Some luck lies in not getting what you thought you wanted but getting what you have, which once you have got it you may be smart enough to see is what you would have wanted had you known.
~ Garrison Keillor
Where was my hero when I needed to be rescued?! #CharlesRamsey
As I read the interviews and watched videos about the Charles Ramsey story, my mind reverts back to that day, that scene…
As we were driving along, I began to feel the tension rise in his voice like a pot on a hot stove that’s about ready to boil over. Mad about nothing in particular really, it was just his form of control. Mental control, physical control, just control period! A control, sadly, he did not have in the world. In his world he felt weak, a failure, and rejected. So he choose to gain authority by controlling me, a demure, 90-pound little girl practically. There we were, driving down some street, I don’t even remember the name. I do remember his voice began escalating. I had been in this scenario too many times before, I knew what was coming next. “Bam!” A blow to the side of my face as I sat on the passenger side of the car. Before the z’s could stop circling around my head, “bam!” another blow to the face! I opened the car door and proceeded to run. He got out, chased me down the street, dragged me by my hair back to driver’s side of the car. It was as if it were all happening in slow motion. I saw colors: a red shirt, a white wife beater, blue shorts, faces on the side walk, children in the street, all the while he was kicking me in my face while simultaneously punching me in the head. Although my voice was forced silent, my eyes were screaming for help as they locked on this man’s eyes standing on the sidewalk. I was being beaten so viciously my mouth could not utter one word. The man, he shook his head at me, laughed, and went back into his house! Not only was I being attacked by one person, but by all those eyes…just looking…just staring…doing nothing.
I can’t help but to think, what if Charles Ramsey had been around in my day? Just maybe…just maybe had he been around in my day, my scarred emotions would have healed faster than my scarred face. Just maybe my broken spirit would have healed faster than my broken nose. Just maybe, I too, would have been rescued from the hands of my abuser.
Just maybe…because of Charles Ramsey, I can now pick up my American dignity off of the floor where it was stomped on, kicked, punched and spat on; and proudly wear it on my back, stand up straight, tall and proud; assured that society has not indeed lost its compassion, lost its bravery, lost its heroism!
That it is still the America that values a woman’s life, a mother’s life, a sister’s life, a daughter’s life! For that, I thank you Charles Ramsey!
Let’s come back together as a community; neighbors who know each other’s names, who watches out for each other’s children, and most importantly, neighbors who help one another in time of need!
-Puah Neiel
Have you found your place?
If you do not feel yourself growing in your work and your life broadening and deepening, if your task is not a perpetual tonic to you, you have not found your place.
~Orison Swett Marden
Stand Even Though The World Is Bending
The story that broke this week regarding Jason Collins/Tim Tebow was a shocking reminder that the world is on a formidable mission to nullify God and His word! There is an agenda to desensitize everything that is against God’s word.
In today’s world things are taking a drastic turn for the worst. Men and women who take a stand for God to remain pure until marriage are ostracized and looked upon as weird, overzealous or too religious, while countless others are choosing to live in sin, cohabitate, and forbidding to marry; many are having children out of wedlock –some with different partners–are celebrated. Blended families is the new term; boldly declaring marriage antiquated! While those that may be single with no children are often ridiculed and pressured by family to get married and have children.
We are now living in a time where everyone has movements, causes, civil rights–but the Christian! If Christians rescind support of something against the word of God, we’re deemed not loving, if we speak out in support of the Bible against sin, we’re considered hateful. If we don’t support doctrine that does not line up with GOD’s word we’re considered heretics! Everyone is allowed to express opinion, but the Christian must be quieted, silenced! I have personally been attacked on several occasions because of my beliefs! The table has indeed turned where the Christian is becoming the anomaly!
Beloved, these are the days we’re living in. If you are a Christian, I admonish you to continue standing for God, no matter what pressure you are facing from the world! Continue holding fast to the word, continue praying, continue proclaiming what the word of God says, continue seeking God for His guidance!
