I Believe - James Fortune & Others

Whatever Valley You’re In, God Is Up To Something!

I overslept this morning and missed Mass this past Sunday.  I usually feel remorse when this happens but I was just tired discombobulated that morning.  But I wanted to give God some time so instead of going to church, I brought church to me by listening to T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen and for the very first time, Dr. Charles Stanley.  I truly believed that sermon was meant for me to listen to.  Yes, it was my first time giving Dr. Stanley any attention, I did try before some time back but his approach didn’t grab me.  I don’t know, maybe it just wasn’t what I wanted to hear.  I like Joyce Myers, too.  I think this time with Dr. Stanley, I felt a very personal approach, especially, his explanation about how he felt when he lost his mother.  There are so many people that have shared some time in the valley for so many reasons.  But what impressed me most about Dr. Stanley was his explanation on why we were in the valleys.  Here are Dr. Stanley’s four points dealing with valleys.  1) Surrender your life to God. 2) Believe that the valley experience will work for our good.  3) Rest in God.  4) Thank God for bringing you through the valley.  God takes us to another mountain.  To give a testimony don’t we have to go through a test?  Another important tenet is what did we learn?  We have to go through the valleys to get to another mountain.  God is leading us to better things.  We can’t understand the preparation but our Shepherd won’t lead us astray.  All we need to do is follow Him and strengthen our relationship with God.  The Good Shepherd takes care of His sheep because He loves us and only wants the best for us.  The same thing a loving and caring father would do.  The valleys are opportunities for us to establish a relationship with God.  At the time we don’t see it.  All we see are the problems and our focus is more on why is this happening to us and our loved ones.  How can we think we are heading to another mountain when all we see are major concerns?  The Lord is our Shepherd (23^rd Psalm).  David knew what was going on.  In his valleys he still cried out to God for help and forgiveness.  But despite what David was going through, he did not take his focus on how merciful and loving God is.  The 23^rd Psalm is a very powerful prayer, a prayer said more times in sorrow than joy.  Yet, it is a joyous prayer stating that our needs are met and that we have nothing to fear because God is always with us.  “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever”.  How faithful was David?  How faithful can we be?

Lord, I Am Not Worthy … (Matthew 5:13)

Yes, Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.  Restore in me the faith that I lost believing in myself.  You believed in me when nobody else did.  It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks, it’s what I do that is pleasing in your sight.  They don’t know what I’ve been through or going through.  They judge me and don’t know me.  But You knew me before I was born and You knew the purpose that I was created for.  Strengthen me with wisdom and understanding, Lord, so that I can share the blessings with others.  Make me an instrument of Your Will to direct my voice to say the right words guiding my brothers and sisters in the direction You want us to go.  We all have lost direction from so many trials and tribulations that seem to surround us.  We lost our stability when we lost sight of you and the waves of despair and hopelessness toss us about.  My friends and family mock me because I chose to follow you.  And as a result, I have lost them.  I never renounced them or criticized their ways because who am I to judge?  We are all weak and stumble through this maze called life.  The people we loved are no longer with us, you have taken them home to be with You.  There is emptiness left in our hearts along with the memories they left behind.  Your servant David was a man after Your heart.  David was an imperfect man, a man that stumbled and fell, but he kept You first.  David and so many others who did Your Will are examples for all us to follow as men who are imperfect but want to do the right thing in Your sight, Lord.  But, didn’t Your Son, Jesus, select imperfect men to be His Apostles?  They were examples for all us to follow.  They changed their ways and so can we.  It’s not easy doing to right thing.  The ways of the world can choke us like thorns. Maybe, it’s not really life or its difficulties we have the problems with.  Maybe, the problem is dealing with ourselves and the choices we make.  Lord, I will not renounce my love for You and I am thankful for Your many blessings.

“Your Past and Your Future Can Not Coexist!”



The Future is Bright and Indescribable!



Read it again, now say it slow, and let it soak.  “Your Past and Your Future Can Not Coexist!”  Think about it.  Reverend Colley, a confidant, God’s soldier, told me this yesterday.  In one of his sermons, he told his congregation that 2011 is empty.  It’s up to us how we fill it.  We can’t look back at last year and think that if we continue the same things we did that they’ll somehow change this year.  We can learn from the past, if we choose to gain experience, knowledge and wisdom from it.  This can shape us in a positive, productive way.  But our past and future cannot exist side by side on the same plane.  They must remain separate.  Visions and dreams of the future are learned from the past but in order to go forward we must look ahead.  Try walking backwards.  You will always see where you’ve been but you don’t have a clue to where you going.  In fact, you just might back into something you didn’t mean to which could be a major problem.  Has any of this sunk in yet?  If you had a bad relationship with someone, do you carry the baggage to a new one?  If you do, what usually happens?  That relationship ends most likely like the previous one.  But, if you had a bad experience with a vendor but the company is now under new management, would you return because you have seen that the services are now more customer-related and superb?  Yes, the past was an experience but you learned from it.  We all go through something.  None of us are exempt from having problems, trials and tribulations are a part of living.  But having God by our side, we can turn and face forward to deal with the concerns of today.  Why worry about tomorrow when we don’t have any control over today.  We can only hope and pray that God’s blessings will always be with us.  I think it’s good to know where you've been but better to strive for improvement in the future.  The choice is yours!

