WANTED…You

In my upcoming book, I tell the story of how I met Jesus Christ, Savior of the World. It was the best day of my life. I’ll never forget it. It was as real as real can get.

Back and forth to church, it was for me, starting in my mother’s womb, they told me. At age 7 or 8, I recall those walks to church. Not only did I travel to church each week, but my home was a place where the Bible was always taught. My mother held community Bible clubs there with children in the neighborhood, which my siblings continued. So, from a baby–at home, in church, Sunday School, or VBS, I heard many stories about God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

As I grew into my teens, I followed my brother Ron a lot, one place being a small Pentecostal church near our home. The pastor and his wife were very kind and loving people, and the church was filled with lots of younger people. We sang, played instruments, taught the Bible, served, and freely worshipped God without inhibition. We also had fun together at church outings—picnics, roller skating, swimming, sporting activities, etc.

Each year, there were two well-known (to us) brothers from New York who would come speak at our church. They were awesome teachers and preachers who always seemed to easily bring in God’s spirit as they spoke. It’s like God was backing them up. We enjoyed hearing them and always felt uplifted and encouraged by their sermons. The brother who was coming this particular Sunday taught and preached on a high level. He expounded on the scripture academically and with emphatic diction. His voice was strong and fiery as he preached. Excitement and anticipation were in the air, as preparations were made. The church would be packed, with no available seats. I was looking forward to hearing His message. “What verse of scripture would he come from? What life occurrence would he relate it to? I hope it’s something I need to hear. Would he preach so powerfully that God’s Spirit would fall on us like a mighty rushing wind, as He did on the day of Pentecost, where we all would dance together in praise to God?” I liked this Pentecostal fervor; it’s what I was anticipating. Unbeknownst to me, however, it wouldn’t be the preacher who would astound me that day.

Sitting in my pew, the minister did not disappoint me as he preached fervently. But, there was something different this time. As he was concluding the sermon, he began to talk about Jesus Christ. He explained who He was and all He had done for us by dying on the cross for our sins. He told us how we needed a personal relationship with Jesus. I was no longer enamored by his teaching charisma, but by his message. It was the same message I had heard many times in the Bible clubs. The difference this time, however, was what was going on inside my heart. The message had grasped my attention and intrigued me so much so, I leaned forward in my seat. It’s as if the congregation was no longer there; he was talking directly and only to me. I became serious. My heart began churning inside. I clearly understood what he was saying. Suddenly, clearly, softly, and gently, I heard, “This is for you.” It was clear; Jesus Christ wanted to come into my heart. Christ’s quiet words were so compelling that when the minister asked the congregation to come to the altar to receive Christ, I had no hesitation. I jumped to my feet, walked to the front, and accepted Jesus Christ into my heart as my Lord and Savior. After what I shared with you about my upbringing, one would think that I already knew Christ. Right? Nope. Obviously, I didn’t, because that day at church, as I heard the message of Jesus Christ, He personally tugged at my heart to let me know I needed Him. Surely, I could have argued with the Spirit of God about how my family had already told me about You. I didn’t. I knew this was my call. I had to believe that I needed Jesus. I did recognize my need, and I asked Him to come into my heart. And, I felt a difference too.

I’m 60 years old now, and that day is still vivid in my mind and brings me joy. In fact, as I’m writing about it, I had to stop, get up, and dance around my house while listening to Cece Winans’ song No Greater from the Believe It Album. 😊 That’s the impact Jesus Christ has on you–year after year, through all your ups and downs and good and bad days.

So, no matter…

Who you are,

What you’ve done,

When you did it,

Where you’ve been, or

Why others have rejected or mistreated you…

GOD loves and wants you, my friend! John 3:16-17 declares, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, [Jesus Christ] so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” What is eternal life, you may ask? John 17:3 tells us, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” Wow! The God of the Universe wants us to know who He is, and His Son He sent to save us.

Do you feel a tap on your heart right now? Don’t be afraid. Yep, it’s God; He wants you. Allow me to pray with you to receive Christ, just as that minister did with me over 45 years ago. Email me a message at eparks03@verizon.net. You’ll never regret receiving Jesus because you’ll discover how deep His love goes, and there’s none greater.

HAPPY LOVE MONTH!!!

He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands

While settling into this new year of 2023, one verse of scripture had a profound effect on me. I’d like to meditate on it and keep it at the center of my thinking and being as I watch the overwhelmingly negative, chaotic, confusing, troublesome world news headlines splashing across my television screen, flooding my daily email inbox, and posting around social media platforms.

The verse reminds me there is someone who really is in charge, who really is powerful, who really is great, who really is high and lofty, who really has won battles (fairly), who really is beautiful and majestic to look on and strong enough to draw from, who really is the biggest real-estate mogul. 🙂

1 Chronicles 29:11-13 (ESV) says,

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty,

for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours.

Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.

Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all.

In your hand are power and might, and in your hand, it is to make great and to give strength to all.

And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.

