Be Vigilant
1 Peter 5:8 KJV Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.
God has not given us a spirit of fear. We should not live in fear. However, we still need to be aware. We need to be careful. There are thousands of women of color reported missing every year. Sex trafficking is at an all time high. Black market organ sales are up. The victims of these crimes look like myself, my kids, my friends, and my associates. We must stay alert, and we do need to be prepared to protect ourselves and those we love. We must be vigilant.
Process
Trust the process! We hear this all the time, but its hard to trust the process when you don't trust the processor. God is the processor. He is the one who is ultimately in control. It's easy to acknowledge God as creator, supplier, and healer because all those roles benefit us. However, it can be difficult to acknowledge God as a processor. A processor by definition is responsible for executing a sequence of stored instructions called a program. There is a plan for your life that was established before your creation. God designed your program. He is the executor, all you have to do is trust the process.
Chosen
Do you remember in P.E when we played team sports? The coach would designate a team captain and let them pick their teammates. Kids would scream and yell, "pick me pick me." No one wanted to be the last one picked. There was a sense of pride to be chosen. You knew you were an asset to the team. Some kids brought their athletic prowess, while others simply brought their strength or speed. Interesting enough, many of us are still like those kids screaming, "pick me." We want to be picked for the promotion. We want to be picked as the leader. We want to be chosen. We want to feel apart. We want to feel special. We want to feel loved. I've got news for you. God chose you. John 15:16 says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit-fruit that will last and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” Ephesians 1:4 says, “He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” First Peter 2:9 says, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” You are loved. You are special. You are God's chosen.
Black Power
The term "Black Power" was popularized by Stokely Carmichael and Willie Ricks during a speech in 1966. However, Richard Wright's book entitled Black Power was published in 1954. Since then, there have been several terms that celebrate Black Empowerment, (#BlackGirlMagic, #BlackGirlsRock, #BlackLivesMatter, #BlackisBeautiful, #ImBlackandImProud, #BlackPride, #BlackExcellence). All of these terms resonate within the Black community.
I finally saw Black Panther. I posed with my fist in the air next to signage. I dressed in all black. I encouraged my daughters, mother, and mother in law to do the same. We posed with our stuffed T'Challa beaming with pride. Representation matters. Gianna and Jai'Lynn will remember that three generations of their family went to see Black Panther on a school night. They will remember the Dora Milaje. They will remember the pretty little girl in the bathroom with dashiki. They will remember Shuri, the STEM genius.
Black Power is about representation in the global marketplace. It is about economic, social, and political empowerment. It is about positive media representation. It is about reclaiming our time, our talents, and our heritage.
Maximize
When I first heard the term "working poor," I thought it was some kind of sick joke. I could not fathom the idea that someone could work forty hours and still live below the poverty line. I did not think that homelessness just meant you didn't have an address. You could still have a job and sleep in your car. You could rent a room for a week and pay for storage. I was blissfully unaware. The wealth gap is expanding. The middle class is simply making ends meet. Some of us are one paycheck away from poverty. Our government is passing laws to ensure that the rich get richer and the poor stay impoverished.
“No person can maximize the American Dream on the minimum wage.”
Grace
Happy New Year! I thank God for another year. I thank God for my village. I thank God for continuing to extend his grace and mercy toward my family. I won't complain. I won't give up. I will continue to run this race. I am looking forward to all that 2018 has to offer. New victories. New lessons. New memories. New mercies. New grace.
2 Corinthians 12:9 (KJV) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Pristine
The remnants of Atlanta's winter wonderland are melting. We rarely get snow in Atlanta. So, when we do, it is epic. This past weekend the trees were covered in snow. Kids were sledding in Piedmont Park, while others were making snowmen in their yards. It was beautiful to see the city covered with a beautiful white sheet of snow. Everything looked pristine. There were no remnants of last week's election. There were no remnants of corruption. There was no evidence of Atlanta's racial and socio-economic divide, just beautiful white snow. Sometimes, I wish everything could be covered with a white sheet of snow. Sometimes, I wish we could see people, things, and situations through a lens of original intent. I think that would change our perspective on a lot of things if we had a fresh understanding. Try to imagine your perspective of your world if you had a new outlook on life. Let it snow!