Daily Devotional – 9/21/12 “TBR! “

Now, if you don’t know what that means, that’s the children’s lingo that means to be real. See, I had to stop in today to be real with you, to vent in a way because I just don’t know what the hell is happening to the world. I know this is a Christian devotional and I probably shouldn’t have said hell but this is where most of us are going if we don’t start keeping it real. See, I’ve come to realize that this generation of children couldn’t survive without parents but I’ve also realized that we are the majority of the problem. Let me break this thang down so that it can be clear. We’ve allowed our children to become majority stockholder in a company they should have to work their way to the top in. Yea, we’ve allowed them to tell us what they want to eat, where they want to go, when they want to come home, how they want to dress, what they will and won’t do and all this crap when we should be knocking the crap out of them. The minister that recently preached our youth revival said it simple and correctly when he said we have dumb children with smart phones. Now, I don’t mean to offend anyone because I’ve got my faults too but now, right now, is the time for us to get this together. I’m trying to figure out what makes a child go to school every day and feel like they don’t have to do the work that has been assigned, don’t have to follow the teacher’s direction and can have a don’t care attitude. I mean, It’s mind boggling to me. I have a 15 year old who goes to one of the top schools in the city yet everyday she throws away the chance of a lifetime. I attended school on the Northside of Memphis, where folks who weren’t from that part of town, didn’t expect you to be nothing but baby I’m here to tell you that because of God, a strong mother/family, that school and being raised in that part of town; I am who I am today. It is because I watched my mom struggle to make sure we had what we needed and not what we wanted, it is because of the teachers who actually cared about us and they showed it, it is because of friendships that were made then and some that are still in effect today and it is because of where and how we were raised that we were able to become educators, corporate employees, great mothers/fathers, entrepreneurs and overall great folk. I am not ashamed to tell folks about my upbringing because it is my upbringing that keeps bringing me up!

Oh, but the kids these days have no sense of urgency, no regards to what should be a priority and will flaunt a don’t care attitude when the world will chew them up and spit them out the first chance it gets. We give them cell phones, name brand shoes/clothes, video games, nails, hair fixes and money to hang out when we hardly ever get the chance too. Am I blaming the parents, YES, because we are the problem and then we have the nerve to get mad when someone else tells them something? Child, you’d better wake up and realize that it takes more than you to raise a child. You got disciplined by the neighbors and you turned out more respectful because of it. I still say yes/no ma’am, yes/no sir to folks who are older than me and I don’t care if they are only 3 years older, why, because that’s respect. Now, the kids talk crazy and even look crazier when an uncle or aunt tell them to pull their pants up or their skirts down. We need to get back to reality! We don’t even discipline them anymore because we have a Now & Later attitude whereas a child does something now and we say we’ll get them later. What in the name of all things holy is that? The bible says in Proverbs 23:13, “Don’t fail to discipline your children. They won’t die if you spank them.” You didn’t die with all the whoopings you got, did you? And then you had to go and get the switch or belt for your own punishment. However, with the “new age” parents, we allow the child to set the rules of the game but when did the play change? I mean, if you were disrespectful with your mouth, you got hit in your mouth but now we tell them, “Say it one more time and I’m going to …!” What? What are you actually going to do later that you couldn’t have done now? Bay-bee, you’d better get it together. Kids, these days have it all wrong. Instead of your daughter being on the phone while you cook dinner, teach her how to make the cornbread. While your son is chilling on a Saturday, he should be cutting the grass while you are edging in order to learn how to take care of his house someday. If we don’t teach them, how will they know?” Teach a young man to be responsible and respectful so that he’ll know how to treat young ladies. Teach a young lady how to be responsible and respectful so that she’ll know how to treat young men. Teach them the value of a dollar so that they won’t be 18 and sign away their life the first time a credit card application comes in the mail. Teach them how to love themselves, first, so that they won’t fall for the first person whispering in their ear. Teach them how to pray so that they can call on God when times get hard. Teach them how to worship so that the Holy Spirit can abide in them and speak for them when they can’t. Teach them how to be responsible drinkers when they get 21 so they won’t end up dead or in jail before they turn 22. Teach them how to work hard for the things they want instead of stealing and robbing folks. Teach them that it’s ok to love themselves but not become self-centered and full of themselves. If you have a trade, teach it to them because even if they act like there aren’t interested now, they will be when they least expect it. If you start early building their foundation, they’ll always have it to build on. Will they sometimes stray, yes but they’ll have a starting point to go back too. This is why the bible says in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