I would like to keep this truth about God at the forefront of my mind for the rest of 2023, and thereafter. It assures me I have a safe place to run, where I can talk about the crises that sometimes threaten or shatter my well-being on earth. I’m confident that He’s unlike the self-aggrandizing person but is always sitting high but looking low, carefully circling the heavens and the earth–perusing, watching, monitoring, seeing, knowing, providing, and in complete control of all the people, places, and things He owns—even if it seems He’s not.

I can rest knowing that “He’s got this!”

Be blessed until next time…

An Unprecedented Gift

I neglected to post during the Thanksgiving holiday, and now we’re in the Christmas season. The two holidays, nonetheless, carry similar themes of love, sharing, fellowship, giving, and gratefulness, so we can continue these regardless of when. As I prepare gifts for those I love, this idea of gratefulness is still upon me. Christmas is the time we reflect on the gift of Jesus Christ presented to us from God the Father. My reflective readings about His birth during this season have intrigued me from another vantage point. I was in awe of how God invited people to help deliver Jesus into the world.

Long before He was to arrive on earth, Old Testament Israelite prophets foretold a Messiah’s coming. Customarily, prophets delivered important messages or instructions for remaining close to God. Foretelling involves predicting events before they occur. In both the Hebrew Bible and the Holy Bible, there are stories that tell the history of the Israelite nation and the laws and customs they were to observe to maintain their relationship with God. God had chosen them for such. For centuries, these were read in the congregation and passed down throughout generations. One significant message was their promise of a Messiah. The prophets received these messages from God himself, angels, through revelation and types of Christ, in visions with astounding imagery, or in dreams. It’s important then to attempt to understand things about Jewish culture to better understand things revealed about Jesus in scripture since He would be born a Jew. As they would soon learn and hear Jesus Christ lay claims to, He was their promised Messiah.

Hearing a story year after year without any manifestation can become taxing and after a while appear untrue. One can lose hope or faith when a promise lingers unfulfilled. After all, this Israelite community experienced several hardships and struggles. They endured political and economic control by other empires and exile to foreign lands, where they became slaves. They faced insurmountable oppression and injustice. The promise of a redeeming King who would rule Israel, I’m sure, was something they longed for. After proclaiming this promise for centuries, many did not live to see its fulfillment. Nonetheless, the promise remained in many of their hearts and minds. (See Jeremiah 23:5–6; Psalm 2:7; Isaiah 7:14; Isa 9:6-7; Isaiah 52:13–53:12; Daniel 7:13–14)

Fast forward to around 6 and 4 BC, and God is ready to fulfill His promise to Israel. From this same nation, he needs a woman, Mary, to supernaturally conceive, carry, and birth Jesus, and a husband/father, Joseph, to help her raise Jesus according to Jewish culture and teach him life skills to sustain himself as he grew into a man. They were happily engaged and possibly planning a blissful wedding celebration with family and friends. The Lord interrupts their plans, and they both willingly agree to participate with God. In essence, they both say, “Okay, Lord, let it be so.” (See Luke 1:26-38; Matt. 1:18-25)

God also needed Mary’s relatives, Elizabeth, and Zechariah. This couple may have been depressed at this time, as they were living through the shame of barrenness. They’re also old in years, maybe haggard. God approaches and needs them to conceive a child as well, who would come naturally through their union. Elizabeth births Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist, who would set the stage for Jesus’ upcoming ministry on earth. “But this is a health risk; she can die during delivery,” we would argue today. (See Luke 1:5-24; Mal. 3:1; Luke 1: 1:8-17; Luke 3:1-21; Luke 4:14-15). Chosen for God’s plan, these women believed and spoke it, as Luke 1:45 shows, “And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

In addition, God needed witnesses to Jesus’ birth. He chose two groups just for that. First, there were shepherds who lived nearby. They were in the fields watching over and caring for sheep. These may have been priestly shepherds who understood the custom of presenting an animal’s blood to atone for sin, and who knew about the coming Messiah. We can safely assume this because the angel specifies, “Your Savior is born.” At that moment, they may have had an instant recall of what they already knew about a Passover Lamb who will take away the sins of the world. They’re ecstatic! “It’s finally happened,” they may have shouted. In haste, they rush to see and recognize everything was exactly as they were told. They leave in joy, praising God for all He has done. Be sure, they’re not running to pompously brag to Roman officials about their new king or to gather a crowd to start a political or social uprising. No. It’s an OMG moment, one of astonishment and joy! (Luke 2:8-20)

Finally, there were wise men. Nothing more, just a few guys who were wise, it reads. They were wise enough, we see, to notice an unusual star in the sky that told about a “king of the Jews.” They travel to Jerusalem to ask where this child was. King Herod also wants to know and asks the experts in the law where this king was to be born. (Was he nervous or jealous about another king exceeding him?) They tell him the location. Not so wise, ‘eh? King Herod lies and tells the wise men he too wants to worship this child. Intrigued by the child, the wise men present Jesus with gifts that are symbolic of all He was and all He would endure. They don’t fear the King’s wrath over God and have sense enough to return a different way so the evil king could not find and kill Jesus (Matt 2:1-12). How interesting that Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, himself would need protection and preservation by the wise men and by his earthly father Joseph, who was also warned to leave town so Jesus could live (Matt. 2:13-15).

