Pastor Janae’s Blog

Here is a message I sent to a friend. After reading it again, I realized that it may bless you too, so I’m posting it here.

You know, destiny is one of those things we cannot choose, but is rather assigned to us. Most of us spend our entire lives wondering what our destiny is, when in actuality it’s plainly before us. When we follow the Will of God – being righteous, upright, and wholly committed to God – we walk right into our destiny.

Don’t take detours or short cuts. Have the courage to nurture the godly spark in you. Then…your gifts (plural because you have WAY more than what’s been revealed to you) will bless millions!

Comments (1) Jan 28 2009

In our Church Wide Study on 1/4/09 where we began journeying through the book Groups: Life-Giving Power of Community by John Ortberg, et al, we discovered that “the right idea of friendship involves the mutual exchange of knowledge, kindness, service, and celebration.” So often our friendships include a combination of each of these, but is it mutual?

After walking through this lesson I became more sensitive to the “mutual exchange” in a few of my friendships. In one friendship in particular, I noticed that I was giving a lot (knowledge, kindness, service, and celebration) and expecting a lot in return, but made excuses for the other person every time they fell short. I discovered it was a grossly dysfunctional friendship and I contributed to the dysfunction! I contributed to the dysfunction because I never communicated my expectations or needs in the friendship. I have negotiated myself out of the disappointment I frequently feel and subconsciously give the other party permission to continue the behavior. I asked myself recently, “What kind of friendship is this?”

Now don’t get me wrong. I know that friendships involve risk, vulnerability, energy and time. I know that they also involve healthy doses of conflict. I also believe that God delights in life-giving friendships. Those are the friendships in which we are mutually strengthened, nurtured, and corrected! What benefit is our friendship to the Kingdom of God if we don’t challenge one another to grow and mature in it?

You may have asked yourself the question, “What kind of friendship is this?” If it’s not the one that involves the mutual exchange of knowledge, kindness, service, and celebration, it may not be the right idea of friendship. You may be participating in a dysfunctional friendship. Join me in taking responsibility and initiative in our friendships. Speak gently, but speak up!

Comments (1) Jan 06 2009

In the movie Seven Pounds, Will Smith’s character, Ben Greene, says this line…”I have the power to drastically change his life, but I need to know if he’s a good person…” In other words, Ben Greene had the ability to perform a kind deed for someone who desperately needed it, but a prerequisite was the recipient’s worthiness.

Haven’t we all been on the receiving end of a benefactor’s good will? At some point in our lives, each of us has needed the generous or gracious hand of a mentor, sponsor, tutor, admissions committee, or perhaps debt collector. We may have lined up several justifications for our worthiness, including our tremendous efforts, past successes, or perceived need. Yet at the end of the day, we fell several degrees short of perfection and the ideal. There may have been another candidate more qualified or another student more focused. The benefactor may have looked at your curriculum vitae or your transcripts and said, “I have the power to drastically change his life, but I need to know if he’s a worthy candidate.” And at that moment, the words on the page become slaves to grace. It’s grace that gets you the promotion, the internship, the opportunity. It’s grace that stamps “approved” on the application. It’s grace that changes the formula against which you’re measured.

Ben Greene’s statement awakened my appreciation for grace. God through Jesus Christ extended a gift to me (and to you), a gift that had the power to drastically change my life. In this situation, however, my worthiness was not in question. For if it were, there was no doubt or uncertainty. I was definitely NOT worthy. For this gift, a gift more significant than any worldly treasure and more enduring than time, there were no prerequisites. There were no stipulations.

I applaud the Ben Greene’s of the world who are selfless enough to offer the very best of themselves that others may be better off. It does not compare, however, to the gift that God gave this world, his only son Jesus Christ. Let us be ever mindful of the enormous gift that God gave us in and through Jesus Christ. It is the gift that cannot be bought, but it can be passed on.

In this season of giving, what will you give? Join me and thousands of others in the Advent Conspiracy. We are giving more – our time, our energy, our compassion, our faith. Jesus gave without preconditions. Let us strive to do the same.