MLK Birthday!

Tomorrow the nation, states and some communities will celebrate the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King.  He died for what he believed in which were equality and peace.  Just recently we have seen the opposite actions from how our fellow Americans feel towards each other depending on classes and political affiliations.  Acts of terror and soon to be harmful legislation will be enacted by the ruling party in charge.  If we expect much change, we should accept what we get if we don't participate in the voting process.  Dr. King wasn't a perfect man but name me any man that was.  We all have an obligation to stand up for what is right.  This includes our youth, who seems more preoccupied dealing with texting and anything other than current events that will affect them presently and in the future.  Let us all take lessons from this man who believed in peace towards each other, not in violent actions that we have experienced already.  Happy Birthday, Dr. King.  May your Dream never be denied.

Pessimism – The Butt-End of Optimism!

We’re not comparing the half-empty glass, the grass is always greener on the other side, so on and etc.  We’re talking about the cliché “When the going gets rough, the tough get going!”  In other words, dear friends, things are rough but they could always be rougher.  During trying times we regain our faith after we lost it when everything was going well.  We didn’t need or appreciate the blessings we were getting from the Lord because we actually thought we were in control.  Sometimes many of are just the opposite about losing our faith during trying times.  But, it doesn’t matter, we remain inconsistent.  When love was going our way we were happy with the world when we can’t keep it we blame the other for the disconnection.  It’s no wonder why some people rather remain single for the rest of their lives.  But, the question is; Are they Optimistic or Pessimistic?  Do they believe in love after being broken hearted?  I know I didn’t.  The feel for just being around that someone special may not return a mutual appreciation.  We fall head over heels and think that they are that special one in our lives.  We write them, poetry, send flowers, invitations to do things together, profess our love and loyalty but we barely get a moment of their time.  We wind up disappointed and discouraged but we can still choose be an pessimistic ass; or be optimistic with a positive attitude learning from experiences.  I think that life is short and not to always wait until later to tell someone how you feel.  But that’s my thoughts.  There will always be people that will not treat you right.  You need to think if you are in that same category.  It’s not easy being optimistic, the same as living in faith.  We just have to keep trying even when we stumble along the way.  Recognize your blessings!  What is meant for you, no man can take it away.  And if it wasn’t meant for, stay up, it could have been worse!

‘Heroism is here’ – President’s Obama Tucson Memorial – 1/12/11

TUCSON, Ariz. — Remarks of President Barack Obama, as delivered Wednesday at the "Together We Thrive" memorial service for the victims of the Jan. 8 attack on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords that killed six and wounded 13, including the congresswoman:

"To the families of those we've lost; to all who called them friends; to the students of this university, the public servants gathered tonight, and the people of Tucson and Arizona: I have come here tonight as an American who, like all Americans, kneels to pray with you today, and will stand by you tomorrow.

"There is nothing I can say that will fill the sudden hole torn in your hearts. But know this: the hopes of a nation are here tonight. We mourn with you for the fallen. We join you in your grief. And we add our faith to yours that Representative Gabrielle Giffords and the other living victims of this tragedy pull through.

"As Scripture tells us:
'There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.'

"On Saturday morning, Gabby, her staff, and many of her constituents gathered outside a supermarket to exercise their right to peaceful assembly and free speech. They were fulfilling a central tenet of the democracy envisioned by our founders — representatives of the people answering to their constituents, so as to carry their concerns to our nation's capital. Gabby called it "Congress on Your Corner" — just an updated version of government of and by and for the people.

"That is the quintessentially American scene that was shattered by a gunman's bullets. And the six people who lost their lives on Saturday — they too represented what is best in America.

"Judge John Roll served our legal system for nearly 40 years. A graduate of this university and its law school, Judge Roll was recommended for the federal bench by John McCain 20 years ago, appointed by President George H.W. Bush, and rose to become Arizona's chief federal judge. His colleagues described him as the hardest-working judge within the Ninth Circuit. He was on his way back from attending Mass, as he did every day, when he decided to stop by and say hi to his representative. John is survived by his loving wife, Maureen, his three sons, and his five grandchildren.

