Strengthening the Black Village (SBV)

I know, I know it’s been a while.! A long while since I’ve written. Maybe you could post in the comments if you see this. A lot has happened since I last posted including my founding of a 501(c) (3) faith best nonprofit, Strengthening the Black Village (SBV).

Visit us on Facebook!

Above is our new logo!

Our WEBSITE is also on the way. Who knows, about time you see this post, it may already be up and running! Show us and me some love!

September is here! Wow! Our next parenting cohort starts the day after my birthday, so on September 19!! 🙌🏽

I love building these communities, relationships, and villages to care for our children and their parents. In our courses, we receive inspiration from African, biblical, and other cultural Proverbs, learn about different discipline methods, explore child development theories, provide support and love to one another, and so much more. We have and will continue to serve fathers, mothers, grandparents, aunts and uncles, as well as mentors and other child caretakers.

We seek to preserve, strengthen, nurture and empower families and villages of care in all stages of healthy life, from dysfunctional to loving and warm and supportive. The population closest to my heart in which we seek to prioritize are those families system impacted, and court-mandated to take parenting classes. There’s no need to wait to get to that point, though.

On the flyer below, there is a QR code to register and a QR code to donate if you wish to support our nonprofit. The classes are free with, as I said, donations and contributions welcome. Thank you!

Lord, be with us! Send those to us who need us and who need you.

Register #Refer #RejoiceWithUs #StrengtheningTheBlackVillage #Zas ItTakesAVillage

Scan the QR code or share it, please, to register or have those you care for register for our culturally sensitive, emotionally enriching, spiritually fulfilling and all-around magnificent course in #EffectiveBlackParenting You can also click HEREf to register.

, taking the classes, referring the courses to others, or participating in our father mentorship program as either Mentor or mentee once we get that off the ground. We love you and look forward to building a more robust village alongside you. God bless you! Stay tuned for more to come.

Oh! In closing, to put a face or two to what we are doing, I’ve included a picture of myself and my son at a recent community vendor event hosted in South LA to promote community and small business.

Advertisement

Sweet Second Half of 2020

You made it! It is now July which means part one of this crazy year has bypassed us. God, I am grateful for the time you have given us, and I’m happy that that time is passing! I’m switching it up a bit today! Most of my posts tend to be serious. They are often ministry or scripture related or analyzing some social issue. Today, let’s make some healthy yet sweet dessert! it’s not Halloween or even fall, but I love pumpkin! My very very picky son even likes these pumpkin donut holes, so here we go!

Protein Pumpkin Donur Holes

Search for protein pumpkin donut holes on Pinterest.

Protein Packed Pumpkin Donut Holes – 21 Day Fix Approved Recipe

11/3/15 -Christy Ann Clark-

Donuts are my biggest weakness and #1 craving. I love donuts! In fact, check out my Friday Favorites post completely dedicated to donuts.

This past week, I noticed that pumpkin seasonhas started where everyone becomes obsessed with all things pumpkin flavored and scented and they take over my Pinterest and Facebook feeds.

I decided to mesh my donut obsession and the desire for all things pumpkin this weekend and create a low calorie, low carb, protein packed, and DELICIOUS recipe for Pumpkin Donuts.



These Pumpkin Donuts don’t taste like diet food and the texture is moist and satisfying, even though they are low in sugar, fat and high in protein…heaven!! This recipe is also a great way to enjoy a sweet treat while doing the 21 Day Fixprogram!

The perfect breakfast to start a crisp, fall morning! (I like to make up a double batch and have them ready to grab and go on a busy, work morning.)

Hint: You can also make these into full size donuts if you have a donut pan! Bake for 5-10 extra minutes and you’ll get a full size donut for about only 80 calories!

Protein Packed Pumpkin Donut Holes

Ingredients

• 1 cup Peanut Flour (You can use PB2 or I use Protein Plus Peanut Flour



• 1/2 cup Baking Stevia

• 1 cup sweetener of choice that measuresccc like sugar

• 1 tsp Baking Powder

• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda

• 1/2 tsp Salt

• 1/2 cup canned, plain Pumpkin

• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

• 1 tsp Cinnamon

• 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

• 1/4 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

• 4 Egg Whites

Cinnamon & Sugar Coating:

• 2 tbsp Cinnamon

• 1/4 Stevia

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and prep a mini muffin pan with cooking spray.

