Soul
Soul has been on repeat in my house since Christmas. It has led to some very interesting conversations about life before birth as well as life after death. It’s definitely some deep subject matter. I can admit that I was a bit disappointed with the movie. I have a thing with Disney and black characters. I expected a movie about Soul to have one. My fault. I expected Disney to chime into the Black experience. My fault. Soul to me is not just a religious thing. It’s cultural. It’s soul music. It’s soul train. It’s black fists. It’s full lips. It’s afro picks and picket lines. Soul to me is grandma’s prayers and peppermints. It’s Virginia Slims and black lips. It’s braided hair and pressing combs. Soul is home, but maybe I’m just thinking about the souls of black folks, cause America sold its soul.
Whole
"Wholeness does not mean perfection: it means embracing brokenness as an integral part of life." - Parker J. Palmer
I don't think we truly appreciate our wholeness until we are broken. We don't appreciate our health until it fades. We don't appreciate the goodness of today until we encounter the challenges of tomorrow. We don't appreciate what we have until it's gone. Why can't we live in the now? Why can't we have an attitude of gratitude? Why do we spend so much time looking for our next that we don't relish in the present? Today is a blessing. Today is all we have. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Just be and enjoy being.
"You don't need another person, place or thing to make you whole. God already did that. Your job is to know it." - Maya Angelou
Unsung Heroes
They walk among us. They work alongside us. They live with us. Every day we encounter unsung heroes. Grandmothers raising grandkids. Surrogate mothers and fathers who stepped up when no one else would. Stepparents who embrace their spouse's children. Teachers who take the extra time to pay attention to the little things. Nurses who give a little more TLC. Customer Service Reps who go the extra mile. Strangers who smile in your direction. These are just a few of the unsung heroes who add to our lives on a daily basis. Acknowledge their sacrifice. Acknowledge their generosity. Appreciate them.
Soul
soul (sōl/) ) noun
1. the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal.
2. the essence or embodiment of a specified quality.
There's a part of you that is immortal. It's inside of you. It's living. It's breathing. It's speaking. It's whispering ancestral chants. It's guiding you. It's that part God gave you when he created you in his image. It's your inner voice. It's your soul. You can't ignore it forever. You can't deny it. It's in your eyes. It's your voice. It's in the fabric of your being. I see it. I know you got soul.
Malum
Ephesians 6:12 (KJV) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
I think that sometimes we forget that Lucifer was an angel. I think we are ignorant of the fact that spiritual warfare is real. I think we substituted faith for crystals. We use "energy" in the place of spirit. We have forgotten that the battlefield is in our minds. Our souls are at stake. Our humanity is being challenged. Our character is being tested. Execution is the cost of fear. Detention is the cost of being an immigrant. Torment is the cost of being a minority.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Fervent
Fervor n.
1. intensity of feeling or expression
2. intense heat
The Bible talks about having a fervent mind, effectual fervent prayers, and possessing a fervent spirit. Our thoughts should be passionate and deliberate. Our prayers should be a profession of our faith. Our spirit should be expectant. I say should because some of us have lost our intensity. Our passionate flames are smoldering. We are still on fire, but our flames can be extinguished by disappointment. Fan the flames. Ignite your passion. Renew your strength. Change your mind. Raise your expectation. Pray effectual fervent prayers. Love fervently.