On The Radio

Natasha was giving her listeners the old one-two-SNAP.  It was geared toward down-low black men, or MSMs (men who sex men) and the women whose lives they are tearing apart.  She had something to say to rappers that promote the foolishness of it girls being the ones with small waists, big rumps, supple breasts and the pole dancing skills of a Cirque du Soleil acrobat.  She didn’t leave BET out of the thrashing either considering it allows the foolishness to be promoted.  And, yes, in case you were wondering she had a little something for Congress as well.  It’s time to stop asking “What role does the government have in the AIDS epidemic?”  As Natasha blasted on facebook: “the gova who…if we don’t raise hell they won’t raise a finger…”

Well you know I had to call in. It was too good to pass up.  And I don’t know how much I added to the show, but she asked me something along the lines of what I thought black women should do to protect themselves.

I frankly told her that I think they should be willing to ask the pointed questions.

My response really made me think.  We as a people, you and I, are often afraid to ask the pointed questions to others, and most importantly to ourselves.  “We’ve taken ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ too far,” Natasha commented.  Indeed we have.

On Facebook and Twitter

So I’m awake blowing up facebook and twitter.  I even went so far as to tweet one of my favorite models, @evamarcille, this little diddy: “pose this question to your girls…before U engage in relations do you ask a man if he has sex with men?”  Will I get a response?  I dunno.  But I felt that I had to spread the word.

I mean, we’re living in a day and time that we are so connected to each other yet so disconnected.  That was one of the things we talked about on Talking To Tasha.  What happened to the camaraderie; the feeling of responsibility for each other?  It is best summed up by the words of Jesus: “…the love of many will grow cold…”

All these facebook friends and twitter followers and blah, blah, blah.  We have no sense of accountability toward each other besides updating our status so that the billions of people around the world can know that I just got off the toilet.  Really?

Out of Control

I guess I’m just a little frazzled tonight.

How about you?

Is any of this making you wonder if you’re doing something worthwhile?  Are you using your voice to make a difference?  Are you using the opportunities that you have to make a change?  Are you using the privileges that you have to do something besides scratch your butt and sniff?  I’m just saying.

This video–> Out of Control: The AIDS Epidemic in Black America is the truth.  I keep getting interrupted while I’m watching it, but what I’ve seen is, whew, eye opening.

Am I going to become the next spokesperson for AIDS? I dunno?  Maybe.  I just know that I’m feeling a little duped.  Duped because, like an ostrich, I’ve gotten frightened by life and I’ve had my head in the sand.

Okay…

My favorite line in The Devil Wears Prada is when Nigel is talking to Andy about her lackadaisical work ethic at the magazine and why Miranda isn’t giving her the props she feels she deserves.  He says, “Wake up, SIX,” snapping her into the reality that she wasn’t doing all that she could to succeed.  I’ve been quoting that for about a month now to myself when I open my eyes to a situation be it spiritual, at work, or anything.

Hey, you. Yes, you. Wake up, Six!

There’s an elephant in the room and it is causing major damage. Call it out the next time you have a chance.  Don’t be afraid to ask the pointed questions.  Don’t be afraid of the responses.  The dialogue needs to happen.  Your life may depend on it.

Clear the minds of Jasmene Rhem and Kayla Rike as they plan and seek Your will for what You would have them create as far as a website. You already know that Jasmene’s is going to be geared toward her ministry, Transforming Former Minds, that she does with her husband, Ranger Rhem. Kayla’s is going to be a prayer based site.

You have to give them the wisdom and tenacity needed to accomplish their goals, Father. Give them the support team that they need. Keep their husbands fortified to encourage the ladies to keep pushing on. Keep them ever before Your face seeking Your guidance. Go before them and prepare the hearts and minds of the readers that will come across their sites. Coat the sites with Your spirit.

I’m geeked, LORD! Continue working with Natasha David-Walker and her two sites, Talking To Tasha & Sex and the Saints. She’s holding on and it seems that she’s gotten a stride going. I believe her show is every Monday, Wednesday and Friday night now instead of everyday. Help her keep her busy life with her husband and the children mangaged so that neither her ministry as a wife, mother, talk show host, or author suffers. Balance, Father. Balance.

