any teaching on walking in your identity in Christ.  How and why did I come to this point?  Fittingly, it started with death.   On the night of July 6th 2009, my dear Uncle Butch murdered my dear Uncle Dennis.  Like Cain and Abel, the murder occurred during an attack fueled by anger.  However, unlike the Bible story, the victim was the instigator.  This story was on the news, in the newspapers, and online back home in Ohio.  I flew home to spend a week with my family, especially my grieving father who is the eldest member of  his family now.  During the course of the week, I began to see a trend.  While many offered condolences, I saw a coldness of heart that ran like a river through the community and through parts of my family.   It upset me and it was not until the Holy Spirit reminded me of the passage in Matthew 24:12 that says,”…the love of many will grow cold,” was my ire calmed.   That passage of scripture pursued me and caused me to examine my own heart.  Then, I came across Psalm 51:17,”The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.“Is my sacrifice worthy? Is my heart broken because of love?  Man, I realized that my heart was marred with cold spots.  And the people who I most loved were not receiving the love that God had placed in me for them.  It seemed that somehow before, during, and after the Great Chasm and Hell Experience that I had stopped expressing love, especially to my family and any person who crossed my path.  It was like they were conditioned in not receiving love from me.  For years, I accused them of not showing me the love I needed from them.  For years, I subscribed to forgetting is forgiving.  For years, I believed that my family did not love me.  The crazy part is that communication frequency and quality gradually dwindled and no one cared to stop it.  As in many families, a seemingly irreversible rift was formed.  This separation caused my perception of love to be distorted.  This deception impacts all relationships especially with God.   So, I pose this question to you, “Is your perception of love distorted?”  The answer to this question impacts how you experience love on all levels.

How's your love?

At the funeral, I could loudly hear the whispers of the Holy Spirit on love.  My Uncle Butch has two sons, Fish and J.J., who are musically gifted just like their father.  J.J., the older and lead musician, brought everyone to tears when he shared how Uncle Dennis was a second father to him and always made everyone feel loved.  That is so true.  All of my memories with Uncle Dennis were marked with love and encouragement.  I spent a lot time with him when I was small through my teen years.  Uncle Dennis was the first person to explain to me what an engineer is and that I should be one because I was gifted in math and science.  I still remember vividly the evening when I went to visit him at grandma’s house.  I was 12 years old and he greeted me at the door, “Hey Nephew, what’s going on?” I smile and enthusiastically share, “I just got my career aptitude test results back. It says I should be an Architect.”  Uncle Dennis smiles and smoothly in his unique way, “Well Chris, because you are so smart and talented you would be a great engineer also.  It was something about the way Uncle Dennis would speak, it was as if God was speaking and you were drawn in because you knew it was important.  When Uncle Dennis said, “I love you.” It was so bathed with the essence of God.  God is love as the Bible says.  Uncle Dennis left love with a lot of people.  So when Fish and J.J. began to sing an original song called, “Joy Always Comes in the Morning,” we felt the strength of God comforting the weak and broken hearts of family and friends.  We were sad at the lose of love.  We lost a man who gave love and we lost an opportunity to give love to him.

Upon further reflection about love, I saw 2008 and before much differently.  The gradual progression of sin in my life that led to the Great Chasm caused me to not express love. The pain and torment of the Hell Experience caused me to become self centered which is the antithesis of love.   In the end, when sin was full blown in death, love was not present.  You cannot genuinely express love and be self centered at the same time.  Love requires you to focus on the other person or people.  Even loving yourself requires you to focus on God so that He can reveal His love to you thereby granting you the power to love yourself.  The turning point for me was when I began to walk in love even when I did not know it.

How do you view love?

There is a passage in Ephesians 3:17-19 that talks about understanding the depth, width, length and height of the love of God. ^“17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— ¹⁹ to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” I paused earlier this year while reading this passage. I understand the width and height as embodied by the cross that Christ bore for us. But the depth and length of His love, who can fully understand?   The depth spans from Heaven to earth through the bowels of Hell.  The length spans space and time in the universe.  God loves us so much.  God hates sin because it keeps us from experiencing His love.  The entire Bible is a long love story about God and His children. Sin was created by Satan because he rejected God love.  So, now Satan has deceived the whole world about the love of God.   Every sin can be attributed to a lack of understanding or deficit of love. That is why Christ said, all of the law can be summed up in two commandments, “Love God and love your neighbor as I have loved you.(John 13:34)“  Christ expressed love selflessly. He said himself, “There is no greater love than he who lays down his life for His friend(John 15:13).“ That is exactly what Christ did when He laid down His life on the cross.  He did that so we might experience the love of God.  Christ knew it was only when a person tastes and is immersed in the love of God can their joy be complete.  That complete joy speaks to a wholeness that only God can give.

Walking in love is the only way you can walk in your resurrected identity in Christ.  Unforgiveness, bitterness, hurt, and anger hinders you from receiving the love of God.  Have you noticed that hurt, unforgiving, bitter, and angry people are self centered and struggle with giving love?  I was the same way.  During my Hell Experience, Great Chasm, and on my road of resurrection, I failed to show love to people whom it especially mattered (e.g. my family and friends).  Yeah, Satan convinced me that they did not deserve my love because of what they had done to me or how they treated other family members.  But that is not what Christ teaches.  Christ spoke to His disciples, Love your enemies.  Even love those who spitefully use you.  Love is proof that you have forgiven someone.  Love and forgiveness were key messages that Christ preached after He was resurrected.  He talked about the retaining of sin when you don’t forgive the sins of others against you.  You cannot be who God has designed you to be when you are holding on to unforgiveness and not receiving the love of God.  As a result, you cannot complete the great commission which is to preach the gospel and reconcile all nations to God.  Your identity, purpose, and life as a believer must have the DNA of reconciling the lost to God through the love that He puts in you.