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. James 4:8
Continue to remain pure knowing that your home is not of the earth, but a far greater kingdom!
For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 Corinthians 5:1
Beloved, I would be the first to tell you, it is not easy. You will be talked about, lied on, isolated, even attacked! But hold on, keep going, the Lord is on your side! The most beautiful thing to me is the more I’m estranged from the world, the deeper, more intimate my relationship is with God! In my most trying times, God always shows His faithfulness. If we keep our ears to the spirit realm we most always will get a word from God that directly pertains to the situation we are going through. It always brings me to tears because it ever reminds me how God sincerely loves us and is aware of our present circumstances. He has given me soothing comfort in the midst of the most trying times in my life. That’s what God’s grace is about: peace, lasting joy and happiness you can only get from the Father!
The world may have joy, but oftentimes it’s temporary and comes with conditions. Serving God solidifies an inner knowing that you are going to be O.K. wherever life may find you! It’s that peace that keeps you and radiates around you! Looking from the outside in, I always thought it was the person, situation, or circumstance in my life that caused me misery or pain. I always chose to ignore, avoid or run away whenever I experienced uneasiness, discomfort or exacerbation. It wasn’t until walking with God that I learned that we experience life from the inside out, not the opposite! The one constant in every situation or relationship in your life is you! You are the determining factor on what type of life experience you will have! Your mindset, attitude, and spiritual maturity determines the way you will view life. To be a successful Christian and withstand the world’s dogma, it is imperative that you build up your spiritual man, therefore you will not be so easily deterred by outside influences. More importantly, if you haven’t fully trusted Christ with your life and allowed Him full control of your circumstances, you are always going to react according to the flesh.
It’s our patiently waiting on, and trusting God that gives us peace in any situation we will face. If you have that peace, circumstances won’t easily upset you, people’s opinion of you won’t matter like it used to. You will be firmly planted, you will stop wanting to run every time a trial comes. You will have patience and confidence in knowing that God will supply whatever it is that you may need: a job, husband/wife, child, healing, because you will have the utmost confidence that everything is going to work out for your good! That’s maturing spiritually.
Walk by faith, not by sight, God knows the end. His ways are not our ways and His thoughts our thoughts. Isaiah 55:9, that in the end it all works out for our good! Albeit, it may not always be the way we want it to be, but rest assured beloved, it is for our good!
Continue to stand!
How To Find The Love Of Your Life: Part 2 #Singles #Happyvalentinesday #Love #Soulmate #Lonliness
First off, I would like to begin with another test: go back and answer every question in Part 1 again, this time replace the name “God” with the name of your spouse or significant other.
The reason I asked you to reanswer the aforementioned questions is to get you to think about your romantic relationships, if you are in one. And, if you’re not to examine your behavior when you were previously in a relationship. Again, if you answered “no” to any of the questions, really, are you prepared for a divine mate?
The vertical relationship with God is paramount. Until you perfect this relationship, you will never know how to love within a horizontal relationship! Think about it…God consummated this love by dying on the cross for us! Beloved, God is a person. When you learn how to love God first, then all other relationships will take on that precedent of love.
So many profess to love God but live a fruitless life. They have their own agenda’s, plans, goals and God is really on the back burner. They have a self-centered view of what love should look like or be like. When you really dissected it it’s based on past hurts, failures, fear, selfishness. And, oftentimes pride.
The truth of the matter is some people don’t even love themselves. And quite sadly, because of life’s dissapointment’s, feel like God doesn’t love them either. Here in lies the problem…you can’t give away what you do not have! If you don’t love yourself how can you possibly love someone else? In many relationships today, people are yearning for love from another person and want someone else to make them happy! They want the other person to make them feel good about themselves. Beloved, you need to have love in you already, your love tank needs to already be full before entering a relationship. Another person can only compliment that love.
