Reginald and Georgia Harden have been enjoying their life together. From dating to proposal to marriage then designing and building their first home to finding out they were having a baby, things were great.
Until Reginald loses his job and all of his 401k savings on the same day.
Now, the happy life they’ve been creating is overshadowed by arguing, anger, debt, and misplaced blame.
In Book 3 of the What Did You Vow Series, find out if this marriage survives when part of the promise they vowed, “For Richer and For Poorer,” is put to the test.
Today, someone is celebrating a birth while someone is grieving a death. Someone is celebrating the remission of cancer while someone is being diagnosed. Someone is dying while someone will live from the donation of their organs. Someone is contemplating suicide while someone else is celebrating this being the best time of their life. Someone is closing the doors of their worship center and a new one is opening. Someone is being fired while someone else is being hired. Someone is looking at the darkness of despair while someone is enjoying the light of happiness.
It’s called life and it’s hard.
Some days it’s harder than you think you can handle. Some days, life makes it hard to breathe.
But it’s life.
Does it make it easier when we still have questions like, why children die, why the innocent perish, why bad things happen, why can’t cancer be cured, etc.. NO!
Yet, here’s what I know. We must hold on to hope. The hope that tells us, it won’t always be like this. Hope that confirms God has us, cares about our wellbeing and He loves us.
Until then, while we have to scuffle with this thing called life, “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13”
Dear God, give us strength to hope. Give us strength to hope in expectancy of the day when all of our troubles will be over. Give us strength to hope even when it doesn’t seem like it’ll work out. Give us strength to hope even when it doesn’t work out the way we thought. For we know if we place our hope in you, there has to be joy that overflows. Hold and comfort us, letting us know we are not alone. Therefore, we will live, walk, run, stand, sit, sleep, and wait in hope. Amen.
I know it’s been a minute since I’ve penned anything. However, I wanted to make you aware of a few things.
1. We’re planting a church
Yay! It’s a lot of work, time, and effort but I’m excited. Our model is to Teach, Train, Transform, and Transport. We will have our first official service on 2/4/2024. You can find more about us at www.thetemplechurch.net. You can also connect by texting CONNECT to 1.877.933.7984
2. We’re having virtual Bible Study
Every Thursday, for the remainder of the year, we connect virtually to study God’s word. For October, our series is “What are you eating?” Join us on Facebook or YouTube. (Invite somebody)
3. On Saturday, October 21, 2023, at 11 AM CST
I will be a vendor and attendee of Rev. LoTarsha Dillard’s The Ruth & Naomi Experience. (See flyer for details)
4. On Sunday, October 22, 2023, at 9 AM CST
I will be the guest of Pastor JT Crutcher and the women of Greater Grace MB Church for their Women’s Month celebration. (See flyer for details)
5. December 1-4, 2023, I’ll be in Detroit, MI
I’ll be with my sister, Lady Sharee Hall, and the women of Cedar Christian Church for the Finally Friday, Code Red event. If you’re in the surrounding areas, make plans to share with us. More details to follow.
6. It’s Pastor/Clergy appreciation month.
If you have or know of a pastor, preacher, or member of clergy you’re appreciative of, show them. It doesn’t always mean a monetary gift. Send them a text, email, or shout them out on social media. Let them know you appreciate their gift.
Know this … God has given you another chance and despite what the enemy has spoken, you are going to survive this. You shall, not maybe, you shall live!
This subject matter has been heavy on me lately. I don’t know who it’s for, maybe it’s for me. But allow me to share something I penned last year. This is for somebody who’s feeling as though you’ve done something wrong or you’re being punished. This is for somebody who is feeling like God isn’t listening.
This is for somebody who is cursing the place you’re currently residing, spiritually. You’re upset because it feels as though you’re alone, nothing is working and nobody seems to have the answer.
But have you stopped to think, maybe God is taking you through a period of confinement while you’re being made over to keep folk from taking credit? Have you stopped for a moment to consider this period of darkness could be developing the very thing needed for the “next” of your assignment? What if God is doing something, in you, that can only be done in solitude?
No, God isn’t doing this for you to see He’s all you need. If God was all we needed, He wouldn’t have taken 6 days to create all He did. Yes, God is who we need, but not all. We need air, water, food, people, medicine, prayer, faith, the assembly of other believers, etc.
However, sometimes God will shut us up, sit us down, and shift what we know in preparation for purpose finding us. Let’s face it, we can all use a good cleansing every once in a while despite how many scriptures we know and church T-shirts we own.
You simply need to trust God to be who He says He is and that He has our best interest in mind. God has not nor will He forsake you, but He will stretch you, strengthen you, square up with you, prepare you, push you then propel you.
I don’t know who lied to you, broke you, damaged you, took advantage of you, hurt you, left or walked away from you … but doggone it, it’s time you healed. Yes, the divorce hurt. Yes, their death stung. Yes, you didn’t think they’d be the ones to do this to you. Yes, I know it hurts but you’ve got to come to terms with it and get up. It may not be today, but you have to get up or you might not survive.
Get up, even through tears. Get up, even if they’ve yet to apologize. Get up, even if you still have questions. Get up, even if you’re still hurt. Get up, and forgive them. Get up, and forgive you.
I put a comma after get up because I need you to get up, pause, and then take action. Baby, they may have down all the things listed above and then some. They may have tried to tamper with your joy, peace, and mind, but you’re reading this. That means you’re alive, and can see, read, and comprehend. And because you have life, you also have hope! Pause then take action. Get up and take your life back!