The path of resurrection in 2008 began with love for God and ended with love for people.  I spent the first six months of my journey learning to love God again.  The byproduct of loving God was a renewed love of self.  Low self esteem is caused by a low esteem for God.  Low esteem for God means you honor the words of Satan more than His word.  If you have some personal hang up or insecurity or shame that makes you feel bad, somewhere in your belief system you have esteemed the words of Satan more than God.  It is so subtle at times that you make think it is normal by now.  God loves you so much.  No matter what state you are in, be it physical, spiritual, emotional, or circumstantial, God loves you and never condemns you.  Once, I began to esteem His words again and to live by them. He began to build my self confidence.  Self confidence based on the word of God is like the house built on the rock that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 7:24. Self confidence based upon empty words, attention, anything man-made, or of the world’s system sets you up for disaster is like building your house on sand (Matthew 7:26).  You know, God me stripped of anything that I garnered pride or self confidence from.  On December 30th, 2008, God instructed me to move out of my beautiful house and rent it out completely furnished, and take only my clothing and books.  Within six weeks of receiving those instructions, I went from a plush 4 bedroom 3 bath home with a two car garage, to a 1 room shared bathroom in a boarding house with four other college students.   The Lord forbade me from purchasing furniture to recreate my former “comfort” level.  I slept on a borrowed mattress.  God showed me that my identity was tied to my house and material possessions.  Even my wardrobe was changed.  He instructed me to leave the blazers, hats, shoes, and other apparel that I used to fill voids in my identity.  I felt like Jesus when the Roman soldiers stripped Him of his clothes and cast lots for them.  After the stripping of material possessions, God stripped me of relationships that I was using to fill the void of attention.  God showed me a love for the world expressed through receiving attention from women.  This also would manifest in the ambitious pursuits i.e. success breeds attention. I had to cut off relationships with women that were sources of attention and not the love of God.  Others I had to pray over and confess the void that woman was filling in my life.  Through this obedience, God showed me a fear of being unloved. Thereafter, I battled loneliness.  The many voids left from cutting off the relationships exposed a cold draft in my soul.  I discovered a cold, hurt, and scarred heart.  Every exposed void, to the glory of God, has been bathed with His love through His word, spirit, and Blood.  And finally, an ability to love people was resurrected. What is filling your voids where God’s love must dwell?

1 John 2:3-11 talks about the evidence of being a child of God is love for God and people.  Loving God causes you to obey His word and to love the people He created.  At the end of your the Day of Resurrection, it all about love.  It was love that resurrected Jesus.  It was love that resurrected me.  It was love that God put in the hearts of people assigned to my life during 2008.  It was love that caused a friend to help clean my messy office in the same manner God used her to clean up my messy my heart.  Therefore, in closing, I leave you a prayer for love, faith, and hope to be resurrected in your life. 1 Corinthians 13 ends with a message connecting identity to love, faith, and hope. ” ¹² For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. ¹³ And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. ” If you are hurt, are having a hard time obeying God’s word, sharing love with family, friends, or strangers, then this prayer is God’s helping hand being extended to you.

Love Resurrected

Dear God, where two or three are gathered, there you are in the midst. Right now, in the name of Jesus, I gather, touch, and agree with my brother or sister who is reading this blog.  I pray, in the name of Jesus, that their hearts are healed of every wound, offense, affliction, wrong, and hurt that is keeping them from loving You, themselves, and others, especially those who have hurt them.  Right now, I ask You to give them power to forgive ever sin committed against them and to forgive them of every sin they’ve committed.  I pray specifically for sexual abuse.  Every person abused at the hands of a loved one, pastor, preacher, friend, stranger, or relative, may the power of God touch it in the name of Jesus.  Jehovah Raphe, break the chains of bondage because of that offense and bring healing and restoration to the areas of love afflicted by that abuse.  Lord, I cast down every condemning spirit that resurrects the memory and mental anguish of that experience and order it to be released by the blood of Jesus.  Right now, I speak wholeness according to 2 Corinthians 5:17 which says, that we are new creatures in Christ and old things have passed away. Lord, I speak to every wedge that has been driven between your child and your love.  I speak to offenses, negative words, negligent parents, abrasive spouses, failed business, financial set backs, job losses, death of loved ones, broken relationships, failed marriages, and every situation that Satan has used to distort your love.  God, I pray that their spiritual eyes of understanding be enlightened in the name of Jesus.  Lord, shed light on every lie that is distorting your love.  The veil of Satan be rebuked in the name of Jesus.  God, may your Spirit move now on every dark situation. Let there be love in the hearts of your people, right now, in the name of Jesus.  Fill them, right now, with love.  Seal them Holy spirit with your love.  Bathe them in the loving blood of Jesus.  Love cry out from their souls.  Deaf and mute spirit, be rebuked.  May they now hear Your voice of love.  May now feel Your presence of love.  God, heal the broken hearts.  God, heal the open wounds.  God, yield a refreshing spirit to your precious child.  Open now the flood gates of heaven.  Flow the blessings of a revelation and relationship with Your love.  Show them the depth, width, height, and length of Your love.  Do this, in your precious Son’s name, Amen.