"George and Dorothy Morris — "Dot" to her friends — were high school sweethearts who got married and had two daughters. They did everything together, traveling the open road in their RV, enjoying what their friends called a 50-year honeymoon. Saturday morning, they went by the Safeway to hear what their congresswoman had to say. When gunfire rang out, George, a former Marine, instinctively tried to shield his wife. Both were shot. Dot passed away.

"A New Jersey native, Phyllis Schneck retired to Tucson to beat the snow. But in the summer, she would return East, where her world revolved around her 3 children, 7 grandchildren, and 2 year-old great-granddaughter. A gifted quilter, she'd often work under her favorite tree, or sometimes sew aprons with the logos of the Jets and the Giants to give out at the church where she volunteered. A Republican, she took a liking to Gabby, and wanted to get to know her better.

"Dorwan and Mavy Stoddard grew up in Tucson together — about seventy years ago. They moved apart and started their own respective families, but after both were widowed they found their way back here, to, as one of Mavy's daughters put it, "be boyfriend and girlfriend again." When they weren't out on the road in their motor home, you could find them just up the road, helping folks in need at the Mountain Avenue Church of Christ. A retired construction worker, Dorwan spent his spare time fixing up the church along with their dog, Tux. His final act of selflessness was to dive on top of his wife, sacrificing his life for hers.

"Everything Gabe Zimmerman did, he did with passion — but his true passion was people. As Gabby's outreach director, he made the cares of thousands of her constituents his own, seeing to it that seniors got the Medicare benefits they had earned, that veterans got the medals and care they deserved, that government was working for ordinary folks. He died doing what he loved — talking with people and seeing how he could help. Gabe is survived by his parents, Ross and Emily, his brother, Ben, and his fiancée, Kelly, who he planned to marry next year.

"And then there is nine year-old Christina Taylor Green. Christina was an A student, a dancer, a gymnast, and a swimmer. She often proclaimed that she wanted to be the first woman to play in the major leagues, and as the only girl on her Little League team, no one put it past her. She showed an appreciation for life uncommon for a girl her age, and she would remind her mother, "We are so blessed. We have the best life." And she'd pay those blessings back by participating in a charity that helped children who were less fortunate.

"Our hearts are broken by their sudden passing. Our hearts are broken — and yet, our hearts also have reason for fullness.

"Our hearts are full of hope and thanks for the 13 Americans who survived the shooting, including the congresswoman many of them went to see on Saturday.

I have just come from the University Medical Center, just a mile from here, where our friend Gabby courageously fights to recover even as we speak. And I want to tell you — her husband Mark is here and he allows me to share this with you — right after we went to visit, a few minutes after we left her room and some of her colleagues in Congress were in the room, Gabby opened her eyes for the first time. Gabby opened her eyes for the first time.

So I can tell you, she knows we are here and she knows we love her and she knows that we will be rooting for her throughout what undoubtedly will be a difficult journey. We are there for her.

"And our hearts are full of gratitude for those who saved others.

We are grateful to Daniel Hernandez, a volunteer in Gabby's office. And, Daniel, I'm sorry, you may deny it, but we've decided you are a hero because you ran through the chaos to minister to your boss, and tended to her wounds and helped keep her alive.

We are grateful for the men who tackled the gunman as he stopped to reload. We are grateful for petite Patricia Maisch, who wrestled away the killer's ammunition, and undoubtedly saved some lives. And we are grateful for the doctors and nurses and first responders who worked wonders to heal those who'd been hurt. We are grateful to them.

"These men and women remind us that heroism is found not only on the fields of battle. They remind us that heroism does not require special training or physical strength. Heroism is here, in the hearts of so many of our fellow citizens, all around us,, just waiting to be summoned — as it was on Saturday morning.

"Their actions, their selflessness, poses a challenge to each of us. It raises the question of what, beyond the prayers and expressions of concern, is required of us going forward. How can we honor the fallen? How can we be true to their memory?

"You see, when a tragedy like this strikes, it is part of our nature to demand explanations — to try to impose some order on the chaos, and make sense out of that which seems senseless. Already we've seen a national conversation commence, not only about the motivations behind these killings, but about everything from the merits of gun safety laws to the adequacy of our mental health systems. Much of this process, of debating what might be done to prevent such tragedies in the future, is an essential ingredient in our exercise of self-government.

"But at a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized — at a time when we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who think differently than we do — it's important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we are talking with each other in a way that heals.

"Scripture tells us that there is evil in the world, and that terrible things happen for reasons that defy human understanding. In the words of Job, "when I looked for light, then came darkness." Bad things happen, and we must guard against simple explanations in the aftermath.

"For the truth is none of us can know exactly what triggered this vicious attack. None of us can know with any certainty what might have stopped those shots from being fired, or what thoughts lurked in the inner recesses of a violent man's mind. Yes, we have to examine all the facts behind this tragedy. We cannot and will not be passive in the face of such violence. We should be willing to challenge old assumptions in order to lessen the prospects of such violence in the future.

