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Thursday, March 25, 2010

Controversy Created by the Church

There has been a lot of talk lately (and always, I'm sure...) about gospel artists "fraternizing" with sinners/secular artists.  From the mother of The Clark Sisters and Kim Burrell being shunned and chastised by the COGIC to fans and critics worldwide causing an uproar regarding Mary Mary's highly successful "God In Me" music video, The Church is found yet again teetering with the possibility of losing many possible disciples of Christ through their "holier than thou", judgmental attitude.


IMO, the Church needs to stop making everything regarding all things secular so controversial. It's "controversies" like these that keep sinners IN their sin. Show them the God you SAY is in you and let GOD do the rest...

Enjoy the video but more importantly, enjoy the message in the music!!!

Below are some comments that I left today on Mary Mary's "God In Me" video on YouTube
ENJOY!!!
This is my first time seeing this video and I am GLAD that these ladies and their team decided to convey the message in this song the way they did. When I hear the song and watch this video, I literally think of the lyrics being directed at "The Church" sayin', "don't assume you know what I'm going through just because MY walk with God doesn't look like yours."
Yes, this song definitely speaks to the world as an invitation to the world to see what God has done for me, "the saint" but there are plenty of people in the secular world that have God in them. Are they all representing the Kingdom to the fullest? Perhaps not, but LORD KNOWS that I wasn't either when I first got saved and I may not always do my best now!? We "...don't know how much {they} pray, don't know how much {they} gave, don't know HOW MUCH {THEY'VE} CHANGED..."
Okay...this is my last comment (lol...didn't mean to turn this into a blog!?) How many of us church folk stop to think of the act of witnessing that may come from our involvement with the secular world? Who knows what God is doing with this song and video. I love EdwardCarrillo's comment about the Pharisees response to Jesus with sinners...THAT sir, is the best point made here. But I can't forget @mammacita65. We must DEFINITELY check our love walk...

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Everything I Learned, I Taught Myself

I would like to introduce you to fairly new Early Reader Series created by a gentleman named Derrick Barnes.  This is a FABULOUS article and looking back, as much as I LOVED “The Baby-sitters Club” and “Nancy Drew”, I remember scouring the shelves of my neighborhood library for a wider variety of books.  As I longed for more than the traditional "classics" in school, I went straight from Nancy Drew to Mark Mathabane's "Kaffir (Nigger) Boy" to depictions of Native American life and traditions in Sue Harrison's "Mother Earth, Father Sky", eventually finding myself engrossed in the tales of adult happenings through the tales of Terry McMillan...even attempting "Jazz", "Beloved" and "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison (who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993) all before making my way through the eighth grade. 

My mother was elated that I was an avid reader but had she known the content of many of the books I was reading at that age...yeah...I don't want to imagine.

I say all of this to bring attention to the need for age appropriate literature for young people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds.  While this is an article on a website which predominately focuses on literature by African-Americans, I encourage people from all backgrounds to give young people the opportunity to explore outside of the familiar. Growing up in Kansas, it took effort of my own to learn about the writers that were used to instill the knowledge that generated love for my history and the possibilities of my future as a Black woman in America.

Again, I encourage you and everyone you know with young children, ‘tweens and teenagers to look into these books. Seek them out online and in stores where they are available for purchase and request them at retailers where they are not yet available.  Be it for a young person in your home or as a gift in the future, we have to support reading and a love for literature in our young people EARLY and continue to nurture that appetite as they get older.  Also, there is a world of writers, particularly "minorities" in America, out there who need our support as well!


If you have any info to add to this topic, please feel free to respond via email: ninacinspires@gmail.com

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Share My World

Even with a head cold and germs all around, I was able to participate in my first blogtalk radio show with Max Reddick.  Tonight, I was reminded that there truly is "Freedom Through Speech" as is the name of his weekly blogtalk radio show.  Mr. Reddick offered me the opportunity to share "How I Got Over" along with two other panelist, Nicole McLean, breast cancer survivor and author of the blog "My Fabulous Boobies" and Michael Stagg of "My II Sense" where he gives "his two cents" on topics such as personal development and how to live life "on purpose".

I am grateful for the world of technology and the various ways that we are able to share in the struggles and successes and lives of people who just hours ago, were total strangers.  Technology has opened us up to a world where, if we live outside of ourselves, are never alone.  Where, when we look at the lives of others, we find that our situation may not be as bad as we initially thought.  Not that we should ever wish "worse" on anyone but we get to a point where we recognize that much can be learned through the testimony of those around us.

Tonight I was able to share my world.  When I was first asked to give a part of my testimony, I didn't know how much to give.  I didn't even know where to begin.  I asked God to speak through me and to give just enough and, even though at times I felt I was rambling, I pray that my testimony spoke to the heart of someone out there.  I trust that all the living I've done was not in vain.  That the pain that I endured all while trying to find "liberation" and "freedom" were stepping stones to get me to the mountain I stand upon today!

During the panel discussion, Michael and I were asked if we ever saw the trials coming.  If there was ever a point where we stopped to consider if the way impact that our lifestyle would have on our future or did we just wake up one day like, "Oh my...how'd I get here?!"  I shared that I knew I was living reckless the whole time.  That I justified my promiscuous behavior and dependency on alcohol by claiming to be a "liberated woman" who cared not what people thought of me or my behavior when in all actuality, I did.

When living in this world, you can't help but care what people think of you.  The way people see you is a sure sign of the way you're living.  Of course we should never live our lives solely based on the opinions of others but there is a lot to be said about how people see you.

In early 2003 I found myself caught up in a whirlwind of anger and resentment towards myself.  There was no one to blame. But I took my self-loathing out on whoever crossed my path at the wrong time.  Men who loved me, friends who were there for me, waitresses who needed extra training in customer service...if you crossed me, you CAUGHT it.  To answer the question posed to me earlier this evening, my response was, "Yes, I knew I was a whore claiming the role of a 'pimp'", taking advantage of those who wanted to give me nothing but the best...wasting away all in the name of "liberation".  I recognized that change had to come, and quick...

More to come later this week...I am sick and need to be in the bed! Good night! 11:43PM EST