If there are any unbelievers or those out of fellowship with God reading this, I pray you receive the love of God through a committed and consistent relationship with Jesus Christ.  All you have to do is to confess your sins, acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God who died and was resurrected for your sins, and believe this truth in your heart.  Say aloud, “Lord Jesus the Christ, I confess that I am a sinner in need of cleansing.  I need you to wash me with your Blood which shed for me in death.  Lord Jesus, I believe You did die and was resurrected on the third day for my sins.  Right now, I believe you are the Savior Son of God.  Right now, my sins are given.  I am bathed with your Blood and am acceptable before You.  Right now, every generational curse is broken because my inheritance comes from You and You alone.  Right now, I forgive every person who has sinned against me.  I commit to loving them no matter what.God, I rejoice with You as Heaven is rejoicing for me.  Lord, give me your Holy Spirit so that I might learn Your ways and live like Jesus.  Lord, lead me to a church home where I can grow in the knowledge of your love, wisdom, and ways.  Lord, show me my divine purpose in You.  Give me the strength to walk it out.  In Jesus mighty name, Amen!”

And finally, I pray for hope for those who feel hopeless.  Lord, we  take authority over every situation and declare that what was intended for evil, You will use for good. We believe and confess that no weapon of a situation, relationship, person, or ailment shall prosper.  Right now, God we ask for faith to overcome this situation.  Greater is You in me than he that is in the world. God you have already conquered this situation in the name of Jesus.  I pray now for wisdom, guidance, and supernatural faith.  I pray you release your ministering angels to complete Your will. Lord I thank you for the victory.  Lord, I praise you for your glory to be revealed in this situaiton.  I thank you in Jesus name, Amen.

Keep fighting for your dream!

To Hell and Back Part III: The Day of Resurrection

Jesus' Resurrection

“So, how do you feel?” asked my therapist Dr. F. on a dreary December afternoon.   As I pondered his question during our final session, a foreign emotion pressed gently upon the walls of my stomach, and its pressure gradually meandered up my chest into my throat.  It felt like sadness, but I was not sad.  My mind became confused as chemical composition of my brain indicated that I was filled with the emotion of joy.  The foreign emotion parading as sadness collided with joy and caused my tear ducts to moisten.  I wanted to cry, but had no despair draw from.  When I answered Dr. F., “I feel strange…I want to cry, but do not understand why.”  Dr. F.  replied as he had done so many times during the previous seven months, “ Chris, give yourself room to cry.”  I acquiesced.  As tears began flow from the river of my heart, a wave up understanding washed up on the shore of my psyche.  These tears were different than any I had produced before.   These were tears of happiness and not sorrow, of healing and not pain, and of victory and not defeat.  I had finally done it.  I was resurrected.  I was whole, healed, and filled with the love of God.  I explained my revelation to Dr. F.  and he agreed.  He left the room and reentered with the test results to back up his opinion.  Not only had all symptoms of mental distress been cleared up, but my emotional and mental health far exceeded of a typical Ph.D. student at Georgia Tech.  I left Dr. F.’s office on December 4^th, 2008 a resurrected man.

On December 4^th, 2008, I had completed therapy and the year long journey of restoration.  December 4^th marked the day when I completed the long day I’ve termed the Day of Resurrection.  Just as we celebrate Easter on day in remembrance of season when Christ suffered, died, and was resurrected, so is December 4^th for me.  It is a personal Easter of sorts.  Fittingly, I want to revisit the Bible account of Jesus’ resurrection day.  Therefore, I have entitled this final post in the series To Hell and Back, Day of Resurrection.  In this two part posting, you will learn if you are truly resurrected and how to become resurrected.  The Day of Resurrection is the season of your life wherein you are freed from death due to deception and sin, and are empowered to walk uncompromisingly in your resurrected identity in Christ.  In part one, I will focus on the three reasons why we fail to walk in power and authority.  In part two, I will explain how to successfully walk in power and authority granted by Christ’s resurrection.

John 20:1-9 describes an account of Christ’s disciples first encounter with the Lord’s resurrection:

1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)

This passage so accurately describes the condition of the church today and the need for a resurrected lifestyle.  We find three classes of Christians:  the Marys, the Peters, and the Johns.  These classifications are denoted by each person’s response to the empty tomb of Jesus.  Mary thought they had taken Jesus body and believed it was stolen. Peter first noticed the strips of linen and burial cloth that had been around the head of Jesus.  Finally, the beloved John saw and believed the resurrection. The Marys are Christians who are emotionally stuck on Jesus’ death and lost body and as a result do not walk power or authority.  Marys are Christians who have are constantly search for people or things to fill the emotional and intimacy voids in their life.   Marys may be that brother or sister who are always in a relationship, serve in ten ministries, or who spend too much money on clothes and entertainment.  The Peters are Christians who have denied Christ (and hence their identity in Him) and as a result are entangled in sin which renders them without an identity in Christ and powerless.    Peters are so preoccupied with their public image that they compromise who they are in Christ.  Peters do not know and appreciate how and why God made them.  Peters do not have a revelation about their purpose in life.  Peters define their righteousness by what they deny themselves such as not committing fornication or sexual adultery.  And lastly, the Johns are those who see through the eyes of faith and walk in the power of His resurrection.   These are the loving brothers and sisters who live by truth and with unquenchable joy.  They handle adversity with grace which may lead some to think that nothing every gets to them.  Johns are living proof that Christ overcame the world.  Both the Marys and the Peters cannot walk in power and authority until they deal with their emotional and identity issues through a revelation of His resurrection. Which are you?

