I don't dare suggest that I know how God thinks because His thoughts are so much higher than mine and so are His ways. That is why I have to depend on Him and not the other way around.
Lord, show me the way out. Lead me to YOUR truth and righteousness. In Jesus' name, amen!

Isaiah 55:9

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-10 (in Context) Isaiah 55 (Whole Chapter)

My Personal Black History Month

      It is a privilege to honor the men and women who have been soldiers in removing the barriers that once fragmented this great nation ,like shattered glass, into many tiny  pieces. Because of these indelibly brave men and women, I am proud to be an American and doubly honored to be an African American woman with a dream that was inspired not only by Martin Luther King, Jr. and other national civil rights figures, but by many others, such as my own father, Mr. Isaiah Grant, a man ahead of his time who, at the age  of nineteen and still a student at Hampton Institute, designed a weapon for national defense  and  received a monetary award and commendations form President Franklin D. Roosevelt via his wife, first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, now one of my long list of heroines; my mother, the late Mrs. Madeline Lewis Grant Blanding ;my phenomenal grandparents, both maternal and paternal : the late  Charles and Emily Lewis and the late Willie and Marie Crawley; Rev. Curtis Harris of Hopewell, Virginia; Mrs. Juanita Chambliss, my 6th grade Biology teacher; Ms. Brenda Pelham, council woman of Hopewell, Virginia and many others too numerous to name, but are nevertheless, held close to my heart.
     Yes, Black History Month is special and personal to me because it is not just a month, but a time and spiritual place to reflect on "how I got over" and the ones who helped me actualize my dreams: my personal "Black History Heroes". It is a time to give thanks for all the people in my personal life who contributed to where I am  now: my personal station in life, a place of gratitude, strength, hope and victory. As I look back, I think about Hampton Institute, the first college that I attended. It was there that I developed the courage to speak up, the inclination and encouragement to follow my dreams and pursue goals that I didn't even know that I could pursue.
     I reflect back on more of my personal heroes:  my  brother: Calvin Leon Grant ( who also attended Hampton Institute and graduated in only three years); Janice Smith Roane, Laverne Boyd- McGuire, Carl Ellis, Roland Tisdale, Karen Winston and Gail Dixon Rose, just to name a few. I remember when Gail talked me into entering the Miss Black Virginia Contest. I thought that she was delirious at first. Me? Entering a beauty contest was the furthest thing from my mind, but Gail saw something that I didn't see. She saw a beauty that did not necessarily radiate from the outside, but she could see beauty in the spiritual sense. She could see beyond the shy exterior and began to speak to the queen in me.
     When I asked what I would do for talent, she responded without hesitation, that I would write a poem. So I did, with reluctance , enter the contest and recited the poem that I was inspired by Gail to write: " I am the Black Child", and in 1976, something happened that would change my life forever: I was crowned  Miss Black Virginia . That one event gave me the courage to forge on and be who God  called me to be. Since that time I have gone on to have one of my poetry books used as a supplemental text for English 211, a creative writing class at Virginia State University and poetry published in Essence magazine and I am still evolving, and as I evolve, I dare hope that I am encouraging others to find their voice, discover their gifts, and yes, reflect back on those who recognized their worth and pushed them from comfort zones of complacency into the vast frontier of personal destiny! As you reflect on your own personal Black History heroes, I hope that you will experience as much exhilaration and gratitude as I have!
     In honor of Black History month, I present to all who have the courage to dream:

"I am the Black Child"

I am the Black Child.
My soul is a legacy in itself
My heritage goes back as far as the waters of the Nile.
I am golden hued, honey brown and ebony black:
I am the Black Child!
I am of the same stock as Martin, who finally reached that mountain top!
I am of the same genealogy as Myra Angelou:
I know why the caged bird sings.
My mother is the earth.
Her tears flow down to her bosom bathing me in their cooling  medicinal flow
as I cling to her breasts.
My name is Kunte  Kinte'; they changed my name but never my mind
for I am the Black Child.
My name is Imamu Ameeri Baraka;
my words are the medium for the message to my people.
I am alone
for God Almighty is my only comfort!
My forefathers sang "O Mary, don't you weep!"
while my grandmothers shouted " Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
I am the Black Child.
I carry a heavy burden for all people of color, but I shall walk strong
and lead all people to that land of equality and true brotherhood
for I am......
I am.......
I am the Black Child!

Be Healed!

 

^John5:4-7

 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

⁵ And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

⁶ When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

⁷ The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

⁸ Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

⁹ And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

In this scripture we see a man that sat at a pool waiting to be put in so he could be healed. He had been there a long time waiting, until Jesus, the savior and great healer asked him a very significant question, “Wilt thou be made whole?” It wasn’t until the man answered the question affirmatively, that Jesus healed him.

How many times do we stay in our own infirmities until we answer the question, “Wilt thou be made whole?” Oftentimes, we have excuses for not succeeding, getting healed or overall progressing in life and reaching our goals or dreams. Sometimes our excuse is that “we have nobody to help us, or we don’t have enough money, or we don’t have the time. Sometimes we just like the companionship of failure because it seems so hard to get up and succeed.

