As time goes on it will become more difficult to keep pressing forward and rising above the crowd. So many things are happening that leave one feeling overwhelmed, alone, crazy, and tired of trying. Right now so many loved ones are dying around us and leaving us with great grief and sorrow in our path. We are burdened and tired and our hearts are so heavy. Also, life and the struggles with employment, people, wars, crime, attacks, poverty, suffering, family issues and so much more are weighing in on us. Â
Yes, it is so difficult right now and I know you want to give up and wonder how much more you can bear. But hold on! I have no idea what is waiting but I can promise from experience that there IS a purpose that for now makes no sense. You are greater than this pain…feel it then use it because someone will need help from you in the future.
Do not give up getting up and trying again. The time, based on the Word of God, will get worse and we will see even more hard times. However, the one who endures until the end receives the prize. Do not allow your potential to be cut short.Â
People are not as impacted by our successes as much by our perseverance during the difficult times in our journey. Keep pressing forward. You can do this! I am praying for you.
Hello, first please note that I cannot and will not speak for ALL Black people. That is impossible. I can only offer opinions and thoughts from MY perspective. The purpose of this post is not to offend anyone but offer a different perspective.
Second, the short answer to the question, in my opinion, is BOTH. Let me explain.
I understand and greatly appreciate the need to celebrate and offer positive insights regarding different races. Because of horrific racism, injustices, and even judgments in the name of God that have put the mark of Cain on our society due to the way someone looks or their physical features, we desire to say, “Yes, we as a race have meaning and contribute to this society and world!” As Blacks, Asians, Latins, Middle Eastern, Jewish, and other races and nations we did not choose to be born into that race or culture. Yet, often because of our appearance, we are judged, hated, and abused. So we now have a month celebrating different races to celebrate who we are.
In my hometown, which is as North as you can get before hitting Canada, I have experienced great judgment and racism due to the color of my skin. I have walked into stores and had managers refuse to wait on me. I have been called an “N” (you know what word I mean) more times than I can count. I have been told inside churches that I’ve attended and ministered in that, “I am too ethnic to keep directing the choir” and told, “We want you to do that Black thing you people do!” Yep, I get it.
Although it is 2023, as humans, we still want to find something in others to make us feel better about our ourselves. Remember, we always hate what we fear! Racism and hypocrisy are NEVER about the subject being punished. It is about the inadequacies, weaknesses, and insecurities of the one offering judgment.
Yes, it is a positive thing to acknowledge the contributions and history that are often overlooked by different races. Absolutely!
However, to me, there is also something negative about having a separate month for different races. What happens after Black History month (which is the shortest month of the year) ends in February? What happens after Latin Heritage month ends in September? It seems as though we go back to believing and having the same issues that we had before the dedicated month started.
To me, having separate months keeps us separated. Instead of focusing on a different race for a period of time, I would rather see every race celebrated all year long. God created every race intentionally. He intentionally had groups look different, not for any of us to judge or look down on but to embrace and celebrate as a beautiful creation of His hand. If God intentionally created us to look different, why are we as mere humans tripping over our differences? Again, the issue is not that we look different or come from different nations. The issue is our insecurities and lack of worth in finding our identity in Him alone instead of needing to put someone else down to feel better about ourselves.
When we believe our race, what politically party we are, how much money we have, or where we came from makes us superior, it shows our lack of worth. It is about us, not the subject we are offending.
So to conclude, for me, I would prefer not to have Black History Month or separate months celebrating each race and culture. I would much prefer every day to celebrate the differences, beauty, and contributions of Blacks, Latins, Jewish, Asians, and other races and nations.
Think about it. In heavens, there is not going to be a white section, black section, Asian section, etc. Heaven, from what the bible describes will be a celebration of His perfect creations (all races, creeds, and colors). Earth is certainly not our home for those who are true Christians. However, maybe it’s time to get over ourselves and get used to loving and celebrating others. Cause in heaven, we will be doing it for an eternity.
