Every Challenge Can Be Overcome

Yesterday, I gained a deeper insight on how God used me to accomplish something quite significant against overwhelming odd's and at a time when the whole world staggered as if she had taken a severe blow to her head.  This in large part was due to one of the harshest global recession in history being visited upon the earth.  In biblical terms it would be called a great famine.

About 20 years ago I  had a vision to establish a company that would serve the people while at the same time make noticeable changes in the way the community looked.  This would come from a varied approach such as creating jobs, removing blighted housing and creating new homes for low income families.  The broad term for this type of work is called economic development.  I had a vision for CHANGE but what I lacked was the blueprint to achieve it.  About 10 years was spent moving around the southern part of the country, particularly, the Black Belt states that included the Carolinas, Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.  I recorded in my mind the conditions that the poor lived in and the huge disparities in wealth.  Plantation homes on one side of town and shacks on the other side.  This was the fuel that I needed to bring my passion for Change to an inferno.  And that is just the type of fire you need to do what it is you are called to do.  But passion alone is not enough and the human condition is so weak that it is very hard for us to endure the many hardships that will befall us as we strive to reach our goals.  That's why as a people we suffer.  It is our inability to sustain that Passion when the winds, the storms and the heat of the day afflicts our plans.  Too many give up and give out.

However, I was blessed to discover a method that would sustain my passion and also knock down every hardship.  That method came right out of my King James Bible and it said this:
Hebrews 11:6
New King James Version (NKJV)
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

This short bible verse is so powerful that it can destroy every doubt and hindrance to your plan.  It tells you that the key element is Faith that the key person is God and the ultimate blessing is Reward.  But the glue that holds all of this together is "diligently".  That means day in and day out you must practice seeking God and in this search you will build up your Faith and this strong tower called Faith will give you insights that you never had, resources that you never saw and access to God that you did not know existed.

Define Me Not

The first thought on my mind this morning was on how controlling others people's definition of us is, if we allow it.  My thoughts went to how stubborn I have been throughout my life in not accepting the various tags people have attempted to label me with.   Not that they were all bad, but they were not accurate and if I would have accepted those definitions then I would have missed my assignment and my calling and would have become something other than i was created to be.

Giving in to others definition of who you are submits you to their thoughts, their notions, and their agenda for your life.  It places you on the stage of their fantasy theatre and you are made to be the character that their mind frames up for you.  And guess what?  You have to perform according to their script.  I refuse to live on someones stage.  I purpose to live out my own realities.  My script is divinely inspired  and connected to an abundance of resources designed to lift me and direct me to every goal designed for my life.

Why let someones definition of you reign supreme when they have no real resources to support you in your achievements.  Of course they can applaud you when you read the lines of the script they have written and when your performance conforms to their story lines.  But that is such a weak resource because it only last until their fantasy is satisfied.  But what about you?  Is your soul satisfied?  Are your life goals being met and is that inner gift of yours being polished and presented to the world in its fine fashion.

My hope is that you will never be subjected to someones definition of who you are and that you spend the time building your stage,  writing your script and acting as the main character in your own production.  Why, because at the end ...your life needs to be yours and your legacy remains while all else perishes.