What If?...

Hey all you strangers! I say that because I realize that it has been forever and a day since I last wrote an entry. Well it's time out for the silence. As I've said many times before when I get inspiration for a post I usually wait a few days and pray about how to put it out. However I've been wanting to write something for a while and it was instant this time.

In bible study tonight someone raised their hand and asked my pastor, Bishop Jim Lowe of the Guiding Light Church, a question. The young lady asked if you don't know a lot of bible verses and you're still learning yourself, how do you witness? Bishop Lowe responded that he was going to get to that soon enough. So after the flood of scripture that we received as we always do, after the other questions, after the entire bible study, the final analysis was in order to witness you just need to simply share your story. We all have a story.

It reminds me of this guy that was born some years back. He was born in to a large family, and so that meant that he saw struggle a lot growing up. Likewise because he was from a large family, another thing that he saw a lot of was death. In fact when he was born both his grandfathers were already deceased. At the age of 5 one grandmother died. At the age of 10 the other grandmother died, and exactly one year later around the same time his mother died. Later his father remarried, but the story doesn't end there. Some time later his stepmother died. Well this guy continued to live. He was one of the few of his family to have a degree from a university. Well the light in his story doesn't last long. The year after he graduated from college his father died. Yes, he was left to face the rest of his life with no parent be it mother, father, grandfather or grandmother to call on and say I need you, to say I miss you, to say I just called to say I love you. Amazingly he kept pressing forward and became a professional in his field of study. He lives everyday as if he has not been through anything negatively. He is forever striving to make someone else smile because he realizes how hard it is sometimes to produce a smile through it all. One would ask, how in the world did he do it. He would just simply say, "If it had not been for the Lord who was on his side through all that he has been through there is NO WAY he would have made it". So are you wondering why I spoke in the past tense? Is he dead now, you ask.

WHAT IF I told you that man was me?...

I'll end the same way I always do by asking that the Lord will bless each and every one of you spiritually, mentally, socially, physically and financially. I ask in return that you pray the same prayer for me. God Bless, and remember... Share Life!

Encourage Yourself...

As I minister to you, I minister to myself, life can hurt you so, 'til you feel there's nothing left. (No matter how you feel), (speak the word and you will be healed).

The preceeding is an excerpt from Donald Lawrence's song Encourage yourself. I know that in the times we are living in many people need encouragement. Many people are struggling. Many people are lost. Many people just need a boost. Well I am a firm believer that the best way to encourage yourself is to encourage someone else. I think the most important line in that song is the first sentence of the bridge. "As I minister to you, I minister to myself."

It is so important that we help someone else along our journey and encourage as many people as we can. I promise you that everytime you do it, it makes you feel a little better than what you did when you started. It's almost like it's a relief for you. That's why I encourage. That's why I blog. That's why I share life. It is simply because the more I do for you, the more I help myself. There are many times when I need an encouraging word and the minute I encourage someone through a social media outlet or through some form of communication, it always gives me a boost.

So the next time you're feeling down, just find someone to encourage. The next time your are struggling, find someone to assist. The next time you don't feel like smiling, find someone to make smile. For it is better to give than receive. God Bless!