Have you ever been at a place in your life where you are stucked between two worlds? Stuck between the ideal place God would have for you vs. what is existing at the present moment (your present reality). That can be a very frustrating place because some days you seem to be so close that you can touch your dreams, and then the very next day you experience a "reality check" that seems to knock you off balance.
During these times I like to wrap myself in music. There is this song called "Closer" by Goapele that seems to calm me during these times. She is singing about being closer to her dreams and it always soothe me.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Rejection, Could it be a Blessing?
My question this morning is about rejection. Can it sometimes be a blessing? Have you ever been rejected (relationship, employment, school, etc) only to find out later that it was God protecting you from whatever you were seeking? Or maybe God saw something better which was more compatible with your gifts, talents, and personality. Sometimes a thing that we seek can look so good on the outside, but only God knows the intimate details of a situation. Tell me your stories of being "rejected" and later finding out that you were really "protected".
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Men with stay at home wives go further career wise
There is an article that states that men with stay at home wives go further in their careers. I believe that it is because they are the primary breadwinner, and that they have to aim high to secure the best positions. They are motivated by that necessity to achieve since they are caring the breadwinner's weight. If you click on the title, there is a link to the article.
Next time I will discuss my beliefs concerning an industrious woman. I believe that women should be resourceful and profit off of their God-given talents. Women should be able to make money not out of necessity, but out of a desire to add to the family's income. That was what the Proverb's 31 woman did. There is difference between a woman "adding to" a husband's already stable finances, as opposed to making up for a lack in household finances.
Next time I will discuss my beliefs concerning an industrious woman. I believe that women should be resourceful and profit off of their God-given talents. Women should be able to make money not out of necessity, but out of a desire to add to the family's income. That was what the Proverb's 31 woman did. There is difference between a woman "adding to" a husband's already stable finances, as opposed to making up for a lack in household finances.
Have men grown lazy as a whole?
This morning I have a deep burden on my heart. I see men as a whole, not really being all that has God called them to be. Some men are not working, but would rather live off of women. Some men are living in a perpetual state of boyhood and fantasy. II have a feeling that it is rooted in the feminist movement.
Now I agree that the "feminist movement" may have allowed women to be taken more seriously in society, but it did it out of the realm of God. God has a purpose and a design for men and women, and though we are spiritually equal in God's sight; men and women are not physically equal. Women can not/ and should not carry the same "labor burdens" as men. When women started going out into the workforce and taking any and every job they were basically saying (I am as much of a man as you are)! I can take own your role as provider and do it better than you! This caused men to become apathetic, complacent, and lazy.
Now you have the "Mr. Mom" phenomenon, or the men who get laid off and don't want to return to the workforce( click on the title for the link). You have men going into marriages expecting wives (to pull their weight financially) instead of them aiming for the good education and the good employment situations. I will discuss this in more detail shortly.
Now I agree that the "feminist movement" may have allowed women to be taken more seriously in society, but it did it out of the realm of God. God has a purpose and a design for men and women, and though we are spiritually equal in God's sight; men and women are not physically equal. Women can not/ and should not carry the same "labor burdens" as men. When women started going out into the workforce and taking any and every job they were basically saying (I am as much of a man as you are)! I can take own your role as provider and do it better than you! This caused men to become apathetic, complacent, and lazy.
Now you have the "Mr. Mom" phenomenon, or the men who get laid off and don't want to return to the workforce( click on the title for the link). You have men going into marriages expecting wives (to pull their weight financially) instead of them aiming for the good education and the good employment situations. I will discuss this in more detail shortly.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Congratulations To Barack Obama
Congratulations to Barack Obama for his historic victory last night. I look forward to what he will be doing in the future, and I feel a new sense of hope in this country.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Face to Face interaction vs. Online interaction
There have been a lot of good that has come out of online networking. We get to meet people from all over the world without leaving our homes. We can stay updated with the latest and greatest that this world has to offer with just a click of the mouse.
However, this "online world" has created a catch 22. We can become further isolated as a society and severely lack the ability to function in a real world setting. There are certain things you can not experience sitting at home on a computer. When I first started looking for at home employment I looked strictly online. I really did not want to "get out there" and felt that I could easily find it with a click of the mouse. However, when my online search appeared unfruitful, I took my search offline. There is a bible verse in Jeremiah 6:16 that states, "Thus says the LORD, 'Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk in it'".
I started to feel the need to go back to good old fashioned face to face networking. Before the internet, technology, etc. that was all we had. It worked then, and it works now. So I began to search for networking groups. God designed the universe through relationships, and if we just network and connect with the right people we can make it much further in life as opposed to being the lone ranger or man of an "island".
Some people are fortunate enough to find jobs online, and have the interview by telephone, and take all of your training online without having to speak face-to-face wit someone. There are some people who do meet the "Man/Woman" of their dreams in a cyber chat room. But that is an exception to the rule. And it is dangerous when we take something meant to enhance and supplement, and give power to it as if it is the primary thing we should do.
