Eradicate

e·rad·i·cate /əˈradəˌkāt/ verb

1. destroy completely; put an end to.

I’ve heard a lot of conversation about police defunding and reform. I agree that those things are necessary, but it’s bigger than that. We must eradicate systemic racism. In order to truly do that, we must also eradicate the systems that have benefited from racism. This is when you really can see results. This is when true change can occur. America was built on racism. Our economy was built on racism. Our laws are derived from racism. Our educational systems are rooted in racism. Our housing market is rooted in racism? What do we need to eradicate? Everything.

Love Covers

1 Peter 4:8-And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

This was yesterday's daily scripture. I started to think about divorce rates and came to the conclusion that we have been conditioned to quit. We don’t forgive. We don't give second chances. We quit. We get mad. We feel wronged, and we quit. Our love is circumstantial instead of unconditional. Our love is conditional. Our marriages are not based on devotion, but mutual convenience. We don't let love cover. We don’t love. We “like” strongly. Maybe we need to revisit the book of Peter to get a better understanding of the power of love. Real love covers.

Unpredictable

I’m literally waiting with bated breath for the arrival of our daughter. This pregnancy has taught me that we are not in control. We have a sense of control, but not really. We can’t make ourselves breathe. We can’t make our heart pump. We can’t cause the sun to shine or the Earth to move. We can’t stop all nuisances in our life even if we wanted. Life is unpredictable. We can pray and try to move God. We can stomp our feet and have a tantrum. We can give up or we can choose to move forward. Still, we can’t control all the moving pieces of our lives. Woosah. Take a deep breath. Accept that life is unpredictable and that’s ok.

Underlying Reason

I don't think things catch me by surprise. I'm just disappointed when people do certain things, because I expect better. I want people to be better. I want people to do better. I asked God a long time ago to help me with this journey because for several seasons I had to walk alone. I experienced loss of relationships.

People I trusted, people I confided in turned their backs on me....because they were supposed to..they served their purpose. They were supposed to leave. They were supposed to hurt me. They were supposed to disappoint me. I would have never grown. I would have never left. I would have never taken the first step. I would have never moved. I would have never started this journey.

We all play our parts. Every good story has a villain. To be honest, I'm sure I have been a villain in someone else's story. I hurt people. I disappointed them. I did not live up to their expectations. Being both a victim and victor gives you divine perspective. You are but a prayer away from being on either side of the spectrum. It's the grace of God that keeps you.

There has been a new trend of telling stories from the villain's perspective. In most of these stories, the villains are humanized. Their actions are justifiable. We are able to empathize with them. So, if by chance you feel attacked or maybe you're the one doing the attacking recognize the motive. Sometimes, we act out of character when our motives shift. Motives are the underlying reason for our behavior...good or bad.

God is Able

Ephesians 3:20 (NKJV) Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

I'm at the place in my life where I have experienced "above all I can think or ask." I have learned to pray big prayers. I have an expectation built on big faith. I have experienced God's love in the valley. I have felt his comfort in seasons of loneliness, and I've learned that God is still in control and more importantly, God is able. My life, my dreams, my aspirations are nothing without God's ability. It is not through my strength, but His. It is not through my power, but His. Trust that God can do the exceedingly abundant in your life. God is able.

Work

It's funny how people don't really understand that anything worth having requires work. Success takes work. Friendships require work to maintain. Relationships require a lot of work. Marriage, degrees, anything that comes with a title takes work. Blood, sweat, and tears type work. "I put my all in" type work. "I gave it everything I have" type work. "I wake up early and go to bed late" type work. I just don't get it. I do get it, actually. Things you don't work for, you don't value. They are disposable. So, people and relationships become disposable when you don't work for it. Things of little value can be discarded without second thought. What do you value? Who do you value? The answer to both questions is what or whom did you work for?

Cheer

I've never been a fan of cheerleaders. Not them personally, but the big bows, the pom poms, the big smiles, the high voices...it all seemed a bit fake to me. I couldn't understand how you could just turn on that much cheer, that fast. Ah, but then I learned that sometimes you have to smile to keep from crying. You have to make yourself focus on the goodness of God to truly have a cheerful heart and a spirit of thanksgiving. I've learned that when you count your blessings they outnumber your woes. I've learned that cheer is contagious. I've learned that God loves a cheerful giver. I've learned that I have more than I need, so giving shouldn't be hard. In the words of Lil Duval, "I've got a lot to be smilin' for." And if you think about it, you do too.