The only relationship you are having at any given time is that between yourself and God, not the other person! The other person is only a reflection of God. He wants to see how you will love him when He’s hungry, when He’s sick, when He’s in need, even when He’s cantankerous. Do you remember the story in Matthew 25:31-40? Furthermore, the way you treat yourself is the way you will treat other people. If you are unloving towards yourself, impatient, and critical, that’s how you will treat other people.
Human beings go into relationships with such false expectations, facades, masks, hopes and dreams.
Marriage is not a fantasy that you wish to come true. Contrary to popular belief you don’t just fall in love. Scientists believe that in the first stages of a relationship there is a chemical reaction that takes place between two individuals that produces an euphoric state–if there is any validity to that theory–however, when that feeling subsides both people face the harsh reality of each one’s faults and the baggage both brought into the union. What do you do then? The Bible teaches us that we do not base our decisions on emotions (Galatians 5:16-24). Emotions are fickle and are constantly changing. It takes a conscious choice (concerted effort) to continue to love someone despite what challenges a relationship may bring. Of course it takes a lot of work and learning how to. But the Bible is the blueprint of love!
God is love (1John 4:8). We first must establish a dependant, intimate relationship with God. Not by name only but by spending quality time with The Father, getting to know His heart, His mind, and His desires; what He wants for us. Isn’t that what we do when we’re courting someone? If we don’t learn how to love God first, we will never be able to love ourselves, let alone another person. He teaches us how to love unconditionally. Christ is the epitome of love (Isaiah 53:5). Once you perfect your heavenly relationship with The Father you’ll know what it feels like to have a loving, healthy, pure relationship with another human being.
Many have become bitter, and some have resulted to fornication because they are tired of waiting on God. The Bible says: “every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed,” (James 1:14) NKJV. Beloved, If you cannot be faithful to God how can you possibly be faithful to man who lives in this flesh, fallible and apt to disappoint?
Once you fall in love with Jesus, it is truly a love you have never felt before! It fills all voids, loneliness, emptiness, and pain. It completes you and gives you an unspeakable joy! It wraps its loving arms around you despite your failures and shortcomings. So I ask, why settle for a moment of pleasure when God can give you a lifetime of joy! As Kirk Whalum admonishes in his ode to Christ: “falling in love with Jesus was the best thing I ever done!” He is the love of your life!
Let me just say, God speaks to us differently. Perhaps if you did answer yes to the questions that were asked in the test, have worked on yourself and are sold out to Christ, and feel God has lead you in this direction; dating websites may work for you! However, I would strongly tread with caution!
If you no one has told you today, I love you! Happy Valentines day! ❤
The Death In The Valley
The word of God teaches you how to fight. When you face trials and tribulation, you will either succumb to the attack or put on your God appointed armor and do battle! Caveat emptor: It requires discipline! Just face it now, if you’re born again and you choose the call of The Great Commission, you will face a life-long spiritual battle with the devil! The life of Christianity is not passive. It is not desperately sitting back waiting for the battle to be over, but contrarily picking up your spiritual weapons and fighting back until you have penetrated the enemy’s ground! So many Saints struggle in this area of their Christian walk. They endure a life of harassment, mental torment and persecution from the devil. Often settling for their health, joy and peace to be taken away from them. If you have a dogged determination and stand firmly on God’s promise, you can take back ground stolen from you, your family members and loved ones; precious lives the enemy has destroyed.
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)
Beloved, one must be spiritually prepared, and not blindly walk into encampments set up by the enemy to destroy you! What are those encampments? Your household, your job, your friendships, your business dealings, your finances, your health! Sometimes the attack is so vicious it may feel like you are stepping on land mines all around you! Satan works through people, including yourself! More, some battles you will lose! Others you may have to keep fighting a lifetime with the enemy not budging!