Mix together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until the batter and smooth and lump free.

Divide the batter evenly to make 16 donut holes. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While the donuts are baking, combine the cinnamon and stevia in a small bowl to make the cinnamon/sugar coating.

After baking, while the donut holes are still warm, gently roll them in the cinnamon/sugar mixture to coat.

Makes 16 Donut Holes or 8 Full Size Donuts

If you are following the 21 Day Fix program, per 3 donut holes, serving: 1 Red, 1/4 Purple

Nutritional Stats for Protein Packed Donut Holes

Per Donut Hole (using PB2 and baking stevia): 30 Calories, 0g Fat, 1g Carbs, .5g Fiber, 0g Sugar, 8g Protein, 110mg sodium

Don’t have your 21 Day Fix program? Check out more information and get your own program!

D

Disclaimer

I do not sell for or technically endorse Beachbody and their products. I do still love plenty of them and will always be grateful for and 21 day fix and other programs and the coaches who got me back on track healthwise though. So, I’m still sharing! I would probably still recommend themI do nottechnically endorse Beachbody and their products. I do still love plenty of them and will always be grateful for and 21 day fix and other programs and the coaches who got me back on track healthwise though. So, I’m still sharing! I woul still recommend them

It Ain’t Easy: A Call for Awareness & Solidarity; Not Pity & Platitudes

Greetings to you from this warrior mom, wife and minister of our Lord Jesus Christ! Today, the prophet and advocate in me is alive, well, and bursting to get out. So, here she is! To some extent or other, we’ve all had to struggle with locating and securing employment. In our society, it’s a struggle to obtain anything from housing to childcare to employment… If you happen to be “different“ that challenge is tenfold.

At some point and in someplace or other I have addressed issues such as sexism, racism, disability-ism, and more. Today, what is on my heart is to address the injustice those with visual impairments face when seeking employment. One day, employers and others in power and Without power will be able to look past surface differences and prejudices they have assuming they understand the abilities of others and the world will be a stronger, more just, well-rounded, truly inclusive and glorious place. When we look at each other, may we come to automatically ask ourselves “what unique ability and gift does this person have to contribute to my life or the lives of others?” It’s time we did more than give lip service to the reality that God has created all of us in gods own glorious image to bring God’s Kingdom to earth. Amen

Habakkuk 1:2-3 text with praying hands.

From My Heart

I’ve had enough! 😞😫🤦‍♀️ I know I’m not the only one.

Yes, I have two B.A. degrees! Yes, I have a

M.A. (M.Div.) degree! Yes! I have experience working with diverse populations of children, women and men! Yes I am resourceful, creative, compassionate, determined and resilient! Yes, I am a skilled teacher, presenter, public speaker and will successfully pass any background screening you require. Yes, I have been trained in CPR/first aid. Yes! Yes! Yes! I meet and likely exceed most of your requirements and recommendations.

No, I DONT drive!.

“Oh, we’re sorry, although you sound like the perfect candidate, … this position, which does not require you to transport patients or anything else really requires that you have a valid driver’s license and a good driving record, so not hired!”

My sisters and brothers who have visual impairments, are deaf or hard of hearing, have speech challenges, perhaps struggle with learning disabilities or criminal records, know that I am with you and stand in solidarity with you. You are strong, courageous and beautiful and Waze many are in capable of seeing, yet be assured that God always sees.

Employers and boards/Committees may not even realize this is prejudice and discrimination, but in large part it is. When we fail to look beyond our own context and outside of our own boxes, we are acting according to fear, prejudice and comfort zones. God is the God of the marginalized and the demonized and the rejected. with God by our side, #WeShallOvercome #YouAreNotAlone

#StoryOfMyLife #TheirLoss #NothingButPrejudice #GodWillMakeAway #JustSaying #Trut #FoodForThought #FightSong #SeeItSaturday

I’m not sure if there’s practice is UNORTHODOX, but I’m going to leave the hashtags in as they were in the FB and IG post I did earlier.