"But what we can't do is use this tragedy as one more occasion to turn on one another. That we cannot do. That we cannot do. As we discuss these issues, let each of us do so with a good dose of humility. Rather than pointing fingers or assigning blame, let us use this occasion to expand our moral imaginations, to listen to each other more carefully, to sharpen our instincts for empathy, and remind ourselves of all the ways our hopes and dreams are bound together.

"After all, that's what most of us do when we lose somebody in our family — especially if the loss is unexpected. We're shaken out of our routines, and forced to look inward. We reflect on the past. Did we spend enough time with an aging parent, we wonder. Did we express our gratitude for all the sacrifices they made for us? Did we tell a spouse just how desperately we loved them, not just once in a while but every single day?

"So sudden loss causes us to look backward — but it also forces us to look forward, to reflect on the present and the future, on the manner in which we live our lives and nurture our relationships with those who are still with us.

"We may ask ourselves if we've shown enough kindness and generosity and compassion to the people in our lives. Perhaps we question whether we are doing right by our children, or our community, and whether our priorities are in order. We recognize our own mortality, and are reminded that in the fleeting time we have on this Earth, what matters is not wealth, or status, or power, or fame — but rather, how well we have loved, and what small part we have played in making the lives of other people better.

"That process of reflection, of making sure we align our values with our actions — that, I believe, is what a tragedy like this requires. For those who were harmed, those who were killed — they are part of our family, an American family 300 million strong. We may not have known them personally, but surely we see ourselves in them. In George and Dot, in Dorwan and Mavy, we sense the abiding love we have for our own husbands, our own wives, our own life partners. Phyllis — she's our mom or grandma; Gabe, our brother or son. In Judge Roll, we recognize not only a man who prized his family and doing his job well, but also a man who embodied America's fidelity to the law. And in Gabby, in Gabby, we see a reflection of our public spiritedness, and that desire to participate in that sometimes frustrating, sometimes contentious, but always necessary and never-ending process to form a more perfect union.

"And in Christina … in Christina we see all of our children. So curious, so trusting, so energetic and full of magic.

"So deserving of our love.

"And so deserving of our good example. If this tragedy prompts reflection and debate, as it should, let's make sure it's worthy of those we have lost. Let's make sure it's not on the usual plane of politics and point scoring and pettiness that drifts away in the next news cycle.

"The loss of these wonderful people should make every one of us strive to be better. To be better in our private lives, to be better friends and neighbors and co-workers and parents. And if, as has been discussed in recent days, their death helps usher in more civility in our public discourse, let us remember that it is not because a simple lack of civility caused this tragedy — it did not — but rather because only a more civil and honest public discourse can help us face up to the challenges of our nation in a way that would make them proud.

"It should be civil because we want to live up to the example of public servants like John Roll and Gabby Giffords, who knew first and foremost that we are all Americans, and that we can question each other's ideas without questioning each other's love of country, and that our task, working together, is to constantly widen the circle of our concern so that we bequeath the American dream to future generations.

"They believed — they believed and I believe we can be better. Those who died here, those who saved life here — they help me believe. We may not be able to stop all evil in the world, but I know that how we treat one another, that's entirely up to us. And I believe that for all our imperfections, we are full of decency and goodness, and that the forces that divide us are not as strong as those that unite us.

""That's what I believe, in part because that's what a child like Christina Taylor Green believed.

"Imagine, imagine for a moment: here was a young girl who was just becoming aware of our democracy; just beginning to understand the obligations of citizenship; just starting to glimpse the fact that some day she, too, might play a part in shaping her nation's future. She had been elected to her student council; she saw public service as something exciting, something hopeful. She was off to meet her congresswoman, someone she was sure was good and important and might be a role model. She saw all this through the eyes of a child, undimmed by the cynicism or vitriol that we adults all too often just take for granted.

"I want us to live up to her expectations. I want our democracy to be as good as Christina imagined it. All of us — we should do everything we can to make sure this country lives up to our children's expectations.

"As has already been mentioned, Christina was given to us on September 11th, 2001, one of 50 babies born that day to be pictured in a book called "Faces of Hope." On either side of her photo in that book were simple wishes for a child's life. 'I hope you help those in need,' read one. 'I hope you know all of the words to the National Anthem and sing it with your hand over your heart. I hope you jump in rain puddles.'

"If there are rain puddles in heaven, Christina is jumping in them today. And here on Earth — here on this Earth, we place our hands over our hearts, as we commit ourselves as Americans to forging a country that is forever worthy of her gentle, happy spirit.

"May God bless and keep those we've lost in restful and eternal peace. May He love and watch over the survivors. And may He bless the United States of America."

© 2010 msnbc.com Reprints