This is the story of Jesus Christ—at least the part of His story that tells how He got here; there’s more. Please read it for yourself. It’s a remarkable, true story. It shows us how strategic God was in bringing into the world His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. He would proclaim the kingdom of God and fulfill God’s plan of salvation for all nations. And He was willing to relate with and include humans in the process. Were these Israelites special or extraordinary? Did they have a divine superpower within them? No. They are people who knew, maintained, and trusted God’s promise. Like us, they were going about their daily life activities or work, planning, and living their lives. They had human bodies, hearts, minds, and wills, just like us. But they humbled themselves when God appeared and interrupted their lives. From their long history with Him, these understood He has that right. Going along with God’s plan sometimes may seem to us uncanny, unconventional, strange, or appear risky. It may involve stopping what we are doing, listening intently, changing our plans, or completely abandoning them (in some instances), and accepting His will, His way. I think about how I would respond today to an angelic visit with a message from God. Would it be as these individuals demonstrated?

We should never doubt our significance or usefulness to God. He’s not so high and lofty that He doesn’t look down on or bypass the common person to use him or her for His glory. Neither our sorted personalities nor troublesome predicaments are drawbacks to His inclusion of us. We’re not so inadequate or flawed that He overlooks us for service in His kingdom. The times in history have changed, but there are more written promises the Lord has made that are yet to be fulfilled. So, He is still working by His Spirit for His kingdom purposes. I’m grateful these ordinary people said “yes” to God’s unprecedented way of delivering His Son, Jesus Christ, to us. Because they did, Jesus Christ came, lived, died, but rose again. This resulted in His rescuing us from sin’s dominion, sin’s power, sin’s penalty, and–coming very soon—from sin’s very presence. Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection fulfilled the law and all God’s righteous requirements to be in a relationship with Him. Hallelujah! You need only to believe.

Please, go ahead and open the gift that was delivered to you, and receive all Jesus Christ has done on your behalf. 😊

A blessed Merry Christmas to all of you!

Jesus Christ…Heard of Him?

Maybe you have never heard about Jesus Christ. This blog is your first-time hearing His name mentioned. Allow me to introduce Jesus Christ to you. One of the biblical authors, the apostle Paul, tells us good news about Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 in the Bible, Paul says,

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve…”

Jesus was a real human being who lived and died on earth, my friend. This is not a fictional story. John 3:16-17 from the Bible tells us why Jesus came. It says,

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.”

So, you see, Jesus came from God on a mission born out of love. Unlike others, God did not send Jesus to shake His finger in your face to scold you about how “bad” you are, or to stick his nose up at you to show how much your actions “repulse” Him. In fact, the intent was just the opposite.

Emanating from God’s heart of love for humanity, and His compassion and mercy which He has plenty of, God was
propelled to send His Son, Jesus Christ–to save us from sin. The idea of humanity needing a savior is true. We do! Being “saved” from something suggests a problem or danger exists that we need to be rescued from. There’s
something bad or negative lurking around in the shadows. Right?

Well, yes, there is a danger lurking around in our human hearts and world – it’s called “sin.” Sin is not something God likes or participates in. On the other hand, humans, unfortunately, have a natural proclivity for it. We were born in sin and have the instinct to partake of sin’s fruit. At one point, God recognized how humankind’s proclivity for sin and evil was so great, He relented (or regretted) that He had made mankind. That’s pretty saddening, I’d say. It says, in the first book of the Bible, Genesis chapter 6, verses 5-7,

“But
the Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind had become
great on the earth. Every inclination of
the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he
had made humankind on the earth, and he
was highly offended.”

We have an opportunity to understand here how God does take issue with sin (the word we hate to say); it is the problem or danger in us that stands in the way of Him and us. It’s in the way of us rightly relating with God because He is Holy and, as the younger generation would say, He’s “all good.” Yes, God is good and therefore sin must be faced, addressed, and dealt with in order to know Him.

Bing! This is where a Savior is key and Jesus Christ is important to get to know. Jesus Christ stood in the gap for you and me to handle this sin problem that offends God. Sin has a penalty—death–and somebody has to pay a price for it to stay in God’s company. This is what Jesus did. One time, for all, Jesus took the punishment for sin that humanity deserved so that we could become the righteousness of God. Jesus, a good guy, died a criminal’s death on the cross. The Bible says it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:19-21,

“In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses [sins] against them, and he has given us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making his plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, ‘Be reconciled to God!’

God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.”

The good man Jesus, the Savior, took the fall for the bad guys (you, me, and the rest). We can, however, be reconciled (made right) before God right now and begin a relationship with Him because of the fall Christ took and the price Christ paid on the cross for our sins. Please, do so.