Come, Holy Spirit, come! As we with various abilities, gifts and graces bring them to the table, grant those in power and authority with your wisdom and vision for a kingdom which embraces all your children! May your peace, assurance and love accompany those of us fighting the fight to be excepted and loved for who we are and whose we are.with your wisdom and vision for a kingdom which embraces all your children! May your peace, assurance and love accompany those of us fighting the fight to be excepted and loved for who we are and who’s we are. Lord, you are making all things new even as we speak and you have rejected the oldest structures of oppression and domination. I pray to be part of the rebuilding of a more just society. We are tired and need your strength to hold us up and send us fourth.

Thank you, Lord, for your affirmations and your assurances. Thank you for being with us and loving us. Thank you for the will to continue to fight for ourselves and for all those who are marginalized and forgotten and left out. This world belongs to you, and so there is hope for justice to prevail. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus’name, Amen!

Holy Saturday: Jesus, Where Are You?

Let Us Pray

“I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears”
(Psalms 6:6 NIV).

Psalm 88:11–13 another prayer for deliverance. Jesus made God‘s wonders known below the earth on that day! But we pray for deliverance, because we can only make God‘s wonders known by living since we are not Jesus.

“Is your love declared in the grave, your faithfulness in Destruction? Are your wonders known in the place of darkness, or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion? But I cry to you for help, Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before you”
(Psalms 88:11-13 NIV).

Hold on sisters and brothers! The sun, the hope, the light, the joy and the promise is coming. Don’t rush it! The shadow, the pain, the isolation, the grief, the uncertainty and the feelings of abandonment only make the glory more intense. Are you able to sit here for the last moments of Holy Saturday (or revisit) and resist the temptation of rushing onto Resurrection Sunday? It’s difficult, but I’ve always found it enriching and helpful.

I have found that suffering does build character. It does build endurance. It does create a deeper capacity for compassion and empathy

So I started this blog with Psalm 6:6 and 88:11-13 as prayer of lament. For those who are, by chance, not feeling sorrow or pain, perhaps you can pray for those who are. Thanks be to God. Amen.

What Does Scripture Tell Us About Ehere Jesus was on Holy Saturday?

Not surprisingly, the Gospels tell us little, because the original disciples did not know where Jesus was on Saturday. They believed that he was in a tomb waiting to have his body prepared for burial. Then, it was discovered that his body had disappeared and they thought someone stole him. At this point in time we pause and experience their Fear, uncertainty and great grief. Good Friday was bad enough, and now this.

As we today fight this coronavirus pandemic and see life around us all but stopped, and as we fear for ourselves in our love ones, we experience some of the same emotions as we live the story we find ourselves in.

List of scriptures I found most helpful in understanding the activities of Jesus on #HolySaturday In Canonical Order.

What I did to put together material for this blog is I searched the Internet. Big surprise! We find information in Matthew, John, Acts, Ephesians, Philippians, Hebrews, First Peter and First Corinthian’s.

Jesus Foretells What Must Happen

Just as the original apostles/disciples forgot, I had, too! I was happy to find this.

“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth”
(Matthew 12:40 NIV.).

Oh yes, and John has a prediction as well! The dead who serve God and have faith in God yet who had died/fallen asleep before Jesus came to earth will hear Jesus his voice and live. He has gone to rescue those held captive. That part comes in a liter photo.

“Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live”
(John 5:25 NIV).

Peter cause us to repentance for the wall we played in Jesus being crucified and so part of good Friday is sitting in that repentance for that shared seven, and the continued sin. Peter speaks from his own place of humanity, because he was as close to Jesus as anyone could be and yet he denied Jesus three times. Lord, and your mercy!

“But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him”
(Acts 2:24 ).

Paul also supports the truth that Zjesus descended before he assented. Jesus had to descend from earth in order to ascend from earth since we know he did make appearances back on earth.

“(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe)”
(Ephesians 4:9-10 NIV).

Jesus came as a human in order to overcome death on our behalf. He had to experience the entire human experience, which does include death, but then he went beyond that and stuff and give us eternal life! Thanks be to God! I can shower over but he had to Indore and I’m grateful that it was done.

