#morningreflection
Do I really Love G-d?
I sat in a room yesterday with approximately 40 homeless men during Bible study. I was blessed and really had to check myself in that moment. Did I really believe that a homeless person couldn't love G-d, know Jesus, state the scriptures emphatically??? Homeless and they love G-d! Homeless and human! Homeless and spirit-filled. No home, no food, somewhat clean or not so clean clothing, health and mental challenges...yet they love G-d.
Do I love G-d when I don't have food on my table?
I often hear communal prayers that say Lord you put food on our table and we thank you yet you don't know my story
Do I love G-d when I awake in the morning but 22 years ago my mama and six years ago my daddy did and then died suddenly?
I often experience a prayer of thanksgiving for waking up as if dieing is not a blessing
Do I love G-d when my bank account doesn't support my bills
I often hear communal prayers of thanksgiving and supplication as it relates to money and the crowd goes wild...
Do I love G-d when witnessing our young sisters and brothers die at the hands of law enforcement
In my experience, we tend to thank G-d for protecting our young people who survived another day as if G-d was not with Trayvon, Michael, Marvin, Sandra, Jessica...
Do I love G-d when I don't know or don't understand or when things just aren't going "right?"
Can I love G-d when homeless
Can I love G-d when economically challenged
Can I love G-d during the hurt and pain caused by others
Can I love G-d when things go awry
Can I love G-d when I go through the day hungry
Can I love G-d when my spouse or significant other is unfaithful
Can I love G-d when I awake in a shelter
Can I love G-d while sitting in a Bible study for the homeless as a homeless person
My G-d, if I pimped your Love please forgive me! If I put limits and boundaries on your blessings please forgive me! If I put your power, Love, provision, grace, and mercy in a box aligned with fleshly desires, please forgive me! If I haven't loved you beyond my status and what I have, please forgive me!
G-d give me the tenacity to love beyond the flesh, beyond the material, beyond my limiting beliefs, beyond our ignorance! Lord, help me to Love you with all of our heart, soul, and mind which is not contingent upon ego, flesh, and material items. G-d of mercy and G-d of grace, help me to see you in all things and in all things give thanks for you are all knowing, all powerful, and ever present. Help me to present myself in a posture to allow your word to manifest. For it is you who said You will make rivers in the desert! It is You who said I am about to do a new thing do you perceive it! It is you who sent Your only begotten son to die and rise for my sins and transgressions. It is you who knew me before I was formed in our mother's womb and created me with a purpose to Love you and serve others! It is you who spoke and life was created!
So I come to you thanking You for being You ~ trusting You to do what you said you would do ~ asking for forgiveness as I forgive others ~ repenting in order to grow closer to you ~ praising You for this moment for it is by your grace and divine mercy I am living and breathing and allowed to experience another day in your glory.
I really do love you Lord ~ unconditionally, positively, and with regard to your essence of Love and Life! In all things, situations, and circumstances, I really do love you Lord!
Signed,
Your daughter, a sinner saved by Your grace, Tawana
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Take Notice!
Today is a new day!
From this day forward
I will not serve with the oppressed who are behaving like the oppressor
I will not serve with those who attack demean, degrade, disrespect, dishonor, marginalize, demonize homosexuals
I will check you if you refer to me as Sis. Tawana while serving in a clergy, ordained, religious capacity
I will not entertain those who use the Bible as the belt to beat another down with one's limiting beliefs
I Love Jesus and will not dismiss those who believe in Allah, Muhammad, Yahweh, Buddha... and if you are one of those Jesus is the only way folk who dismisses others because of their beliefs then you will be dismissed ~ I will not longer rock with you
If you dehumanize the homeless, gang members, poor... I will no longer walk side-by-side with you
If you think more highly of yourself than you ought I will pray for you as I walk away wiping the dust off my feet
I will speak Truth to power
I will have unconditional positive regard for others
I will Love like never before because without it, I might as well be the tag hanging off of my new dress ~ states a high price but is worth nothing
I will Love the Lord our G-d with all my heart, soul and mind AND Love my neighbor as myself
My gay neighbor
My homeless neighbor
My poor neighbor
My gangster neighbor
My incarcerated neighbor
My white neighbor
My Jewish neighbor
My Black male neighbor
This is the day, I serve notice to all those who dehumanize, deculturalize, desexualize, demoralize, demonize in the name of Jesus!
Signed,
The Black Woman, Reverend, womanist, existentialist, heterosexual, multi-faith/multi-cultural/homosexual/gang and former gang-member loving Tawana Davis
Consider yourselves served!!!
P.S. Please note, I will speak Truth to power and call you out in Love and in the name of Jesus. No hate, no shade, no disdain... Just won't rock with you anymore! Love ya!
P.P.S. I am not a social media gangster so don't worry, I will call you out to your face and if it warrants a comment that is for the good of the order I will share on social media and from the pulpit with to goal of speaking life to those who were subject to your hate and to encourage others to do justice, Love mercy, and walk humbly with G-d.
From this day forward
I will not serve with the oppressed who are behaving like the oppressor
I will not serve with those who attack demean, degrade, disrespect, dishonor, marginalize, demonize homosexuals
I will check you if you refer to me as Sis. Tawana while serving in a clergy, ordained, religious capacity
I will not entertain those who use the Bible as the belt to beat another down with one's limiting beliefs
I Love Jesus and will not dismiss those who believe in Allah, Muhammad, Yahweh, Buddha... and if you are one of those Jesus is the only way folk who dismisses others because of their beliefs then you will be dismissed ~ I will not longer rock with you
If you dehumanize the homeless, gang members, poor... I will no longer walk side-by-side with you
If you think more highly of yourself than you ought I will pray for you as I walk away wiping the dust off my feet
I will speak Truth to power
I will have unconditional positive regard for others
I will Love like never before because without it, I might as well be the tag hanging off of my new dress ~ states a high price but is worth nothing
I will Love the Lord our G-d with all my heart, soul and mind AND Love my neighbor as myself
My gay neighbor
My homeless neighbor
My poor neighbor
My gangster neighbor
My incarcerated neighbor
My white neighbor
My Jewish neighbor
My Black male neighbor
This is the day, I serve notice to all those who dehumanize, deculturalize, desexualize, demoralize, demonize in the name of Jesus!
Signed,
The Black Woman, Reverend, womanist, existentialist, heterosexual, multi-faith/multi-cultural/homosexual/gang and former gang-member loving Tawana Davis
Consider yourselves served!!!
P.S. Please note, I will speak Truth to power and call you out in Love and in the name of Jesus. No hate, no shade, no disdain... Just won't rock with you anymore! Love ya!
P.P.S. I am not a social media gangster so don't worry, I will call you out to your face and if it warrants a comment that is for the good of the order I will share on social media and from the pulpit with to goal of speaking life to those who were subject to your hate and to encourage others to do justice, Love mercy, and walk humbly with G-d.
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