God wants us near and close to Himself, as family members. God, the Father wants you to know and experience His life. Simply believe and receive this truth about his Son, Jesus Christ—that He came as the Savior of the world and died, was buried, and rose again to bring you to God. He was more than just a religious prophet and teacher. In fact, Jesus Christ is the only One who can bring us to share in God’s eternal life, as Acts 4:12 shows us this about Jesus’ name. It says,

“This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, that has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved.”

Don’t reject the message about Jesus Christ any longer. It is true. Believe and receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior right now. Ask Him to come into your heart and give you God’s eternal life. Then the truth about what this
eternal life is, as recorded in John 17:3, will immediately begin in you. It says,

“Now this is eternal life—that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.”

“Welcome…nice to meet you. Please, come in and have a seat at my table,” you will sense God saying, once you do! 😊

Let us know if you received God’s life!

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Slow Down

Hello. I’m back from my summer break and must say I feel rested and refreshed. I’ve learned it’s okay to put things aside and rest for a while. This was not always typical of me. I had to always be busy or actively working on or doing something new. I was driven and consumed by success, ambition, making money, climbing the corporate ladder, and getting things right (especially this Christian life)–quick. My drive and what was compelling it, I discovered, had nothing to do with God! My drive was worldly, often fueled by insecurity and wrong motives. I’ve learned and still am learning the importance of slowing down, smelling the flowers, and gaining the right perspective. We’re all familiar with this traffic sign. It alerts drivers to exercise caution in a particular area because pedestrians are walking nearby. Drivers should slow down.

Slowing our pace, pulling away from demands, streamlining expectations, and drawing away from people sometimes must be beneficial for us. Didn’t Jesus do it? Mark 8:35 shows us He did. It says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Even our Creator, God, after He completed His creative work, rested. Genesis 2-3 tells us, “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” Surely, if Jesus stopped healing, teaching, and preaching to regroup, and God, the Father, rested after work, shouldn’t we do the same?

For twelve years, I’ve been living with multiple sclerosis (MS). Before MS, I was naturally energetic and fast. My brain thought fast. I walked fast. I finished tests and spelled words fast. I typed, prepared documents, and proofread fast! I cleaned the house fast! And still, even now, I respond fast to a crisis. This was me. Fast could have been my nickname. It’s how people may identify me. No doubt, the MS has contributed to my slower pace now, (although my son is constantly alerting me still to, “slow down, Mom”). There was something more, however–besides MS–that triggered in me a need to slow life down. First, the more I experienced God in my life, I realized, unlike our fast-paced American culture and world, God doesn’t always immediately move when I need or want Him to. He doesn’t always quickly respond to my requests. God moves, responds, and acts in His time. This is sometimes difficult for us to grasp, especially when it involves something we believe He could or should have prevented if He would have. However, God’s kingdom is a mystery to us; it does not function or operate as earthly kingdoms. He reveals pieces about it to us little by little, because its ways are foreign to human ways. No one can say they have completely figured God out.

Second, this idea about, “setting our minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Col. 3:2) is not something we immediately comprehend. Ours is a fast-paced, fast answering, fast problem-solving world. Society tells us to “weather the storm” and “keep it moving.” Even as we watch on television the world calamities that happen, we hear news network reporters asking, “How quick was the response? How soon will repairs start? How fast did law enforcement arrive? When will the electricity be restored?” Since information now travels so fast via the internet, satellite, and cell phones, one is thinking, “Wow! Didn’t the catastrophe just happen?” But, this is our world–fast. It was my thinking too.

In my upcoming book, I talk about how as a child I visualized God as a superhero, like Superman, flying through the skies, saving the world from evil. I’ve since grown up and realized, however, God may not always act fast on my behalf. As a member of His family, there are times when daily, weekly, or year after year, my prayers to God continued–unanswered. I thought they were honorable prayers too, prayers that deserved special attention because they concerned areas of struggle and weakness I had or a sin I wanted to overcome. I mean, “God hates sin,” right? He’ll be here fast to help with this one. To my surprise, God didn’t immediately show up, let alone even address the situation I put before Him. He didn’t immediately come and show me a way out–sometimes until years later. God didn’t always immediately strengthen me, show me what to say, or heal my broken heart. I recall times crying out earnestly to Him, in anguish, seeking His help on a matter, his touch to relieve a pain that I felt warranted His immediate response. God did respond—but in His time. Contrary to how fast our society says we should move to keep up, I recall, in between my prayers to God and His response to them, I did: hurt, feel pain, cried, sweat, struggled, wondered, and thought. I did have to wait.

We don’t realize how earthly-minded we still are as Christians. Instead of it being God’s kingdom driving us, we’re being driven and propelled forward maybe by our culture and societal norms and values, past hurts, settling a score, competing with someone, words spoken that left a scar, attempts to correct a past failure, and other things only you know. It’s wise to check in with ourselves to see what’s really driving us; it may not always be God.

