AN ODE TO WOMEN

I have witnessed more grief than some but not as much as others.  I've seen women resilient in their abilities to bounce back from the toughest hardships.  Tragedies that even the bravest soldiers would struggle to deal with.  Abusive relationships, rape, miscarriages, drug addictions, being a single parent, the list is too numerous to name.  But through it all my beautifully strong sisters have managed to survive.

Many are not perfect nor do they have to be.  I love you for simply not giving up.  That’s the easy way out.  And because GOD has saw fit to give you the strength to do what so many others could not, I ask that you continue to be an inspiration to us by living your life to the fullest.

Continue to inspire young girls by living a life of destiny and purpose.  Continue to place that Godly shield of protection around your children by keeping them in your prayers.  And never settle for a man that doesn’t know your value, believe in the potential of your greatness or honors the depth of your love.

Because Woman, you truly are Magnificent!

RESPONSIBILITIES OF A MAN

The responsibilities of being a man are essential and life has some of the most amazing ways of teaching us the simplest truths.  But I believe some of our most powerful teachers are those we see, and many impoverished children see their mothers playing the role of both mother and father.

I’m thirty-four years old and I have never met my biological father.  Nor have I had the opportunity to have many responsible male role models.  Although what I did have were beautiful, wise, strong females in my life.  However, GOD established the first institution with Adam and Eve and it was the Family.  Man, woman and child.

I desire to speak to men today in the hopes that this will prevent someone, somewhere from losing the woman they love.

 

To be the head of the relationship means being the bedrock for your family.  To have stability of mind, heart, faith, love, devotion and honor.  Strength of character is needed to be a walking, talking example.  And just as a house cannot stand without its frame, neither can your family.  You are their frame and GOD is your foundation.

 

Nevertheless I’ve heard many a man take the concept of being ‘The Head’ in a relationship to mean something entirely different.  It is usually followed up by the misconstrued biblical quote that says women should be subject to their husbands.  A little bit of knowledge can be dangerous and most men who embrace this concept have destroyed many good woman and the relationships they could have built.

 

The Bible is a life book and helps us in every area of our lives, including a man’s relationship with his woman.   There are other scriptures attached to the one above that give it proper depth and meaning.

“Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it.”  That means we put our wives before ourselves.  This is what it means being the head of the relationship.  Jesus was beaten, ridiculed and placed on the cross for the Church.

 

Scripture tells us that even Jesus came to minister to others and not have them minister to him.  Taking this same concept into relationships with the woman we love is important.   When we minister to her wants and to her needs as the head of the relationship, our actions consistently reaffirm to her how important she is to us.

I and countless other men have missed many opportunities because of bad decisions on our part, but there have always been women in our corners that believed, fought and prayed for us.  It’s now time for them to see a return on their investment.  It’s time for them to see the men they believed in!


SCRIPTURES ON RELATIONSHIPS: Ephesians 5: 22-33

THE GENESIS APPROACH TO FINDING LOVE

Many of us spend a lifetime searching for the right person.  Going through one disappointing relationship after another and leaving a little bit of our heart, a little bit of our hope in the midst of what has become a bad memory.

But maybe looking for love has been the wrong approach.  No, I don't mean becoming bitter and closing your heart to loves endless possibilities.  That would be counter-productive.  What I mean is taking the Genesis Approach to love.

In the account of creation in Genesis GOD created everything then chose to create man.  It’s recorded that after GOD formed Adam He saw that He was alone with no one to share in the blessings of life.  So he placed Adam into a deep sleep and took out one of his ribs to form Eve, his help meet and other half.

The key is that Adam and Eve didn't have to search for one another.  GOD brought them together at the proper time.

GOD knows the right fit.  I believe there is a person specifically made for you.  This person is strong when you are weak.  They will push you to be better, to do better in every aspect of your life.  They will accentuate you!

GOD has it all designed in His infinite plan for your life.

Right now you’re merely resting while GOD brings them into alignment.   Don’t become proactive too early in your quest to find the gift of love GOD has for you.  But when He does bring them into your life don’t let the fear of opening your heart keep you from becoming one with the person you were meant to be with.

 

True love sometimes originates in the oddest places or is found over the strangest conversations.  Believe me; I met my other half over the discussion of a garlic jar!  But that’s a story for another day.

GETTING YOUR PRAYERS ANSWERED

Who has ever worried about God answering their prayers?  Or see others getting blessed with GOD’S supernatural favor and are ready for their own prayers to be answered?
I am not ashamed to say that I've had those moments where I've asked GOD, “Hey, what am I doing wrong?”
Yes, I speak to Him like that.  He’s my Dad and sometimes I have question and for these questions I need answers.
Jesus addressed this particular question for me one day in Matthew 6:25-34.  It’s about our tendency to be anxious about the things that we need.  Jesus tells us that if GOD the Father takes care of nature that He will also take care of us since we are much more important to Him.  He then goes on to say that we are anxious about many things that we shouldn’t be, especially when we don't have the power to add an hour to our life.
After thoroughly analyzing and pointing out why we should not worry about the basic necessities of life Jesus gives us the answer to getting our prayers answered.
“Seek first the Kingdom of GOD and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
What does this mean?  It means doing those things that strengthen you spiritually and that help you grow and mature in the LORD.  It means accepting when the Holy Spirit shows you your faults and working with him as he transforms your character to make you more like Christ.
“Seek first the kingdom of GOD and His righteousness…”  Jesus is GOD’S righteousness and to be more like him is the goal.
GOD is more concerned with transforming our character than our situation, but as our character changes so does our situation.  By simply focusing on strengthening our relationship with Him and allowing the Holy Spirit to teach us to walk in the fruits of the Spirit, GOD will begin to bring our dreams, goals and desires to pass right before our eyes.

The Power Of Hope

Hope, it’s that uncanny ability to rise in the face of naysayers.  Do you have it? Or have you allowed bad breaks or bad relationships to steal yours?

I vowed a long time ago that I would never be counted among the broken men.  I would become better, stronger.  That I was going to do everything in my power to become the person I was destined to be, a man of destiny.

Did life get easier?  Of course not!  I was still faced with obstacles.  The most recent was losing my Great Grandmother and Grandmother 2 weeks apart.  

Obstacles, hardships and heartbreak are painful.  Believe me I know.  At the age of 12 my mother was sentenced to 28 ½ years in prison.  (The next time I saw her I was 25 and she was coming to prison to see me.  It broke her heart).  I never knew my father so when she left no one was able to fill that void.  In middle school I was assigned to see a psychologist who determined the cause of my erratic behavior was the loss of my mother.  People quite often can’t tell the difference when someone is acting up or when their acting out because of psychological problems.

My life didn’t take an uphill climb but rather a nose dive into the streets.  Drinking and drugs soon followed and at the age of 20 I was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison.  From here I could have said life was over for me, but even before getting sentenced I’ll never forget praying and asking the Lord to not release me until He felt that I was ready.  12 years and 9 months later I walked out of prison.

I had dreams of a music career, acting and writing.  Hope allowed me to believe that I would make it out of many dangerous situations to still pursue my dreams.  My hope in GOD sustained me.

I've written this particular post to show that regardless of what you have faced never give up on yourself.  Never give up on GOD.  Place your hope in Him and keep reaching, keep believing because you are stronger than you know!

Would love to hear your comments!