IJusWannaSing

Like Musiq Soulchild, I just want to sing. It's been more than singing, incidently. There have been praise, exhortation and worship. I wanted to go downtown to Artisphere(The International Arts Festival of Greenville) but the weather didn't cooperate enough for me to go out in the rain under overcast skies. Someone will tell me it stopped raining [early] downtown and I missed a great festival. Oh well...

By staying inside, the Son was shining and my persona was radiant and not gloomy. I, therefore, do not feel I missed a thing! There was a bit of moisture because I tend to become teary-eyed when in His presence at unpredictable levels of intimacy.

Before closing, we want to let you know the launch was a great success! What measuring stick did we use to determine its success or failure? How'd we guage its success? We were given a vision and we were obedient. We did what we were divinely instructed to do. That is success!

You have no idea, or you probably do; because serving God you know the setbacks, interferences, challenges, struggles and overt audacity of the enemy to sabotage God's work.* Knowing no weapon formed against us will not prosper is sweet comfort. The Lord did it anyway and we give Him praise.

We intentionally omitted a "Guest book" on the site because all praise goes to the Lord. We appreciate the best wishes and congratulations received via email, especially from our cousin, Cherrie. We desire for the site to bless everyone. It's our desire every life our life touches is blessed. All we wish to do is bring glory to His name.

We thank all of you for being family. Now, back to singing...

*Have you ever heard Mike Murdock sing: "How dumb thou art. How duummmb thou art!" That's what the enemy is [dumb!] when it comes messing with the children of God.

Launch Day of My Favorite Ministries

"As hard as it is, be patient, trust Him, and let God use you in this time. I try to remember that even the strongest of plants and trees grow better when pruned and trimmed. Who knows for what you're being molded at this moment? Be comforted in Jeremiah 29:11:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and I will bring you back from captivity."
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Words received [yesterday] from someone I met on Monday, April 14th. I was blessed by her wisdom and sharing it because you may need encouragement as well.

The site officially launches today! I've had four hours of sleep. There was no need for me to stay awake other than I didn't try to extinguish the excitement. I let fatigue run its course and excitement lost. I climbed into bed at 3:33AM.

Be encouraged. I Am!

"Let Go And Let God!"

by Helen Steiner Rice

When you're troubled and worried
and sick at heart

And your plans are upset
and your world falls apart,

Remember God's ready
and waiting to share

The burden you find
much too heavy to bear—

So with faith, "Let Go"
and "Let God" lead the way

Into a brighter
and less trouble day.

© 1978

Anxiety vs Nervous Excitement!

The site (My Favorite Ministries) will launch on Friday, the 18th! It's not anxiety I'm feeling but excitement! This week, I've tried not to write about anything that's going on but as you can see, I've found that impossible!

The site was to be launched on Good Friday but the Sunday before, it crashed! Yikes! It was down for a week. And it was all my doing, not intentionally, of course. You see, I am not a programmer into code and all that stuff. Yes, I built the site but with divine guidance and help from a number of great men! They are from around the world, literally. One in FL ended up in South Africa; one in California, two in Vietnam, one in Australia and Poland, and one in upstate New York. Now, I'm working with one in India as the countdown to LAUNCH intensifies!

Oh yes, I forgot about the one in Portland and the other one in London who helped. I have left someone out, I just know it. It's been a fabulously exciting, challenging, fun, educational and mind altering experience. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat because as always, the Lord has been with me from the very beginning. The hours logged in have been filled with prayer, praise, singing, humming, tears, laughter, happy dancing, lower-back and neck pain, droopy eyes and screams!

Fortunately I live alone, eh? When the Lord gives us a vision, as Bishop Jakes' and others have said, He makes provision. So many have seeded into this Ministry for which we are grateful. It's been a direct result of having seeded into the Ministry of others.

There's not too much left to be done but the site will never be "finished." It's a labor of love. My Favorite Ministries will bless others and create employment opportunities. The Lord is glorified in everything we do!

There is nervous excitement! It's a wonderful feeling. We ask for your prayers. There's so much more to come and we give thanks!

My Mother and "a God like this"

Mother's Day will be celebrated on May 11th this year. You are so very blessed if your mom is living. I pray you have a loving relationship with her. I'm missing 'mother' today more than usual. It seems she's never far from my thoughts but today, she's right here!

There was that unsettled feeling in my spirit which I couldn't identify. I prayed but not specifically about it as subconsciously, I was not going to deal with it. I'm laughing softly because I whispered, "the Lord rebukes you" just in case it was the enemy.

I remember Bishop Mark Chironna saying that is what we [Christians] do. We'll rebuke the devil and in five minutes, s/he's back again! Isn't that so very true? I began humming in praise and adoration. The unsettled feeling dissipated and the reason for it being there was revealed.

I received an email from a cousin in Atlanta about family events happening today and the rest of the month. Her mother's birthday and passing were some years ago, this month. Also, I added an event to the site [My Favorite Ministries] earlier from a church in Detroit. It was a "Mother's Day Contest." I would enter my deceased mother but the winner has to be present at their 10:00AM worship service on Mother's Day.

Mother's been gone since 1979 but those whose mother is no longer living can relate to this. There are days when it seems like her passing just happened. That day, December 19, 1979 I recall vividly. I grieved as did my siblings and many others who knew and loved our mother. In fact, many called her mother as we did. What gave me peace and immediately stopped the tears were John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life." Mother was a believer. I am a believer because of her.

She is not physically present but to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. She lived for Christ. She set an example for anyone. She was and still is my spiritual role model. I am missing her today but comforted by the same God she served from 1951 to 1979. He has not changed.

As mother would say, "who wouldn't serve a God like this?" My mother is the late Viola P. Ward. She was a Proverbs 31 woman.

Are You a "One a Day" Christian?

Glancing at the One A Day bottle on the desk, a thought or two, came to mind. This tablet claims to support "your metabolism and convert food to energy." It's "a complete multi-vitamin and more!" Of course, there is an asterik next to these claims.

The asterik lets you know there's a disclaimer somewhere. It alerts you to the area where something is missing, lacking or perhaps hasn't been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for such claims to be the absolute truth.

This company has conducted clinical trials and found their claims to be true. I'm reminded of The One put on trial and the claims against Him were not proven. No fault was found in Him yet He was found guilty so that the scriptures might be fulfilled. You know His-story. (If you do not know the story of Jesus, click the My Favorite Ministries link to the right. Contact any ministry listed and you will be introduced to Him.)

I do not take this tablet consistently each day. Is that the reason I do not feel a boost in my metabolism at times? Am I placing too much trust in a pill to do what it claims it'll do and over exerting myself? Do we do the same thing when it comes to serving the Lord?

Do you pray, praise, give thanks, give to others, show kindness, or glorify His name, just once a day?

We should check the label (Bible) and make sure we're getting our daily recommended allowance. There is no need to be concerned about any serious side effects. The enemy should be concerned about them, however. We cannot overdose but can become malnourished and gravely ill unto death if we do not follow the directions given in the Word.

No prescription is required. It's an over the counter solution to all our ailments, conditions, dysfunctions and dis-eases that is ours only for the asking.

Are you a "One a Day" Christian?