We are living in a society where kids are maturing faster than they ever have so before the world turns them into another statistic, we have to ground them. My grandma always says you get them where they cut up at. Proverbs 29:15 says, “To discipline a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.” So, instead of going to the school to act a fool with the teacher, act one with the child that’s cutting up and I can bet they won’t want that embarrassment again. Tare their tail up when they are disrespectful to the adult in the house who is not their biological mom or dad instead of saying that you will. Another thing, stop discussing grown folk business in front of children who have no business being in the business! We’ve got to get back to teaching the right way instead of telling it to them. We’ve got to get back to paying attention instead of paying them to do the chores they are supposed to do. We’ve got to get back to praying for/with them instead of praying they make it to 18 to get out of your house. We got to get back to making them worthy of God’s blessings instead of making them go to church on Sunday where they text or sleep the entire time. We’ve got to being the parents that God has made us. The bible says in John 5:19, “Jesus gave them this answer, I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” And women are supposed to adhere to what the bible says in Titus 2:3-4, “Likewise, older women are to show their reverence for God by their behavior. They are not to be gossips or addicted to alcohol, but to be examples of goodness. That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children.” Don’t be quick to throw in the towel when your child makes mistakes because kids, young & old, will make mistakes because no one is perfect but God. Haven’t you realized by now that once you’re down and old, these same children you’re walking over will be responsible for you? Don’t be too quick to give up on them because they may just return the favor and then you’ll be sitting in a nursing home crying because no one will visit you. Start off with a strong foundation of Christ and His commandments and if they ever leave, they will have something to return to and to rebuild on. I know that times get hard and sometimes you feel like giving up, but someone cared for you when you needed it. You can’t be mad or sad when they are consumed by the streets if that’s the only choice you’ve given them. Stop giving up so easily on your child. Sometimes you have to take your hands off but that’s only when you have placed them in God’s hands.

Daily Devotional – 9/20/12 “I am a keeper!”

Yes, I am a keeper but not a keeper of shoes or clothes, of my house or car but I am a keeper of you; my brother and my sister. I am a keeper of you when I pray for you even though I may not personally know you. I am a keeper of you when I can speak on your situation without knowing what it is. Now, get this because I didn’t say gossip about your situation but I said I can speak on it and when I speak on it, I’m talking to somebody I know can fix it. This is why I am praying for you this morning. I am praying for the mother who paced the floor all night long. I am praying for the father who has no job and worried about how he will support his family. I am praying for the daughter who is dealing with peer pressure from so called friends. I am praying for the son who has anger issues and it is ruining his life. I am praying for the sister whose grief is consuming her days and nights, for the brother with the substance abuse problem and for the child who is toiling with grown folk’s problems and contemplating suicide. I am praying for the parents whose son was killed on last night by the hands of someone with no conscience. I am praying for the mother whose child is fighting in a war and she doesn’t know if he/she is coming home. I am praying for the teacher who is an alcoholic and won’t get help. I am praying for the coach who finds joy watching the children undress in gym, for the principal who is sleeping with a student, for the police officer who is using his job to bully folks and for the boss who gets paid the mega bucks while his employees are suffering. I am praying for the pastor who doesn’t care that members of his congregation are barely eating, for the deacon who never serves and the usher who never helps. I am praying for the person who is driving drunk and almost killed somebody on their way home from the bar, for the person whose is serving a prison term for something they didn’t do and for the person who actually committed the crime and got away with it because they actually haven’t. Which is why the bible says in Romans 12:19, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.”, Yes, I am praying for you because I am your keeper. I can pray for you without calling your name because even though I don’t know the situation, I know a situation fixer, a problem solver, a right now in my time kind of man, a heavy load sharer, a mind regulator, door opener, lifter when you’re down, a tear wiper when your tears won’t stop, a doctor when man has given up, a comforter when you feel lonely in your own home, someone who walks with you in the dark times and someone who can carry you when you can no longer go one. So you see, no matter your situation, you’re covered!