However, this "online world" has created a catch 22. We can become further isolated as a society and severely lack the ability to function in a real world setting. There are certain things you can not experience sitting at home on a computer. When I first started looking for at home employment I looked strictly online. I really did not want to "get out there" and felt that I could easily find it with a click of the mouse. However, when my online search appeared unfruitful, I took my search offline. There is a bible verse in Jeremiah 6:16 that states, "Thus says the LORD, 'Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk in it'".
I started to feel the need to go back to good old fashioned face to face networking. Before the internet, technology, etc. that was all we had. It worked then, and it works now. So I began to search for networking groups. God designed the universe through relationships, and if we just network and connect with the right people we can make it much further in life as opposed to being the lone ranger or man of an "island".
Some people are fortunate enough to find jobs online, and have the interview by telephone, and take all of your training online without having to speak face-to-face wit someone. There are some people who do meet the "Man/Woman" of their dreams in a cyber chat room. But that is an exception to the rule. And it is dangerous when we take something meant to enhance and supplement, and give power to it as if it is the primary thing we should do.
Ask and You shall receive
Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
This morning I attended a networking meeting for those seeking employment/or seeking better employment. I attended because I am seeking home-based employment with a legitimate company. One of the main things I learned was to specifically ask for what I wanted. Growing up as a black person in America you often hear people say "Don't go asking for too much because you should just be grateful for whatever comes your way". Because of our history of oppression we honestly feel that we are not qualified to pursue the biggest and best opportunities. Especially in a job search we feel that we should just be happy to get our foot into a door (any door) and don't go asking for too much.
When I attended the meeting one of the first things one of the founding gentleman asked me was "What company do you specifically want to work for?" I told him well whichever company wants to hire a telecommuter. But he corrected me and told me that I need to be specific because he may not remember such general information.
Another thing I learn was to be more assertive. We had to give 60 second presentations which include who we are, what we wanted to do, and what value we were to a future employer. I was critiqued and told that though my presentation answered all of the questions and highlighted my experience, it was not convincing because I lacked eye contact. I was told to be more relaxed and to practice in a mirror in order to build up my confidence.
I am thankful that I went, and I learned a lot today. I believe that God allows us to be around different people to learn things that are outside of our little bubble. He is constantly expanding our social network.
Additional Scriptures
Philippians 4:6
Philippians 4:19
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
This morning I attended a networking meeting for those seeking employment/or seeking better employment. I attended because I am seeking home-based employment with a legitimate company. One of the main things I learned was to specifically ask for what I wanted. Growing up as a black person in America you often hear people say "Don't go asking for too much because you should just be grateful for whatever comes your way". Because of our history of oppression we honestly feel that we are not qualified to pursue the biggest and best opportunities. Especially in a job search we feel that we should just be happy to get our foot into a door (any door) and don't go asking for too much.
When I attended the meeting one of the first things one of the founding gentleman asked me was "What company do you specifically want to work for?" I told him well whichever company wants to hire a telecommuter. But he corrected me and told me that I need to be specific because he may not remember such general information.
Another thing I learn was to be more assertive. We had to give 60 second presentations which include who we are, what we wanted to do, and what value we were to a future employer. I was critiqued and told that though my presentation answered all of the questions and highlighted my experience, it was not convincing because I lacked eye contact. I was told to be more relaxed and to practice in a mirror in order to build up my confidence.
I am thankful that I went, and I learned a lot today. I believe that God allows us to be around different people to learn things that are outside of our little bubble. He is constantly expanding our social network.
Additional Scriptures
Philippians 4:6
Philippians 4:19
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Misrepresenting God
I have always been bothered about how saints love to tell these extravagant, mysterious stories about how God supernaturally provided for their financial needs. For whatever reason, these “testimonies” are almost always in the area of finances.
Every time particular “prophets” are in my area they will get on the gospel radio with these call-in broadcasts. Many times they will ask for an “offering” or “faith seed” and promises God’s showers of blessings. One prophet in particular stated how God will supernaturally place money in your bank account. He stated that you should write “money cometh” on your dollar bills.
Another “prophet” had people calling the station saying how their bank statement had an extra $300, $700, or even $1,000 on it. But does God really work that way? The danger of this thinking is the fact that it leads out human effort and following Godly principals. People may feel that they can do anything with their finances and when they get in a slump God is just going to wave some magic wand and zap it away. However, it doesn’t work like that. And if you received a bank statement showing extra money in your account and you don’t alert the bank is that not the same as stealing? The bank could have made an error.
So we must really be careful with the “testimonies” we tell.
Every time particular “prophets” are in my area they will get on the gospel radio with these call-in broadcasts. Many times they will ask for an “offering” or “faith seed” and promises God’s showers of blessings. One prophet in particular stated how God will supernaturally place money in your bank account. He stated that you should write “money cometh” on your dollar bills.
Another “prophet” had people calling the station saying how their bank statement had an extra $300, $700, or even $1,000 on it. But does God really work that way? The danger of this thinking is the fact that it leads out human effort and following Godly principals. People may feel that they can do anything with their finances and when they get in a slump God is just going to wave some magic wand and zap it away. However, it doesn’t work like that. And if you received a bank statement showing extra money in your account and you don’t alert the bank is that not the same as stealing? The bank could have made an error.
So we must really be careful with the “testimonies” we tell.
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