There was a beloved pastor’s wife whom I knew of. This beautiful, humble soul was stricken with cancer at an early age. It was reported that she had suffered 21 or so grueling surgeries! One can barley tolerate the thought of one let alone 21! Sadly to report, after many decades of prayer, the church interceding, and fighting the devil, the First Lady eventually lost her battle to cancer. Some things we will just have to endure that only God will know the answer to. But, we must not lose hope! It will take persistence, consistence, and diligence to keep fighting the good fight of faith! When severe pressure is upon us, hard as it may be, we must not cave in and quit or give up. Even when you feel like you can’t pray, God knows your thoughts before you even think them–keep your mind on Him! When you feel like you can’t read your Bible, turn on worship music and let the words minister to you! Remembering:
Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (Psalm 30:5 KJV) You cannot give up!
The “night” matures us spiritually, it makes us more Christ like. When you first gave your life to Christ, there may have been overwhelming joy and great anticipation of your new christian walk: you joined a church, attended new believer’s classes, and supplied Christian books to read. There was a general feeling of euphoria that you were finally on the right path in life. You felt God’s touch on your life and some, God may have delivered out of deep bondage. But along the way, you began to face situations that challenged your faith, situations that tested your will, situations that you couldn’t find the answers to in a self-help book! My friend, you may have experienced devastating, life altering situations that resigned you to that of a fetal position, on the floor weeping like a baby, the pain hurt so badly! Beloved, this may have been your night, BUT! The Bible says that if you will just trust in Him with ALL your heart and ALL your mind (Proverbs 3:5), your joy will come in the morning! Amen!
I find that there are different stages of our christian walk. After conversion, you first learn how to pray, how to maneuver the Bible, and what it means to live a God called life. Secondly, God then begins to show you what your calling is in Him. Along with that calling, rest assured, will come an assigned fleet of demons whose job it is to do everything in their power to disprove the anointing on your life! The next phase will be a phase of the testing of your will and your faith. Indeed, the hardest stage for the called in Christ! In this stage you will experience extreme torment from the devil, even though you may be doing all the spiritual work! For those that may be saying this is not my testimony, this message is not for you!–but those on the front line of spiritual warfare, those that are experiencing extreme harassment from the devil because of your anointed call in Christ! The devil vehemently hates it when another pastor is birthed, another church is planted, and when another sinner gives his soul to Christ!
You will go through periods when God’s voice will seem reticent, or you may question: ‘God where are you?’ It will seem as if all hell has broken loose in every area of your life! You will be persecuted on every side, and may feel as Paul did on his Christian journey:
For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. (2 Corinthians 7:5)
It may seem as if you are screaming out to God with all your might and yet your voice is inaudible. You may even become angry at God in His silence. It’s a time of testing, tearing down, building up, and strengthening you. It will cause you to go deeper in the work of Christ; deeper in study, deeper in spiritual preparation, deeper in prayer, deeper in fasting. His silence is teaching you how to adamantly trust the word of God and not your feelings! No matter how dark the valley is, He’s teaching you to fear not the evil one, He’s teaching you that, although you cannot see Him, or feel His presence, He’s fighting right beside you! It’s like the parable of the footsteps in the sand. Some things you will look back on and wonder in amazement, how you made it through! Amen! It’s because God carried you! We were wounded and ready to be slaughtered, yet a loving Savior picked us up where our strength failed, and carried us the rest of the way! Selah!
The longer it takes us to completely trust and have faith in God, I believe the longer our spiritual growth will be stunted in our Christian walk. Christianity requires proactively growing in Christ. There will be trial and error in our growth yes, but to grow in Him with a purpose and a plan, that requires diligent study, prayer, and a concerted effort to make time with God daily. Beloved there is something to be said about spending time in God’s presence! The anointing comes down! There is a sweet peace. God will give you wisdom, knowledge, and signs and wonders. He will give you secrets, direction, and ideas your mind could never possibly conceive on its own.
