The Road Least Travelled

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind!” shouted the preacher through the television at me.

I looked at the television with boredom. I was tired of hearing another preacher trying to tell me how to live my life. I looked at my grandmother sitting next to me, who was completely engrossed with the message or she bobbed her head up and down in agreement. I wondered if she even understood what the man was really talking about or just agreed because he was preaching.

I keep my disrespectful thoughts to myself. This was the same woman who had taught me how to pray and took me to church on a regular basis growing up. Besides that, she defied the laws of physics with her ability to curve a healed shoe around a corner and still hit you with complete accuracy even when you were out of her line of sight. I subconsciously rubbed the spot on the back of my head even though it had been years since any such occurrence of reprimand. I kissed my grandmother on the head and left for home.

The words the preacher spoke echoed in my mind. Although I did not speak about it to many persons I was completely aggravated by the choices I had before me. I was completely hurt, humiliated and betrayed by someone I trusted and had the opportunity to return the same. Part of me did not care any longer about this individual and only wanted vengeance. I had consulted with some friends and most except for one told me I should just do what I had to do and let God sort it out. I looked at my only dissenting friend with a question of what should I do on my face.

He placed his hand on my shoulder and whispered in my ear as he left, “Live for today and tomorrow, do not let the past or pains of yesterday steal your future.” For a moment I felt completely empty and confused. I took my friends advice and let my opportunity for revenge past. Years later upon recognizing his error the individual came and apologized. He said he found out later I had the opportunity to return what he did to me but could never understand why I didn’t. I simply replied, “It is easier to follow my heart, than it is to follow God, but I know if I follow God, I will follow the right choice.”

 A Moment of Clarity

As Jesus and his Disciples were passing by Bartimaeus heard the commotion and inquired what was going. He was told that Jesus and his disciples were passing. Upon hearing this he began to cry out to Jesus saying Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. The crowd tried to hush him and told him not to bother the Master. At hearing this he cried even louder. Bartimaeus recognized he had a once in a lifetime opportunity that most would pass up because they did not want to make a spectacle of themselves. They would rather suffer in silence than to cry out for assistance. They would rather follow the crowd than be the one who made the entire crowd stop and take note because they would not suffice to remain in their situation any longer.

Pursuing change in our lives usually will be accompanied by some type of pain or discomfort. Whether this is starting a new diet, exercising, changing our habits, leaving a relationship or giving up anything we have become accustomed to, it is difficult and requires both effort and a faith.  Yet if we are to shine as the gems of God and creation we are it requires us to choose the road most would not willingly follow.  This means sometimes we would have to stand alone, yet know God will never leave us alone to deal with anything without His love and guidance when we ask him to lead us.

In our country we are under attack on every front. Whether it is from the point of economics, finances, death, crime and violence to spiritual attack we are to a point we need to pursue the road least travelled by most. We are to the point as a people that we must, with God’s help, purse change and a better future while dealing with our internal problems and strife’s. I encourage you today pursue the road least travelled in your own lives and find the path God has set for you and only you as you learn to be everyday a Beacon of Light.

 Beam of Light for the Week 

Our daily choices decide our today and tomorrow. We cannot change the past or guess the future but we can live today and make the decisions now which will better our future.

When Hope Dies

“How foolish the dreamer who hopes in dreams. How blind the one who does not see the reality that lies before him. How pitiful the pessimist who has failed to understand that reality is based upon the fulfillment of our dreams or the loss of them.”

Our passions in life are what motivates us and drives us. When we lose the thing we love or give up on using our gifts it always leaves a very big whole in our hearts. I have always loved writing and reading, yet even though I love to sing and act I never understand that my love for these all stemmed out of my love of writing and being a storyteller. For a number of years I had stopped writing poetry and even short stories and could not understand why it was I use to be so miserable. Life seemed to be taking me to task from one trial to the next. Many times we are faced with trying experiences, which can completely consume us and during these we rarely care to use our gifts.

I had stopped writing for a number of years and did not feel inspired too. Going from one form of disappointment to the next I never picked up a pen. What was the point? One night after getting out of another bad break up, I sat down to write how I was feeling. I just wanted to vent through my pen like I use too. I stared at the paper and for an entire hour all I saw staring back at me was a blank page. I thought I was experiencing writers block, yet I could see all of the words clearly in my mind but every time I went to write something I felt the most tremendous pressure and pain in my heart. I was completely confused. I said a short prayer, gave up and went to bed.

Upon waking the next morning I was still upset and decided to try again. It took all of my concentration to get out just a few lines. When I had gotten those words out, I read what I had written and did not even notice that tears were rolling down my cheek as I was reading. The words staring back at me from the paper said, “I am wrapped in a cloak of hopelessness and my only lover is pain. I see no point in continuing this wretched journey called life. For everything and everyone I have loved has deserted me and I am empty of a reason to live.”