So what happened when Christ rose from the dead?  He was raised in power, given authority in heaven and earth, and has given those who believe in Him access to His same power and authority.  As a basic reference, power is addressed in 1 Corinthians 15:42-43, authority in Hebrews 10:12-13, and our access to His power and authority in Ephesians 2:4-6.

1 Corinthians 15:42-43 declares, “⁴² So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. ⁴³ It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.”

Hebrews 10:12-13 states,  “ ¹² But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, ¹³ from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.”

Ephesians 2:4-6 proclaims, “⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,”

Right now, Christ is sitting at the right hand of God waiting for His believers to take His power, His authority, and put them to use.  Through His death, He remitted our sin.  But through His resurrection, He gave us power, authority, and a new identity.  Through His death, we received a heavenly reward of eternal life.  But through His resurrection, we received an earthly reward.  The reward is of heavenly power, authority, and identity that is to be used on earth.  When we pray the part of the Lord’s prayer that states, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” we are speaking of our Christ bought identity, power, and authority.  But is that power and authority being used in your life?  I am concerned about the lack of power and authority of the majority of the church.  Why is it that so many Christians neglect their relationship with God as indicated by prayerlessness and Biblical illiteracy? Why is that Christian marriages are being torn apart at a greater rate than unbelieving marriages?  Why is it that Christians are just as sexually perverted or more than unbelievers?  Why is it that Christians are afraid to share their faith in God with co-workers or friends?  Why are Christians afraid to be Christians in America where there is religious freedom?  It is because Christians are not using the power and authority Christ left when He walked out of His tomb.  I have discovered that there are three reasons why power and authority were not being used in my life. It was because of deception, unforgiveness, and scriptural ignorance/disbelief living in my life.  During my year of restoration, I had to put to death the deception, unforgiveness, and my own doubt and ignorance of the Holy Bible in my life.

When I entered the Great Chasm, it was because I was deceived. I was deceived about the love of God.  Deep in my belief system was the lie that God does not love me.  I believed He did not love me because of the sexual abuse and other horrible acts that He allowed me to happen to me.  And in my deception, I believed that I had to perform for people through good deeds to qualify for His love and approval.  Serving in ministries, dating, and going the extra mile in all pursuits even when I knew God had not instructed me to do so was all based upon this Great Deception.  This is the greatest deception that Satan uses to win souls or contract workers to the kingdom of darkness.  If Satan cannot get you to worship Him, he will settle for the Christian to be a contract worker through compromise.     The Great Deception is what leads to the innumerable sins of compromise we commit and I committed greatly the months leading up to the Great Chasm.  The Great Deception is the key culprit in not walking in the power and authority of Christ’s resurrection.

The power of the Great Deception is fortified by unforgiveness.  Through the strength of my unforgiveness toward the person who abused me, I developed a deep anger that blossomed into a violent rage.  I was afraid of this rage.  I feared it being released.  I felt this rage had to the capacity to kill.  See, the Great Deception leads to other deceptions such as believing you are something you are not.  I believed and therefore behaved counter to the image of God in which I was created.  I believed I was an unloveable and hate-filled person.  I had periods growing up and during My Day of Resurrection when I would be mean to those closest to me, held back expressing love, and avoid opportunities to be loved.    It is impossible to be who God has called you to be if you believe the Great Deception and harbor unforgiveness.  You cannot walk in the power and authority of God unless you walk in His image (i.e. your identity in Christ).

Finally, the Great Deception of believing that God does not love me caused me to doubt His Word.  Doubt and ignorance of the Word of God render the same result in your life.  When you doubt the Word the God, it is of same effect as ignoring it. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God as stated by Romans 10:17.  If you doubt His word, you do not have faith.  If you do not have faith, you do not have power, nor can know how to walk in His authority.  If you do not believe in tithing, then you cannot walk in the power nor authority granted by the tithe (e.g. rebuking the devourer i.e. satan causing lack in your life).  Just going through the motions and putting a tenth of your income in the offering bucket does nothing in heaven or for you on earth.   God does not want your money.  He already owns it! He wants your faith in Him!  When we become a believer, we receive a measure of faith (Romans 12:3).  That measure is the belief that Jesus died for your sins.  That is it. In order to increase your measure of faith, you must belief His word, precept upon precept.  Each precept in the Bible is a quantity of hope that can be added to your faith.  Just as a baby has no power or authority, so is the Christian who only has the original measure of faith they received upon conversion.   Hence, no faith in His Word renders you incompetent and impotent to walk in His power and authority.

In closing, the importance of understanding Jesus’ resurrection cannot be overemphasized.  By His resurrection do we have hope in eternity.  By His resurrection are the old testament prophecies fulfilled.   By His resurrection does our entire faith in God and His love rest upon.    For me, it was the belief that God loves me like He loves His son that pulled me from the despair the Great Chasm.  It was the belief that God loves me that delivered me from the Hell Experience.  And, it was the belief that God loves me that gave me my Day of Resurrection.   I leave with you this question, “are you resurrected?” Do you live a lifestyle based upon the power and authority afforded to us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.? In the next and final post on this series, I will share the three keys I learned during the process of restoration during my Day of Resurrection.

