Vote
I watched last night's episode of Lovecraft Country and was inspired by the words of one of the characters saying that her great- great grandson was her "faith made flesh." How many of us are exactly that? How many of our ancestors died so we could live? I've seen t-shirts that read, "I am my ancestors wildest dreams." We are. We are just that. We are living breathing faith. We are answered prayers. We are promise. We are purpose. We are their legacy. We are standing on their shoulders. We are walking the trails they blazed. We are the word spoken. We are their word made flesh. Honor them. Honor their life. Honor their memory. Be vigilant. Vote!
Heal
What if this whole year was orchestrated for you to heal? Maybe this year was the year off you needed to focus without distraction. Maybe this was the year you stop going in circles. Maybe this was the year you finally deal with all those issues you've been avoiding. Maybe this is the year you can finally focus on that bucket list. Maybe this is the year you can rest and heal for the journey ahead.
Definition of heal
1a: to make free from injury or disease : to make sound or wholeheal a wound
b: to make well again : to restore to healthheal the sick
2a: to cause (an undesirable condition) to be overcome : MENDthe troubles … had not been forgotten, but they had been healed— William Power
b: to patch up or correct (a breach or division)heal a breach between friends
3: to restore to original purity or integrityhealed of sin
: to become free from injury or disease : to return to a sound stateThe cut has already healed.
Health
Health is wealth. We've all heard the words. They usually don’t hit home until our health is challenged. We take our bodies for granted. We assume that they will always work. We assume that we can put anything in our tanks and they will run. We run ourselves ragged. We are sleep deprived. We are peace deprived. And yet we wonder why our bodies aren’t working like they used to when we were younger. Thank God for the degree of health you have and do better. Eat better. Sleep better. Feed your body, soul, and mind. How are you treating one of your greatest treasures? Health is wealth. Are you wealthy?
Hope
I’m gonna say a bad word, “hope.” I know we all have put this in the back of out closets. I know we have given up. I know we have conditioned ourselves to be disappointed. I know this year didn't go as planned, but there's still hope. Everyday you wake up, there’s hope. I know what it looks like, but the sun is still shining. I know it’s bleak, but someone is still smiling. My mom bought me a book a few years back called, “I hope you dance.” I watched her during our virtual church service still have a praise on her lips. She doesn't remember much, but she still has her faith. She still has a word on her lips and a song in her heart. She still has hope. So, who am I not to have hope? I still have my faculties. I still have my memory. My needs are met. I’m alive. I’m blessed. I have hope.
Time to Renew
It’s that time of year again. License and insurance renewals notices are being sent. Taxes are being calculated. Fees are being paid. Even the bible acknowledge that there is a season for everything. The end of the year for me is like tying up loose ends. It’s the time of year that I reflect on my accomplishments and my failures. This year is a bit different. This year made the world pause and pivot. This year was about change and doing things differently. This year is a reminder that we all still have room to grow and change for the better. It’s time to start over.. It’s time to rethink some things. It's time to renew.
Refresh
Do not discount how much a change of scenery can do for your mental health. I had a quick weekend getaway, and I feel like I can conquer the world. The walls aren’t closing in on me as much. The monotony isn’t too much. The routine is a bit easier to get through. I feel refreshed. What have you done today for your mental health? What would make you feel refreshed? Maybe it’s a walk or a run. Maybe it's spending time in the yard. Take care of yourself. Relax. Relate. Refresh.
Rainmaker
I’ve heard the story of Elijah praying for rain so many times, but this year it hits a little different. Imagine 2020 lasting for three years. I know it’s too terrible to even contemplate. Imagine drought and famine, and prolonged suffering for three and a half years. This was the case during the Prophet Elijah's time.
Rain was like currency. It was necessary for every aspect of their life. Rain represented fertility, refreshing, cleansing and renewal. God has always used rain in a powerful way. Rain despite popular belief, can be seen as a blessing as well.
I did a corporate personality test a few years back and my profile came back as a Rainmaker. It basically means that I am a person who can create business opportunities easily. Spiritually, I acknowledge that God has blessed me with several innate gifts that have the ability to produce rain for me in a dry season. For those of you that are in a dry season, pray for rain. For those of you that have lost hope, pray for rain. For those of you that need to be refreshed for the road ahead, pray for rain. God is still answering the prayers of the righteous. I speak rain in my life and yours. Keep looking! I see a cloud the size of a man's hand!
You can find the story in 1 Kings 18:41-19:8.