Choose to LOVE Forever
"And this is God's plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God's children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. By God's grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News. Though I am the least deserving of all God's people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. God's purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord." - Ephesians 3:6-11 NLT
I remember being on a virtual meeting for work on June 17, 2021 when word came that President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, making Juneteenth (June 19th) a federal holiday in the United States; because the holiday fell on a Saturday that year, the office would be closed on Friday, June 18th. The response to this announcement from one of my coworkers I was meeting with was unfavorable; he stated that he had stuff he needed to get done for his project and this would impede his progress.
I was in a familiar spot of being the only black woman in a meeting with men - primarily white - where I had to make a decision to say something or not to an inflammatory comment. Unfortunately, for many years, I allowed comments like this to slide, being politically correct, in my attempt to climb the ladder; however, God had perfectly aligned time for me to instead be prepared and focused on carrying the correct message (Habakkuk 2:2-4).
Two years before - on June 17, 2019 - I officially launched Authentic Existence®️ to the world with the mission to spread the Word of God through simple, unique products and testimonies to encourage all to boldly reflect the light of the “Son”, Jesus Christ, in their own way. God had instructed me to stop seeking promotion at work and by faith, I did, making me more available for His development for the greater assignment He had for me in His Kingdom.
So, in that meeting, I had evolved enough to have the courage to speak up. I asked my coworker if he knew what Juneteenth was observing, for him to realize the callousness of his comment. He - and the others - did not know about Juneteenth and I shared its meaning was to observe when the last enslaved blacks learned of their freedom.
Since the establishment of the holiday, I have learned more of the nuances of freedom from slavery in America through my participation in Juneteenth events. It’s been helpful that a sector of the country and my local community has been open to discussing what some want to keep quiet.
On my personal freedom journey through discipleship (John 8:31-32), I’ve also observed nuances that attempt to keep me and other blacks under a level of control - the networks and systems that have shaped this country still impact aspects of life. This has made it challenging for me at times to put the Word into practice to live my Authentic Existence®️ (James 1:22-25).
As a descendant of the Clotilda, the last illegal slave ship that arrived in America, I’ve known my family story all my life. But since the George Floyd murder, I’ve taken interest in diving deep into what my family has had to overcome due to the atrocities of slavery and its impacts of racism in the country as a whole.
The revelation of generational disparities has been staggering! I understand why it was ingrained in me to work twice as hard to get half as much. But this overcompensation in response to racism only kept me in bondage and would never be enough.
Through my maturation process, God has helped me unlearn the approach of responding to hate by trying to prove my value. He gave me the platform of Authentic Existence®️ to help me see and thus become who He designed me to be. So, even in this world I don’t seem to fit in, I know who and whose I am.
My transformation from God changing the way I think (Romans 12:1-2) has empowered me to realize His unctioning of me was never to fit in the world, but to change the world into a place where each of us belong in accordance with His plan (Ephesians 3:6-11)!
God promised me I would see the freedom of blacks in this country in my lifetime. I believe Him, so I will speak up to dismantle racism (2 Corinthians 4:13). The power of life and death is in the tongue and I will eat of the fruit of this freedom (Proverbs 18:21).
I am only able to do this by continuing to Choose to LOVE - believing what Jesus did on the cross is enough! God has called me to build on this initiative He gave me in 2021. I invite you to join me.
Look back on what we can learn from the past.
Observe what is presently happening.
Visualize a future aligned with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - Creator of everything - to believe, say and see it become a reality.
Each part is important and forms a continuum in line with our Everlasting God (Genesis 1:1; Genesis 21:33; Psalm 90:1-2; Hebrews 13:8; Revelation 22:5).
Follow the journey here!
Authentic Existence®️Affirmation: I believe God so I will speak His Word to change the narrative and see the world as He intended it in my lifetime!
Heavenly Father, thank You for empowering us with the ability to Choose to LOVE forever because of Jesus! Help us to tear down what is not in line with Your Word and build upon Your foundation for Your Will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. May the United States live up to its name and exhibit what the flag is to symbolize - one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all! In the Mighty Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen! SO BE IT!!!