My jeremiad life is full of pain and a constant struggle
And I am disconsolate with my yen to solve this puzzle
This situation leaves me with a brackish taste
Because I should be successful and not a waste
My mind is way worn because my stasis is off
So I continue to parse and decide what I should doff
Am I being punished for my actions of being refractory
How I long for this trial to pass and become a distant memory
I have experienced a fraction of what it is like to succeed
Please, no longer hold back my blessings, Lord, I plead
It feels like my life is a plateful of failure
Seasoned with very little pleasure
While not fully encountering my heart's desire
So if you’ve ever accomplished a dream it is you I admire
I am over qualified in all that I do
But blessings skip me and is given to you, you, and you
My emotions seems like God plays with
And the blessings He has for me feels increasingly more like a myth
Although I don’t understand my situation, I know I’ve been blessed more then others
However this storm is long and is tough to weather
I refuse to prolong this tough process by being discomfit
Lord I want to be biddable and show that I will never drift
So whatever it is You want me to do and or go through
Know I will do it willingly, just to show you, how much I truly love you

For the last couple of weeks this passage has been on my mind. Boats, rain and storms have shown itself more then usual. I also have been going through my own personal storm and I keep thinking about this text so I finally listened and read. Here is what I got from this story.

Noah’s ark is a story that discusses how God decided to punish the evilness of man by flooding the world, but looking at this story deeper, there is so much more to this story. God shows us how He operates, how He will bless and what He looks for and expects.

God observes, creates purpose, puts a plan together, chooses a person, gives instructions, and then puts you in a place to be successful and protected. It’s our job to listen, follow and be patient. He uses the righteous and unrighteousness. You can be considered unrighteous but by being connected to someone who is righteous, you can be blessed and shown grace. Who are you connected to who is blessing you? Finally once the plan has been completed He will give you His plan, instructions and expectations. 

Noahs actions of being faithful and righteous earned him the right to go through the storm!!! Noah had to go through the storm because of others actions. He didn’t deserve to go through the storm, but the storm was a blessing because there was no other options. Stop looking for options other then the ones God has given you. Building the ark, the job to collect all the animals, and going through the storm was the gift/blessing for Noah and his family.

The 5 things that really stood out when I looked again into this popular story was

1. God gives you a circle and He will tell you who needs to be around you. He will make sure people who do not need to be a part of or receive the benefit of your blessing will not be in the picture. Do not let people in your circle who God does not approve of. When the door shuts don’t let anyone else in.
2. God not only protects the person who needs to fulfill their purpose but God protects their circle as well.
3. God has a purpose for everything you do and everything around you. The Raven was a resource and made things easier because the raven could see and go places you cant while you are “shut in” and protected. Patience will be needed because the truth will be given and you may not like it or the wait in store.
4. God knows exactly what you will go through and will prepare you accordingly. We just have to listen and follow his instructions and be patient because you will not be told everything. Be still until He says move.
5. There was a season to prepare for the storm and their was a season to wait after the storm. God may not always tell you about the storm but He will allow you to be prepared for the storm. The question is will you be prepared. There was also a period of waiting after the storm. So although the storm was over, Noah had to still wait for the right conditions to get out of the boat.

When you’ve gone through your storm make sure you give praise and show your appreciation through actions and get prepared for the next storm. Never forget no matter how bad the storm is you are not only protected but you have been given the time to prepare. Being prepared means you have to listen and put in work.

​
OUTLINE
Genesis 6-9
God observes Genesis 6 vs 11-12
God has a purpose vs 13
He has a plan vs 13 - 21 overall plan (14, 18 - 21: plan for you)
God chooses the person vs 9, 13
He gives instructions vs 14 - 16, 19 - 21 Genesis 7:1-4
You listen and follow Genesis 6:22 and Genesis 7:5
There is a waiting period Gen 7:4
There will be a storm BEFORE the covenant Gen 7:10
Told Noah who should be in his circle Gen 6:18 (did not say his family was righteous or blameless)
God’s plan will happen whether or not you listen and follow Gen 7:11-12
God shut them in Gen 7:16-24 (the ark was lifted above the waters and the rain didn’t flood the boat). Noah, his circle and the chosen animals were protected.
There was another wait. Gen 8:1-5 a 150 days after 40 days and 40 nites and then some (God didn’t tell Noah about this wait). God wont forget you. Stay patient. Gen 8:6-14
Listen to your circle and know the signs. What you need to know may come from the unlikely source but they have a word. Gen 8:7-12 Noah could have left out when the raven brought back the olive leaf, but he was patient. He knew it was almost time when the raven did not come back (some people are meant to be with you for a season) and he was patient and waited seven days after that.
God tells you to move Gen 8:15-17 Noah didn’t leave the ark until God told him to.
God gives purpose after the storm Gen 8:16; 9:1
After the blessing praise God. Noah gave a sacrifice. Gen 8:20

God gives His plan after the storm and explains his covenant (didn’t tell Noah what the covenant would be before the storm). Gen 9:1-17

If anything was revealed to you please feel free to share with me.