When we’re so busy, moving fast, making things happen, and getting things done, at some point, we may finally look up and see, we missed the entire process and important small details. We neglected to recognize the still small voice inside us saying, “Stop, he’s hurting; she’s crying, sit a minute; look at Little Joey’s picture he drew for you; your husband had a rough day, rub his shoulders; look at that beautiful skyline; pick up that pretty Lily; go visit your sister today; tell them about Jesus, they’re ready; go, it’s parent/kids day at school; give her $20, she’s hungry; go visit your cousin in the hospital; hug him, he’s sad; sit down and listen, they’re depressed.” These seemingly insignificant whispers are wherein our blessing lies; it’s God quietly, gently speaking, and when we notice, we “do” what’s on His heart. Let’s slow down so we won’t miss these gentle nudgings anymore. For, it’s in doing these where our true success is measured—for God’s kingdom, that is.

Be blessed until next time!

A Mother’s Treasured Heart

Luke 2:19 (NIV) tells the story of how Jesus’ mother, Mary, treasured up and pondered in her heart words the Shepherds spoke about Jesus Christ. After the angel revealed to them who Christ was, they went to find this child. They found Mary and Joseph with the child and proclaimed to them and those nearby everything the angels had said about Jesus. Verse 17 says, “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child…and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ” The scripture goes on to say about his mother, “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Surely, Mary was just as amazed as the others by what the shepherds said. She did not fully understand what these words meant about the child she had just given birth to.

However, she “treasured” and “pondered” on them, the text says. These words reflect more than just simply thinking about something. These words are used as verbs here, which denote an action Mary took. Meriam Webster defines treasure as, “to hold or keep as precious; or “to collect and store up (something of value) for future use.” Ponder means, “to think or consider especially quietly, soberly, and deeply.” Mary heard the shepherds’ words, wondered what they meant and thought deeply about them, considered them of excellent value, and quietly stored them deep inside her heart. The scripture does not tell us another angel appeared to explain all this to her. Nor does it say how Mary discussed it with her husband, Joseph, or ran to tell her friends. She didn’t even dance around the room in glee at this announcement.

On the contrary, Mary was struck by the idea she was responsible for raising an incredibly special child. The announcement was extraordinary. In her bewilderment, she made a mature decision. Quietly and wisely, Mary stored the words from the shepherds deep within her heart. Somehow, I belive Mary understood–at that moment–those words would be the arsenal she would need to draw from as Jesus, the Christ, would grow “… in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52). Now, things are becoming clearer for Mary.

May we follow Mary’s example with the children we’ve been gifted to love, care for, and guide. Surely, being a mother has its quirks and foibles. From our first look at our children, we don’t immediately know what will follow. Sometimes we want to know everything about our kids, or we try to craft them into what we want them to be. Instead, let’s do as Mary did and treasure the special moments we share with them and ponder in our hearts those special conversations when they are revealing themselves to us. As God did for Mary, in time, He will reveal to us our kids’ unique characteristics or abilities. Because, like Jesus, every child has a purpose when they are conceived.

Be blessed until next time…!

Worrying about Worry

No matter how dark the night, or bleak the news… No matter how difficult the trial, or long the test… No matter how unfair it seems, or how much it hurts… Just don’t worry!

Though you’re toiling the same soil, yet the fig tree has no bud… Though you’ve prayed and prayed some more, no answer is in sight… Though you’ve loved, said a kind word, but a slap returns instead… Just don’t worry!

Whether your anxiety is real or anticipated, your fear happening or imagined in your mind… Whether uncertainty has drained your spirit, blown your smile away with the wind… Even here, just don’t worry!

Why? Philippians 4:6-7

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

A worrier? Don’t worry. Make your request. Be blessed until next time! 🙂

Celebrating African American Author & Film Producer, Oscar Devereaux Micheaux

As an African American amateur writer, blogger, aspiring author, and lover of all things about theatre and film, on this last calendar day of Black History Month–a month where Black Americans focus our attention on the significant contributions made by past and present Black Americans to the United States, I chose to honor the life of Mr. Oscar Deveraux Micheaux in this month’s blog.

During a time when Black people faced various struggles in the Hollywood film industry (oftentimes excluded), Oscar Micheaux made significant accomplishments for the African American community as a writer, film producer, director, and entrepreneur. “[He] is regarded as the first major African-American feature filmmaker, a prominent producer of race films, and has been described as ‘the most successful African American filmmaker of the first half of the 20th century,’ [producing both silent and sound films.]”[1]