Thank You for all that You do, LORD.

You know Brian has found a house that he wants that fits in his price range.  It’s great.  I like it.  Quaint. In a quiet neighborhood. Nice paint colors.  Sizeable backyard. 

Here’s the thing, Father: We need You to make sure that there are no hiccups before or during his closing.  You know how the banks are and they’ve asked him for just about everything besides a piss test and a blood sample. 

He’s been diligent in looking and staying within his budget.  He’s kept a positive attitude.  But You know how fragile his esteem is and I feel that it will be a great boost to his confidence to gain such a valuable asset. 

Only You know if that’s true or not.  Only You know if this is the best thing for him.  So search Your infinite knowledge, LORD, and find the compassion in Your heart to grant one of Your wandering lambs a home.  Forgive me if I’m being a bit pushy, or maybe stepping out of bounds, yet Father, I would feel like a loser if I didn’t come on Brian’s behalf to ask You for this house for him.  He’s had a hard knock life.  You know!

You promised us shelter, food and clothing, right?  Well, there You go, LORD.  Show us Your glory and Your mighty provisions. Please.
Oh and Father, please bless him with a better job making at least $3 more than what he’s making now. I know You can do it, LORD. Something that fits his qualifications. Something he’ll enjoy.

Open Your word and Your ways to him so that he can take care of his girls the best way possible.  Strengthen the bond between him and his wife, Tammy.  Teach him to be the role model that his daughters, Tristyn, Ronnica, and Jayda need.  Make him the apple of their eyes.  Fill him with so much of You that all they see is Your glory beaming from him.

Let him be the only earthly man they are connected to until You provide them with suitable mates.  Keep them as Daddy’s Little Girls.  Show him how to love unconditionally and to be there for them even when he doesn’t agree with their choices.  Show him how to forgive when his wife doesn’t always agree with his direction.  Be the tie that binds his family together.

Incline Your ear to him when he humbles himself in prayer seeking Your face.  Whisper Your commands to him in that still small voice that we’ve come to love and yearn for.  He thirsts for You, LORD, and he requested prayer because he knows that You are the Promise Keeper.  Remind him that You and You alone are God and there is none like You. 

Send angels to encamp around his home and each individual in his family.  Let his influence be felt in the surrounding community so that it will know that his house has chosen to serve You.  Keep a song in his heart, Father, because a cheerful heart does good like a medicine. 

Forgive Reggie, Tammy and their girls for their sins, LORD, because against You only have they sinned.  Whatever else You need to throw in there, Father - for good measure - so be it, according to Your will. amen.

It’s simple, Father, please grant her healing.  I tried to look it up and figure out what it was…as long as you know.  Apparently it is contagious, too, LORD, because her concern was that it doesn’t spread through the campus.  

Hold out Your hand with its power and stay the virus, Father, and save lives.  I know there is a lot done there that You may not like, but I also know that You are a gracious God sprinkling love, truth, mercy, patience, longsuffering, and peace in Your justice.  Please don’t punish thousands for the sins of hundreds.

Take this opportunity, LORD, to encourage the missionaries that are there to humble themselves and pray for the health of the people; to join forces with the Infinite One in obtaining mercy for Your creations.  Thanks, Father.  

No man is an island, Father, so encourage them to keep the lines of communication open, as well.  Like most relationships, friendships are a two way street. 

Please don’t allow Satan to press upon them feelings of worthlessness, inferiority or condemnation.  When they sin remind them You are the Sin Eater.  Remind them when they’re weak that Your strength is perfect.  And definitely keep in the forefront of their minds that Your grace is sufficient for whatever they are dealing with.

Watch over Brandon Smith while he’s in Michigan and continue ordering his steps.  Guide Moses Eli as he pastors his churches and prepare him to be a husband after Your heart.  Speak to Ja’Son O’Rourke as he breaks Your word to the various congregations he travels to and let him know what path it is You want him to take.  Bless Marcus Vassel while he’s overseas pastoring. 