In these scriptures, we see that Jesus did not pay attention to the man’s excuse for not stepping into the pool and being healed. He very affirmatively told him to “Rise, take up thy bed and walk..”

It is time to rise up from whatever situation you are in and walk. You may have many excuses not to. You may even enjoy all the attention that not standing on your own, and not being healed or whole, brings you, but it is time to get up and walk. It is time to let go of fear, procrastination, lack ,etc and be healed! Be healed, not just in your body, but in your mind, in your finances, in your thinking, in your emotions and in every area of your life. As you answer the question, “Wilt thou be made whole?”, rise up quickly in your” spiritual man” and “Be healed!”

"Pass the Favor,Please!"

     I have often heard one of the television evangelists make the comment that "favor ain't fair!" When I hear that quote, my mind begins to reflect on the impartiality  of favor, for favor is not specific to any particular race, or gender. It doesn't cater to the young or old. Anyone can attract favor by virtue of the nature of his or her heart. I have discovered that negativity repels favor, but a kind and forgiving heart  attracts the very favor of God.
     Sometimes I want to hold on to hurts and nurse all of my "supposed" injustices, but what is real, is that licking wounds and reminiscing about  past mistreatment and insults only block the good that is already present in the hemisphere of one's reality. Goodness and mercy is already following us, but occasionally, the cloud of strife, nay saying and unbelief will shield us unwittingly from the companionship of these  remarkable twins.
     In essence, favor is fair  according to the law of sowing and reaping. If you plant corn, undoubtedly, you will not harvest cucumbers. Likewise, if you want to taste the rich fruit of favor, you have to fertilize your garden with the seeds of love,expectation, patience,etc. Hummmm, I can just taste it. Pass the favor, please!

How Excellent!

I was amazed  at the response from a person I ran into at the store today. When that person asked me  how I was doing and I said "excellent", he seemed offended. He went on to state that "no one is doing excellent....you may be doing good, but you are not doing excellent!" At this point, I just repeated," Yes, I am excellent." What the person didn't understand is that we serve an excellent God. In Him we move and have our being. Psalm 8:1 says " How excellent is thy name in all the earth." In Jesus' name I am doing excellent. No, I don't have a million dollars in the bank, but I'm not broke. All of my bills are not paid, but my lights are on.. I don't have everything that I want, but I do have all I need. I have my health and strength. I have food to eat. I woke up with love in my heart for all. I am not mad at anyone, and I pray for all: friends and enemies alike. I have joy in my soul. I am an "offspring of God".I would say again " I'm doing excellent!"

Psalm 8:1

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

Psalm 8:1-3 (in Context) Psalm 8 (Whole Chapter)


Acts 17:28

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Acts 17:27-29 (in Context) Acts 17 (Whole Chapter)

GOD ,OUR DELIVERER!

I have heard people say that "God does not put more on you than you can bear".  Actually, God is not the one who is afflicting you. It is the devil or satan. It is he who is roaming the earth seeking whom he can devour. It is his intent to steal, kill, and destroy, not God's! God is for us, so much so, that He sent His only Son to die so we might live. Jesus came to save the world, not to condemn it! Satan would have us think that his evil plans for us are from God. We are not to be fooled! God delivers us from the plans of the devil and his afflictions. God is not the perpetrator. Sometimes, God allows us to go through tribulations like He did with Job, but He is not the initiator. Sometimes we even reap some things because of what we have sown, but God is not to be blamed. God only gives us good gifts. Sometimes our own lusts of the flesh causes sin and consequently, death and destruction, but GOD IS OUR DELIVERER!

 James 1:15-17-
¹⁵ Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
¹⁶ Do not err, my beloved brethren.
¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Psalm 34:19

Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

Psalm 34:18-20 (in Context) Psalm 34 (Whole Chapter)

Love to You!

In these modern times, we have a tendency to take love lightly without forethought relative to the potency and potential healing effect that real love has. Real love does not just lie in the heart "for" a person. It reaches out "to" the person.We very loosely use the word to express our sentiments toward others, but real love moves beyond the lines of mere emotion or sentimentality. How well do you really know or care to know the "object of your affections"?  Do you know that person's favorite color? Do you know what makes them smile, or cry? Do you know their life's mission? Do you understand their true passion in life? Are you sensitive to their "heart's cry"? Real love requires familiarity that surpasses mere superficiality, but rather, searches and reaches the depth of the soul. In the book of Genesis in the Bible, Jacob labored for seven years for Rachel. How many are willing to labor to know the person that they seek a connection with? Are you willing to ask the questions? How you willing to make the real sacrifice that real love requires? Love that lasts requires more than just acquaintance with the flesh, but a journey into the spiritual realm where love surpasses the finite and trivial and embraces the eternal!Genesis 29:20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.Genesis 29:19-21 (in Context) Genesis 29 (Whole Chapter)