God has given me authority to do these things because Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” So, I am only doing what I am supposed to be doing. If we, as Christian women & young women, would pray for one another instead of gossiping, bring each other up instead of tearing one another down, comfort instead of confronting, fast instead of fight, praise instead of partying, anoint instead of arguing, witness instead of worrying, testify instead of terrifying; imagine, just imagine how much better our lives would be. The bible states in Job 14: 1, “That a person born of a woman is of a few days and full of trouble.” And if you’ve already been promised trouble before you were even born, why add to it? Why should I be jealous of the clothes and shoes you wear when God says if I ask and it shall be given? Why should I wish for your blessings when Gods says knock and the door will be opened for you? See; don’t pray for my blessings because your legs may not be able to walk through the storm I did to get this blessing. Your shoulders may not be able to carry the burdens mine have to get my car. Your back may not be able to endure the backstabbing by friends mine have to get my house. Your body may not be able to handle the sickness that mine has in order to get my testimony. Your heart may not be able to handle the heartache mine has in order to get my husband. Your eyes might not be able to handle the amount of tears mine have shed in order to reap from my harvest.

We as Christians have to be keepers of one another. When you lean, I’ll be standing beside you to prop you up. When you fall, I’ll be there to reach down and grab your hand to pick you up. When you cry, I’ll offer my sleeve to wipe your tears. When you talk, I’ll offer my ears to listen. When you need a comforting word, I’ll offer my voice as a vessel of God’s word. When you’re going through, I’ll be standing in front of you to offer my arms for a hug. And when you need me to just be there, I’ll do that too. I’ll do all of these things because I am your keeper!

Daily Devotional – 9/19/12 “Walking you through the Alphabet

I know you’re probably wondering why I would want to walk you through the alphabet now and you’re grown and have known your alphabets since you were 4 but this isn’t your regular ABCs. No, see, I just had to stop by to let you know that every time you go through something there is a reward or something greater that shall, not should, but shall come afterwards. 2 Timothy 2:12-13 says, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: Our faith may fail, his never wanes- That’s who he is, he cannot change!” Now, wanes in the previous scripture means fades or vanishes so this is simply saying, even when your faith fails, God’s never fades. Isn’t that amazing? This is why I had to show you, through using the alphabet that even when you go through, just hold on because afterwards there shall be a reward, if you don’t give up, give in; if you don’t sow in the world’s fields, listen to gossiping friends and messy church folk but if you hold on and endure you shall reap a reward that man’s hands can’t touch.

Now, just in case you don’t know your alphabets or you don’t feel like singing the dreaded alphabet song, let me list them for you here. Just so you can follow along with me.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

See, in life you have to deal with folks who accuse you of doing wrong even when you’re not, you have to deal with your adversary (enemy) who is trying to tear you down on every side and even agony in your body but then when it’s over you come through your battle because God has allowed you to beat the enemy this time and with more blessings than you can measure. Yea, I know you got the call that cancer was in your body or the devil tried to hold you captive but God says, hold on because I’m carrying you out of what you’ve been cast in, I’m changing your circumstances and I’m clearing the clouds so that you will no longer be consumed. That danger and that darkness the devil ditched you in to discourage you, don’t worry because I’ve got a door opened for you that’ll give you back double what you lost. God is saying, it won’t be easy all the time but if you embrace me; I’ll fill the empty places and enlarge your territory in due time and exceed your expectations. Even if you fall be faithful and your fears shall be few and I will not forsake you. Yea, I know you gave your all and all you got back was grief but God says I’ll guide you through your heartache and your hurting times and I’ll increase your inheritance and your joy. Even with the world judging you, I’ll justify your actions and keep you from being knocked down while you labor, stop you from leaning when your legs want to give out, maintain your mind when misery tries to mock you and move your murmuring so that nothing overshadows your praise. Ok, it seems like your prayers aren’t being answered, you can’t get promoted which means you’re not prospering, you can’t find your purpose and you’ve stopped pursuing your goals but don’t you know that you need to get in a quiet place to talk to God and quit running from His safety? Yea, it seems like you keep getting setup but you’re being shaped into who you should be and your soul is being filled with the Holy Spirit which makes you steady when it feels like you’re sinking and gives you strength when it feels like you’re stumbling. Yea, that ole devil may have taken some things from your life but that’s just the tribulations and trouble that God promised but it’s not meant to make you an unbeliever but it’s to make you understand that God is unmovable and that He can make you victorious in your weeping, wise during your woes and wonderful in your works. God can take YOU and your zeal (that’s passion) for Him and make your life a blessing zone!