Wow, LORD, I just realized I don’t have any married pastor friends.  Should You decide to bless them with a wife, let no man tear asunder.  Fortify their hearts toward You so that they are able to give to their wives the emotional strength needed. 

Fill my boys with Your spirit and hover over their congregations.  Ignite the desire in their members to pray for them, too.  And give them a strong circle of friends, even if it’s only a few.

I blinked away a tear and said, “I am.”

“Come over here, baby. What have those people at church done to you?”

“It’s not them, it’s me.  It’s what I’m doing to myself.”

“Child, come here and hug me and let it out.”

I obeyed and somehow my attempt to go minister to the “sick and shut-in” became my rescue by the “sick and shut-in.”

Grace…

After about two minutes of being wrapped in a mother’s love she asked me if I was okay.

“Yes, ma’am.  I’m sorry.”

“No, you don’t have anything to worry about.  Now go sit down.  You just look like you have a lot on you.  I saw it on your… DIDN’T I TELL YOU TO SIT DOWN?   Honey, this dog is so hard headed.  I saw it on your face.”

Sis Marva studied my face.  “You know,” she began, “we’ve got to learn to let go of these things and let God do His job.  I tell Him that all the time. ‘Lord, I can’t do this. You gotta do it.  You said You are my daddy, my husband so I’m expecting You to be that.’”

I laughed: “I told God that this morning.”

“You did?”

“Yes, ma’am. I was up at 3 am telling Him that I’m tired of it.  I’m tired of this thing.  And all I got back from Him was, My grace is sufficient.”

“It is, baby. Don’t you believe that?”

“NO,” I choked out. “I don’t want to hear that.”

She sat up in bed. I looked at her, eyes glistening.  She began telling me a testimony of a rough time in her life when she was begging God to “take away” a particular situation in her life.  I listened intently.  Her recollection of the anguish filled prayers struck a nerve in me.  But she didn’t just leave it at her experience.  After she summed up a few of the lessons she learned during that time, she admonished me that when I was really “sick and tired” that I would let God have His way and that would be it.

“His grace is sufficient,” she said.  “It’s sufficient enough to give you the victory over whatever sin you believe is overwhelming you.”  She then leaned over and grabbed her Bible.

“Help me, Holy Spirit,” she whispered as she opened it.  “Let’s read a little bit, baby.  Turn to John 14 because I believe we need Jesus to talk to us for a little while.”  And that’s exactly what He did.

Word of God Speak

So, after praying, I began reading aloud: “Let not your heart be troubled…”

“Thank You, Jesus.  See, baby, He’s already talking to you.  You came in here with a troubled heart and He’s telling you you don’t need that.  Go on.”

“You believe in God,” I continued, “believe also in Me.”

“Do you believe in God?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I know you do, baby. Go on.”

And so it went for three chapters; me reading and she stopping me whenever she felt a need to interject.  The verse though that really got me; the one that made me double over and ask forgiveness for being a brute and thank Him for His mercy was verse 13:

And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (NKJV)

I had to stop reading to gain my composure.  Right there in the Bible God was telling me that He’s got my back.  For His glory I won’t be left destitute.  For His glory I won’t be a fumbling, bumbling sinner for all my days.  Then Jesus went in for the kill as I read verse 18:

“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”

Sister Marva looked over at my tear soaked face.  I turned and looked out the window and then back at her.

“I know you hear Him and believe Him, don’t you?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am,” I whispered.

“See, baby, His grace is sufficient for whatever you’re going through over there. Keep reading.”

Wisdom of the Ages

When I left her house later that evening – strengthened, encouraged, loved – the majority of my praise was that we have the older generation still among us to share their life experiences no matter how rough, or how holy; their wisdom is immeasurable.

Could someone my age have given me the same lesson? Probably.  I just don’t think it would have had the same seasoning, though.

