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The Graduate

5/23/2015

Inside you feel like you are stepping off a firm surface into a deep abyss. One day your life was comfortable and predictable. Your key decisions were more like collaborative summits made around dinner tables or during evening strolls with parents and other adults. Getting what you wanted depended more on completion of tasks like chores, good grades, honored curfews and unwieldy tantrums. Getting what you needed simply depended on loving attentive parents who stepped out in front of you leaving bread crumbs, lighting flares and marking paved path posts for you to consider along your way. Now you come to a major milestone, undeniably your biggest or first in your young life. You will forever be considered the graduate in your commune. You are marked for greatness. Are you ready? Yes by-God you are not just ready, you are without doubt more than ready! Step off and let go!

Don't go looking for largest crowd to join, the loudest team to blend into, the most cliché ideas to adopt as your own. Don't make yourself the fool in order to fit in. Don't be fooled by those who pretend to know everything. Be daring enough to be curious and vulnerable especially when learning something new and inspiring. Don't allow anyone to define which passions you attract. Be okay with being alone with those passions. Create spaces just for you allowing time for hearing your inner voice. Don't share everything that comes to your mind. When you most want to talk, at first and at times, remain silent for a season. Take in your surroundings. Speak up when the silence inside you can't be quieted. Then you roar! Make your words count.

Seek out unfamiliar people, cultures, food, art, customs and language. Just do it! Above all remember the flares and marked posts from your past. Remember who taught you first and their history in you. Be brave and daring. Take risks and be bold. Be both trusting but discerning in all affairs.

Love Christ first and keep his words on your lips. Take him with you wherever you go. Call home just because. Ask for help the moment you need it.

Be a good and supportive friend to the universe.

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Making room for not knowing

5/20/2015

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Recently, I was riding in a DC taxi cab and engaged in conversation with the Islamic faith driver from Somalia. After a long discussion on our respective faith, (I loved the dialogue immensely), his tone became much more probing than questioning. He had the idea to demonstrate to me how alike the bible and Quran versus their differences. He spent much time drawing my attention to the comparatives. Then his question came to this, If Jesus is the son of God then How is THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY GHOST one? Further, If God is a jealous God and forbids the worship of none other than him then how is it he allows the worship of his son? Try as I might, my words came out as sounds of "WA WA WA WA WA WA and WA". My sense made none even to me. I told him my explanation sounded a bit confusing even to me. His response was, "Do you believe you worship a God that would allow his people to live in a state of confusion and blind faith?" I left his cab feeling embarrassed and bewildered. If I did not have the strong convictions of my thoughts how then could I expect to convince him of my answers?

Context: Muslims believe that Jesus was not crucified but instead, he was raised up by God unto the heavens. They do not believe in the trinity, they do not believe Jesus is the son of God. They do not believe Jesus was killed on the cross. Muslims do believe Jesus was a messenger of God. They do believe he was born of Mary via miraculous birth, and they do believe Jesus performed miracles. To Muslims Jesus was a prophet, a servant to God.

I thought about our encounter for days. I remember his kindness, his keen interest in furthering his understanding. I remember how he thirsted more for understanding than admonishment or judgment. He was kind, even tempered and steadfastly connected to his purpose for his religion. He worked hard to find commonalities between us. He often iterated how LOVE, RESPECT, TOLERANCE are always the commonalities that connect human kind.

My prayer during seasons of not knowing:
Dear savior, I come to you as your humble servant. I am your vessel carrying your message in my heart. Give me the insight, the words and action to be a disciple of your truth. Put the words into my mouth, the delivery into my presentation so that all good works result in the exaltation of your kingdom. Allow me to bring my doubt and curiosity to your alter. Allow my dumbfound state not to be mistaken as weakness or disloyalty to your will or purpose for my life. Lead my steps. Place into my heart your expectancies. To you God be the glory forever and always.

Direct my feet with confidence, my spine with erect boldness, my eyes with light, and my mood with excitement and thirst for your word of truth. Be with me in dark spaces. Turn me toward valleys that allow rest and peace. Keep me full of life and curiosity when seeking clarification and transparency in scripture.

In all things do not allow me to misrepresent your will. In your name, today and always, Christ Jesus in trust. Amen

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The butterflies among us

5/18/2015

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I attended a garden party and butterflies were everywhere. I mean they were a part of the table decorations, hanging from the sky...they were candles, flashing butterfly just butterfly's. I became fascinated with them, actually drawn into the beauty of them. The Lord began to speak to me through this flying beautiful creature. He said you know the butterfly did not start out this beautiful. It went through a very challenging process to obtain its beauty. He said just like the process that you are going through now, you will find beauty in knowing that I am with you on this journey. Many days you feel like you are not going to make it through the process of me breaking you, molding you, purifying and the metamorphosis taking place in your life but I promise you that you will not die in the process if you stay connected to me. I promise to give you beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.

