Update for 2012

Believe it or not I have been writing. I have several posts that I'm going to try and release periodically. But last year ended with a bang and this year began with one. First off, I'm glad 2011 is over. It ended my career in retail and bondage to the mall. The first year I've been on my own and unemployed. Probably one of the most financially stressful years of my life. Through it all God has been really good. I feel like I've grown spiritually. I've gained some new revelations about myself and matured. I've got a new group of homegirls, S/O to the Legendary Ruth Crew as one of my followers coined us. I've opened myself up to the possibilities of a romantic relationship although no one has crossed my path just yet. It's all about being open first. Then after exploring what field of work I would like to go into next I began to ponder the possibility of going back to school. Also there have been several projects in which I would love to put some extra time into and continue developing my business sensibility. So I feel like this year is going to be one of the most productive years I've ever had. I'm looking forward to new relationships, business ventures and experiences. And technically this is the my last year in my 20's. Time to go out with a bang and give 30 a round house kick to the forehead!

Hope for the Nation

I was reading an article on a site that lately I frequent often Clutch Magazine. The title Are we too smart for that old time religion?  Made me want to see what the content of the article was because I am a believer. And while several things stuck out to me there was one particular quote that struck me. A professor of religion from blah university stated Black people are “worse off because of our allegiance to theism. We have seen suffering as a mark of closeness to God.” The consensus of the professor’s argument is there no use for God now that we have advanced so much as a people with education and opportunities granted to us through civil rights.

Now this is where I step in. For many years I believe the church has been trying to redefine religion and educate believers on what the difference is. Religion is tradition, rituals and obligations. It has very little to do with belief or relationship with the Creator. I will never forget hearing Myles Monroe teach at a conference and say that (I’ll paraphrase) Jesus never came to bring a religion. In fact he was tearing down religious mindsets left and right. I’ve heard many sermons preached about coming against religion and yet what I was reading in the comments section was not only the defiance of Christ but of God altogether.

Several people brought up that they tried to wrestle with the Bible, found it to be confusing and decided it did not and would not apply to their lives. Where they had a problem is having Christian values forced upon them without their say so. For example, prayer in schools and such. But what if I have a problem with homosexuality being taught as a viable lifestyle in the schools? Do I have a say so? You don’t want to hear my Gospel music in the car, but I don’t want to hear your music about sex, drugs and immorality.

We will never come to a peaceful resolution because at the core of it, we don’t agree. However, I do have sympathy for those who have never allowed themselves to surrender enough to know the Lord. It’s seriously the best feeling ever and life. We all will have hard times, but it’s better to have peace in the middle of it all. At this point in my life, I have seen enough of the good and bad to know I could never deny the existence of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit nor Their activity in my life. And believe me, I’m one of those inquisitive people who asks the deeeeep questions of life. I was not even raised in the church. But every time I have a question about life, God finds a way to answer it or give me peace in not knowing absolutely EVERYTHING.  By all accounts I probably should not be a member of the church. I like to explore a broad spectrum of life. I research everything I’m curious about. If I like a CD I read all the liner notes, the lyrics, the artists’ biography everything. I love information. However, when I got to a very dark place in my life and I said God, I can’t take this and I can’t do it on my own. I’m all in. He walked me through the process. He made me secure in Him and myself.  I know He’s real.

We can pick the Bible apart together. You can ask questions and get the answers. But at heart of it, you will believe what you want. I’m not delusional. I’ve seen the workings and miracles of God firsthand. I have seen the manifestation of demons before my eyes. I know which side I want to belong to. And while I would love for everyone to know Him just as I do, I know that may never happen. And because this is America and everyone is entitled to their opinion, I don’t argue with non-believers. But I am here as a testament of Christ and I stand on what I know.