Until then, fight for your dream!

Recalling Love on Valentines Day

Well, it is February 14th 2o09…the day of love.   I was about to post my next writing on the topic, to Hell and Back Part 2: The Hell Experience, but I decided to give hell a break in lieu of love.  Don’t worry, I will post next week sometime.  Go ahead and sign up for the e-mail notification on the right panel of the page so you know when I post something new. At any rate, I know V-day can stir many different emotions such as excitement, anticipation, joy, sadness, loneliness, regret, etc.  V-day can take us down a warm and fuzzy memory lane or a Nightmare on Elms street.  Whatever the case, realize the love that you have shared can never be unshared.  The love you’ve experienced ultimately shaped your life.    In the end, God will work that experience (good, bad, or crazy) together for your good, if you all His love to work in and through you.  Therefore, in today’s post I will share two entries; one by myself and another entry composed by my brilliant baby sister.  In reading these entries, I want you to recall love in two ways.  First, I want those who are single to recall the love they shared that did not turn out the way you may have wanted.  I challenge you to have a positive view on the remnants of love that your former lover left in you.   If you don’t have closure or are healing, then allow those words to be medicine for your soul.  Second, I want those who are married or in a relationship to recall the romantic expression of love for your mate as discussed by my sister. Enjoy and happy V-day!

“The Love God Left in Me Courtesy of You”

The love God left in me courtesy of you took me a year and seven days to find. One year to realize it exists and seven days to find. I have yielded in my heart that I still love you and will always love you.  It is not a love that requires reciprocation.  But rather, a love that celebrates the brilliance of how God masterfully crafted you. Not your fleshly or obvious attributes, but His image in you that peeks out like the rising sun on a cool summer morning.  That living image of God in you is what I cherish most and hope will emerge more and more as time with Him erodes the residue of innate sins of being born human.

In seeing you as a precious creation of God, I repent of mistreating you–of leaving you with the residue of anger and bitterness.  I hope that God has cleansed you of the stains I’ve left.  I pray He has washed you with the precious love He left in me courtesy of you.

I see now that, through God, you left love in me.  The love you left in me that reminds me that I am not alone; that being uniquely graced with so many talents is not a curse but a blessing.  The love you left in me helped me to see who I am and who I am not.  The love you left in me opened my heart to the protective covering of God from abusers.  The love you left in me guided me to therapy that released pain and tears totaling a score and three years.  The love you left in me is leading me to perpetual green pastures where my talents are nurtured, true friendships await me, and is ordained with pastors who truly love me.

And finally, I realize the love God left me courtesy of you left in me was worth the sacrifice of love I gave in concert with Christ.

“Valentine’s Day…It’s So Necessary” By Knatokie Marie Ford

Here I am…on the eve of the one holiday that so many of us singles tend to dread: Valentine’s Day. You’d think I’d be among the first to sound off with anti-Valentine’s Day rants; however, I’m going to surprise you and myself with what I’m about to say. The funny thing is, the simplest gesture spurred me to do this: a male co-worker gave me a hollow, chocolate dog inside of a little paper dog house that said, “You’re my top dog.” I COMPLETELY wasn’t expecting anything from anyone, let alone this person, so I was quite pleasantly surprised. And no, this was not his roundabout way of professing his undying love for me, but rather he was simply being thoughtful. He said that when he saw it, it looked so ridiculous that he just had to get it! But, I tell you, it sincerely warmed my heart to receive such a simple gift. It was so nice to be thought of.

Therefore, with this experience bringing somewhat of a “revelation,” I feel so strongly compelled to compose a rebuttal to my dear friend’s note: “Abolish Valentine’s Day…I love you 365 days a year.” There seems to be an ever-increasing opposition to Valentine’s Day…some think of it as just a commercial holiday…yet another plot to get folks to cough up a little dough. While this may be true to some extent, I’m here to tell you why Valentine’s Day is oh so necessary. You see, Valentine’s Day is the one day out of the year when a woman can have the audacity to not only HOPE but EXPECT to be romanced (aside from her birthday). And all you fellas out there who cry bloody murder at the thought of being “forced” to romance a woman on a designated day of the year, let me ask you this: how many times can you honestly say you’ve romanced your lady in the past year? Go ahead, I’ll wait while you struggle to remember. The bottom line is, WOMEN LIKE ROMANCE. Plain and simple. We like to see manifestations of a man’s adoration of us. You show me a woman who doesn’t like to be romanced, and I’ll show you a woman who unfortunately has had so little romance in her life that she’s convinced herself that not only does she not need it, but she doesn’t like it either. There is something that is innately programmed in women that makes us this way. Don’t blame me…that’s just the way God created us.

Now fellas, I’m gonna let you in on a little secret. Contrary to what you might believe, you don’t have to have a lot of money to romance a woman! Why, sometimes, the sweetest and most indelible romantic impression you can make is when you use a little creativity, which doesn’t require a lot of money. If you can show a woman that you not only listen to her, but that you are aware of her likes/dislikes…her wants/needs…her hopes/dreams…THAT my friend is priceless. Write her a poem…or if you’re not poetic…recite to her the words of her favorite love song. I’m telling you, one of the most romantic things a man has ever done for me was to surprise me with a picnic at a park for my birthday. He’d literally bought lunch meat, bread, and some cheap wine from 7/11. He also brought along a little boom-box that ran by batteries to play a cassette tape of love songs!!! That probably cost him all of $15 AT THE MOST, but look at the impression that left on me! The point that I’m trying to make is that you shouldn’t let the fact that you aren’t quite ballin’ just yet stop you from romancing that special someone in your life.

