Question of the Month

The Devil Wears Prada

Many parents are wrapping up their back-to-school shopping. The most important item that should be on your shopping list can’t even be bought in stores. What is it? Your smile! Cheesy? I know… This entry is directed towards my youth.

Having anxiety about the first day of school? Don’t worrying about what your peers will think about your outfits, or how you do your hair. The Bible tells you what will happen to them, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” (Matthew 7: 1) Not having every school supply Walmart sells shouldn’t determine your success, either. Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” (Matthew 6: 25)

Believe it or not, every student starts off with an ‘A’. Keeping the grade requires a little work. The Bible says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) Seek ‘A’s this school year!

There are promises that God has made to every student; to find them you must study the Bible.

What Do I Pray For?

In Sunday worship service this week, the minister taught us the priorities of prayer. He used examples in the Old and New Testament of people who prayed to God. Bro. Sullivan raised the question on whether or not we should pray for material things and he used those examples and the scriptures that work in accordance to the topic to answer the question. We flipped our Bibles to Matt 6:5- 13 where Jesus taught his followers how to pray and 1 Samuel 1- 2 on Hannah’s prayers.

Her story touched me the most. I possibly empathized with her because she is a woman. She asked God for a son (Samuel), only to give him back to God. (1 Samuel 1:28) For her, it was the experience of bearing a child that she desired and her love for God that initiated the idea to see that the child live to do his will. Before Samuel was born, Hannah was, what some would call, depressed. She wasn’t eating and she couldn’t stop crying. Her emotions consumed her even when her own husband tried to comfort her, “Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?” (1 Samuel 1:8)

Have you ever desired something or someone so much that you become sick with emotions? Single Christian women do you ever grow weary waiting for that God sent man to find you? Want to ever rush God and tell him, “Hurry up and finish molding him for me, because I know I’m ready. I’d be a perfect wife, where is my perfect husband???”

In a bitter prayer, Hannah cried out to God making this vow, “O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” (1 Samuel 1:11) [Hannah voluntarily vows to do for her son what was required for Samson (read Judges 13:5)].

I recognized that Hannah didn’t barter with God as many people often do. They say things like, “God if you give me a car, I will never lie again.” People say prayers like these out of ignorance. We don’t know what to ask God for in prayer. The Bible says, “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. (Romans 8:25-27).

God understands that we get weak. When we [saints in accordance with God’s will] can’t express what needs to be said in prayer, he searches our heart. God knows what we need before we tell him. (Matt. 6:8) Thus, no need to pray for material things… In fact, he tells us not to worry about our lives because tomorrow is not promised. (Matt. 6:25-34). As long as we have what we need to get through today, that should be enough. We should be content in knowing that by faith God will take care of us tomorrow.

“But Seek ye first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matt. 6:33) I often have to be reminded that as long as I continue to be a servant of God, like Hannah, that “all these things” will be given to me one day as well.

So, in a recent prayer I remembered what Hannah did while she waited for her son. I first acknowledged and thanked God for being so forgiving and powerful enough to make any and all things come into my life. I self-examined my life for sin and asked for forgiveness of those that I have committed knowingly and unknowingly. Then I ask for “all these things”, which comprised, of all the characteristics I wished to have in my future husband. If it be his will for me to be married, I asked for a strong, courageous, humble, patient, understanding Christian leader. Someone that I could be a leader in the Church of Christ with… to attend worship and bible study with, to teach classes and lectures with, to praise and honor God’s name with, to save souls with… I asked God for all of these things.

Then I thought about a friend close of mine who recently attended a Christian singles’ seminar with me. I remembered her tears as she cried over a bad relationship that ended with her being a single mother. I asked God to show her how amazing he is by blessing her with this man. This man that I had just spent a half hour praying for, I wanted God to give to her. Though, I often feel alone as a single Christian woman, God always sends me comfort through Christian friends and scriptures filled with advice for singles by Paul in 1 Corinthians 7. I felt that if God could send her a strong Christian Leader that they could walk faithfully, strengthening each other in that walk, to honor God, saving souls as a team…

I understand that this prayer may have encompassed human language that were not clearly expressing what I meant to say. I am still learning and by reading more so that my prayers can become more of what they should be. Yet and still, it comforts me to know that God knows my intentions were in the right place. And so, by the Spirit interceding, I know that God can answer that prayer for what it should be and his answer will be revealed in due time.

When Memories Expire and Emotions Consume Me, What Do I Hope For?

The Religion Editor for the Call & Post, J. Darwin Hollingsworth wrote an opinion piece entitle “Cleaning and Cry”. Though I think the title doesn’t suit the article, I understood what he was trying to do. I really thought it was something that my blog readers should read (so check that out!) Because it gave me a lot to think and pray about, I feel compelled to continue the dialogue he started in the September 12th’ issue.

I think everyone can relate to feeling alone because our experiences have to be put on hold with people we love... and sometimes those memories just aren't enough to keep a smile on our face... There is no real emotion for the way you feel during that situation. There is no politically correct phrase that has been created to define or describe that feeling, either.

Lately, circumstances have had my spirits a bit low... Many of which wouldn’t have affected me quiet as much if I didn’t have to be away for long extended periods of time from people that know me for who I really am, not shallow misconstrued perceptions. I've been praying and reading my Bible, but sometimes those sad (for lack of a better word) feelings just will not go away...

