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I’m a Disruptor, an Inturruptor, and an Eruptor! (What’s Your Superpower?)

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Jesus Was a Disruptor!

A few weeks ago I went to visit the church of a friend. The main scriptural text was from Matthew 21:12-13, and the messege was entitled “Disruptors.” This text referred to the day when Jesus went to the temple and had to regulate because the people had turned the sacred place, the “house of prayer,” into a farmer’s market/swap meet (my words, not his). To say that Jesus was not pleased is an understatement. However, unlike some of us, He was displeased enough to do something about it. Jesus was a disruptor!

Sermon Notes

You did not come for the normal, you came to change some things! You were created with great intent and extraordinary purpose. You were designed specifically to be the solution to a problem. Do your job.

When you get tired of something (the situation, the job, the problem, the relationship), you will do something about it. So, the opposite is also true. The reason why you haven’t done anything is because you are not tired enough! Often, we are so familiar and so content with the situation that we become faithful in our complacency. We don’t intend to be complacent, it just slips up on us because it has become common place. When you are no longer faithful and satisfied with the common, you just might be disruptor in the making.

Don’t get stuck in your old testimony! Sometimes God can do something so amazing and so life-changing that we want to tell everyone. You should; He’s an awsome God! However, if twenty years later that one amazing thing is the only thing you acknowledge that God has done for you, you have done yourself and God a disservice. God is no one-trick pony!   He is well-able to do more than one amazing thing for you. Yes, He did that one amazing thing way back then, but what has He done for you lately? In the words of my friend, Dr. Evertt McBee, “You can’t sing unto the Lord a new song if you are stuck in your old testimony.”

Upon Further Study

Later that Sunday as I was scrolling through Facebook, I noticed some friends from another church were discussing the sermon from their service. I kept seeing the words interrupt and interruption. Interesting. Then I listened to what seemed to be a random audio sermon. The repeated words in the audio were erupt and eruption. This was becoming curiouser and curiouser.

So, I, being the frustrated etymologist that I am, decided to do a little word study on the word stem -rupt. In its most basic form, -rupt means “to break.” Disrupt means to stop or to break up an event, an activity, or a process by causing a disturbance or a problem. Inturrupt means to stop the continuous progress of (an activity or process) or to break the continutity of somthing static. And finally, erupt means means to become active or to explode (break out) with fire and noise. Wow!

What Does it Mean?

My days of being comfortable are over! Gone are the days when I remain content because “I’m just one person” or “no one will hear me.” I have the power to change things, I just have to be willing to do so.  If only one person reads this and is affected to change something, then I have done my job. But what if I didn’t share? I don’t want that to be on my record!

So what am I saying? All of us see some things that need to be changed, improved, or removed. Stop waiting on someone else to do it when it is well within your power.  God has given you ideas and strategies to share but you are too scared or too stingy to share. Stop being a jellyback. Stop burying your talent. Disrupt some things! Inturrpt some things! Erupt!

When you realize there are great expectations for you, you won’t settle for mediocre. He made you great, so go and be great!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Don’t Let Your Dream Die in the Valley

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Ezekiel 37:1

 “The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.”

Sometimes it feels as if you are isolated and in a desolate place. Well, get out of your feelings! You are neither alone nor empty. You are just separated with a purpose. During this separation, there are three things that you should remember. First, the hand of God is upon you. He is protecting you from all harm while providing you with everything that you need.  Second, His Spirit is in you; not only to bring comfort, but to also bring clarity. Third, your separation has an appointed start and end time.

So, what does any of this have to do with my dream? Well, sometimes the dream that God places within us can get trapped in the valley of the dry bones of our past failures.  Here in the valley, it is very easy to give up and place a Do Not Resuscitate order on our dreams. However, we must follow the example of Ezekiel and listen to the voice of God and follow His instructions. Whether your appointed time in the valley was meant to define you (give you clarity and set in motion the pursuit of your dream) or refine you (remove anything that would prevent the pursuit of your dream), one thing is assured.  You will come out of the valley. Just remember to take your dream with you!