Be Encouraged! You are important and have great meaning and purpose regardless of the junk and issues of others. Don’t allow your worth to be determined by someone who is just as jacked up as you and I are.
Hey everyone. Interesting. I was in the store buying groceries. A woman behind me turned over the cover of a magazine stating, “I’m so tired of all this hate over politics.” I turned and replied, “I know what you mean.”
The woman, who mentioned she was out of state, continued to say that she was told by a Christian friend that she was “Going to hell because she was a (certain political party).” She said how painful it was to be rejected by a “so-called Christian who was supposed to be my friend.”
I looked at the woman and apologized for being told that horrible lie. I said, “I’m a Christian. And what you were told has NOTHING to do with Jesus or the Word of God.” I asked the clerk to put the woman’s groceries on my bill.
In shock and disbelief, the woman cried and said, “I’m here from out of town to visit a relative in the nursing home and had little money to buy this food for her. Why would you do that?” I told her, “Maybe it’s just Jesus.” She asked to hug me. The manager, clerk, and others were watching.
Please know, I’m not writing this to puff myself up. I got issues like everyone else. I’m writing to encourage us to ensure if we are calling ourselves, “Christians” that we use Christ as our representative and TRUTH and not the media, a politician, or our feelings. We can do better, ya’ll!
I am the first to admit, I have food issues. I don’t like food touching nor foods that are wet and dry or weird like meatloaf (that is meat with damp bread in it) or green bean casserole (that has got to be one of the sins God forgot to leave out of the Ten Commandments somehow).
Knowing that, a friend of mine asked me to try a “Fried Green Tomato.” I heard about them but always believed they were slimy things that never ripened with a dry coating that would never enter my mouth. She kept pushing me to try them saying that I needed to broaden my tastes and stop judging foods because of my past issues.
She was right. You see, due to past issues from childhood, I viewed certain food combinations as distasteful and wrong. I could understand how people could eat those types of food without throwing up at the sight of them or at least being as disgusted as I was.
One day, in a courageous moment, I took my friend’s dare, held my breath, closed my eyes, and took a bite of fried green tomato, and…IT WAS GOOD. It was really good. It was so good that I ordered a plate of fried green tomatoes and refused to share it with my friend.
So what is the point of this post? That experience opened my eyes to something about me that maybe you are experiencing as well. Often, because of our past hurts and issues, we refuse to open our hearts and eyes to the possibility that what we think and believe is wrong. Maybe what we believe about another race or social group is wrong. Maybe what we believe about God and Jesus is wrong. Maybe what we believe about another political group is wrong. Maybe what we believe about ourselves is wrong.
I encourage you as I encourage myself to keep asking, “What do I need to UNLEARN to take another step toward growth in my life?”
 I hope you are enjoying and finding encouragement through this series. Tomorrow, we will have a post from one of my favorite people and inspirations, David Green. He will be sharing an amazing post called, “A Father’s Influence” about his experience with fatherhood through the good and the bad. Please watch out for it tomorrow.
Today, I wanted to bless men, especially fathers. I predominately speak, teach, counsel, and work to encourage women regarding their past and present issues and situations that impede them from moving toward the future. However, a key in a female’s life stemming from childhood is held in her father. Hate it or appreciate it, the role of a man is vital to the femininity of girls as well as the masculinity of boys. One of the issues we see today in our search for identity stems from the fatherlessness (absent and/or passive fathers) in the homes.
Today’s post is not about blame or beating up men. It is about offering a blessing. In a society where, men are constantly torn down, can’t watch a toothpaste commercial without seeing a half-naked woman, and are continually put in positions of wanting to shut down, I wanted to offer men a blessing and a prayer from God’s perspective.
“Hello, son,
Yes, you are living in times of stress and confusion. I know each day you wake up full of stress and doubt putting on a strong face believing that it is required of you to lead your family. You go to work aiming to prove your worth to others who hold little value than a paycheck yet something burns inside you. You put on a face with the belief that you are strong and need to hold it together yet inside you are crumbling, heartbroken, and want to scream out your pain.