“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity
so that by his death
he might break the power of him
who holds the power of death
—that is, the devil—
and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death”
– Hebrews 2:14-15 –

And finally, Firdt

Peter is the scripture I found that the Catholics and Methodists, and probably other “protestants” agree is critical to understanding Holy Week. It talks about Jesus descending into hell to break the chains and set the captives free. This is a powerful statement, and if I think about it, I feel it even more poignantly, because it points out that Jesus was so far from heaven at this point.

People love the simple scripture that says, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). The people who find comfort and reassurance in that scripture would likely find assurance from this passage. Only Jesus can do this: break her heart and heal them at the same time.

I

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits—”
(1 Peter 3:18-19).

Until The Marrow

Jesus, I thank you for dying on the cross for us, for me! I love you because you first love me. You are the author of life and the finisher of our faith in the saver of our souls. What amazing love and forgiveness. Grant us a restful night that we might wake up in the morning willing to praise you through the storm, through the separation and isolation and through our enemies who seek to seporate us from you. Speak to us through the scriptures that we may feels a full range of emotions from the disciples, to the early church all the way through to the current church. Help us bring other people into this Victorious story. In Jesus name we pray, amen!

Sources Rrfered To

https://www.seedbed.com/holy-saturday-2/

https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p1.htm

Let Us Break Bread Together: Maundy Thursday

Greetings of fellowship and peace, today, we celebrate the #LastSupper. Jesus ate in the presence of his friends and his enemies. This is community on earth for better or for worse. We are called to bring healing and reconciliation the best we can with many as we can. Holy Spirit, impart the grace, mercy, wisdom and sacrificial nature of Jesus to each of us. Amen!

Join Jesus’ Story

Please Click to read the whole Last Supper Account: https://www.bible.com/bible/111/mat.26.17-18,20-30.niv

Matthew 26:26–29 text from Bible.com

Jesus knew at the Passover feast that Judas would betray him. Who won broke bread with, especially the Passover meal, would’ve been a big deal in a big declaration, and yet Jesus made it for the one who betrayed him as well as those who did not. We are remember Judas, Thomas and Peter most specifically, because Scripture tells us of the ways they turned their back on Jesus. Still, they aren’t likely the only disciples who stumbled, and that the one of us who have never stumbled be the first one to cast the first stone. I find it more therapeutic and healing to discover when I have been Judith. That teaches humility and wisdom, and empowers me to move forward and never seen in quite the same way again by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus’ Action

Tonight, I don’t wanna focus on the disciples, though. I want to focus on Jesus and his actions. Jesus broke bread symbolizing the breaking of his body and just hours now. He poured and drink the blood, symbolizing the pouring out of his blood for us in hours from now. He predicts his death and that he would not drink or eat with the disciples again until he returned and then they go to the mount of olives. Jesus lead the action as Jesus leads to the church today. If Jesus is not the head of the church, we are not the body. Let us choose tonight, tomorrow and forever more to be the body of Christ with Christ at the head.,, Holy Spirit, come! Thank you that you hear our prayers! Amen!

Hawthorne – Google image

Now, after finish prepping for tomorrow Good Friday service! Yes, #GoodFriday! it is not good because we are good! It is not good because the disciples were good. It is good because we have the promise of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ if only we would take hold of the promise and clean fast to the promise. Good God who loves us so much that he came in the form of a helpless human child, grew up as a human boy and died The criminals death we all deserve. He for gave us! He pleaded for mercy and grace to be given to each of us. We pray that we all believeregardless of our sins Would be forgiving and excepted into the family. This is why Friday is good.

Tomorrow at noon, we will host a special worship and I’ll include the YouTube link below for any who want to view. I preach on Luke 23:43:

YouTube Link; https://youtu.be/HfqgO35CdZg

7 Last Words Good Friday Flyer

GOD BLESS YOU!