Sisters no matter where you are in the process, the egg you just starting out, the larva God is beginning to hatch ministry gifts through your life, the pupa where you feel you are in a dark lonely place being broken and in the midst of severe struggle or you are an adult butterfly but don't feel like the way your wings are working. HOLD ON MY SISTER, GOD is doing a new thing in you. He has not left you, nether forsaken you and your beauty is in who you are in Him. Like a tree planted by the rivers of water, your roots run deep in the connection you have to Christ. Don't quit, don't throw in the towel and don't give up the fight. Fight on and I promise you that you will Win!!! I love all of you beautiful butterflies!!!

Father God in the name of Jesus thank you for being the great I Am! The breasted one when your daughters need to crawl up in your lap and lay their heads on your breast and receive the comfort needed for wherever they are on their journey. I thank you that when we are going through our tests and trials our valley experiences and seemingly lonely places that you are just a prayer away. Bless my sisters Indeed!

Help us to let go and let you have your perfect work in us. We surrender all to you and trust that you are taking us on a journey to our greater. May faith have her perfect work in our life? Help us to rest in you as you as you take us on our very own personal journeys that will serve as a testimony of peace, hope, joy and encouragement for another sister along the way. We love you and know that you love us unconditionally.

Prepare the hearts, minds and spirits of the sisters that you have ordained to attend our upcoming event. May every chain of bondage be broken and may a renewed confidence in who they are in you emerge. Guide us oh great Jehovah as we pilgrim through this barren land. Give us the strength and fortitude that we need to do the work that you have called us to do.

We love you and wait with excitement for our soon coming King! I ask all these things in the name of Jesus The Christ! Amen!!!

Provided by team member: Angelia Howell

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Running after targets

5/13/2015

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Fear is a sub context to a greater cover up. We live so much of our lives striving to leave behind occurrences we resent, thoughts we regret and actions we never got around to bringing closure to.

We run at full speed toward targets we never prayed about, never asking God's permission for access to. And when we come crashing down, broken and fallen we curse the target not our stubborn ignorance that propelled us there.

We are blinded by voices not planted there by God Almighty. We see what we hear. No wonder it hurts so much to feel. It is because we have left God out of it. Our breath is reserved for man not scripture. We would rather make up an ending than do whatever it takes to make its journey authentically.

So we run at full speed toward targets that God never put in our path. And we wonder why we never reach a better space? It is because we failed to invite God into our race.

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Imagine me as bluebird

5/7/2015

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Above all, patience is required when trying to attract bluebirds. We are attracted to peace.

Bluebirds sit tall and perched a real stand out even given their average size. We are magnificent, very selective about where we spend our time. We expect preparations to be made for our entrance, avoiding disarray and confused states. Gaining this bluebird's attention may take awhile but the rewards are worth it. Bluebirds bring along vibrant colors, musical voices, and gentle habits.

So imagine me as bluebird. I will sit perched along your side, tall, regal, proud to be your love mate. I will build us a restful nest of calm and serenity, a place where you long to return. I will sing songs rejoicing in our union a love so true. I will sooth the pang inside you, with sweet nectar too.

Imagine me your bluebird, my heart slowing just long enough to allow you to catch mine in yours. I love your heart that much and I know how much you love sweet nectar.

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What to expect when you are unexpecting

5/2/2015

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When we are looking for something we ready ourselves to find it. There becomes a level of anticipation, exhilaration, and expectation in the pursuit of it. The closer we get to its discovery the more cautious we become to unveil it. Many of us will even begin to question the value of it. We will begin to lower our expectations of having of it. We might even start believing we don't deserve it. We do this because we don't want to be disappointed by it. We will tell ourselves it doesn't really matter that much. We can live without it. We will push this good thing down so low that it can only come up from bottom and then we can say it exceeded our expectations. How diabolical is that?

We do this with our relationships, career, educational pursuits, our faith. We do this with our dreams, with our finances, our children. We turn good things to bad things all so they will not disappoint us if things don't turn out our way. We would rather be able to say I wasn't really counting on it to work out versus investing in the, I had every confidence in it to do everything it was meant to do. How ungodly is this thinking?

We do this over and over and over again, because we fail to let go and let God. We instead try to play God. HE equips us to succeed in our works long before we begin the first task, yet we doubt our ability to succeed.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

How many love relationships have you sabotaged, tested, bent, stressed, just to see if the other person really loved you, cared for you, would fight for you to stay? How many dreams have you begun and then talked yourself out of, all before you ever saw a bit of that dream in color? How many times have you begun to save for something and just when you could afford it convinced yourself it was too expensive, too showy, not for you? You let the devil in where God belonged. And God will not fight for your attention when you have your heart pointed to his enemy.

1 Thessalonians 2:1-20 ESV But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.

When we can begin to see our success as God's success, our victories as God's glory, our triumphs as HIS reward, then we can understand how much HE has vested in our achievements. When we look good God looks good. When we shine HE illuminates. When we sparkle HE reflects with holy brilliance. Our God is using us to build HIS kingdom. HE implants the seed of faith in you in order that you will be an example of HIS promises kept to unbelievers and believers alike.

Philippians 4:19 ESV And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

So the next time you are expecting something good in your life do not term it the "unexpected".

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The Graduate

Making room for not knowing

The butterflies among us

Running after targets

Imagine me as bluebird

What to expect when you are unexpecting

La Detra Joy

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