​Regardless of what happens in your life. You will be let down by a number of people time and time again. In fact the most pain will come from the people who you hold closest to your heart. The question is how do you respond and do you forgive after you have been wronged. Forgiveness technically is not a choice, it is expected. God expects us to forgive as many times as we have been wronged. He expects this because He does it as well. God forgives any action as long as the person’s heart is sincere and then He forgets. It is as if it never happened. We unfortunately are not able to forget BUT we still can forgive. Time on the other hand will allow us to heal from the pain. After you have been hurt, are you able to show the same love God would show you after you have let Him down? Think about the same actions you consistently commit over and over again and you pray for forgiveness. God continues to forgive you for that same act and He gives you an unlimited supply of grace. Although consequences may be in order, God will always love and look out for you. He will never forsake you, and He has a plan for your life. Psalms 51:5 discuss how natural sinning is for man and Romans 3:23 says for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. There are days we have made some horrible mistakes and we know we let God down, but He will never turn His back on us. Regardless of how great we thought our best day was, we still let Him down on that day. We have never went a day where we have not let God down and God has never went a day without showing us grace and forgiveness.
In the song “Song of Intercession” by William Mcdowell the two following lines stand out. “The change I want to see must first begin in me. I surrender” and “If they’re looking for you, Jesus. Let them find you in me.” They are short yet powerful lines and shows us how Christ wants us to love. Living Christ like means you have to love like Christ and that means forgiving like Him as well. You have to show unconditional love even when it is not shown to you. Loving is easy when it is given back. Showing God's love can be hard because you are challenged to love and forgive those who do not love you.

You will be placed in situations where you will have to opportunity to show others what it is like to be loved by God. Sometimes those opportunities mean forgiving when you feel like it is unforgivable or showing love when you have been deeply hurt. It is easy to let your emotions get the best of you but if you are able to love when the world says you should not and if you are able to forgive when the world says you should not then it will be easier to accept and understand the love and grace God shows us when we have done wrong towards Him and others.

What is a Ghristian? Well I will get into that a little bit later. What I will start off with is by confirming with you that when you are on the right path, things will always become clearer when the Lord speaks. Do not run from the path or allow yourself to go astray. Do not get scared and do not let life keep you from being enlightened to what God has for you. God has some words and experiences for you and you can only receive them if you are in the right place emotionally, mentally, and physically. Always make sure you stay on the path and do not get distracted from your purpose. I allowed this to happen to me for a couple months. Despite what I was going through I did not put myself in the right place to continue to receive.

What does it take to be like Christ? What are some characteristics that are essential to handling adversity? Ironically as I have been studying my purpose, I came across a very interesting answer. I have been doing research on grit and mindset. There are a number of different mindsets but 3 stuck out to me.

1. Growth mindset vs. Fixed mindset
2. Belonging
3. Purpose and Relevance

What was interesting is that I never equated grit to being a characteristic that is essential with my growth with God (it took Pastor Jenkins to help me draw the connection later on). I have always followed Him. I have doubted at times but I never gave up on Him. I understand that He is looking out for me and I trust Him to lead and I follow. Now that sounds a lot easier said then done, but I am working on it.

I woke up this morning really thinking about how grit can push you ahead but can also hold you back. As a sophomore in high school, my grit kept me from transferring schools a year earlier. I was better then a number of players on the varsity team, and I knew if talent meant anything I would be playing a vital role on the team. That would not be the case. It wasn't that I was not good enough, it was the politics that was involved which I did not understand at the time. It took a parent to break down how a kid who was not given a scholarship would not play over a kid whose parents donated thousands of dollars. In short I experienced the negative effects of a Booster club. Unfortunately, I stayed at the school longer then I should have (or did I). I allowed myself to be held back because I “knew” my talent and hard work put me in a position to earning the playing time I desired (I debated using deserved). I was wrong.

As a follower of Christ we have to understand when you should move on and when to stay the course. When you are gritty, moving on can be the toughest thing to do because it can mean you are quitting or giving up on something you may not be ready to move on from. As for me, I did not want to leave a team that had an opportunity to win a state championship. I felt that playing a supporting role on a great team would be much better then changing schools. We had a great core and I loved the team I was a part of.