So, because I honestly believe that there are so many women who hardly, if ever, see a little romance, I say that Valentine’s day….IS SO NECESSARY!!

Now, for all you sista’s out there who may not presently have a man to romance you, don’t fret. You should get in the habit of “romancing yourself.” Treat yourself to a facial, or maybe even a massage…shoot, I have an appointment at 3:00 p.m. tomorrow for an hour long Swedish massage! Light some candles, put on some Sade, and revel in how glorious that bubble bath feels! Just because you don’t have someone in your life to do it FOR you doesn’t mean that you aren’t ENTITLED to it!

In closing, my charge to everyone is to let Valentine’s Day be the EXCUSE and not the BURDEN for adding a little spice to your life!

Keep fighting for your dream (even your dream of love ) !

Europe Days 1-3

Hello Dreamers!  I am in Europe for a three study abroad program where I will tour France, Germany, Belgium, and Italy.  The picture to the left is the Chateau where I am staying for a week.  Located in Strasbourg, France, the Chateau is a medieval castle that has been converted to a university. 

Day 1 was spent traveling from Atlanta to Paris to Frankfurt, Germany, then finally to Stasbourg.  My first impressions of Europe is that it is very green.  The landscape looks painted green by the brush of God.  Secondly, the Europeans are so efficient.  The cars, bathrooms, beds, and even toilet paper are small.  I may have to show you some pictures.  Thirdly,  the Europeans have been so friendly everywhere. 

Upon arrival at the Chateau, we were greeted to a BBQ, European style.  It was a 5 course meal with grilled veggies, fruit, sausage, chicken breast, cheese, and chicken wings.  I was stuffed.  I did not see my host eat however…it made me think they were cannibals preparing to eat us.  I drank lemonade-beer (I am not a drinker) and was quite surprised.   

Day 2: 

My group toured to two corporations, Stroeler and Pfizer.  I was tired from all the travel and touring. 

Day 3:

After a morning lecture and brief afternoon discussion, I went to downtown Strasbourg to explore.  Early afternoon, I ventured to the Rhein River and saw the most amazing view pictured on the left. 

 My new friend, Bonnie, joined me during my afternoon adventure to downtown Strasbourg. We had a cocktail and snack.  We had a blast just observing and taking in the ambiance.  I came back later for a late dinner.  Below are some of the pictures I snapped. 

            

Below are some pictures of the greenery that I saw during the walk through town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

More tours tomorrow.  I am so excited.  Also, On Sunday, a small group of us are going to Rome.  It is almost 2AM.  I need to go to bed.  Au Voir. 

The Pressures of Purpose Part 1

Hello Dreamers!  It has been a few months.  I have fallen off of the blogger world.  In short, I have been “going through some things.”  Between a PhD, businesses, ministries, and a relationship, I felt pressures of purpose like never before.   There were moments when I felt my dreams had died.  Through it all, God has done a work in me.   My vision has been restored and God is resurrecting me into a man that this world has never seen the likes of.  I say that with confidence in Him, His promises, and His power.  With that said, I want to share five keys with you over the next five or more entries about, “The Pressures of Purpose.”  Enjoy today’s introduction and first key.

⁸We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.

2 Corinthians 4:8-11 (NIV)

 There are times in your walk that the pressures of your purpose seem unbearable.   In these dark moments, the light at the end of the tunnel grows faint.  The mounting challenges beat you down almost to the point of submission.   Hopelessness and despair begin to creep at your door.   At this low point, you wonder if God has abandoned you.  Friends, if you are feeling this way, know that you are not alone.   Many have been there, including Jesus, and have pressed through to a higher level of glory.  During this season, you must learn to P.R.E.S.S. through.  Here are five keys to pressing through the pressures of purpose.   

  Key#1:Prioritize through the application of God’s wisdom-

When God is molding you into the shape for your purpose, he does so like a blacksmith shaping metal.  Like metal, you are best shaped when heat and pressure is applied to you.  The circumstances of your life are God’s heat and pressure; wisdom is His hammer.  Seek God’s wisdom through prayer, His word (e.g. Ch. 3 and Ch. 8 of Proverbs), and wise counsel (e.g. Parents, elders of your church, etc).  In doing so, wisdom will cause your priorities to change.  Organize and schedule your priorities in both the short term and long term.   

Sleeping Faith

(On October 8, 2007) I had night vision last night and saw the Lord looking at me as I was up late one night 3 months ago talking to Dr. Robinson.  I saw my spirit confident, sure, and determined.  I woke up from that dream and realized that my faith was still sleeping. 

Where have I been the past month?  My life has been caught up in a whirlwind of busyness.  My spirit man has been covered by the concerns of this world. The Holy Spirit whisphered to me, Romans 1:16.  When I read it, I realized that the point the Lord was tryin to make to me: “The righteous shall live by faith.”  I recognized immediately that I have been living in fear the past 2 months.  Fear in my relationships, fear in my health, fear in my actions.  Fear had overcome me.  In fighting for my dream, I have come to realize that fear is the dominant force working against you.  Seeing the dream or vision is the easy part.  It is walking it out that is difficult.  It seems that when God gives you a dream, there exists invisible handcuffs called fear, anxiety, mental issues, and lack of experience that we have to overcome in order to fulfill our dream.