I asked a Christian friend to pray for me, though I was a bit nervous that my request would spread my negative vibe. Knowing that my friend lives far from family and friends, as I do, I said, “I hope that by asking you to pray for my situation(s) that I haven't dumped any of that on to you... I just know that the prayers of a righteous man is powerful and effective... (James 5:16)”

We all go through something, and sometimes just like memories that make us cry, prayer and scripture reading don’t seem to be a good enough immediate answer… That’s only an illusion! Psalm 34:19 says, "A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all." Our circumstances and rejection from things and people in the world will only bring us back to God, because everything belongs to him. He will welcome his children back with open arms. (Job 41:11, 2 Chronicles 30:9)

Just because we go through times where our emotions consume/control us, it doesn’t mean there is no hope for us. Mark 14:38 says, “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.” We have to deny ourselves, storing somewhere in the back of our mind that Jesus, the Son of God, died for me and already bore this pain. Know that when you have but no other alternative to keep living through pain, you can hold on to that faith.

Going to another Christian friend for prayer is exactly what God’s children should do. (Acts 12:5) A true friend will remind you when you are weak that, “God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” (1 Corinthians 1:9). That is exactly what my friend did for me. ☺


What Must One Do to Be Saved:
Hear the Gospel (Romans 10:17)
Believe the Gospel (Hebrews 11:6)
Repent of Sins (Acts 2:38)
Confess Christ (Matthew 10:32-33)
Be Baptized (Mark 16:15-16)
and The Lord adds you to the church (Acts 2:47)

What Daddies Teach Their Little Girls

Good Dad’s have a way of convincing their little girls that they are worth more than anything money can buy. Is it that kind of thinking that keeps many women unwed?

As a little girl, one of my favorite movies was “A Little Princess”. There is this scene which portrays this once rich White student turned orphan, Sarah Crewe talking to the poor Black orphan and school scullery maid, Becky about her magical life as a princess in India. Sarah made it clear that all girls are princess in their fathers’ eyes.

There were several aspects of this movie that I could relate to at their age. Though, I am not an orphan, I was adopted by my father at the age of two. He and my mother married when I was one. Together, I am their youngest of four children. So, I share a special connection to both of my parents, but I am definitely known for being “Daddy’s little girl”. I would follow him around the house asking him a million questions. Usually followed up with the overly inquisitive phrase, “Why, Daddy?” When he wasn’t home, I would play in his house shoes and sleep on his side of the bed to keep my mommy safe. He’s my superhero that has made a promise to always protect me from the bad guys. He made it his job to teach me how to watch my own back should he not be present to save the day. From him, I learned the importance of being “an independent woman”. He’s never stopped teaching me my self-worth. Somehow, that same self-worth turned into self-pride. Through books and music I unknowingly allowed what seemed like positive messages to serve as temporary upliftment for the purpose of justify my imperfection.

We hear songs on the radio by singers like Beyoncé known as “Ladies’ Anthems”. Women get their heads pumped up by listening to “Upgrade U” (a song that implies that the man needs to change) and “Irreplaceable” (explains in detail when, why, and how the man can be replaced with another man). A woman should be sensitive to the feelings of others and their situations, not arrogant or selfish. Women use lines like, “U must not know ‘bout me” and roll their necks so hard believing that they are above the male species. These are the women that have a hard time keeping friends, let alone a relationship. They sweat the small stuff and have a cow if someone steps outside their realm of perfection. I don’t believe in letting go of my morals or lowering my standards, but when I feel they are being jeopardized I can ask God to help me explain that in away that will not offend or provoke an argument. My goal to have a healthy relationship/friendship should always over-ride my wants for immediate gratification.

The confidence my dad gave me amplified by the lyrics from the ladies’ anthems were enough to set me on my high horse… and keep me there until I came across this quote. “If you have to demand admiration, respect, or even love, you haven’t done the work to earn it”, author Michelle McKinney Hammond states in her recent book, How to Make Love Work: The Guide to Getting it, Keeping it, and Fixing What’s Broken. Hammond’s Christian perspective on building friendships and lasting relationships helped me to realize I haven’t done all I can to be a friend. Hammond’s book sent me to Philippians 2:3-8.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 2:3-5 NIV

I knew then what to ask God for in prayer. I want to be humble, show kindness and be more understanding when people don’t meet my sometimes, unrealistic expectations.

When I was daddy’s little girl, I needed to be empowered, but as a young Christian woman I need to work on humility and it’s ability to empower me. I won’t lose my assertive confidence nor will I subject myself to physical or mental abuse, but I am aiming to be more Christ-like without playing God. Who am I to judge people for the everyday choices they make? They may affect me, and so my job is to react to those decision in the way that honors God. In order for me to serve in the capacity that a single Christian woman should, I need to be understanding. I need to be patient enough to let people make the right choices on their own or learn from their mistakes without passing judgment. Daddy’s little girl isn’t all grown up, but she is definitely growing in spirit!



“Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Preserve in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” - 1 Timothy 4:15 – 16

*Writing about my journey as a young, single, Christian woman allows me to self-evaluate my path to righteousness.