In his book, Slow Fade to Black: The Negro in American Film, 1900-1942, Thomas Cripps (1993) states, “Most early Negro appearances in film followed the Southern stereotypes of the wretched freeman, the comic Negro, the black brute, the tragic mulatto, in keeping with literary and theatrical tradition…to understand the history of Afro-Americans in the history of the cinema is to see a race in tension with white supremacy, in conflict with itself and its own ideals, in a quest to overcome disabilities, and moving slowly toward a viable cinema identity and an honest contribution to Hollywood movies. These stereotypes…were prevalent in Hollywood films up to 1942.”[2] It is noteworthy how most of Micheaux’s novels and films centered around the social oppression of Black people during this time. Hollywood was not equipped or interested in producing films for African Americans, so, independently, Oscar worked outside of Hollywood and against it, producing over forty-four films–both sound and silent. His first film, The Homesteader, was produced in 1919, and his last, The Betrayal, in 1948. He also has seven novels to his credit. “[His] life and career can be divided into three phases: his years as homesteader and novelist (1910-1917); his years making silent films (1918-1930); and his years as a maker of sound films and as a novelist (1931-1948).”[3]

DJ Spooky, a.k.a. Paul D. Miller, continues by informing us how “…there was generally deep segregation in the [film] industry…Black creators [were] largely relegated to the sidelines, and Black performers largely forced to conform to, and thus reinforce, stereotypes in major Hollywood films throughout the 20th century… A genre of films known as Race films became popular. These films featured Black actors and were shown primarily to Black audiences. Many Black filmmakers during this time were able to independently produce and distribute films that focused on the everyday life of what it meant to be Black in America. [They] used this medium to combat stereotypes and set the tone for an independent Black cinema.”[4] This is where Oscar Micheaux would have an impact.

Born in 1884, the 5^th child of 13, to Calvin S. and Belle Michaux in Metropolis, IL, Oscar’s father was born a slave in Kentucky… The best schools were available there and Oscar received his basic education. Betti Carol VanEpps-Taylor, (1999) writes in her book, Oscar Micheaux: Dakota Homesteader, Author, Pioneer Film Maker: a Biography, “Micheaux grew up during a transitional period for African Americans. Some of the four million freedmen benefitted from post-Civil War programs, but many struggled with poverty, bigotry, denial of franchise privileges, lack of access to education, and continuing oppression by a sharecropping system that replaced a legacy of slavery. [Most] looked to a small group of leaders for guidance and inspiration, and Booker T. Washington was the most influential African American at that time…He was the epitome of success, had risen from poverty and slavery to build a great school, and [became] a power broker and adviser to presidents.”[5] Surely, his mother’s deep religious beliefs and Bible teachings, coupled with the Washingtonian values of success through hard work, thrift, and economic ambition are what helped Oscar Micheaux face, yet overcome the varied challenges he did as he strove to become a prominent Black filmmaker.

As Micheaux grew, his journey took several paths. Discontented with local Black culture, and against his parents’ wishes, in 1901, he moved to Chicago with his brother, where he experienced “the good life.” He rented his own place and began to make and save money. He worked various jobs from the stockyards to the steel mills, [and as a shoeshine boy in a barbershop.]”[5] However, the job that most appealed to him and changed his life was working as a Pullman porter for the Southern Illinois Railways. In this job, he was able to travel and meet many affluent upper-class White people. He enjoyed hearing their stories because it kept him abreast of all the latest happenings. In addition, as his train route took him through the Western states in the U.S, he discovered a liking for it. Micheaux’s worldview expanded, he was able to save money, and eventually, he became a homesteader in South Dakota.

Patrick McGilligan, in his book, Micheaux, The Great and Only: The Life of America’s First Black Filmmaker (2009) concludes, “In his time, [Micheaux] became as famous—and controversial—as anyone in the field of so-called ‘race pictures.’ [He was] a self-made man who lived the American dream [and] boasted a record of undeniable achievement in spite of the obstacles erected against his race… He was the Jackie Robinson of American film. No, a Muhammad Ali decades before his time, a bragging black man running around with a camera and making audacious, artistic films of his own maverick style, at a time when racial inferiority in the United States was custom and law… [Micheaux’s films] were among the first films in history to attack lynching’s, segregated housing, gambling rackets, corrupt preachers, domestic abuse, criminal profiling by police, and all kinds of racial inequities.”[6]

Micheaux founded and was president of the Micheaux Film and Book Company (1920). Some of his films have been found and restored. His 1920 film, Within Our Gates—a race film response to racism–is available for viewing on YouTube or other streaming services. Three novels are available for download on Kindle: The Homesteader, The Conquest, and The Forged Note. There is an Oscar Micheaux Committee website where one can view a list of Micheaux’s novels and films, as well as a list of books written about him. Two of his films have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant: Within Our Gates (1920) and Body and Soul (1925). An annual Oscar Micheaux Film and Book Festival is held in Gregory, South Dakota, where they honor the life and films of the African American homesteader and filmmaker.

So, in the spirit of Phil. 2:3 (HCSB), which states, “Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves,” I want to thank the Lord for hearing about Oscar Micheaux. I am inspired by his story. His bravery to discover and use his gift at such a time when oppression, suppression, rejection, ridicule, and cruel treatment of Black people was at an all-time high is remarkable. Blacks were only recently freed from slavery, thus not seen as very significant at all. He blazed a trail for other African American actors, writers, and filmmakers. Now, African Americans are prominent on and off the Hollywood screen. We are writing books, and producing and directing films and theatre productions that speak to our experience in America and around the world. I’m excited to understand, as Micheaux did, that I can effect change through the written word. Against any odds, I can complete my first book, and, possibly, who knows, the film or play that’s been on my heart. You can too!