And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. (Acts 5:12 KJV)
In the latter part of the Christian walk, you may enter into a place of supernatural discernment. You will have Godly wisdom and a deeper understanding of spirituality! Those called began to teach, edify, encourage, prophesy (1 Corinthians 12:4-12). There will still be testing, but it will not destroy you like it used to! You’ll know the exact spiritual tools to apply against your enemy and come out a victor! Amen! You will have a concrete belief in God; no trick, lie, or scheme from the devil will be able to dissuade you. You know it’s a war between good and evil, and you will distinctively know your place in the battle. You know that silence does not mean neglect. You know that you and God are in this together!
Lastly, the valley experience changes your attitude! You may have walked with Christ for years but still have a defeated attitude! Instead of thinking you are a victor, and knowing that you are already equipped to win the fight raged against you ( Luke 10:19), you are numb because of persecution, and are thinking defeated thoughts.
To live a victorious life in Christ, there has to be a turning over of mental thinking to the side of victory. Your spiritual language has to change. You have to learn to always speak positive words over your life and circumstances no matter what your physical eyes may be telling you. You have to learn how to see with our spiritual eyes–the eyes of faith!
Additionally, your mind set has to change. A lot of people may quote the verse, say the Christian slogans but deep down inside, perhaps because of continuous oppression, have not come to a place where they believe what they are even saying! If you have a certain call on your life the opposition can be so intense, that you have given up on the inside! You’re spiritually dead! You have been sowing, but sadly feel like you are not reaping. It’s a testing beyond your imagination! With all your might and knowledge about God, you’ve got to take God at His word, getting in your spirit man the living word!
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 KJV)
People often talk about the character of God. That is a culmination of His teachings, His anointing on the lives of the Biblical prophets, and His grace. The devil tries to undermine God and His work in your life. Fight hard with all that is within you to not believe him! There is an evil, vile, more diabolical level of spiritual warfare in this day and time. Satan’s kingdom has become more perverted, more wicked. Its mission is not the ungodly–he already has them under his control–but specifically to attack the saints of God! The death in the valley is so gruesome beloved, let us not forget the saints that are literally fighting a physical battle with the devil; having been permanently scarred, maimed, and tormented. Those who have lost their lives for the sake of the Gospel! As we continue to carry the weight of our cross–with blood, sweat and tears–let us remember: the battle is not between us and the devil, but between God and satan!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)
WHY YOU SHOULD GO ON A DANIEL FAST!
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” (Matthew 4:1-4 ESV)
Every approaching year as we ponder over our lives, in retrospect, we compile a list; whether mental or a physical list, of things we may have failed at, things we would like to do better, or perhaps accomplishments we would like to achieve. Off we go–full steam ahead–making plans, buying “self-help” books, joining gyms, taking classes and the like. The new year always brings anticipation and encouragement! It gets the ball rolling under our feet and gives us a sense of accomplishment to plot our course. Looking back over our shoulders, we may find ourselves not having accomplished nearly all that we had set out to. I have found myself at this place many a times. The problem is we set out to tackle goals–head on–with self-regulation. The Bible talks a great deal about the flesh. It emphasizes that the flesh is weak and fickle.
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. (Romans 7:18 ESV)
No wonder we can’t get anything done! That is until I learned a valuable spiritual secret: fasting!
One day while at a drug store, while miserably on a fast might I add, I ran across a book, “Fasting Journal: Your personal 21-day guide to a successful fast,” by Jentezen Franklin.
God really does have perfect timing and a sense of humor! In the book, Franklin talks about how his church goes on a 21-day Daniel Fast at the beginning of each year. For those of you who may not be familiar with the Daniel Fast, it is taken from the book of Daniel in the Bible, when the prophet Daniel was exiled from Judah by order of Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar to reside in the king’s palace. The king ordered what food was to be eaten by the exiles, but Daniel refused to defile himself by eating the King’s royal food, instead petitioning the steward in charge of him that he and three fellow servants would be as strong as the other youths eating only vegetables. (Daniel 1:1-16, 10:2,3)
The principle of the Daniel Fast of course is to eat mostly vegetables, however different churches have different variations of the fast. For those of you that may be wondering what you can and cannot eat on the Daniel Fast, a quick Google search should give you tons of information.
