I'm reminded of a statement my mother often used, I don't think it was original but it is so true: "God don't make no junk!" Whatever some may think, I tend to believe each of us as unique and diverse our appearance and gifts were created by the beautiful, creative mind of all, God. It's no mistake you are here! No matter what you've been through or are even going through,  you have made it and will continue because He has a hold of your hand. Your life has a purpose or you wouldn't be here.

If you don't know your purpose yet, hold on. Many times our purpose is made clear by the things we are passionate about, often purpose is revealed through pain. There are great examples of wonderful people with great purpose who endured much pain to find it. I can think of some dear friends, teachers and mentors that spoke to my potential in some of the darkest times of my life. If it were not for those words to keep pressing on, I can't tell you where I would be. So, I give you those same words of hope. Your greatest days are just ahead, hold on, keep your chin up and remember you are loved and valued greatly.  

I love the phoenix, an amazing mythological figure that garnered the strength, rising from the ashes when everyone thought it was dead and gone. I feel much like that. There have been more times than I care to say I have felt defeated by life, by love, by unrealized dreams, and possibly by unrealistic expectations. We tend to believe that others can and will give, do and be as we are. Not so. Truly, some are not capable, others not willing, and  ultimately we are each our own, if I may use a slight pun; our own rare birds. We don't need to be and do everything as others do, uniqueness is a lovely thing!

This symbol became prophetic for me just over 6 years ago when some major changes started in my life that I did not deal with well, and as a result started a catastrophic turn of events in my life that left me broke, broken, homeless and alone.Our actions and reactions make all the difference as to how long we stay down if life knocks us down, and if we get back up. Stop being a victim! Stop blaming others! We can be our own worst enemy by wallowing.

Life can mess you over sometimes. We have a choice to recoil, strike back become faithless, lazy, discouraged and bitter or we can rise up like the Phoenix. It is time to take inventory and responsibility for our own part in how we may have come to sit in those ashes. It is also time to stop playing the blame game, it really doesn't matter, what matters is if we stay in those ashes or rise. I myself have chosen to rise.

We are each called to greatness in our own arena, whether large or small, and we must get to it, there our people out there who need us.

I have decided today I want a second childhood; not the part of it that was hard, the gay kid, the new kid, the red haired, freckle faced kid, the chubby kid, but the dreamer, the one that forgave easy and loved hard. I'm still in here, there are just walls that most people don't see or bother to.

I don't want to be like any of the patriarchs or disciples. Like King Saul, who was so concerned about public opinion that he compromised, and lied, and disobeyed, then tried several times to kill God's anointed, David out of jealousy.

Like Thomas who ate, lived and walked with Christ for 3 1/2 of His earth-life hearing His promises to destroy the temple (of His body) and rebuild it in three days, seeing His humanity and divinity. Handling those loaves and fishes as they were handed out and literally witnessing them being multiplied before His eyes. Blind eyes opened, lame healed, people freed from torment, Lazarus raised, the Widow of Nain's son raised, Jarius' daughter raised, and yet when Christ Himself appears to the disciples after His Resurrection, albeit in a glorified body, Thomas questions. He must touch the nail pierced hands. He must put his hand in the side that was pierced with a sword.

Perhaps I don't give him enough credit, you don't just want to bow down and worship anyone in that environment, it could get you killed. I think I would have been more like Mary, who seeing Him in the garden just after he stepped from the tomb, when she knew it was Him wanted to cling to His feet.

I don't want to be like Paul, even though he started many of the early churches and wrote most of the New Testament. He was a man that  was very tied to his tradition, very tied to the teachings of Moses, even though clearly many truths were revealed to him by the Holy Spirit as he penned those books. His own training many times questioned his revelation. The conflict between the two was evident.

I want to be that gay kid, the new, awkward kid, the more grey with strands of strawberry blonde haired, freckled, still a little thick in the middle kid. The kid with the PF Flyers, that could run faster and jump higher. The dreamer, who forgives easy and loves hard, whose not afraid to trust and believe that God can use me now.

I've been in ministry for nearly 40 years. Taught Children's Church for about 15 years. Taught Summer Adventures (VBS) at Project Communities in Hammond and Gary, Indiana for 5 years. Taught Senior Citizen Bible Studies for about 10 years. Sang solos and with a choir for about 35. Worked with and ministered to Women's Ministries in churches and with Aglow International for about 17 years. Fed needy families for about 7 years in the Chicago suburbs and now over 6 years in the Atlanta suburbs.

I'm a writer, a poet, a teacher, a prophet (not saying that to blow myself up), just part of my gift passed on by God and my mother. But I've been so silent for a few years, what did Jeremiah say? "His Word was in me like a burning fire, shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay".

I am alive for this purpose. I must write, I must speak, I must love!

Light reveals Truth, it humbles & strips away falsehood, slays us on our own Damascus Road & raises us again.

If / as we behold / look for God, we will see circumstances minimize and become easier knowing He's in control & its ALL good! He sees us as we are yet daily reminds us as He peers through His Rose Colored Glasses it's Finished, He loves us & all we need do is receive & accept it.

There is a treasure hid in this day - look for it, listen for it, be prepared & thankful - Get Ready!

I have a front row seat to see what God will do on my behalf, because He is with me and has promised to never leave me or forsake me.

"Faith is a bird that loves to perch on scarecrows. All our fears are unfounded." Scarecrows are merely as advertisement. Scarecrows try to keep us from life and obedience and blessing.

When I read this anonymous quote a while back, I thought how true it is. Some many things and people will try to get us off track, and often we are our own dis-tractors, by being too concerned with how we are perceived. Ultimately, the only one we need to please is God, and the only thing we need be concerned (not fear) is making bad choices that may disappoint Him, ourselves or our loved ones. God always loves us, has paid for every sin we have or may commit, all we need do is accept and believe that fact and try to do better on our journey than the day before.

Be quick to ask forgiveness, quick to forgive others and move on.

Good News is all about LOVE, period! Anything or one who says they are followers of Christ, the Real Jesus (Messiah), who lived, loved, suffered, died, resurrected the third day and ascended into Heaven, and they are not preaching LOVE, has not met Him. LOVE is the GOSPEL. Jesus died for ALL! It is FINISHED! Meaning Judgment, because He bore it ALL for ALL!

Because He loved us first, we want to love and serve Him and mankind. Love is easier than hate but truly its the only way to live and be happy.