Called Out

I learned another meaning of a familiar word. The word ecclesia combines two words that mean “out of “ and “call.” Ecclesia typically refers to the church. However, by definition it means the called out ones. 1 Peter 2:9 states, “but you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” We are all called out of darkness. I think that we think that our callings only refer to the calling to preach the gospel. We are called out to do many things. We are called to preach. We are called to teach. We are called to love. We are called to pray. We are called to write. We are called to dance. Ministry comes in many forms. You are a chosen generation. You were handpicked for this gift. You are special. You are gifted. You are called out.

Confession

James 5:16 KJV Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Confession was something I had only seen in Catholicism. I was raised Baptist. The closest thing to confession was maybe an altar call or a testimony service. Confession was a foreign concept. I could not see myself pouring out my soul like Usher in 2004.

Yet therapy is just that…confession. It is allowing myself to be vulnerable all to discover I’m not alone in my struggle. It is recognizing that healing is on the other side of my pain. Confession is good for the soul. It makes the burdens of life easier to bear.

Yesterday, was suicide prevention day. Ironically, a mental health advocate and associate pastor of a megachurch committed suicide. We are not above suffering. Nor should we suffer in silence. We should not hide behind the masks of joy or faith. If you find yourself feeling hopeless, or that you are out of options…reach out using the link below: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

Or call 1-800-273-8255.

Underlying Reason

I don't think things catch me by surprise. I'm just disappointed when people do certain things, because I expect better. I want people to be better. I want people to do better. I asked God a long time ago to help me with this journey because for several seasons I had to walk alone. I experienced loss of relationships.

People I trusted, people I confided in turned their backs on me....because they were supposed to..they served their purpose. They were supposed to leave. They were supposed to hurt me. They were supposed to disappoint me. I would have never grown. I would have never left. I would have never taken the first step. I would have never moved. I would have never started this journey.

We all play our parts. Every good story has a villain. To be honest, I'm sure I have been a villain in someone else's story. I hurt people. I disappointed them. I did not live up to their expectations. Being both a victim and victor gives you divine perspective. You are but a prayer away from being on either side of the spectrum. It's the grace of God that keeps you.

There has been a new trend of telling stories from the villain's perspective. In most of these stories, the villains are humanized. Their actions are justifiable. We are able to empathize with them. So, if by chance you feel attacked or maybe you're the one doing the attacking recognize the motive. Sometimes, we act out of character when our motives shift. Motives are the underlying reason for our behavior...good or bad.

United

I’ve been really trying to figure out exactly what it will take for us to have a United front. We have experienced loss beyond measure. Our schools have been shot. Our children have been killed. Our women have been raped. Our husbands have become martyrs. We no longer feel safe in grocery stores, concert venues, traffic stops, and stadiums. Domestic terrorism is real. Its bigger than race, socioeconomic status, political affiliations, and religion. We all are victims. We all are affected. We all mourn. We all must unite. It is going to take all of us to demand the change we want to see in our country. We all must stand united to be the change we want to see in our country. Its bigger than us individually. If we don’t, we are leaving a legacy of violence for the next generation to inherit.

Urgency

I think we’ve lost our sense of urgency. Our reaction time is delayed and its not until an emergency happens that we react. We are desensitized to the loss of human life. We are conditioned to expect the worst, simply because that’s all we’ve experienced. We've borderline lost our humanity, and that alone should trigger our sense of urgency. Children are dying in US sanctioned concentration camps. People loss their lives on a Saturday morning trip to Walmart, and we are acting like this is business as usual. Truthfully, maybe it is, but it shouldn't be. The alarm has sounded. We've got to do better. We need to recalibrate our sense of urgency.

Abundant Life

The bible speaks about God's ability to bless us abundantly. God's love is described as being abounding. God’s desire for our life is the exceedingly abundant. How do we get to live the life that God desires for us? Follow God’s word. Heed his instruction. Make prayerful decisions. Seek the counsel of elders. Ask for wisdom. Wait for godly answers. Accept the consequences of past decisions and make an effort to be a good steward moving forward. The abundant life is within reach, but it does require you to do things differently. Change is how we get to live the life God desires for us. Acceptance is the path to the abundant life. Obedience is the key to successfully navigating God’s will for our lives, because it won’t always make sense. God uses the foolish to confound the wise. Trust the plan, but more importantly, trust God.

Grind

Grind. Hustle. Work. Perseverance. All of these words come to mind when I think about what it takes to accomplish our goals. We have to focus and commit to the goal at hand. We have to sacrifice. Sacrifice is where the line in the sand is drawn. Most people give up when it requires more than they initially thought. Our dreams cost us time. They cost us money. Sometimes, they cost us relationships, but its worth it in the end. Grind because its worth it. Grind because you know there’s more to life. Grind because you want to see the manifestation of your dreams coming true. Grind for the next generation. Grind for your legacy.