Don’t Settle For Less

Recently, I watched the movie Concussion, starring Will Smith.  Smith plays the role of Nigerian Dr. Bennet Omalu, the pathologist who discovered what is now known as CTE – Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.  This progressive degenerative disease has been linked to numerous concussions in professional athletes and Omalu’s accidental discovery has led to many changes in concussion protocols.  Omalu accidentally discovered the disease after doing the autopsy of several high-profile football players and what started out as a scientific achievement, turned into a corporate strangulation. As a scientist, Omalu was intrigued by his discovery of something others had never seen before but his personal accomplishment suddenly turned into a public crucifixion.  

Don’t Miss Your Sign

The New Year brings the arrival of liberation and renewal and Luke clears the passageway of our expectations where Luke 1:41 says “when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”  Elizabeth goes on to say in verse 44 that “as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy”.  This was a leap for joy because something inside Elizabeth responded to expectation-factor that resided in Mary.

On Tuesday, we had the dubious honor of picking fresh greens in preparation for the Thanksgiving dinner. As much as I love eating fresh greens, I hate the thought of having to break off stalks and picking through the slimy leaves and separating the good from the bad.  The idea of having to go through all that work just to eat greens annoys me to no end. When we prepare a meal, we go through great lengths to make sure that the bad items are not included with the good ones. However, when God prepares dinner, anyone and everyone is included.

There’s A Blessing In This

People all across the country are gearing up for the Holiday Season. Plans are being made, lists are being created, items are being purchased and in some instances, friendships are being rekindled. The holiday season brings the anticipation of something better happening in our lives. Better simply because the holidays are a time of excitement. The holiday season brings both hustle and bustle, fatigue and weariness, irritation and frustration and as quiet as it’s kept, the holidays also bring sorrow and sadness.

Tis The Season

There is nothing more exciting than the arrival of a much anticipated event. The Cleveland Cavaliers waited 4-agonizing years for the return of LeBron James and upon his arrival back home, the city was in a state of mass euphoria.  In 2010, he left Cleveland for the greener pastures and championship opportunity that lied elsewhere and even though he left Cleveland under a barrage of hate and disdain, the city could hardly wait for the return of the self-proclaimed King James.

Despite how much pain and grief he put the entire state of Ohio through when he announced that he was “taking his talents to South Beach“, the fans waited patiently and eagerly for his return. After spending four years in Miami, His possible return to Cleveland raised the hopes and expectations of not only a team trying to recover from his earlier departure, but also the hopes and expectations of an entire state. It was amazing to witness the number of Cavalier fans, as well as NBA fans all across the country, who stood on tip-toe anticipation to see what James’ decision would be when the time came to announce where his next stop would be. 

Can’t We All Just Get Along?

On March 3, 1991, Rodney King was brutally beaten by police officers in Los Angeles California and several days after the beating, he invoked a simple question that spoke to the depth and consciousness of a nation rooted in racism. His question was simply – “Can’t we all just get along?” That self-examining question posed some 24-years ago proves to be a relevant question that still needs answering.  From Ferguson Missouri to Baltimore Maryland.  From Cleveland Ohio to Charleston South Carolina, that question still demands answers today because it seems as if humanity still struggles with living together.  Whether we incline our ear, or our heart, the fact is that our continued division is a manifestation of our inability, and reluctance, to move beyond our differences.

Don’t You Dare Quit

The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox have competed in Major League Baseball’s American League for over 100 years and have since developed one of the fiercest rivalries in sports. One of the greatest games in this storied rivalry happened in the 2004 AL Championship Series when the Yankees ultimately lost a best-of-7 series after leading 3–0.  The Red Sox comeback was the only time in baseball history that a team has come back from a 0–3 deficit to win a series. 

God Has Not Forgotten You

One of the most embarrassing things in life is to run into someone from your past and they can’t remember your name. Not because they have dementia or even amnesia, but simply because your name doesn’t seem to register with them at that particular moment. If you’ve ever been in that situation, then you know how embarrassing it is and it reminds you of how insignificant you were in their life. For those who struggle with the feeling that nobody seems to remember who you are, God does!

If you feel as though your situation has made you irrelevant, God wants you that He knows not only who you are, but He knows where you are! Just like Noah, you are trapped in a situation beyond your control and you are asking How much longer! 

The Purity of Innocence

Recently I was watching a group of children playing and adults sharing in conversation and I couldn’t help but to see the teaching moment God presented. I’m always amazed at how children can argue and disagree one minute and then be the best of friends the next. That reality has intrigued me the older I have become. Maybe that is why Jesus said in Mark 10:15 that “whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.”  When you think about that statement, what goes through your mind? One of the most overlooked aspects of a relationship with God is the innocence factor. Children by nature are innocent. They can argue and fuss over simple things but within an instant, they will have made up and nobody would have ever known that things were testy.  Now If children can move past such negative experiences with each other, why can’t we as adults?

I’m Confident About My Future

There are times in life when the challenges we encounter blind us to the goodness of God.  We say quite often that God is good all the time, and all the time God is good, but for many people, if you were to ask them to highlight just how good God is, they would have a hard time doing so. What happens oftentimes is that the enemy deceives us into believing that God’s goodness can only be measured when everything is going smoothly. If you have ever found yourself in a precarious situation and it appeared that God was nowhere to be found, then you know what I’m talking about.  You were in the valley but you came to discover a side of God in the valley that you never would have experienced on the mountain and your testimony is God is just as much God in the valley as He is on the mountain.