For you it could be staying in a relationship that you know you should end. It could be staying at a job because you do not feel comfortable moving on. Regardless of the reason, IF you know you need to let go, you are holding yourself back from an opportunity that could change your life for the better.

An important question is when should you move on? I asked that question before I stepped foot into church one September Sunday morning. As the pastor talked about suffering in 1 Peter, I started to see how grit is connected to our mentality and with our walk in Christ. Grit is the action required to live out your faith. Christ was grit in human form. He fought through every trial, and never gave up. When things got tough, He got stronger. When He could have gotten off the cross, He held on. When others doubted Him, He stayed positive and converted a sinner while on the cross when He was at His lowest (how do you do that). He knew He didn't deserve to be there but you wouldn’t know it. He did not complain, He stayed optimistic and His actions told the thief, there was something more, their was something special about Him (this thief was right mentality, emotionally, and physically to accept as opposed to the other criminal). When Jesus felt forsaken by God, He pressed on and got stronger. Jesus understood the direction He had to take and the objective He had to complete and He didn’t lose sight. He completed His task while staying positive because He understood he was being watched. Jesus dying on the cross was the grittiest moment ever.

1 Peter chapters 1 through 5 discusses how you should handle suffering and why it is vital to your life. You don't hide or avoid suffering, you embrace it because you understand a blessing is on the other side. Without rain there can be no harvest. Suffering has purpose.

Pastor Jenkins in closing said you have an option as a Christian. You can be a Christian and run from all the suffering that God has for your life. You can be a Christian who is a quitter. However, in order to be a Christian who really believes, lives, and embraces the suffering, you have to have faith and practice it with grit. He concluded his sermon by saying "Christians Don't Complain. After thinking about the importance of grit, I modified Pastor Jenkins saying to "Ghristians Don't Complain...They Adjust". Grit is the action shown when your faith is being tested. A follower of Christ with grit will demonstrate faith through grit when things get tough and not lose focus on what Christ has for them. Christ, Faith and Grit produces a Ghristian. It is when Christ not only meets the cross, but He embraces His purpose without complaint. As a Ghristian we to must embrace our adversity, our cross and walk within our purpose regardless of what we are forced to endure. The "C" has not been exchanged for the "G", but the cross has been added to the C to produce a gritty Christian.

Ghristians are not situational Christians who does not practice faith when the storm is at its worse. Ghristians are followers of Christ who understands adversity is meant to mold them for the blessing God has for them. They understand they are being watched and can be a witness even in their darkest moments. Ghristians never give up. They do not complain.

I understand now that moving on is not giving up when you have a plan and goal in mind that is aligned with your purpose. If your goals and actions do not line up with what God has for you then it is time to move on. My question now is was I obedient in staying at the high school or was I disobedient in not leaving a situation that was not going to work out in my favor?

Regardless of the answer, the experience helped mold me and it made me stronger. I understand how my mindset, the need to belong, my purpose and relevance must be in line with God expectations in order to get the most out of what life has to offer. I never gave up on my dreams and that experience will help me achieve my current goals that I have set for myself while walking within my purpose.

Be careful because your mindset, belonging and relevance can be facades to keep you from what is yours. Make sure you pray before deciding to leave or stay in any situation. Grit is great to have when you are using it within God's will, but it can also hold you back when you are outside of God's purpose. Continue daily to strengthen your relationship with your Father. He will make it clear what you should do if you are content in accepting and following the answer He gives you ( following is the hard part).

lluv

*This is the same article as "Don't Let the Illusions of 2017 Effect Your Progress In 2018" but there have been slight modifications made.  The personalization of this blog is an important part of My Story so I incorporated it into this section.  I changed the title to connect the with my journey. 

DON'T LET YOUR PAST FAILURES AND MISFORTUNES DEFINE YOUR FUTURE

​As I watched the movie the Illusionist, I could not help but notice the similarities with the progress of my life and how being focused on the wrong things will have you feeling like you are sooooo right, but actually so wrong.  The movie illustrates the power of truth versus illusion.  It shows how powerful illusions can be and how difficult it can be to accept the truth.  Which made me ask myself what illusions are affecting my growth and progress in my life?  Not the obvious things, but illusions.  What are the things that would be hard for me to accept that is holding me back from being closer to God, my family, building and maintaining relationships, being financially stable, and being more established in my career while walking within my purpose? ​

Since I decided to focus on this website and take the action to get closer to the Lord, my life has gotten better BUT I have had to deal with numerous trials. It seemed like whenever my nose got just above water, I had another situation push me right back down. I will not name every trial but here are a couple examples. My place flooded, car issues, finances, hospital visits on two different occasions within a week (with almost a third visit), and missed opportunities. I know this sounds like life and it may not even compare to your trials but we are all dealing with life in our own way. Everyone has their own struggle and their own journey that they must endure and overcome. The Lord kept me strong and I did not complain throughout and I accepted every challenge with a smile, flipped the situations and over came them BUT I still messed up.