Knowledge Is Power;; Wisdom Is blessing; Coronavirus Resources for California & Beyond

Greetings of peace and hope: I hope you acknowledge the blessing of being here and being functional in this moment. Because I am here, I am here for you. Please feel free to leave any prayer requests in the comments below. because there is so much information and false information out there, I’ve been inspired to provide a list of resources I’ve found helpful, and have been recommended by both governor Gavin Newsom and congresswoman Maxine Waters among others. As I said, these are resources I have personally found helpful. Now, I know some of you are beyond the borders of California. Some of these resources are national. Let us all use our powers of reason, experience and intuition to discern the best resources for ourselves, our families and our communities.

these resources

Colorful letters on a purple background saying resources for coping with COVID-19

Resources for California and Some Beyond

National Domestic Abuse Live Chat Website: – https://www.thehotline.org/2013/11/14/live-chat-services-have-arrived/

California Health Corps (volunteer and hire for medical personnel):
https://covid19.ca.gov/healthcorps/

Unemployment Programs:
State of California Employment Development Department (EDD)
https://www.edd.ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019.htm

IRS Economic Impact Relief Program:
https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus

SBA Small Business Loans:
https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans

General Info (including shelters) : Call 311

Representative of California’s 37th Congressional District, Karen Bass: 323-965-1422

General CountyInformation in LA: https://covid19.lacounty.gov/

For Testing Appointments – https://covid19.lacounty.gov/testing/

For housing and homelessness questions and information , and to obtain resources, call 211 or go to the site: https://covid19.lacounty.gov/covid19-2/homelessness-and-housing/

Congresswoman, Maxine Waters (Rep. of 43 District):
323-757-8900

California Govener, Gavin Newsom: https://www.gov.ca.gov/ – 916-445-2841

Centers For Disease Contro (CDC):
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html

Up-To-Date CA Resources, COVID-19 cases, ets.
https://covid19.ca.gov/

Control What You Can

My prayer is that the resources you see here help direct your searches for information. My prayer is that what you find here helps you relax and control aspects of your environment, which will grant you a greater sense of peace and purpose. My hope is that you will lean into God for true healing, and lean into the understanding that God has granted certain people gifts and graces to get us through this time. Those gifted people include you. Never forget that.

And at the last, remember Jesus’ parting words to his disciple which include the promise that he will always be with them. When Israel was still going through their trials and tribulations, not that they’ve ever fully stop in during hardships, the prophet Isaiah spoke to them words of comfort. No, God would not remove all of the trials and tribulations and consequences, but God would be present in them. Take piece from Isaiah 43:2

Isaiah 43::2 text

“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43:2‬ ‭NLT‬‬);

My Prayer

Father God, thank you for your blessing that when we are going through the waters, you are right there with us. Thank you for holding us up and giving us yet another day. May we be granted the power, wisdom, strength and endurance to be your hands and feet in a world filled with darkness in pain. We pray for those who are ill, those who heal and those who have no hope. Please protect our children, our homeless, our orphaned and our widowed. May we embrace the marginalized instead of demonizing them and pushing them even further away during this time. Remove our fear, O Lord! May we convey to the world that you are the help and you have overcome all death and disease, even the coronavirus. amen! 

Resource Queen With Youth & Family Jewels

Greetings of peace, love, Joy and solidarity!

I am thankful. While I have my struggles with these shelter at home orders, I realize I am thankful for the opportunity to spend time with, good to know, and get to teach and encourage my 12-year-old son. I am grateful for the opportunity to spend so much time with my husband. I am thankful for the spirit of resilience and for my health. Remember that the best way to deal with these stressful situations is to control what you can and contribute where you were able to the welfare of yourself and others. Here, I am taking my own advice because Isee myself as a resource queen!

My son on his laptop

And, I am grateful for the opportunity to share with you some of my favorite resources for Aeducating and motivating children be at my own son or children and youth served by the churches I have ministered with. I hope these are of service to you or those you know and love.

K-12+ Resources

Youth and children resources are abundant, and if you have some, I welcome you to share. This is what we use a lot. They are apps and websites. #KeepYourHeadUp #Resources

– Duolingo
https://www.duolingo.com

This one is why I put K-12+. My I love using this app probably more than my son does even. You can learn French, Spanish, Portuguese in almost any other language I can think of. my son mostly works on French, and I’ve worked on Spanish, French and Italian. Mostly, I’ve been building my skills for years in Spanish with this app.

