Jamaica

This coming Sunday I will be leaving for Jamaica on my first mission trip. I am both excited and nervous. I am excited because this will be my second time going in less than a year. I am nervous because I truly believe God is going to transform me. I have not fasted for this transformation I just know it is going to happen. My first obligation is not to my wife and children but to God and it is through God that my wife and children will get the very best from me. I say that because I have always in some way put them first but at 52 years of age I know the truth. It is time for change...change is good.

New Year, New Habits!

Welcome to 2011! I am so thankful to God for allowing me to see this year. So many things happened in 2010 for instance:

• Established communication with my grandson Jamir
• Gave away my daughter Aqueelah in marriage in Jamaica
• Re-united with my brother and sister in NYC
• Increased my giving by 53.00 over the previous year
  
• Signed up to go on my first Mission trip this month to Jamaica
• Paid our bills on time
• Accepted the leadership position of Small Group Coordinator at my church.
• Attended my first Leadership Retreat at NCC
• Spent time with my granddaughter every month this past year
• Spent time with my uncle Dempsey
• Start reading Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas
• Purchased my first smartphone, the Evo

Now on to establishing solid habits and goals for 2011:

• Read a leadership book once a month
• Increase my giving by at least 10% from last year
• Become more of a leader in my church
• Read the Word daily and out loud!
• Listen to more podcasts
• Work on making my businesses profitable
• Establish and even stronger relationship with my grandchildren
• Do some mentoring
• Increase my blogging presence
• Go on a retreat with my wife to plan out the coming year
• Once a month take Cynthia out of town
• Sign up for Mission trip for 2012
• Work out where we will worship together

That is it for now but we are on our way!

Clear Goals

Can you believe we only have 2 months remaining for 2010? Knowing this I am beginning the process of establishing clear goals for 2011. Here are some of them but not all of them:

• Cut my living expenses by 20%
• Be debt free by the end of 2011
• Read a book on leadership every month
• Go on a mission trip
• Increase my financial giving to the Church and missions
• Exercise on a daily basis
• Make prayer a daily priority
• Build and maintain an online business with profits going to missions
• Blog weekly

Let's Do This!

Leading Myself Well

Today is my day off. After a grueling week of 12+ hours for five straight days it is good to have a day off. No matter what anyone says God blesses those who work diligently. God worked for 6 days and rested on the seventh. It is important for believers to understand that laziness has its consequences. I get some of my best revelations from God when I am working. Spending time on my way to work is even better. I get to listen to podcasts and worship music while at the same day ordering my day. Spending time with God is never, never a waste of time. Now, temptation rears its ugly head and it is important for me to not give in to it. It's raining temptation but the Word of God is my umbrella. Daily Word means Daily victory. After a week like this blogging allows me to process all of it. I know there alot of bloggers who quote scripture but for me it is about being truthful and honest about what is happening with me at this point in time. I thank God for creating me as I am and I can honestly say I have never been happier and more optimistic about the future and the future of my family. I also believe that the Kingdom of God is looking less and less like me and my beliefs. What I mean by that is that the Kingdom is not based on my experiences and feelings. It is not based on me being African-American. I no longer feel my journey as an African-American male in America defines the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom is way too big for that. I thank God for being African and the life I have lived so far. I would not trade my ancestors for anything in the world but at the same time I know if God is talking thru His Word He is not limited to cultures and circumstances. The Church is victorious!

The Power of Confession

Last night was one of the most powerful worship services I have ever been a part of at my church- NCC. Pastor Mark started the series The Gospel and it was very moving and spirit filled. Taking communion made it that much more. Pastor Mark came out of the Book of Leviticus Chapter 16.
Here are the points that were made during the sermon:

• Our lack of respect for the Holiness of God will get us burned.
• Atonement is need for sin to be removed from our lives and also from the lives of others
• Sin is heavy and the heavier the more they can be removed by God.
• God will judge the motives of the heart
• True confession interrupts my life
• Our confessions are way too vague
  
• Vague confessions make us feel vaguely forgiven
• Confession is not instant but forgiveness is

These were some powerful notes but just like a live football game you had to be there.

The Tour Guide

When anyone is traveling to a new city or destination one of the best things for one to have is to have a tour guide to show them places and things they did not know existed. The same for a concierge at a hotel who has valuable information to help make their stay more memorable. In the Kingdom of God we too have a Tour Guide and His Name is the Holy Spirit who guides us, navigates us into all Truth. So many of us would not be in situations if we allowed the Holy Spirit to guide us rather than us running away from Him. He always available. He never sleeps. The most important thing is He is All-Knowing. God is not out to get us or make us look bad but to love us unconditionally so that we can do the same towards others. I am thankful to the Holy Spirit today because without Him I would be like a ship without a sail. Like a car with no gas. Like a house with no electricity. Thank God for the Holy Spirit.

Time to Start Over

Well it is that time of year again where football and school meet. It is also a season of change. The leaves begin to change as the weather also. My favorite time of year without a doubt. This is also the month where I celebrate my 31st anniversary with my wife Cynthia. I have to really do some reflecting on this because if it were up to some people we would not have made it this far. I am so glad God has the last word in my life and also influence. Starting this month I will start over. I will begin blogging. I will begin doing projects that I always had a heart for. I will pay off my debts. I will start over.