It's Preaching Time!

 GOOOD MORNING!

Turn to your neighbor and say, "Neighbor, it's preaching time!"

Long before the world got a hold of me and wouldn't turn me loose, I wanted to be a preacher. I wanted to be the voice of hope and inspiration to the hopeless and the weary, but today, I just want to talk for many of the same reasons, just with my spin on some things. 

I'm not going to take a lot of your time, but I have a message on today and if you like it, share it with your friends!

Now, turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs. Proverbs the 29th chapter and we'll look at the 18th verse. That's Proverbs 29:18 and it reads: "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."

May the Lord add a blessing to the readers, hearers, and doer of His word... Amen.

I'd like to use for a subject on today, "It's not what you see when you're eyes are open, but what you heart desires when your eyes are closed; Sight vs. Vision."

Sight vs. Vison.

First, I'd like to thank Erka for showing me this video on YouTube which inspired this post, "The Value of Vision" by Pastor Michael Todd. Find you an hour and watch that! (I've only watched the first 16 minutes because I had to get this out before I lost my vision for this post!)

We, as a people, have lost sight of our vision. 

The vision for ourselves, the vision for our family, even for this country and we are paying a heavy price!

Have you registered to vote, yet?

Don't you dare let the VISION of Ruth Bader Ginsburg be in vain especially if you're a woman! She believed that where decisions were made women shall be present and involved. She envisioned and embodied independence not just for herself, but for ALL women! I shouldn't have to tell you all that she's done, but I will if you need me to! 

I just purchased my first home; no man involved.

I have a couple of bank accounts in MY name.

I have the right to choose if I want to keep my baby especially if I were raped or sexually abused.

Just to name a few things.

Three battles with cancer, children, a dying husband, and she only missed ONE day of work!

That was HER vision!

The difference between sight and vision for me is, sight is instant gratification. I can see me getting a promotion at work, I can see me going to the gym more consistently. You know? It directly affects me and I can put a time stamp on it if I so choose to do so, which also means that if it doesn't happen, I wont be happy. 

A sight is MY plans for myself like Pastor Michael Todd said, "it's something you see when your eyes are open."

But that vision is, "Something that you see when your eyes are closed."  A vision REQUIRES faith, it requires instructions and guidance from God because you have no idea how you'll get there, but there's a burning desire to just go for it anyway.

A vision takes risks. It takes times. And it will affect many a people because that vision comes from something greater than yourself!

Again I ask, have you registered to vote?

Vote because your life depends on it and women need to be involved in decisions for our own lives!

Because without a vision, the people WILL perish!

We see it in our justice system. "All men created equal" and yet, we aren't.

I said it once and I'll say it again, the mistake was letting George Zimmerman walk away after killing Trayvon Martin, now look at Breonna Taylor! How did a wall receive more justice than she??

We have to adjust our sights and envision a better world for ourselves and for our children! 

That means getting an education, voting, researching, and stirring up some good trouble!

I don't know about you, but I don't want my living to be in vain! I started this blog in hopes to have something that would outlive me. Whether I see the success of that happening or not, the seeds have been planted and I will leave my mark on this planet.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

That vision that God has placed deep inside of you in nobody's business but His. If you are a willing vessel in God's plans for your life then He will surely make it come to pass. 

Don't get so caught up in wanting more out of life thinking you should be further along than you are, right now because it takes the joy and the enjoyment out of the journey; the path you're meant to take to reach your own vision.

But understand that although God will always have the final say so, He can indeed be a gentleman. If you don't want to follow His plans for your life, He can step aside and let you figure things out on your own. How far do you think you'll go on your own?

I write these blog post to open up your minds so you can tap into something great. Bite off more than you can chew because I know that you'd rather choke on greatness than to nibble on mediocrity! 

Take pride in knowing that you tried (a noble fail check my previous blog post, "Under Construction") but now, take those same principles and apply them to your new vision as you navigate on a new path led by God.

I get that there is a lot of pressure in succeeding. Everybody wants to show off what they have and what they've done in their lives. Social media did that, but I'd rather God show me off because when He shows out!!!

The Bible says that he will make your enemies your footstool... He will build you right back up in front of the people who tried to destroy you! Do you hear what I'm saying!?

*plays piano*

WITHOUT A VISION, THE PEOPLE PERISH!!!

Tap into that 2020 vision you had back in January. 

It's the 4th quarter and I need a Jordan in '92 3pt shot! The odds have been stacked against you, but the tortoise won the rest. Sarah gave birth as an old woman, (So will I) Noah was a drunk. Harriet Tubman was a slave. Oprah Winfrey was poor.

C'mon, now!

*plays piano*

Let me ask you a question and then I'm done, have you ever gone skydiving? Or considered skydiving? 

I haven't. And won't ever.

But I wanted to use that parachute as an example as I close here, today...

So you've decided to finally jump from that airplane and you have the parachute strapped to your back, you're free falling and you're going all over the place, the wind is whipping and you're just rapidly descending to the Earth with no control and you can hardly see a thing; that's you on your life's journey with no vision and no God

But finally you pull that string and the parachute releases; that's God, His grace and mercy.

He's there to ease your descend; you've slowed down considerably now.

You can now catch your breath and take in the sights; the beauty and majesty of your journey. 

As you land safely to the ground you've realized that you can do a lot more with God than you can without Him.

And just like a parachute, your mind doesn't work unless you open it up!

Try Jesus. Don't try me. 

Without further adieu...

... It is a pleasure to meet you!