– Prodigy
https://prodigygame.com/play

This is a great math games with levels to attain and characters they can purchase. I think my son has gotten about as high as the game currently allows, so we’re still waiting for some new developments. It’s a great site for learning math and having fun.

– Smithsonian Tween Tribune
https://www.tweentribune.com/category/teen/

Here you can create an account and create classrooms if you have one child or tons of children. You can assign the articles and the questions that go along with them. The articles are on all sorts of subjects and are geared toward age groups that you select. Have fun! Let’s teach our children about science, developments in the medical field, space travel and so much more. I love this.

– Newsela – https://newsela.com/

Current events including the current coronavirus latest news are here. The stories are customized based on age level. My son uses this in school and we’ve continued using it at home. Just this week, we’ve learned about penguins in the aquarium in Chicago which was forced to close, and Jean therapy, which could help those who have genetic blindness receive their vision.

– Typing
http://www.typing.com

Pretty self-explanatory, but if you and your children wish to increase typing accuracy and speed, where else would you go beside a place called typing.com?

– Lumosity
https://www.lumosity.com/en/

This app has games designed to help sharpen focus and increase brain function. If you have a preteen or a team, I know you are invested in helping them increase their focus! LOL! If I hear I didn’t know where I didn’t remember one more time…

– Khan Academy
https://www.khanacademy.org/

Another one the teachers use and encourage us to use at home to supplement our children’s education. Science, math, language arts, social studies, it’s all here!

– Los Angeles Public Library
https://lapl.beanstack.org/users/sign_in

Sending Virtual Hugs

We all have Library-‘s in our counties, of course! My son still loves physical books although we have Audible and Kindle and all the other digital formats. It’s interesting and will continue to be interesting to see how the library’s answer this current challenge. I pray for our library’s in librarians as keeping brick and mortar library is open was probably already a challenge.

It’s Me!

My prayer is that each parent and guardian take this opportunity to learn with and learn from their student. Children are blessings from God and even when they are at their most challenging, they encourage us to be at our best. I hope these resources help you enjoy your time just a little bit more. I’d love to hear any of your stories in the comments. enjoy the journey. You are not ever alone.

Through & With Christ, We Can

In the photo, you will notice that I put one verse above the cross and the other below. This is to highlight the importance of the cross in our journey with Christ. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, and we can find contentment in any situation that life throws at us. It is through the Christ and through his cross that we have this joy and assurance.

How To Thrive By 45

“How To Thrive By 45” is a pretty good study plan. It’s one of the YouVersion ( https://www.bible.com/en/reading-plans/3457), and study devotions I’m doing. I’ve decided to include that here and in my scripture journal today, because the scripture is my favorite. Philippians 4:12-13.

When Jesus is truly our Lord, we can find contentment and all sorts of adverseconditions as well as the more pleasant ones, and remember to glorify God in all of them. I have a ring thanks to my husband that reminds me of Phil. 4:13 which is that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. He really understands me.

Me & Hubby After 2020 Primaries

I think these are vital verses to remember as we journey with Christ and each other toward the cross and beyond this Lenten season.

God Bless You

Blessed be! Today and every day, be thankful! Be courageous! Be humble! Be love! Yes, I said “Be“ Love.

Give Up Scapegoating for Lent

This passage has always made me sad. It’s just a for shadowing of the sadness I felt at reading of Jesus on the cross or experiencing the lamb who is the only one who could open the seven seals. We are to repent! And mean it!

https://www.bible.com/bible/111/lev.16.20-22.niv““When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat. He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.”

Leviticus 16:20-22 NIV

Lord Jesus, I thank you for inviting us on this journey. I thank you that those of us who have made it this far or at least this committed to the journey and we thank you for the power we know you will give us to go all the way with you to the cross and glory. Thank you for being the ultimate scapegoat, sacrifice and atonement for our sins. May we be better and may we become more like you. In Jesus precious and holy name we pray, by the power and the gift of the Holy Spirit bestowed upon us by God the father, amen!

