Lil' Son Chronicles ~ 200"9"

Today I was thinking... September 22^nd. Wow. Where is this year going? It’s just flying on by. And so many good things have occurred. So many new things are on the horizon and you can just feel it in the air. Of course with the new prosperity... come the new problems. But in some cases... for the new to take the form it is to take... sometimes... we have to look back and face past demons. And as this year is coming to an end... my mind is thinking about 2009.

As many know, the number 9 in biblical terms stands for judgment or the end of a matter. For myself, I feel that 2009 will be a year in where many of us will be face with 3 things:

• Reviewing the Covenant with God
• The Call to Return to God
• The Choice of Life or Death

Call me crazy but all of this hit me today while on my way to work. On the bus, I went to open my Bible and I notice a slip of paper. My niece put this paper in my Bible a while back and I’d been moving it from place to place. Well, as I got the paper... I looked at the book I was in. Deuteronomy. This is one book I rarely will hear sermons or anyone in general speak on. But what really got me what the subtitle, “A Call to Return to the Lord.” I quickly skimmed down thru this chapter and saw another subtitle, “The Choice of Life or Death.” Of course I was dumbfounded again and thought to myself, “Okay er’ thang happen in 3’s lol.” And for some reason I flipped a page back to this subtitle, “Moses Reviews the Covenant.” Now I have not read through these chapters but the subtitles to me mean something. Something that is not clear to me, but I have a feeling will become evident in 2009.

I will say this; there is a strong feeling that 2009 will be a year of growing for us all. Hard growing at that. Many this year have flourished in the new beginnings. New jobs, new promotions, yes even in the midst of the economic crisis, we still are prospering in new ways. But the most important thing is that in this year many of us are starting to get the point. Many of us are ready to answer the call from God. And it’s really exciting. Between the examples I’ve been fortunate to see (The Life Center, One Touch Ministries, and Faith United Ministries), the time to answer God’s call is occurring and more people are submitting.

The part of the process that many of us will be going into will be rough especially for 2009. We answer the call, but now God will start to show us some things that we will have to do in order understand and flourish in the call. This may require us to deal with the past events that we buried... or deal with letting go those who do not add to the Kingdom of God. Confronting self-inflicted abuse and so on and so on. It’s going to be difficult... but at the same time we will know that it is needed. Even now, we all understand the importance of Romans 8:28 and as we continue to grow in God we will definitely see it between the lines.

But I say all this because the thought is to runaway... but we must stay in this process because there are so many blessings that will come out of this.

I guess for myself that’s why I go back to Dorinda’s song... Make Me Real... In this song, you get one clear message... to be made real in God. All of the things that I could ask for ... and yet in my heart this is my desire... Some would think... naw you 27... U should be out running women and enjoying life. But I say to that I just can’t shake this hold that God has on me. I don’t care how much intentional wrong that I may do, God is pulling me back every time and saying, “Son okay get back up and follow me.” And what’s crazy is each I get back up... I learn something different that wasn’t there before. It’s crazy also because I’m starting to hear those past sermons when pastors would say, I don’t talk like I use to talk... I don’t walk like I use to walk... And when I look back... so much has changed for the better. And I have no choice but to praise God for this moment.

Father God,

Thank You. How You do what You is something amazing. I don’t think we realize how all the past events... the people we encounter... everything is connected and it all works for a better tomorrow. Thank You God for piecing together everything. Lord, sometimes I think back and wonder why I had to go through the pain of loosing a parent or why I had to go thru being called names as child... or wanting to commit suicide. Often I wonder how I allowed myself to get to these junctions. And yet each time, You were there to save me and to teach me. And today, I stand a lil’ bit strong and wiser and better because I can that I could not have gotten this far by my own merit, but only by the Grace and Mercy you show me. God there are so many things ... so much I can’t even say it all... so I say thank You for who You are. Thank You for forgiving me... for persevering my mom for the best time of her life... for keeping my sisters for the prosperity that they will walk into. Thank You for my godbrothers and how you taking them through journeys that will lead to victory...Thank You for genuine people like Gloria and Jermell... who pour out so much of themselves unselfishly. Fill them all up God with Your Holy Spirit. Lord, make us real for you. Strip us down and build us back up... Have you way in us... We submit to You...

In Jesus Name... Amen.