I woke up this morning thinking about politics. Ugh. “Lord, I don’t want to get into a political debate this morning on Facebook.” I thought. The Holy Spirit said, “Neither do I. But avoiding issues don’t make them go away. Pray for your nation.” So here is my prayer: “Father, I thank you that you are God and there is none other than you. Our hope as a nation is...
Worship
My heart is heavy this morning. Mississippi. Texas. Ohio. I’m speechless. I’m angry. I’m saddened. I’m scared. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to be a solution to the anger, racism, violence that seems to characterize our nation, today. When King Jehoshaphat’s nation was threatened, the Lord said to him: Worship. God is speaking the same thing to me this morning – worship. I’m reluctant. “Lord,...
Flawed
Can I confess to you, family? I am flawed. Yes me. My theology is not always perfect. I’m learning. I am not always patient. I’m growing. Recently, I went through a time of depression. God has delivered me. Sometimes I get angry and have to be reminded by the Holy Spirit to forgive. I have voted Republican. I have voted Democratic. Sometimes in the same election. I hate country music,...
The Nations
Yesterday, as I walked in my neighborhood, I noticed this sign in one of my neighbor’s yard. I don’t know this neighbor. I don’t know there religious beliefs but I thought, “Man, they understand the heart of God in this matter.” God’s heart is not just for America. God’s heart is for the nations. And as Christians, that should be our heart as well. The sign in my neighbor’s yard,...
Crushing
As we celebrate Independence Day, consider the following words penned by TD Jakes: I recalled something Martin Luther King Jr. said, “No one is free until we are all free.” We celebrate our great nation and its many freedoms each Independence Day, but we must not overlook those whose souls scream out in silence, mourning the injustice, apathy, indignity, and indifference they face each day in these same fifty states....
We Are The Body
I awoke yesterday morning to a text from my “spiritual” daughter that she was being transported to the hospital. She asked me to pray. For almost a year, she and I have been contending for her health. We have declared and rebuked. So yesterday, when she texted, my heart was faint. I could not pray. I had no words. I could not declare or offer words of wisdom. So I...
When You Know Better…
For my National Board Recertification, I had to video a teaching session. Yesterday as I was viewing it, I noticed two things that upset me. One, I have gained too much weight. But secondly and most importantly, I exhibited implicit bias in my class. Implicit bias is our unconscious stereotypes that affect our attitudes and behaviors. We ALL have them. I noticed when my African American students gave a correct...
What’s in Your Heart?
u Yesterday, my daughter and I explored downtown Cincinnati. Now, some parts of downtown Cincinnati have been gentrified. Others have not. We parked on Vine Street and made our way to the River. We walked a mile, some blocks more gentrified than others. We then went in the opposite direction, looking for Findlay Market and found ourselves heading toward non-gentrified downtown Cincinnati. Honestly, I began to get a little nervous....
Unity
Yesterday, I had so much fun hanging out with my girl, Ashley Shuell. We prayed for people together, laughed like crazy, encouraged each other in the Lord, preached to a Facebook audience and healed the sick. But if you were to look at Ashley and I from a worldly view, we would seem unlikely friends. We are of different ethnicities. I’m young. She’s younger. My kids are grown and gone....
Customize Your Order
The other day, I was reading a Facebook argument. Two people, I didn’t know were arguing on a friend’s page. It was like a bad accident. I tried not to watch but I just couldn’t turn away. One of the participants in this FB quarrel presented facts without name calling. The other participant resorted to the sentiment that has become prevalent, “if you don’t agree with me, you must...