Moreover, as I read along in the book, I began to get more and more encouraged reading the testimonies of the pastor’s congregation after having completed the fast. One anecdote being that of an older gentleman who had lost his dentures one night while sleeping. The man awoke that morning and his teeth were gone, disappeared, no where to be found! This greatly puzzled the man as he had the dentures in when he went to bed. Fast forward years later after the completion of a Daniel Fast. The man developed a nagging cough. So much so, he did finally find his dentures–IN HIS STOMACH! (If I remember the story correctly, I think he coughed them up!) He had swallowed them while sleeping! I kid you not! This book is an excellent read for those that would like to know how to start fasting or may need encouragement while on a long fast.
I started incorporating the yearly Daniel Fast in my life! Beloved, it is one of the hardest, but most spiritually rewarding things I could have ever done! Through fasting I have broken several strong holds over my life, experienced deep levels of peace, and have a closer, more intimate relationship with God. Below I have outlined some of the many blessings that accompany fasting.
1. Spiritual attacks.
“Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? (Isaiah 58:6 ESV)
If you feel you are under a heavy burden, or experiencing high levels of stress in your life, consider a fast! Sometimes our spirit can feel so heavy and our mind greatly perplexed, that we can’t even pray! Fasting helps quiet the soul and allows you to hear God’s voice more clearly. While on a fast, you will know when you get a breakthrough because you will experience an overwhelming sense of peace and contentment. Most times it happens during a fast, but there have been times when I did not feel that peace until after the fast was over. Your problem and worry will just fall off. The thing that bothered you will no longer have such great impact!
2.Temptation.
If you are greatly tempted in an area of your life, along with prayer, fast! You will not only be feeding your spiritual body, but starving your physical body of its cravings, habits, and desires. Many people who attempt to challenge temptation on their own effort fail miserably. Sadly, they think it is willpower. “You can do anything you put your mind to,” is the mantra so many proclaim. Yet, sadly many young men and women are battling, and some succumb, to debilitating addictions. Beloved, can I tell you it’s a battle of the spirit and not of the flesh! Unless you began to attack the addiction from a spiritual standpoint, you will never win!
And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (Galatians 5:24, 25 ESV)
We crucify the flesh with fasting. Therefore, choosing to walk by the spirit, which helps us not to give in to what the flesh wants, we allow the Holy Spirit to fight the battle of temptation on our behalf.
3. Decision making.
Whenever you have a big decision to make i.e buying a house, car, or contemplating a business venture, considering marriage, moving, a job, or whatever may be of importance to you, it is imperative that you fast before a commitment is made! Oftentimes, you may feel you are certain about a decision until the next day your mind has changed, you then go back and forth in your thoughts until you have worked up a headache! There are three voices speaking to us at any given time: ours, satan’s, and God’s. Fasting is the eliminator! It allows you to hear God’s voice more clearly or better heed His will and direction for your life. Many times through fasting, God has told me not to go or move in a certain direction that I thought I wanted to move in, and later allowed me to see the traps that were set before me.
4. Weight loss issues.
Albeit spiritual fasting is not for weight loss, but as servants of Christ we must address issues of the body of Christ. Many women struggle with their weight, and some have become greatly despondent and depressed because maybe they had children, have full-time jobs, an illness etc., and have put on weight over the years. Countless women and men fail at their weight loss goals because they are trying to achieve success in their own strength. Year after year, many join gyms, try fad diets, and put their hope and faith in a fat burner pill, only to find the few pounds they may have lost is regained plus more! Firstly, pray and ask God to help you with your weight loss goals. Then try diligently to incorporate fasting into your lifestyle. When you first start fasting, it will begin to train the body to eat less. If you can start disciplining the body to fast on a regular basis, you will find that it becomes easier as time goes by. The more you fast, the more pounds you will shed. Fasting is the quickest, healthiest form of weight loss if done properly. Moreover, fasting shrinks the stomach! Overtime, you will find that you are not able to eat as much food as you used to after a fast, which can greatly enhance your weight-loss efforts. So before you resolute to lose weight this year, how about considering a fast and asking God for His guidance? You’ll not only strengthen your body, but also your soul.
