Tag: Faith

In Honor of My Sister who Finished Well, I’ll Keep Going: Book Excerpt

Hello friends. I unexpectedly lost my 3rd eldest sister last week; she was one of my beta readers for my upcoming book. As a university professor, she would read my manuscript, critique and edit it, and provide feedback. Her feedback, I know, will enhance the book, scheduled to be published in 2025 (Lord willing). Here’s another excerpt.

Excerpt:

“What good is a relationship where neither person is taking steps to strengthen the bond to know each other better? I didn’t find this out until much later in life; I was in such relationships, where it seemed I was putting the most in. I’m naturally an initiator, a friendly person—asking questions to know more, conversational, making suggestions, or giving advice. A lot of times, friends or associates did not always take my suggestions or want to do what I liked doing, so I learned to do it alone. My mom taught me this—learn how to entertain or enjoy yourself. It’s not that I was so weird, or maybe I was. I don’t know. It’s just that the things that excited me did not particularly excite the people I was hanging out with. Maybe, wrong friends, you think? Possibly.

Nonetheless, relationships require cultivating—taking a walk in the park or dining together, binge-watching a TV series or working out at a gym, communicating with one another, and probing them to gain a deeper knowledge or understanding. Time together enables us to see one another and learn each other’s ways. If we don’t cultivate a relationship—new or old—what’s the use? Why are we in it? The relationship will ultimately become a stalemate. It’s going nowhere. Both of you will remain in the same state, the same place, where nothing new is happening, and there is no growth. You’ll just exist. I always believed relationships, especially a love relationship, should bring out the best in you.

Well, this idea is true in a new relationship with God the Father, through His Son Jesus Christ–the relationship needs cultivating for it to grow.”

[Copyright © 2024 by Eleanor D. Parks]

Want to read more? Click here to add your name and email to my author’s list to be notified once the book goes to print.

Remain blessed until next time! 🙂

Excerpt from Upcoming Book

Hello fellow bloggers, subscribers, and friends. I’m sharing another excerpt from my upcoming book, which I hope to publish by January 2025. Check out all three excerpts in August, September, and now, October.

Excerpt:

“We should have knowledge about and reflect upon these blessings that are given to all believers at the moment of our salvation. They come with divine authority from a graceful God. Knowing these should help us form a correct concept about who God is, how He is, and what He does. We’re now enabled to think and act differently, according to God’s kingdom and not this world. Our spiritual and natural self-esteem should bolster. Also, meditating on these blessings will remove doubt and fear as we experience failure, persecution, temptation, and trials. Having this status in God’s kingdom helps us not to shrink back, just as Paul and the saints in Ephesus did not. We should sense such closeness to God, who loves and cares for His children. We should feel wanted by Him.

No one goes through such in-depth detail, planning, and giving of themselves without wanting you to be a part. If you do not feel accepted or worthy, ask God to remove any mental blocks that are prohibiting you from believing these blessings are now for you. You don’t have to work to earn them. Ask Him to cleanse your psyche of any assessments, stereotypes, or opinions applied to your life that came from you and what you did, or family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, the law, the psychiatrist, social worker, preacher, priest, teacher, social media, television, magazines, etc.—whoever.

Let’s close this chapter with one of Paul’s most befitting prayers in Ephesians 1:15-23, asking for the Lord’s help to shift our perspective on who we are now in Christ. We begin with, ‘Praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us...'”

[Copyright © 2024 by Eleanor D. Parks]

Want to read more? Please click here to add your name and email to my author’s list to be notified once the book goes to print.

Thanks and remain blessed until next time! 🙂

Excerpt from Upcoming Book

Hello fellow bloggers, subscribers, and friends. To gain your interest and pique your curiosity, once again, I’m sharing an excerpt from my upcoming book, which I hope to begin the publishing process in December. So, have a look!!

Excerpt:

“Back and forth to church, it was for me, beginning in my mother’s womb (they told me). At age 7 or 8, I recall those walks. Not only did I travel to church each week, but my home was a place where I first learned the Bible. My mother held community Bible clubs there with children in the neighborhood. So, from a baby—at home and in church—I was hearing stories about God and His Son, Jesus Christ. I grew up in it, and it was affecting my life. What I was hearing captured my interest, prompted questions, and spawned further inquiry.