Do you have someone in your “circle of trust” with time honored silver strands of wisdom?

Image via Wikipedia

Please grant each request according to Your will and Your lovingkindness – from the person that would like guidance to pass a test to Rodney Trosper who is being flown to the hospital right now because of heart trouble.  Protect the initiator of @Prayer_Network because it was truly a spirit led endeavor. 

Touch all the people that have requested prayer.  Give a double portion of grace and mercy to all those that have requested prayer on behalf of someone else.  It takes a level of compassion and selflessness to speak up for another. 

Father, show us Your glory and fill us with Your peace.  Help us keep in mind that Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled…”

I decided to give Mike a shout out today because I’ll be praying for him at the wailing wall regarding a publisher picking up his works for a compilation book.  How fantastic would it be to have Joyful ‘toons sitting on your coffee table, sharing the light of God’s word as well as appealing to children and the child-like.

Here are my top three all-time favorites from Mike’s collection:

This one showed up in my inbox during the time I was dealing with a difficult boss.  It was a gentle reminder that God expected me to be the bigger man.  The irony of this cartoon is at the time I had just had a boil on my bottom lanced, so I could definitely feel the sheep’s pain!

Don’t you love the simplicity of Mike’s drawings?  They lend a visual element to the scriptures without taking away.  I have a plan to frame this next one and hang it in my office.

My third favorite was a gem that I saw that spoke volumes to how I need to handle my personality weaknesses and the crap that Satan throws my way. 

The Family of God

Truly, I believe that another reason I was so drawn to Mike’s cartoons was that I saw another believer using his gifts and his talents to bring glory to God.  Mike, indeed, has been tailor made and I’m proud of him for happily being on display.

Now, admittingly, I laughed when I first saw the movie.  But after I contemplated her delicate nature and then I watched the movie a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th time, I cried each time I saw her.

I couldn’t imagine being so burdened by the evil of the world, or be so troubled by the issues of my friends and family; yet, I was still drawn to her.  There was something about her that connected with me.

The fifth time I watched the movie I audibly said, “Lord, I want to have a heart like May’s. I want to come to You everytime I see trouble or I hear that something’s awry or I feel the harmony broken in the world.”

My friend Andrea said that she wasn’t shocked that I found a kindred spirit in May.  I was shocked at the comment.  Pleasantly shocked.

The Wailing Wall Emerges

The Boatwright sisters took their idea of a wailing wall for May from Jerusalem (also known as The Western Wall), where, the pray-ers write their prayers on little slips of paper and stick them in the crevices of the wall.

I thought about doing the same thing, then decided that I wouldn’t be willing to go outside that often.  When I thought I had finalized a plan to make a wailing wall out of one of my bedroom walls by covering it with corkboard tiles and using tacks and stick pins to hold the prayers, I quickly talked myself out of that due to the work involved taking it down when I move.

Finally, when all was said and done with Tailor Made, I got the brilliant notion to include a category titled The Wailing Wall - that way all the prayers would be recorded and seen throughout the world by others that are willing to invest time at the throne of God.  Plus, it would be an opportunity for others to submit prayer requests to the wall as well.

Book vs Movie

You should take some time to click through Tailor Made’s Wailing Wall and even submit a request through the contact form or just by leaving a comment.

I plan to find a copy of The Secret Life of Bees in print and see what nuances are missing from the movie.  I read Marley and Me months after seeing the movie, and the book was by far 20 times better.  I didn’t even get choked up watching the movie, but the book had me crying like my friend’s grandma had died or something.

The great thing about 2010 and the grace of God is that we have so many opportunities at our fingertips.  So many different ways to see an idea become reality.  Now my desire to pray for others is reaching another level.  Everything doesn’t go on the wall because sometimes I have to take it to God immediately and I don’t have access to the internet at that moment.  But when I can, I do, and I’ve already seen a few of them answered.  Thank You, Lord!

Please pray for me, Reid Klos, as I pray for you, the reader of Tailor Made.  This is our neighborhood.

Do you have a prayer request?