A Friend who sticks closer than a brother
An acquaintance had been asking me to hang out recently. With my full schedule, and the holidays fast approaching, I was searching deep within myself to find a reason not to go. I’m just not going! I said to myself. I just don’t have time, besides this isn’t one of my close friends, I retorted. Right then, I felt a tugging in my spirit to go. Geeze…ok I’ll go!
So I let my friend know I’d take her up on her offer. The day of, we greeted one another and immediately I felt a sadness in her spirit. She hugged me as if she had won the lottery and I had showed up to give her a million dollar check! Ok…I thought, this is odd. On we went about our day, my friend garrulously chatting the whole way. Maybe I was wrong, I surmised, she sure has a lot to talk about! Throughout the day I would continue to take on the role as the attentive listening friend. As we finally ended the evening with a late night dinner, it was there that I saw it! The look in her eyes, it was confirmation! I know that look all too well! I have been to that place before! A place of lonliness, sadness, and despair!
I listened intently, albeit curiously as her face lit up brightly like ornaments on a Christmas tree as she reminisced about her childhood; how excited she would get toward the approaching of the holiday season: The house lit aglow with holiday decorations, the aroma of gingerbread cookies baking in the oven, and the enjoyment and fulfillment she would have sharing stories with her family around the dinner table!
That excitement soon turned to doom as the expression on her face began to parallel the emptiness in her heart. She began to say how times have changed. How as adults we are consumed with work, bills, worry, and problems. She also shared how the emotional turmoil of a bad marriage left her hopeless, angry, and depressed. By evening’s end, she thanked me profusely for taking the time out of my “busy schedule” to hangout with her.
Wow! That was a wake up call for me! Here I am concerned about my day-to-day activities, and here is a life that, quite simply, needed a friend. At the least someone to just listen! How often do we miss the opportunity to share the love of Christ because we are too busy, have our own agenda, or are simply not compassionate. I admit this was a time of repentance and humbling for me. How glad I was that I heeded that voice in my spirit! Oh how we as Christians tarnish the Gospel because we are busy doing and not being. Being transparent. Being Light.
Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:15, 16
Beloved, we as humans can only appease a person’s pain but for a moment. But, Matthew 5:15 says your light will give light to all in the house! We need to let our light shine before others in patience, giving of time, in longsuffering, so they are to know WHO it is that illuminates our spirit! Who’s the candle that lights our fire! Who guides us through the perils and pitfalls of darkness! Jesus Christ! Amen!
Point being that they may give glory to “your” Father in Heaven! That they may in turn seek His face, as to know who is the One who is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him! Hebrews 11:6. That they can therefore experience the fruits of His merciful spirit for themselves!
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness Galatians 5:22
Beloved, we often forget that the holiday season is a time of darkness, depression, and oppression for many. Whether it’s grief over a lost loved one, a divorce, kids having left the nest, singleness, etc. Perhaps you are a person that has found yourself in the grips of hell this holiday season. There is a way out: Jesus Christ! Many who have come to God are experiencing a life of freedom from torment and despair! Personally speaking, I am one of them! If you don’t have a personal relationship with God, get down on your knees and ask God to come into your life today! (Romans 10:9). If you do have a relationship with Christ, seek God diligently and expect your deliverance! Or perhaps God has laid a person on your heart whom you simply can’t get out of your mind? It’s a prompting of the Holy Spirit. Reach out to someone today, be the light in their dark place; introduce them to a person who sticketh closer than a brother!