I had not written for a very long time. Yet the words on this plain sheet of paper were a culmination of all I was feeling for so very long. I had pushed through the pain of loss without properly grieving. I had gone from one relationship to the next without properly healing. In the process of everything to make matters worse, I had closed off my heart and did not even utilize the gift God gave me to share with the world but to also peer into my own soul and know what was going on.

I HAD SIMPLY LOSS HOPE!

A Moment of Clarity

“1 Corinthians 13:13 says: And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”  Hope is listed with the three fundamental platforms for spiritual growth and development. Much is said of faith and the importance of love, yet very little importance is given to the true value of hope.

Faith will help you to believe in that which is promised of God but unseen to the physical eyes, but exists in the spirit. Love will bind you to God, others and give you the motivation and devotion to act upon your faith. Yet it is hope that binds the two. For it is hope that when held within our bosom keeps us from giving up when our faith is tested. It is hope which drives us to move forward when our love is unrequited and even unappreciated. Yet without hope a man’s heart, will dry up like the Sahara and be completely consumed with despair. Without hope, our lives fill up with nothing but hurt and negatives. For when we give up on our hope, we cannot ever truly practice faith or enjoy sharing or being loved for we will not think there is any sincere value in any of it.

It was faith that God was able to keep his promise that made Abraham willing to sacrifice his promised son, love for God that made him be willing to do it but hope that God could change the circumstance that enabled him to even take the first step.

Today I encourage you to never give up hope in God, yourself or the value of your life and gifts. Remember we are all on a journey in life together as you learn each day to be a Beacon of Light.

 Beam of Light for the Week 

Sharing Love and giving Hope is like wrapping and strengthening a strand of thread with steel wiring. Love is always hopeful and together strengthens our Faith even if it is just a weak thread.

Talking With God

“What is wrong with you?”

We seem sometimes to fail to understand just how important communication is in our daily lives. Whether it is our relationships with love ones or friends or our co-workers daily, our communication needs to always be clear so others can understand us. I thought about this to myself as I sat in my bosses’ office taking a tongue lashing for a mis-communication between myself and another coworker that caused us to lose an important client.

At the time I thought I was doing the right thing. I had called the client and told them honestly we would not be able to provide the services they requested at the time they needed. The client took this to mean we did not want to do business with them. Unknown to me the client had told my supervisors if they had any more problems with their account or service they would pull their account from our company. How this client’s account got on my desk I still don’t know and even now wondered if God was punishing me for something.

I had not prayed or talked to God in months. My first line of communication had just been opened because the first thing I said was, “Lord help me.” I found it ironic how easily we call on God when we are in trouble but forget to sometimes just say thank you even for God protecting us from leaving home and returning safely daily. When my boss was done I held my head on my desk completely confused as what to do and whether or not I still had a job. My boss did not say anything about firing me but based on his mood I had seen him fire others for less.

As soft as a gentle breeze I heard a voice speak to me and say, “It will be alright.” For a moment I thought I was just delirious from the stress of my employer’s tirade but then I heard it again. This time I realized it was the Holy Spirit speaking to me and giving me comfort in my distress. Without me saying more than help me in my heart, God had heard and answered my cry. I felt ashamed and yet grateful at the same time.  I know I had not prayed to God for months and had been so busy and occupied with living my life. I had forgotten that the very life I was living was God’s gift. I prayed daily growing up because of my grandmother’s guidance but had forgotten just how important talking to God daily was. Even though I was still shaken from my employer’s shouting deluge, I was grateful for the reminder of how good it was to be able to talk to God daily in my life and hear a reply. I never forgot that lesson again.

Moment of Clarity

The bible speaks of how Jesus rose early to speak to God in prayer and take time to commune privately. Job made it his daily task to pray for his entire family early every morning. Our daily relationship with life and others begins and ends with our relationship with God. It is not our religion or what we say that matters but the fact we take time to speak with God daily. It gives us courage, strength and focus to face our day and even the unknown circumstances we will experience.

Life can be very trying and unpredictable, yet our one assurance in all we face is that God is with us and will never leave or desert us. Many times we face unnecessary trouble and sorrows, simply because we do not take the time to seek counsel from God or those that our Creator would send into our paths to assist us. We are not meant to live our lives as rudderless ships. Many times we wonder why God allows certain things to happen, yet a lot happens that is hurtful or harmful because we do not daily value the guidance God would give if only we seek him in all we do. Whether we are happy or sad, we can always find solace in the pursuit of a daily conversation with our maker.  God will never intrude rudely but patiently and loving waits for us to speak and also listen for a reply.

How often should I pray and talk to God? Constantly with no shame or feeling we are incapable of running our own affairs. Our business here on earth is to serve God and live productive and loving lives to increase the kingdom of love and light, who better to seek daily guidance, love and inspiration from than the one who created us.  I encourage you brothers and sisters in love daily talk to God and daily strive to be a Beacon of Life.

Beam of Light for the Week

Speaking from our hearts frees us from burdens we would otherwise have to carry. Speaking honestly about how you feel helps us to develop better relationship with others, ourselves and God.