~ Prayer ~

God, I thank You for your hand on my life. I thank You for your protection, and I thank You for your provision. I thank You for placing Your Spirit inside me to comfort me and bring me clarity. Lord, give me ears to hear and a mind to follow your instructions. And let the dream live and come to fruition according to your will and for your glory. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

 

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You’ve Been Here Long Enough

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Deuteronomy 1:6 & 8

6The Lord our God spoke to us at Horeb: “You have stayed at this mountain long enough. 8See, I have set the land before you. Enter and take possession of the land the Lord swore to give your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their future descendants.”

Sometimes we can stunt our own growth by putting our roots in the wrong place. Though this place was good for a while; sustaining you with nutrients, soil, water and light, it can no longer contain that which was meant to disperse. It is time to put your faith into action. Go! Plant your roots in the place that He has showed you. There, you will find the right combination of nutrients, soil, and water. And just as He always has, the Son will give you just the right amount of light, at the right time, to establish you and cause you to grow.

~ Prayer ~

God, I thank you for allowing me to see that I was stuck. Bind my fears and loose my faith as I move forward into the place that you have set before me. And if my growth once again becomes stunted, uproot me and plant me in the place that you would have me to grow.

 

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Essence Is…

20180708_104152Essence is…

Dreamers and those who make the dreams of others come true.

Essence is…

Generational gaps bridged by music, passion, and fashion.

Essence is…

Entrepreneurship and creativity.

Essence is…

A great big family reunion!

Essence is…

A celebration of our tenacity,

our accomplishments,

and our firsts.

Essence is…

A forum for OUR causes.

Essence is…

A launchpad for activism.

Essence is…

A call to action.

Essence is…

The realization and the manifestation of purpose.

Essence is…

For the culture.

 

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A Dose of Laughter

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Proverbs 17:22

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”

Have the situations in your life got you down? Are things not going as well as you would like? Is depression weighing heavily on you? Are you just sick and tired of being sick and tired? Well, there’s a cure for that; it’s called laughter!

When you laugh, not only are you exercising your muscles and bringing much needed oxygen to your body; you are also changing the atmosphere for yourself and those who are around you. Your laughter is infectious! Instead of letting the spirits of depression and sadness pass from you to someone else, why not pass on the spirits of joy and laughter? Laughter can change your perception of your situation, because when you laugh, things don’t seem quite so bad. So the next time you are going through, go through with joy and laughter. This will leave the enemy looking really confused, and that should give you another dose of “medicine” to cure your blues.

~ Prayer ~

Father, I thank You for the gift of laughter. On today let something that I do or say brighten someone else’s day. In turn, let their joy bring laughter to those around them. May what started as a smile or a kind gesture turn into an epidemic of merry hearts, and the resulting laughter ring like musical praises in your ear. Amen.

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It All Started When I Cut My Hair!

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It seemed as if I kept “Going in Circles” like an old Friends of Distinction song! I was making the same bad decisions over and over again. I was spiraling out of control, and the weight of everything was dragging me down. I was tired of pleasing everyone, doing things I didn’t want to do, and making everyone happy but me. Something had to give. I had to break free, but how? I know, I’ll cut my hair!

I know it sounds crazy, but at the time it seemed as if cutting my hair was the only thing over which I had control. No one could tell me I couldn’t. After all, it was my hair. So, I went to the nearest Wal-Mart, marched right up to the counter (before I lost my nerve), and announced, “I want to do the big chop.” Now this was something I had always planned on doing when I hit the big 5-0, but I was about six months premature.

The girl behind the counter gave me the “yeah right” sistah smirk that went all the way from her raised left eyebrow to the lowered right corner of her bottom lip. Of course, me being who I am, that only made me more determined. I was never the type to stand up for myself or make a scene. People didn’t often believe me when I made bold declarations about what I wanted or what I was going to do, but “they” were gonna learn that day!