Yea, I just had to take you through the alphabet to let you know that no matter what you go through, there is always something greater coming afterwards! So don’t give up, don’t give in, don’t allow your faith to waver and your work, on God’s side, to be few; don’t allow the world to change you and don’t allow yourself to change just because you’ve been hurt, misused or abused. Hold on! God never changes and although you’ve changed more times than you can count, change for God this last time and allow Him to do the rest!

Daily Devotional – 9/16/12 “Everyday, be thankful!”

Everyday is a day of thanksgiving. Yes, everyday is a day of thanksgiving and if you don’t have a reason to be thankful let me give you a few.. You’re walking on top of the dirt, you woke up and not only did you wake up but you have sight because you’re reading this, you have your right mind because you understand this, you have the activity of your limbs because you logged into Facebook, you’re blessed because you’re either reading this from a phone, computer, iPad etc., so yes you have a reason to make everyday a day of thanksgiving.

Oh, it’s not enough? Then let me make this thang personal. I woke up this morning with all my family well and with everything that I had on yesterday only better. I still got grandma who could have been gone after losing her only husband of 66 years. I still got my momma when someone’s has been gone for years, I still got my God given parents (my inlaws) who treat me like their own; I still got my husband and someone buried theirs yesterday, I still got my children and someone is saying a final goodbye to theirs; I still got all my sisters when someone lost theirs to breast cancer; I still got all my brothers and someone lost theirs to drugs; I still got all my aunts and uncles and someone has lost theirs to a senseless crime; I still got all my cousins and all my friends after somebody has lost theirs to gossiping! Yes see, everyday is a day of thanksgiving for me. I won’t sit on my praise because God has been too good. Even when I’m still fresh in my grief over granddaddy, I’m still thankful because he could still be here suffering. Baby, you better get a thankful attitude of gratitude because the things you take for granted can be easily taken from you and granted to somebody else!

Daily Devotional – 9/12/12 “Revival Time!”

I am inviting those of you who can and will to come and share with us on the first night of our Youth Revival at Macedonia in Hollywood, MS. It starts at 7:00 PM and our speaker this year is Rev. Brian Bartlett of Lake Grove Baptist Church (Memphis). For the first time ever, I will be tonight’s lecturer (yea I know right). Anywho.. Tomorrow Night’s Lecturer is the anointed LaShundra Richmond of Ebenezer Baptist Church (Memphis) and Friday’s night lecturer is another dynamic young lady, Ms. Iesha Gilliam of Believers in Faith Church (Memphis). So come on out and be blessed.

Now, you know I couldn’t leave you without a little encouragement! So here goes! STOP WHINING ALL THE TIME! Yes, I said it. Yea, I know you are irritated about this and mad about that but still, whining; really? You’re grown! Deal with whatever it is that has pissed you off, ruined your lunch or messed up your day because either way you probably couldn’t have stopped it anyway. I could have been mad after getting a call from my son saying he was out of uniform (for the same shorts he’s worn 3 times already) and that I needed to bring him a pair of pants to the school but why? I couldn’t change the fact that A. he had on the wrong pants and B. he needed new ones. So, why don’t you try it. Stop giving folks the happiness you’ve worked so hard to get. No, they can’t steal it because happiness starts within which means you have to give it. Be happy for you, for a change and stop pretending to be. Baby, life is so much better when you’re happy and you know it. Be happy in the skin you’re in. Be happy with the hair you have, with the clothes/shoes you wear, with the car you drive and the home you stay in. Be happy with the person you’re with (well, you’re with them so you may as well be happy) and if you can’t be then move! Stop letting the bill collectors get you down, pay what you can when you can and the rest can wait. Stop stressing over stuff you can’t change and stop worrying about tomorrow that you may never see. Be you and be happy being you.

That’s all!