However, there is a sleeping faith that we must call out of rest.  It is very simple.  Open your eyes to how God sees you.  In my dream, I saw myself as God sees me.  He sees me as a confident, sure, bold, and ambitious soldier.  Simply, you have to flood your eye gates with images of your prophetic image (see previous post). 

James 1:22-24″Be doers of the word and not hears only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.”

This passage in James so eloquently describes what we often do.  God will speak His word (Logos or A divine expression i.e. Christ) to us telling us who He has called us to be. He shows us who we are in the mirror of faith.  Then, we turn away and not live out who He has called us to be as if the image was virtual and not real.  This is the same mirror described in 1 Corinthians 13:12, “For we see in a mirror dimly, then face to face.”  The greek definition of mirror (glass) implies to gaze intently for inspection or to see the purpose of.  Do you really see the purpose of God when you look in the mirror? Do you remember that purpose when you turn away from the mirror?  Here’s what I do when I get a case of sleeping faith or spiritual amnesia: I look in the mirror and say what God sees until I see it myself. 

“I am Dr. James Christopher Ford.” I am a preacher, teacher, and motivational speaker for Jesus Christ.”  I am an entrepreneur.  I see opportunities all around me.  I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  I am strong.  I am healthy. I am intelligent.  I am wise. I am a great husband. I am a loving father.  I am a good son.  I am a good brother.  I am good friend.  I am a millionaire.  I am wealthy.  I expect good things and good things expect me.  I am blessed and highly favored of the Lord. ” 

I think you get the picture (pun intended).  I get excited everytime I speak those things (as though the were).  I pray this alarms your faith to wake up to He says you are.

 Keep fighting for your dream.

Who Are You Listening to?

Here is  an article that I wrote for Eden Christian bookstore:

http://www.edenchristianbookstore.com/client%20lounge.htm

As I was walking across a college campus, I literally observed that everyone who walked in my path were on their cell phones.  My spirit was disturbed at this sight.  Not because people were on their cell phones, but because of what the Holy Spirit whispered to me during this moment, “Who are they listening to?”Why do we spend so much time on our cell phones?  Of course, there are those who need it for business.  But, I would guess that those college students that I saw were not in the middle of an intense business transaction.   Let’s face it.  Most of the time we are so distracted that we cannot hear God speaking to us.   For instance, once during a bible study at my home, one of the participants could not get fully engaged into the flow of the discussion because of the text messages coming from their blackberry.  It really bothered me.  After that, I had to inspect myself.  Who am I listening to?

Recall Romans 10:17, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” I believe there is an interesting principle in this scripture. Whatever you listen to causes an increase in faith in that which you listen to.  On the contrary, whatever you are not listening to causes faith to decrease (hence, doubt to increase).  Take a moment to reflect about what you believe about your dreams, spouse, or God.  Do you doubt your dream will come to pass?  Are you dissatisfied with your spouse (if single, are you beginning to doubt if you will ever find the “one”)? Do you believe that God is against you?  All of those beliefs did not come from God.  God speaks to us through the person of the Holy Spirit words that produce life and hope.  God convicts and not condemns.  Satan, the author of all lies, whispers such discouraging words.  If you listen to them long enough, they will become your words.  Then, you will believe them and a new belief system will have taken root.  Think of your mind as a soil.  Ideas are seeds, words are water, and meditation is sunlight. When an idea is planted, words are required to nourish it, and meditation causes it to grow.  To help tune your ears to the voice of God, here are three P’s: People, places, and postings.       

God often will speak to you through people (and so does Satan).  So, surround yourself with people who speak life to you and are supportive to your dreams.  When you are endeavoring to begin a new venture, find at least two godly people who can serve as supporters.  Proverbs 11:14 “Where there is no counsel the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.”  Insulate your ears against those (and media) who speak death.       

Places are key to developing an ear for the voice of God.  Have you ever noticed that it is easier to listen to God while doing yard work or in nature?  It is because you have separated yourself from the cares of the world and have quieted your mind.  Designate a quiet place in your home, job, and other places where you spend a lot time.  Spend a few minutes there everyday.  Listen as God will begin to pour ideas, encouragement, and peace into your soul.   I absolutely love those moments.  Eventually, you will be even be able to hear His voice in the middle of a noisy crowd.   

Posting the word of God in your atmosphere (e.g. office, bathroom, car…etc) will do wonders to helping you hear His voice.  Every time, you look at the posted scripture it water the principle of that scripture.  Your subconscious will meditate on the word. Listening to sermons on audio will do the same.  When you know His word, it is easier to know and listen to His voice.  (John 10:27 “My sheep know my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”)

As you go through your day, ask yourself “Who am I listening to?” I believe God is trying to speak to you and offer hope, direction, and peace.

Fight for your dream!

A Dark Period Unposted Part 2: I will not be denied!