Once I was in the chair, she shook out the faux-silk SmartStyle cape, wrapped my neck with the stiff, public school restroom-like tissue paper, snapped me into the cape, and pumped me up to the proper cutting level. Once again the young lady asked me how short I wanted it, and in my best Angela Bassett/Bernadine Harris “Waiting to Exhale” voice I said, “Cut it all off.”

She got out the shears and began with an uncertain SNIP SNIP. By this time, I was loosing my patience. It shouldn’t take this much convincing to get somebody to cut your hair. I asked, “What’s the problem? Most beauticians are usually scissor happy.” This seemed to provide the proper motivation. Her SNIPS were deeper, swifter, and made with a bit more attitude. After she finished with the shears, she got the clippers and obviously the longest guard she could find. When she finished and handed me the mirror, I simply said, “Lower.” We did that twice more. When it was finally short enough, I thanked her, paid, and left.

Though I didn’t have a lit cigarette or a BMW full of my soon-to-be ex-husband’s gasoline soaked, tailor-made suits; I strutted out of that Wal-Mart every bit as confident and satisfied as Bernie when she thumped that cigarette and set old boy’s world on fire. I was 49, unapologetic, and unbothered. I was finally ready to start living my life on my own terms, and it felt amazing!  It was the first symbolic step on this journey to becoming me. And it all started when I cut my hair!

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God’s Got This!

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2   Corinthians 4:8-9

“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;” ~KJV

There are often times in our lives when it seems as we are under “Murphy’s Law”; that is to say, “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.”  There is trouble all around us; at home, on the job or in school, on the roadways, in retail shops, and even in the church. Don’t be distressed. God’s got this!

We may not understand what’s going on, and some things just may not make sense. Don’t worry. God’s got this! People are going to talk. They will say that you did it when you didn’t, and they will say that you didn’t do it when you did. God knows the truth. He hasn’t left you; He’s right there in the midst of the persecution with you. Shake it off. God’s got this!

Traps will be set, and some backs will be turned against you. But just as He did with Job; God has granted the troubles and the troublers, the confusion and the confusion starters, the persecution and the persecutors, an all-access pass to run amuck in the palace of your life. However, their request for permission to destroy you has been denied. They don’t have a high enough security clearance to take your life because God is not finished with you. So, keep your head up, walk tall, and above all, never let them see you sweat. God’s got this!

~ Prayer ~

God, I thank You for Your very presence in my life. No matter what is going on around me; I know that You are in control.  I thank You for showing me how to respond in times of trouble and persecution. Help me to learn the lessons that each trial is designed to teach, and cause my heart to be glad that You have considered me worthy of the test. AMEN.

 

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A TALL ORDER

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Matthew 5:44

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and  pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” ~KJV

There have been times when I have wanted to cause someone bodily harm. I wanted to cause that person great pain and suffering because of what they had done to me. I was expert at being the victim; holding on to grudges long past their expiration date. I was becoming bitter and just plain old mean and hateful. I would lash out at those around me; completely getting on their nerves. To tell the truth, I was even becoming a bit sick of myself.  I wanted peace, but I knew I had to make a change.

Since I had tried other things, to no avail, I decided to pick up the Bible and read. I had no particular passage in mind, but I had heard that God would lead you to your answer if you would just pray and read His Word.  I ended up in the fifth chapter of Matthew. Most of it was in red so I decided that maybe Jesus was talking to me. I started with the “Be” Attitudes and worked my way down through the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world” verses. I read past the recap of the Ten Commandments, the admonishments about making, keeping, and breaking vows and promises, and answering law suits, but nothing really spoke to the situation that I was in at the time. And then there it was, Matthew 5:44.

Jesus said quite a few things in that one verse that rubbed me the wrong way. First, I’m supposed to love my enemies, then I’ve got to bless them, particularly the same one that cursed me and did the mean and hateful things, and pray for them after they lied on me and used me up? “Really, Jesus?” That was a tall order to fill. However, as I mentioned above, I had tried other things that clearly had not worked, so I prayed and said, “Lord, you’re gonna have to show me how to do this thing.” And He did.