My mother carried the dominant spirituality in our home. My dad was a good guy and a believer, but I believe it was my mom who brought him into a closer relationship with God. On her side is a lineage of ministers dating back to the 1800s, as far as I’ve been able to trace. Her grandfather was Rev. George Winston Porter, founder of the First Baptist Church of Darby, in 1909. His son was my grandfather, Bishop John Winston Porter, who served for about a decade or more as the general overseer of the Congregational Churches of God in Christ, conferred on him by the late Bishop Winans. Many of you are familiar with the gospel recording artists’ family—the Winans—their grandfather. Long before their fame, my grandfather would return from his trips to Detroit, raving about those “singing boys.” My sister and I met them backstage when they first began doing concerts. We introduced ourselves and mentioned who our grandfather was. Excitedly, they remembered him and even began imitating the way he talked. (I wonder if they remember that day meeting us. 😊). However, nothing outweighed my grandfather’s deeply affectionate role as ‘Poppie’ (which we called him) to his thirteen grandchildren born to his son, James Donald Porter, and my mom. Poppie was a unique man and the love of our lives.”

[Copyright © 2024 by Eleanor D. Parks.]

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Interested? Want to read more? Please click the blue underlined link here to add your name and email to my author’s list and get notified once the book goes to print.

Thanks and remain blessed until next time 🙂

I Did It! MS Walk 2024 Completed

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. (2 Cor. 9:8)

Well, I completed the Philadelphia MS Walk yesterday, the first time in 14 years of attending the event but never walking (LOL). Thanks to my son’s encouragement, I walked; my legs began dragging a bit and I felt it afterward, but I walked the entire 1 mile. Thank the Lord!

My family and friends made it an exciting day and extra special; first time too organizing a team. These are all the great wonders God does in our lives when our dreams are shattered, and we don’t understand why. If we just keep on walking with Him, He brings perspective, a smile, and strength.

Thanks to all my subscribers who supported me!

Here are some pics and videos of the fantastic day we had. Be blessed until next time folks… 🙂

ME
Family
Family

Calvary or Cavalry?

A song that rang in my ear during my childhood; I loved hearing the pastor and congregation singing it. Pastor wasn’t a singer but you knew how much he loved this song by the way he bobbed his head and moved his legs while singing it. 🙂 It still reverberates in my spirit today at 62—At Calvary.

“Calvary,” or Golgotha was a site immediately outside Jerusalem’s walls where, according to Christianity’s four gospels, Jesus was crucified. Interestingly to me, there is a similarly spelled word “cavalry.” It denotes a unit of troops on horseback summoned for war. This group of soldiers is trained to fight and can be quickly deployed in a war. It was God, the Father, who summoned and deployed Jesus for calvary in this war for human souls. Jesus was the troop, the only war hero who fought to the death and won the battle to bring us to God.

At Calvary

Years I spent in vanity and pride
Caring not my Lord was crucified
Knowing not it was for me He died
On Calvary

[Refrain]     Mercy there was great, and grace was free
Pardon, there, was multiplied to me
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary

By God’s word at last my sin I learned
Then I trembled at the law I’d spurned
Till my guilty soul imploring turned
To Calvary

[Refrain]     Mercy there was great, and grace was free
Pardon, there, was multiplied to me
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary

Now I’ve given Jesus everything
Now I gladly know him as my King
Now my raptured soul can only sing
Of Calvary!

[Refrain]     Mercy there was great, and grace was free
Pardon, there, was multiplied to me
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary

O, the love that drew salvation’s plan
O, the grace that brought it down to man
O, the mighty gulf that God did span
At Calvary

[Refrain]     Mercy there was great, and grace was free
Pardon, there, was multiplied to me
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary

By William R. Newell

As this song tells us, Jesus’ death grants us unlimited mercy, grace, pardon, and freedom. Oh, and three days later, after this war at Calvary, Jesus got up from His grave; He’s the only war hero who ever did. Death couldn’t hold Him down. Wow! Jesus Christ is alive! Receive Him into your life now.

Happy Easter! 😊

Hear the Gaithers sing it.