Americans, be inspired, you’ve made, and are making significant strides in race relations. African Americans, be inspired; while the struggle continues, we’ve made, and are making more headway. Human beings, be inspired because “trouble don’t last aways.” Thanks, Mr. Micheaux!

Be blessed until next time…

References

[1]Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Micheaux

[2]Cripps, T. (1993). Slow fade to black: The Negro in American film, 1900-1942. Oxford: Oxford University Press. New Yor, NY. (pp. 7, 11).

[3]Bowser, P., Gaines, J, Musser, Eds, C. (2001). Oscar Micheaux & His Circle: African American Filmmaking and Race Cinema of the Silent Era, Indianan University Press, Bloomington, Indiana.

[4]Miller, Paul D. a.k.a D.J. Spooky. (January 2021). Race Films: The Black Film Industry That Told Black Stories in Cinema’s Earliest Days. Retrieved from https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/race-movies/

[5] VanEpps-Taylor, B. C. (1999). Oscar Micheaux, A Biography: Dakota Homesteader, Author, Pioneer Film Maker [May 28, 1999]. Dakota West Books, Rapid City, SD.

[6]McGilligan, P. (2009). Oscar Micheaux: The Great and Only: The Life of America’s First Black Filmmaker. United Kingdom: HarperCollins. pp. 2-3.

Bearing Our Cross

During your life’s journey, have you been able to identify a cross Our Father, God, has intended you bear? I understand you are upset, depressed, and distressed about a situation? Under your breath or aloud, you’re still cursing, screaming, and walking around in a huff over a predicament you’re in. But have you ever stopped to consider, this may be a cross Christ is asking you to bear for His glory?

Sometimes, cross-bearing is brief. An illness has landed you a stay in the hospital for surgery or treatment of some kind. For this brief period, you’re in tumultuous pain, stagnant, and unable to work to pay the bills; everything halts. Other times, it’s a similar scenario or personality type you don’t like but continuously encounter. “This again,” you think, “I hate these people!” Lastly, some crosses leave a life-long painful imprint on us, and we carry its scars every day. No prayer, life activity, or changes we’ve made erases the memory. The Apostle Paul experienced this. It is not identified as a cross but as a thorn that he was given. “I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:7-9). Paul had scars to live with. He tells us, they were given to keep him from becoming conceited. Hmmm! Do crosses, thorns, and pain help with this human malady?

We find in Matthew 16:21-26 dialogue specifically about cross-bearing. What is it? And, who’s it for? According to this text, those who ascribe to being a Christ-follower must take and bear a cross; it’s a part of being united with Christ and sharing in His suffering. I remember having this discussion with an old friend of mine. He completely rejected this idea. Any notion of suffering was a result of negative thinking on others’ part. When discussing various unpleasant experiences he faced, I would offer him a cross-bearing perspective to help him try to recognize possibly a lesson God was teaching him or character development He was building in him. His response was always the same, “Look, that was Jesus; I’m not Jesus.”

In our text this month, we find Peter also rejecting such negative ideas about suffering. Jesus foretells His suffering and death to his disciples. The text states, “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”

Doesn’t Peter sound like us? During tough times and in challenging conversations, we tell our loved ones, “Stop being so negative. I rebuke that depressing spirit off you.” Peter was possibly trying to console the Lord, lift Him out of despair, or maybe change His perspective. In a sidebar conversation, I imagine Peter saying, “Come on, Lord, you’re the Messiah. You’re a great man doing all these wonderful things for people. And, we’ve been waiting for you all these years, you finally appear, and now you’re going to tell us this? Look, nothing like this is going to happen to you, especially while I’m here. Trust me!” Society tells us to stop being so negative and focus on the positive. We tell family and friends, “You’ll be fine; don’t worry about it!” Satan is usually the culprit for our negative feelings. Not always so, as we see here. Despite Peter’s well-meaning intentions, he was wrong. Jesus rebukes him. “But he (Jesus) turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Ha! Now, how about that? Peter’s kind words are coming straight from hell, and Jesus recognized this because He knew He had to bear a cross.

I don’t think it is happening this way today in our “name it, claim it” prophetic Christian subculture. We actually are accused of and rebuked for “speaking it into existence.” Have you received one of those “just claim it” words during your Christian journey that did not happen as it was proclaimed? Unfortunately, this ideology is running rampant now. People are disheartening individuals by telling them untruths to appease them.