I was presented with an opportunity where there very one who had done me wrong needed my help in a major way. And again I said, “Really, Jesus?” I kept reading that verse and the ones that followed, and the Lord began to soften my heart.  I decided to apply the word and bless that person. I began to feel lighter, less bitter, more free. After the time of that person’s crisis was over, I got something that I never thought I would receive—an apology. I accepted and went away smiling, not because I had “won”, but because I got just what I needed from the Lord.

~ Prayer ~

Lord Jesus, I just want to thank You for answering my prayer and meeting me at the area of my greatest need. I thank You for Your Word and for providing the solution to every problem. I thank You for loving me, even at times when I am really sick of myself. Most of all I thank You for Your peace that allows me to live peaceably with others, in spite of the circumstances. In Your name I pray, AMEN.

 

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I Choose Joy!

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Psalms 126:2

“We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, ‘What amazing things the Lord has done for them.” ~NLT

It was like a dream when God brought back His exiled children to Jerusalem.  They were laughing, singing, and filled with so much joy that the people around them marveled at the wonderfully amazing things that the Lord had done for them.  The freed exiles were praising God for what He had done. But what if he hasn’t done it yet?  Here’s what I do…

Every morning I look at my vision boards and my inspirational wall, which cover at least a quarter of the wall space in my bedroom. Some of the goals have been accomplished; some are in progress, but my eyes are always drawn to the sticker in the top right corner that bears the declaration, “I Choose Joy!”  and that is exactly what I do. I sing songs of joy; upbeat and uplifting,  and I may even crank up the music and “dance like no one’s watching. Soon my little reservoir of joy has been stirred, and it begins to swell and rise and spill over into my day, all because of what I chose.

Sometimes all it takes for God to turn a situation around is a praise. So, “Don’t wait ‘til the battle is over, shout now! You know in the end, you’re gonna win!” OR, if Jill Scott is more your cup of tea, sing “I’m taking my own freedom, putting it in my song, singing loud and strong, grooving all day long. I’m taking my freedom, putting it in my stroll, I’ll be high-steppin’ y’all, letting the joy unfold. I’m living my life like it’s golden, living my life like it’s golden…” Hey, you can even freestyle. There’s nothing wrong with bursting into a spontaneous song! In other words, on the road to your victory, be filled with laughter. Sing and dance for joy. Your praise just may be the oil on the gears that will shift you from the place of your exile to the place of your promise.

~ Prayer ~

Father, I thank You for being my joy and my strength. Help me to consciously choose joy and intentionally choose happiness. Put a song in my heart and laughter on my lips that will cause the people who know my situation to marvel at my response and say, “Look what God has done!” And, Jesus, I will joyfully give your name the glory, the honor, and the praise. AMEN!

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REAL LOVE

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Romans 12:9

“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil: cleave to that which is good.” ~KJV

Let love be real, not fake. It should originate from a sincere heart, and it should have pure motives. In other words, when we love, we should love not because of the great commandment, not because we expect something in return, and not with conditions.  Instead we should love because of the God inside of us. If God is love, and He is, and His Holy Spirit dwells in us, which He should, then we should have the most authentic form of love, Agape love, at our very core.  If we have that real love inside of us, then it will surely come out; not only in our words, but also in our actions.

Hate that which is morally wrong, wicked, harmful, or causes pain and suffering to another person or to God. In other words, stop being shady.  If you know that something is wrong, don’t do it. Stop waiting until you think no one is watching and using that time as an opportunity to do wrong. Remember that His eyes are in every place, and what is done in the dark will come to the light.

Remain faithful to that which is good. Don’t stop doing what is right because those who are doing wrong seem to prosper. Continue to exhibit good character and morals. Continue to walk in integrity and show forth the fruit of the Spirit.  Though “game recognizes game”, and “real recognizes real”, God sees everything, and He “recognizes” the motives behind it all.

~ Prayer ~

God, I thank You for loving me. Help me to love for real; without conditions or ulterior motives. Help me to resist the urge to do things that are evil. Bind the devil out of my mind, and block every thought that is not from You. Lord, help me to remain faithful to doing what is good and what is right in Your sight. It is so, and so it is!