Addressing Issue 30 of 30, I Miss God.
The more I think about it, addressing Faith and Entrepreneurship maybe should have been my first blog.
Oftentimes, we are taught to stay clear of certain conversations to remain professional and politically correct. That’s fine, but when you’re done being PC, you’re a real person with a heart, soul, mind, and set of experiences. We are not correct. We are flawed. And if shows my human to post this, then please excuse my melanin, bones and soul, but I’m a real person. If talking about entrepreneurship and faith will disturb your core, then please, do not read more. For those of you looking for encouragement, by all means, may my experience encourage you.
Normally, when I’m under tight deadlines, I’ll pop a bottle open to relax and move forward, but I feel like God is watching me right now….so Uhm, no bueno. I’m not necessarily giving you advice here, I am giving me advice out loud, and it feels weird, but I want to convey a message. When I was younger, I had faith that got me beyond very rough years. I had a bright smile at all times and I kept my mind on the future. I imagined myself on stages before throngs of people. I imagined a future where I had to encourage young people. I saw myself as influential and necessary. So, I didn’t speak as much as I rehearsed. I stayed prayed up and encouraged, feeling I had to be strong for others. I focused on my goals, not my problems. In this focused state, nothing else mattered. As a child, I knew what so many forget – believe blindly in your dreams.
In life, there will come times when you feel like quitting, like you can’t handle what’s before you. But you can. I can. We can. There is no statistic that matters, you win. End of story. Move as if you know you will overcome. Move like you know you will win. Remain humble, but give to a power that is greater than you. That power will be kind to you in return. Reciprocation is law, but don’t expect immediate returns. Expect to struggle and smile through it, seeking not for ears to hear your complaints, but for actions that lead you beyond despair. Your faith combined with your positivity and will to win will make your success inevitable. Try it, and see for yourself.
My heart is full today. February 14 marks is important for me, but not for the reason everyone else celebrates. The woman who raised me was born this day, First Lady of the church I grew up in. When a friend offered the chance to go to Al Green’s church today, I had to take it, thinking it was something that woman, had she been alive, would have loved to experience. I went for her. I’m so glad I did.
Insert Picture
To see a legend speak so organically truly moved me. He used no scriptures; instead, he read the room singing a wide range of gospel songs and talking to the audience. It was like attending a small mini gospel concert. I swear the man said that God had room for the whoremongers and hos. He then said, “Ooops, did I say that? …Ya’ll lighten up!” As the service progressed, I found myself in tears as he spoke about people speaking negatively about him. Once, the negativity of others drove him out of his own home to take a drive away from the negativity. He recounted hearing God speak to him saying “ but I love you ” going on to bask in the fact that favor ain’t fair. A lot happened in this service, I hope to get around to converting the sound I took in the service, so I can share it all, but what stuck out the most for me is when he prayed for me a alter call.
Touched by a Legend
“What are you smiling about?” was the first thing he said. I laughed.
“Are you happy?”
“Yes sir. “ I replied sheepishly.
Now this seemed peculiar, because I was in tears. I had just expressed to the usher that I didn’t want to have to tell the church what I needed prayer for, as he had everyone else doing. She assured me that I would be fine, and began to hug me. She prayed for me like an aunt would, one hand on my back in that “go ahead and cry” kind of way. By the time that I got to the front of the prayer line, it was obvious that I had some things on my mind that I didn’t know how to express.
“Take off your hat.”
“But my hair looks terrible!” I defiantly exclaimed, grabbing my hat.
The church burst out into laughter. I didn’t see the humor. Pastor Green scaled me about not caring about the outer appearance but what’s in the heart, something he had said during the sermon. I removed my hat quietly, and he placed oil across my head in what felt like a cross motion. He prayed, to my gratitude, without asking me what I needed prayer about. He asked for my protection and for God to send angels that would always be with me. He read my heart, saying that we don’t always know the words. He said I was experiencing great success but simultaneous struggles. “High highs and low lows” to be exact. That I didn’t understand why so many troubles were coming at me, all while so much good was going on. Then he started singing these words “ I had some good days, I had some bad days …. but I won’t complain.”
In life, there will come times when you feel like quitting, like you can’t handle what’s before you. But you can. I can. We can. There is no statistic that matters, you win. End of story. Move as if you know you will overcome. Move like you know you will win. Remain humble, but give to a power that is greater than you. That power will be kind to you in return. Reciprocation is law, but don’t expect immediate returns. Expect to struggle and smile through it, seeking not for ears to hear your complaints, but for actions that lead you beyond despair. Your faith combined with your positivity and will to win will make your success inevitable. Try it, and see for yourself.
My heart is full today. February 14 marks is important for me, but not for the reason everyone else celebrates. The woman who raised me was born this day, First Lady of the church I grew up in. When a friend offered the chance to go to Al Green’s church today, I had to take it, thinking it was something that woman, had she been alive, would have loved to experience. I went for her. I’m so glad I did.
Insert Picture
To see a legend speak so organically truly moved me. He used no scriptures; instead, he read the room singing a wide range of gospel songs and talking to the audience. It was like attending a small mini gospel concert. I swear the man said that God had room for the whoremongers and hos. He then said, “Ooops, did I say that? …Ya’ll lighten up!” As the service progressed, I found myself in tears as he spoke about people speaking negatively about him. Once, the negativity of others drove him out of his own home to take a drive away from the negativity. He recounted hearing God speak to him saying “ but I love you ” going on to bask in the fact that favor ain’t fair. A lot happened in this service, I hope to get around to converting the sound I took in the service, so I can share it all, but what stuck out the most for me is when he prayed for me a alter call.
Touched by a Legend
“What are you smiling about?” was the first thing he said. I laughed.
“Are you happy?”
“Yes sir. “ I replied sheepishly.
Now this seemed peculiar, because I was in tears. I had just expressed to the usher that I didn’t want to have to tell the church what I needed prayer for, as he had everyone else doing. She assured me that I would be fine, and began to hug me. She prayed for me like an aunt would, one hand on my back in that “go ahead and cry” kind of way. By the time that I got to the front of the prayer line, it was obvious that I had some things on my mind that I didn’t know how to express.
“Take off your hat.”
“But my hair looks terrible!” I defiantly exclaimed, grabbing my hat.
The church burst out into laughter. I didn’t see the humor. Pastor Green scaled me about not caring about the outer appearance but what’s in the heart, something he had said during the sermon. I removed my hat quietly, and he placed oil across my head in what felt like a cross motion. He prayed, to my gratitude, without asking me what I needed prayer about. He asked for my protection and for God to send angels that would always be with me. He read my heart, saying that we don’t always know the words. He said I was experiencing great success but simultaneous struggles. “High highs and low lows” to be exact. That I didn’t understand why so many troubles were coming at me, all while so much good was going on. Then he started singing these words “ I had some good days, I had some bad days …. but I won’t complain.”