Although I was faithful and followed what I thought the Lord wanted me to do, I STOPPED focusing on the goals I had set for myself. So although, I was diligent in what God wanted me to do, I was not consistent in what God needed me to do in order to step into what He has for me. Where I should have been 10 steps closer, I was 20 steps behind (could this be an illusion).

How you ask? Although, I progressed it was not at the rate that I should have grown (a possible illusion). I read the Bible, but I have not finished reading the entire Bible. I built a stronger relationship with God, but it should be much stronger. I have a number of notes to share, but I should have much more and I have not consistently published (last blog was in May). My individual goals were not nurtured as consistent as they should have been. They were not priorities although they were a focus. My priority was to handle my trials instead of balancing the trials with my goals. This is where I need to be better. I need to be able to balance both and progress while I am in the storm in all areas of my life.

This is where we need to be better. When we are focused on making changes for the better, we will be challenged not with the will of completing goals but by balancing them with the trials and obstacles that are unforeseen. Successful people have the ability to not only handle the unforeseen, but also BALANCE the the unforeseen with the goals they have set out to achieve.

Satan uses “life” to distract us. Life can be an illusion. There are things you wouldn’t necessarily attribute to being an obstacle but those are the things that get through when the obvious is noticed. Satan’s goal is not necessarily to keep you from obtaining your blessing, but to postpone them. He relishes when he can keep people from receiving their blessing, but he understands that postponing them is just as good.

Think about the Israelites journey to the promise land. The Israelites were guaranteed to make it to the promise land BUT the trip took 40 years when it should have taken 11 days. Many missed their blessing while Caleb and Joshua had to wait despite being faithful when the majority was not. It was the circle they were associated with which caused them to wait to receive. What would have happened to Joshua and Caleb if they lost faith during the 40 years they had to wait for their blessing? How much different would Israel’s history be if the people who saw the Red Sea parted completed the journey to the promise land?

The focus of the negative is the illusion that can hold you back from your blessing. What could have been is a common illusion. It is an illusion that is hard to overcome depending on the situation because of your mindset, perspective and your focus. You can easily move on from a relationship, but a missed dream is something you are still dealing with. You are not able to get over a promotion you thought was yours, but you were able to move on from not pursuing a higher degree. It is a matter of perspective, which makes this illusion so tough to overcome. It is tough to overcome because this illusion is situational. Situational illusions can be the easiest to identify but the hardest to accept and change.

In Philippians 3:12-14 Paul writes a letter while in prison to encourage a church he helped create. In the letter he highlights that they have not arrived yet, to make sure their past does not define their future and to aggressively approach their future. He did all this while being in a storm. He was able to walk in his purpose and help others while in the midst of his own trial. Paul did not let his situation determine his actions. He would have written that letter regardless of what he was dealing with at the time.

Despite everything I have done, I have to use the 168 hours I am giving each week more efficiently and not allow myself to be distracted. I have to do better with balancing my goals with my career and handling what life brings while walking within my purpose. Being discouraged is no longer an issue for me; it is all about making sure I do not lengthen my journey to my promise. I need to understand that I maybe able to get to my blessing quicker through executing the correct plan, but also realizing regardless of what I do I still may have 40 years to wait.

Illusions seem complex but are actually very simple. The three illusions I have identified for myself are managing distractions, balance, and follow through. What are your illusions in your life? If your life were a magic trick, what would go unidentified or unnoticed if you did not know the trick? If you are not sure, think about your purpose and what is keeping you from it. Pray for enlightenment and once you receive the truth, accept, take action, adjust, and grow.

If you are like me I am sure you have had progress this year as well as mistakes and failures but have grown a lot this year. I have made some big strides towards my goals and walking within my purpose. I have identified a number of my mistakes and have developed a plan to ensure that I do not repeat my mistakes. Do not ignore the progress that you have made. Celebrate them. Do not let your failures overshadow your progress. If you feel like you have not progressed, you have identified an illusion.