Jesus’ somber, troublesome news to His followers was necessary and true. The disciples would later see it happened just as He said. Jesus uses this blunder by Peter to drive home a point for them and us. “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Cross-bearing involves:

Conforming to Christ’s image
Denying yourself
Taking (accepting) the cross while continuously following Him
Losing one’s life for Christ’s life

Conforming to Christ’s image involves sharing in His suffering too. Cross-bearing will challenge our ideals, worldviews, perspectives, dreams, hopes, and desires. It will involve taking actions, making decisions, and/or expressing views, etc. that are counterintuitive to who we are. As we take up our cross and continue to follow Christ, at some point, any ill feelings, ill will, dislike, anger, resentment, and/or grumbling, complaining, and blaming should end. It’s an exchange Christ has called us to make for Himself. We can, however, choose to reject our cross in order to gain the world.

My fellow believers, from a human perspective, our cross may be difficult, as it was for Jesus Christ. We may want to say at times, “Oh no, not this,” or pray, as Paul did, for a problem to be removed. Don’t, however, discount or not recognize your cross because of erroneous satanic teaching happening in the Church today. Understand that, while bearing a cross, sometimes: it will not be fine. It will hurt. It will be painful. It will drive you to despair. It will cause you to cry. It will involve blood, sweat, and tears. It will baffle your mind. It will make you sad. It will anger and frustrate you. It will be tiresome. It will cost you a lot of money. It will be risky and make you feel uncomfortable. It may require you to take medication or an infusion. It may mean, let it go. It may mean changing your perspective about a race or culture of people. You may have to embrace, live among, or help those you don’t like. It may be, no, it’s not that one; it’s this one over here. It may be, forgive and stay. It may be, forgive and leave. It may be, marry this one, not that one. It may be, not this career, this one. It may be, give that up. It may be growing up poor. It may be, anoint this one for ministry, not that one. You may lose the job, the contest, the award, the beauty pageant, or the business deal. You may be overlooked, rejected repeatedly, unfriended, lied on, and cheated. However, whatever you discover is your cross, don’t despise it. Pick it up and keep “looking unto Jesus, the author, and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2 NKJV).

Happy New Year! 😊

Thanks Lord

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
I Thessalonians 5:18

Thanks in all circumstances God? Everything?

But you don’t understand, this Covid-19 pandemic is out of control and has wreaked havoc in my life. I lost family members I love dearly. The disease has left me now struggling to breathe, even move or walk; I’m tired. Not only this, but I already have a chronic illness, and my loved ones too; we’re sick. Trying to avoid Covid and manage my own and their disease is overwhelming, scary. Can the health system properly handle my illness and the number of Covid cases? Am I going to get Covid and die? Is my chronic illness going to worsen? Will I end up with both? These and other concerns elevate my blood pressure. Ugh! I’m fearful.

Sir, in all due respect, my livelihood is gone–in an instant. I no longer have a business. Financially, I’m strapped. I must start over at 55 years old. The work culture has changed and so has my job. I’ve gone out to work all my life; now I must work from home. I don’t know much about computers, navigating Zoom, or managing my kids around work. Their lives are in upheaval too; one week they’re in school, another week, they’re doing virtual learning because someone became sick with Covid. They’re not learning much, and their new schedule collides with mine. I don’t like this. I’m confused.

Do you see, my family has been torn apart. My husband left me. My wife has changed how she now sees me. My kids don’t even visit. I’m lonely.

I find no solace when tuning to media outlets to hear the news so that I stay abreast of what’s going on or discover what I’m supposed to be doing. In fact, I’m even more disheartened. I find myself often gasping for breaths listening to the “breaking news.” It’s sure that, isn’t it? My heart breaks reading the headlines or watching those appalling crime videos they show over and over again–another murder, mass casualty incident, missing person/rape, shooting, or a corruption case involving those in high places. I’m not so thankful to know at any place or at any time, I too could become a victim, simply while working on my job, walking my dog in the park, attending a concert, or church or school, or traveling in my car or on a plane or train. Announcements of racist and social biases and extremist groups and their ideologies run rampant in news coverage. Political leaders are not unified. They’re bashing one another. We’re told about the “left,” the “right,” the “progressives?” What is all this? What does it mean? So much divisiveness. It’s chaotic out there. I have no peace.

I’m a sociable, outgoing person. I always enjoyed freely mingling with friends, dining out, working out at the gym, hosting home parties, or catching a movie at the local theatre. Now I feel trapped in a shell, limited by what I can do, and paranoid to freely venture out to enjoy myself. I’m anxious about what I touch, who comes near me, who’s not vaccinated, and whether the restaurant has been disinfected. Wearing these masks is becoming a nuisance. I’m not free to be me. I want things to be like they were before. I miss socializing. I’m depressed.

So, Lord, are you saying in this verse, I should be thankful because these troubling things are Your will for me? Or, are you saying that what Your will is for those who follow Christ is to say “Thank you Lord” regardless of what is personally happening in their life or in the world around them?

Well, it’s reiterated in Ephesians 5:20, “…always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Everything means everything. Always means always. Hmm!

Happy Thanksgiving folks! Be blessed until next time…

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