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24
Red Hook Summer: Christian Movie Review
First off, the characters in Spike Lee’s Red Hook Summer looked as real as if you had stepped out of your front door, caught the subway and made your rounds through the no holds barred city of New York. Lee did a good job in the casting process: no over sexualized, glam puss, pretty boy actors/actresses here. The Female characters were maternal, womanly; like ladies I grew up around. Their presence emanates an old school grandmotherly type of protection, wisdom, and guidance.
The male characters seemed to be plucked right off of NYC’s streets; ripe with unabashed quirkiness, eccentricity, zeal, Martin Luther King righteousness and ’round the way B-Boy demeanor and dialect.
One of the Protagonists of Red Hook: the good Pastor Enoch (Clarke Peters), has all the passion, community involvement, and heated sermons of a street corner ‘hood preacher’, with such optimism, social justice, and fervor that riles up the emotions of the congregation, that the pastor could easily be mistaken a demagogue. He is perfectly cast; from his slicked back afro, peremptory voice, to the flawless execution of the dichotomy of his character.
New comer Jules Brown embodies the role of Flik Royale, Pastor Enoch’s grandson. Jules’ portrayal of character Flik is quite monotone, with the exception of culture/religion clashes with his grandfather, and adolescent banter with character Chazz.
Chazz, played by Tony Lysaith, is a spunky, rambunctious, outspoken girl whom befriends Flik. Chazz’s character is Akin to a throwback 1980’s era, popular 5th grade school kid, who all the nerd’s wanted to be friends with. What I personally like about Chazz is that she is headstrong, a thinker, much a philosopher for a kid her age; not to mention a little mischievous, which drives the story and adds a few good laughs! Contrarily, with better direction Chazz’s performance could have been much more solid.
Lee is a little more preachy in Red Hook compared to his previous movies, however it is eloquently executed through the diatribes of the good Pastor Enoch. The writing is a collage of new age pop culture, Sunday morning church sermons, pressing concerns of the inner city neighborhood, to the history of Red Hook, Brooklyn. Although, some topics of discussion seem outdated. Lee’s polemics is ever present in his current piece. While Red Hook draws you into a seeming adolescent romance between Flik and Chazz, and visually stimulates with colorful visages and homage to the city; the plot hits you like a wielding baseball bat swung by a bullied, abused, and fed up kid! While the movie is fluidly moving along, it comes out of nowhere and jars you: BAM! just like that!
A stiff-necked religious church lady would easily turn into Esther from Sanford & Son at the subject matter’s in-your-face reality! The audience gets to hear the other side of the story, which was a well acted and executed scene that left one not knowing whether to cheer for its redemptor or feel sorry for the Pastor. In the scene that follows, I felt that Lee didn’t need to expound in detail the horrid visuals via a flashback.
Overall, the movie had quite a few loop holes, loose ends, and left many questions unanswered. The acting was mediocre at best, with the exception of a few stand out performances: Clarke Peters, Nate Parker, and my personal best: Coleman Domingo.
Some of my friends were disturbed by the movie’s subject matter, but I have personally experienced it first hand. It leaves so much frustration, anger, and lifelong healing to the persons affected by it. Though uneasy to watch, it is realism! And, it’s happening on a much too frequent basis. Maybe this movie will allow the “doers” to see themselves outside of themselves, to provoke change. Moreover, the soundtrack, which was recorded by the real, Lil’ Piece of Heaven Babtist Church choir, nostalgically takes you back to the old time Gospel Hymns. After reading this review, I would advise you to see the movie at your own discretion.
One thing the movie did leave me with is the commonly quoted: Galatians 6:7-8. What you sow, goes out and circles around in the spirit realm like a boomerang until it eventually comes back to you. Even though you may have repented and God has forgiven you, you will still have to live with its consequences, so choose wisely!
-Puah Neiel
Temporary Hiatus
Healingbalm Cafe is still operational, however there will be a temporary hiatus due to imporant summer projects. Thanks very much for your love and support! God Bless you all!
-Puja Nagualღ
Healing Balm Cafe 
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