Although this blog has a New Years resolution feel. It was written to help you assess your growth for not just 2018 but throughout life. Reread and assess your progress throughout the years. Remember as long as you consistently believe in God and work towards what He has for you a breakthrough will follow. It could be 11 days or 40 years or somewhere outside of that window, but it will come. Be patient while aggressively attacking your future while walking within your purpose. ​

In the comments feel free to share your illusions, struggles, progress and blessings to provide encouragement to others. Revisit and share with others of the blessings you gained during the year but never forget God has more in store for you.

VisualizeExecuteTransform



lluv

He loved you before the idea of time
He never gives up on you despite your selfish ambitions
He looks past all your imperfections, and focuses on the beauty of your heart
He loves you regardless of if you devote your life to Him
He understands you are not perfect, you can overreact and make mistakes
But He knows within those circumstances; it creates opportunity for His relationship to grow and be strengthened
He is a jealous God, but once you have asked for forgiveness, it never happened
He sacrificed the only son He had, without the assurance of you accepting His most precious gift
He was willing to accept death so that you may live
His love is unconditional, it is undying, it is agope
His love will never diminish, never change, but will always be shown despite the actions you choose
He will never betray you, nor forsake you, He will always be there even when you don't want, need or ask Him to be
He is a father, friend, and the one entity that can fill the void that is in your heart


This love has no expiration date and once you accept, you have the guarantee that God will never let you down and will always be there despite the situation or problem and  attitude that you display. Even when pushed away He will wait patiently for you to accept His love, wisdom and help.


I'm not God but I have learned to love like Him. I am human so at times you may feel as though I let you down, but even in my failures, understand that I will never leave you or betray you. I am devoted to making you happy. I love you like God loves you, and I love you more then I love myself. I see you as God sees you. A blessing which should be nurtured, treasured and loved for eternity. I may not have met you but...


I have loved you before there was God, and I will continue to love you after God has ceased to exist


lluv

I am not just a Black Man
I am an Educated Black Man
And despite all the racism and constant turmoils here I stand
My shoulders are broad my chin up and my chest out
I am full of confidence no matter how much you doubt
I accept all my responsibilities and will not flee
I am the symbol of what you want your brother, son and father to be
However, I am viewed as a person you would hate to be
Educated or not
How do I prove I am not the stereotypical black man
It would be far easier to swim through quick sand
But then again what is the stereotypical black man?
The black men I see raise and lead families, they love, and they provide
By no means are they perfect, but why are you so terrified?
However, there will be no complaints none at all
My forefathers were disfigured, beaten and hung yet did not fall
I was bred for this life can't you see
Look through my eyes, deep within my soul
Feel the heart of a man that is tried, true, and whole
For me, every day I complete alive and free is a victory
So every day I conduct myself as royalty
And one day, maybe, just maybe
you will notice that I am an asset to your community
But if you do not I will continue to be successful and strong
And prove through hard work and dedication that I belong
Please, do not confuse acceptance for my motivation
Leaving a legacy that my ancestors would be proud of is my inspiration
Ensuring my posterity is prepared for the future is my fixation
So here I am...educated or not...
Our shoulders are broad our chins up and our chests out
We are full of confidence no matter how much you doubt
Our hearts beat strong, our eyes narrowed in, and we are prepared to go all out

Sincerely,

Your Stereotypical Black Man

​

As I take a deep breathe and exhale
I tell myself that I will not fail
Fore this season for me is rough
And with every passing moment I’m waiting for him to say “ENOUGH,

Well done my child, you have conquered this test
Enjoy this victory and in time you will be immensely blessed
But for now it is time for you to rest
You easily could have fell into temptation
But you succeeded because you established your faith on a strong foundation
You showed Me nothing but commitment and dedication
Especially when you came to Me with questions in meditation
And I’m proud you stayed true when there was no given explanation
You waited for Me to intervene and while you tarried, you used Me as that shoulder to lean
And now for a season your life will be serene
However do not take this season for granted
Continue to nourish that seed that you have planted
Remember you will be successful as long as you consistently seek Me first
So allow Me to satisfy your hunger and quench your thirst
Never forget you will endure times that you will feel like you are cursed
Despite all this, understand it could always be worse
And the only way to relieve the pain would be thru a Hurst
These are the times most, when you will feel that I have forsaken you
Although your emotions will contradict Me, remember I am always with you
You may not sense Me but I am in plain view
Covering you like the warm morning dew”

So until then I will continue to fight for my season of liberty
And when the day finally arrives I will rejoice for my victory
I then will take one deep breathe and exhale
And tell myself I fought the good fight and I did not fail