Indulge Yourself: Message from Isaiah 55:1-9

Greetings Of Peace and Joy!

blessed fourth week of Lent! I participate in worship leadership weekly, yet only have the honor and joy of preaching a few times a year. I am Minister Of.Children, Youth & Young Families, I usually deliver the Pastoral Prayer and then spend the balance of service making sure our young people are fully engaged in service. This is when I make the scripture activities such as Bible Bingo, and sometimes questions they can answer while listening to the sermon (most usually delivered by Rev. Gary Bernard Williams). Since yesterday was one of those rare days, I decided to take the opportunity to share with you some of what I would’ve shared with my congregation. The link to the MP4 with one of my favorite worship songs (no, I am not singing) and my message are in a link below. I welcome you to listen to that and let me know what you think.

Scripture Passage

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander of the peoples. Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.” Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’

(‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55:1-9‬ ‭NIV‬‬).

1. Come

God is inviting Israel in the eighth century BC to re-enter the Promise Land into remain focused on what is good, pure, life-giving and nurturing. Babylon had been their prison, and much as consumer culture has enthralled billions today, so many of them were inthralled with the idolatry and earthly markers of success of their place and time. Currency and resources were spent on buying and possessing.

Today, we spend money and resources on buying more and more, and on more and more of what will, in the end, kill us, such as junk food instead of healthy food. While all die in the end, there is quality of life to consider highly. We export unhealthy food to those who usually would have eaten from the crops of local farms, and many of our inner-city people have easier and more affordable access to what I called Mess then to the nutrients needed for optimum spiritual, physical and intellectual health. In this section, I quote it from the world health organization and sojourners magazine as well as usin insights gleamed from other theological sources.

Although I don’t include the theological sources here,, click here to see the Sojourners article. Here is the link to the WHO article.

My sermon wis about Repentance for individual and collective sin toward God, which is inextricably connected two how we treat each other including the most vulnerable amongst us. We are conversely invited to the table of God where Grace is free, Jesus has already paid for everything on our behalf and everything we consume is good. This is a call and invitation for the church to be hospitable as well, because the church is here as a light on the hill and a foretaste of the Kingdom. Everything else in the message goes back to this core truth. God said come and Jesus continues through the power of the Holy Spirit to say come. By extension, Jesus’ disciples say come to all of those who need to taste and see that the Lord is good.

2. Seek

There is so much mess and clutter in the world. We look for our keys. My son, for one, can’t find his backpack most mornings. We seek approval, acceptance, success and all the rest. Nothings inherently wrong with any of that as long as we remember to seek God first. So, God reminds Israel to seek God in everything they do and that will ensure that they will prosper in the land. They’ve received this message before, but maybe this time it’ll stick. Well, we’re still working on seeking God first. Let us never give up and seeking God first and seeking to do what is right and just.

Guilt is not what God wants from us:

Matthew 6:33: seek God First

God simply wants us to Repent which is return to God and endeavor to change. This change is possible when we seek true transformation and pray and obey. Lent is a special dedicated opportunity to clean out, rebuild, recommit, and accept God’ invitations to come to the banquet. It is risky. It requires we sit next to people we usually might not sit next to. It requires we admit we have fallen short, which is a hard thing to do. It means excepting we are not the center of anyone’s universe. It means saying no at times to what we really want. The awards, on the other hand, cannot be counted.

3. Trust

If nothing else, being asked to trust God is the most countercultural principle of all. I think, if we could trust God, then the rest of this would probably be easier. I definitely have my moments and those moments definitely need to be repented for. Repentance is the process and practice of emptying out that mess at the cross and making room for abundance. No, not an end to suffering or even hunger, but it opens us to blessings beyond anything imaginable.

Isaiah 55:8-9

We have to choose and constantly make the decision to trust. Faith is something given to us as a gift and when we don’t have it, we pray for it until we do.

As we continue on this journey to the cross and beyond, I pray that you find your faith, that if you have an abundance of faith you keep it and share it. Share your story! Share your savior!

Shalom!

You’re Invited

The message can be heard by clicking the link below.

indulge-yourself-a-message-on-isa-551-9