July was a challenging month for me.  I was in a constant battle with discouragement.  But God, would send stories like this one to encourage me. Enjoy:

 Over lunch, a dear friend shared with me the most amazing story of shear determination.  A friend of hers whom I’ll call Dizzy D., got the alarming news one morning from his soon-to-be ex wife.  “Yeah, my parents are taking the kids to California for the summer.  They are at the airport right now.”  Immediately, Dizzy D. bolted to the airport determined to see his beloved children before they left.  Dizzy D. arrives at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson airport, one of the most well secured and busiest airport in the country, with one mission in his heart, “I will not be denied! I must see my children.” Dizzy D. weaves through the security line and gets to the first ticket check point.  Frantic internally, Dizzy D. calmly declares to the security agent, ”My children are back there.  I must see them.”   He agrues with the agent until they let him through to the next.  At the security line, Dizzy D. exclaims, “May children are back there. I must see them.” Withing a few short mintues, Dizzy D. is hugging his precious children goodbye.  The only thought going through Dizzy D.’s mind was, ”I will not be denied!”

When you are fighting for your dream, those words, “I will not be denied,” need to be your battle cry.  You must make up your mind that there is nothing that will stop  you.   Medititate on this poem, The Man Who Thinks He Can, by Walter D. Wintle:

THE MAN WHO THINKS HE CAN

by Waler D. Wintle

If you think you are beaten, you are.

If you dare not, you don’t.
If you would like to win, but you think you can’t.It’s almost a cinch you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose. you’re lost.
For out in the world we find,
success begins with a fellow’s will,
its all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed,you are.
You’ve got think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before you can ever win a prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or the faster man, but sooner or later, the man who wins is the man who thinks he can.

Keep fighting for  your dream!

Divine Waiting

While driving back to Atlanta this past weekend, I experienced divine waiting.  My travel partner (Dr. Robinson) and I were engrossed in a deep discussion about Isaiah 40:31 (will share more later) when I looked down at the fuel gauge which screamed, “I am almost empty!”  As I look up, a gas station flies by.  Then, the low fuel alarm goes off in the car.  Panic enters the vehicle when I realize that we are on a stretch of highway with few exits with gas stations.  My mind begins to race; How many miles before we run out? How far is the next gas station?  Should I turn around and go back to the previous exit?  I resolved it was too dangerous and illegal to turn around.  Dr. Robinson calmly turns the page of the Georgia newspaper and says, “We’ll have to wait for the next one.” So we wait.  5 miles later no gas station.  I slow down my speed to conserve gas. 10 miles and still no gas station.  The fuel gauge is on E. I begin to use the down slope of hills to maintain speed and conserve gas.  15 miles and still no sign of petro.  I am getting anxious. Then, His peace comforts me as I am reminded of how God delivered me out of the same circumstance 7 years prior. Finally, 20 miles later, a gas station appears.  Those 20 miles taught me some valuable lessons about waiting.  Lately, I have been doing an awful lot of waiting.   In response, I have been meditating on Isaiah 40:31:

 ” But those who wait on the LORD
      Shall renew their strength;
      They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
      They shall run and not be weary,
      They shall walk and not faint.”

I have discovered that waiting can be divine waiting when you focus on God.  There are 4 phases of divine waiting:

Phase 1:  Who are you waiting and Who are you becoming?  Many focus on what they are waiting for (e.g. money, spouse, opportunity).  In waiting for the “whats” of life, you get frustrated and complaint flows from you lips like venom.  However, when you wait on the Lord, your strength is renewed.  Why is your strength renewed?  It is because God uses waiting to reform, transform, and conform you into His image. 

Phase 2: Waiting causes you to check your attitude.  If you have a bad attitude before the blessing, you are going to have a bad attitude after the blessing.  One of the five reasons that God had the children of Israel in the wilderness for 40 years for a 11 day journey was because they murmured or complained about everything.  I am tired of this manna and quail.  I miss Egypt.  Those who complained did not enter into Canaan.  It was Joshua and Caleb who had great attitudes that entered into the Promised Land.  Here’s the principle: Your attitude determines your altitude.  When you adjust your attitude, you then “mount up wings like eagles.”  Eagles have a different perspective.   Eagles have a vantage much similiar to God. They fly high and look low.  Joshua and Caleb had a different perspective relative to the other 10 spies that explored Canaan.  When you get God’s perspective about your waiting, your vision expands, energy is released, and expectancy increases.

Phase 3: Divine waiting produces inspiration. Inspiration is the act of inhalation; the drawing in of air.  You begin to ingest the breathe of God.  That is why you are able to “run and not be weary.”  God will breathe on you and you will begin to prepare for what God has promised you.  You become like Noah who built the ark 120 years before even one raindrop touch the earth.  Imagine the discouragement he endured for 120 years.  Building a vessel that currently was not needed.  Oftentimes, God will give you an answer to a problem that has yet to be created. People will call you crazy.  The devil will send people and events to exasperate you.  But God will supply the inspiration needed to overcome the world.

Phase 4: The final phase of divine waiting is transcending.  You will transcend whatever you are waiting.  You will begin to know more clearly who and what God has called you to be.  You will begin to trust God even when you cannot trace Him.  You will begin to know that He is God.  You will begin to know that you are His chosen vessel.  You grow from believing to knowing.  “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” “And we know, that all things work together for good…”

Who-Attitude-Inspiration-Transcending

I’ll leave you with a story that shows what can be produced during divine waiting:

One day Virgin Records founder Richard Branson called a low-cost carrier called People Express to book a reservation for a flight. He was promptly placed on hold – and was left there for what seemed like hours. “Either,” he thought, “they’re incredibly busy or incredibly inefficient.” In either case, he was inspired to launch a rival airline: Virgin Atlantic.

Keep fighting for your dream!