I know that over time, you have tried to shut down your pain with other things that are still not filling you. Around you lies an angry mate who has little respect for you due to your heart that refuses to lead. Your mind is available but your heart and passion to be more have left. Life, pressure, everything has become overwhelming.
Different lies come into your head. You might believe that because something happened to you long ago, you are destined to be what you experienced or what you were told. That is a lie. You might believe that because you feel good when you say there are no boundaries or consequences for your choices, there actually will be none. That is a lie. You might believe that because of wanting the freedom to show emotions and love and gauge uncertainty, you need to choose a certain identity. That is a lie. What you do is not who you are.
I am the Lord God. “The Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (Rev 22:13) I created you from dust by my very hand to own and rule the earth. You are My prize. Your masculinity is given to you by Me not the world so it cannot be taken by the world. It cannot be taken by abuse, by bullying, by comparisons, by performance, by women, by employment, relationships, families, or anything else. Â
You don’t have to prove yourself to Me or to others that you have what it takes to be a man or to do whatever the world deems is important or masculine. You have My approval and My love so you do not have to wait for a father figure to give it to you to bestow manhood in order for you to be a “real” man. You do not have to hunt down “Bambi”, beat your chest, or go through any rituals in order to be declared a man. I created you once and for all, a man, and I am proud of you.
However, I created you for even more. I created you for the Garden, not the craziness you are experiencing now. No, you were not there with Adam. But when an offensive lineman jumps offside, the whole team, not just the lineman goes back. Unfortunately, when the first Adam made a choice, he made it for everyone to come. Yet, I gave you the gift of the second Adam through my Son, Jesus Christ. He laid down His life so you would not have to pay the price and be able to return to the Garden (Heaven) one day and have a relationship with Me. There is no trick or cost. It is a matter of simply saying, “Yes, I believe in Jesus Christ and desire to follow Him as Savior in my life.”
I created you to lead. Lead when you are dating a woman or in a marriage relationship. Treating her with kindness and understanding, being kind, gentle, and protective of her (1 Peter 3:7).
Lead your wife and family in taking initiative and responsibility for the direction of the home. Listen to your wife and always seek to do what is in her best interests (Ephesians 5:25, 28, Colossians 3:19).
Lead in treating the women in your life not as someone lesser but as an equal and fellow heir of eternal life in Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:7).
Lead in training your children in My Word. (Ephesians 6:4).
Lead in providing for the home(1 Timothy 5:8).
Lead when you are in a position of temptation, resists the devil and stand firm against the flesh (James 4:7).
Lead in studying My Word (2 Timothy 2:15)Â
Lead in being a man devoted to prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and be a man who loves Me with all of your heart, soul, and strength (Luke 10:27).”
Be Still and Know that I am with you and I am Proud of you!
Your Abba Father
Be encouraged, it’s a journey, not a destination. Charlotte
As many know, I’m getting ready to publish my 10th book in July. I am excited and have hope that the words on the pages penetrate hearts as well as entertains the reader.
However, as a writer and speaker, I must admit I become overly concerned about how well my work and what I do are “Liked” by others and social media. I get worried if a post I place on Facebook or Instagram doesn’t get a like or reply. Often, when I am writing, I stop the beautiful process of writing outside of my head and think about if anyone will like or read my work.
Today, I was reminded in my quiet time and reading that only one thing that counts is what I do for the Lord and His approval. Regardless, of how many people “Like” me or approve of my work, I must come back to the question, “Am I doing and writing what I believe the Lord is directing me to do?” If the answer is yes, then I need to remember, He is in process of working out His plan and purpose that I cannot see. Yes, I might wonder what is going on and feel like I am not moving forward or being used. Yet, that is where I must trust that He knows the plan and I don’t.
Perhaps, you are feeling like that also. You are not getting the recognition or the following you desire and try to compare or do things to be like others. I encourage you as I encourage myself to remember if we are obedient to what the Lord is directing us to do, not only will we be amazed at what He does through our obedience, but we will be clearly walking in our purpose that pleases Him alone.