Comments (3) Dec 21 2008

What do you bring to your friendships, romantic relationships and professional relationships? Ideally, it would be balance. Whether it’s professional, platonic or passionate, relationship balance is essential. Relationships are a cornerstone of human existence. In them we are strengthened, sharpened, and nurtured. Those relationships that contain a rich and vibrant combination of giving and receiving, speaking and listening, and idea creation and contemplation are most rewarding.

This rich and vibrant exchange doesn’t happen by osmosis. It happens when people are prepared and equipped with experience, wisdom, and willingness to invite someone else into a shared experience. In other words, it happens when each one brings something to the table and is willing to share it with the other. We each need not bring the same thing, but we each should bring something.

I’d really like to lift Barack and Michelle Obama as an example of a balanced relationship. Each of them contribute to the vibrance of their family and one another by bringing their own offering to the table. Watching them maneuver presidential transition, parenting, relocation, and marriage with grace and ease is nothing short of amazing. But one need not be a Harvard Law graduate to substantially contribute to, or participate in, a healthy relationship.

A spiritually mature church engages in balanced relationship. This is where each person (clergy, staff, and laity) brings something to the table…and not only the offering table. When persons are willing to bring their spiritual gifts, talents, and time to the faith community, there is balance. Where there is balance there is abundance. Consider Ephesians 6:11-13. We each need not bring the same thing to the table, but each should bring something to the table. (I will pursue this topic again in a separate post about church growth strategies because I believe balanced spiritual relationships builds the Church.)

Given that balanced relationships are “life-giving” how (and why) is it that so many people do not experience balanced relationships? Submit a comment below.

Comments (3) Dec 17 2008

Many relationships suffocate because we place more pressure on the relationship than what it is able to bear. We enter with expectations, rules, walls, and baggage. We dump them covertly into the relationship reservoir and expect the other person to navigate the waters seamlessly. We create tension and stress because we think that the other person, if they’re our friend or family member, should put forth whatever energy necessary to navigate through the maze we’ve created with past hurts, disappointments, and unrealistic relationship ideals.

Imagine how our relationships with others would change if our expectations and behaviors matched the maturity level of the relationship. Oh how we could enjoy more refreshing relationships. When was the last time someone was refreshed from your presence in their life?

Take a look at Romans 15:32.

Paul knew he’d be exasperated from his missionary work and looked forward to spending time with those who refreshed him. He knew there was a group of individuals with whom he could relate with joy and eager expectation. Paul had refreshing relationships.

Refreshing relationships begin inside of us. When we contribute to the vitality, health, and freedom of the relationship and not wait for the relationship to serve our needs, it is refreshing.

Comments (2) Dec 13 2008

I am overwhelmed by the gravity of our current economic crisis. Tonight I watched CNN as they reported that the largest savings & loan bank in America, Washington Mutual, has collapsed. The FDIC seized its assets and sold them to JP Morgan Chase! Unbelievable! Their stock price has plummeted, and while it’s possible that none of you who read this blog may have stock in Washington Mutual, they may hold your mortgage! They used to be my mortgage company! This is significant for me as I ask the questions, “What if WaMu was still my mortgager? And what if JPMorgan Chase couldn’t buy their assets?” (Now I’m fully aware that one can “what if” themselves crazy!) Fortunately all WaMu account holders are protected and will not see any significant change in their service. The account numbers will not change, and all deposits and accounts are left untouched…according to CNN.

I am floored at the response of our government! Have a deal. Don’t have a deal. Splinter House Republicans bring last minute bill to a negotiation table when Senate leaders and House Democrats have worked toward agreement on another one?! Why are Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain at the table?! Right now they are senators just like every other senator. Yes, they are Presidential Candidates, but the negotiation table should not be the place for presidential campaigning! Shouldn’t they be preparing for their national debate to help explain to us how they’re going to fix this thing next year?! Thank goodness they’re attempting to be proactive and resolve the situation. I’m not qualified to discuss who’s policies are at fault, however I’d prefer for us not to make a bad situation worse.

I’m asking myself, “What is God requiring of me right now? What is my responsibility to the community of faith and the body of Christ?” I encourage you to ask the same question, and give yourself time to answer. How many of your fellow church goers are choosing between money for food and money for gasoline to drive to church? How many of your single parents are toting their children everywhere because they can’t afford childcare…yet you complain that their kids are distracting in service, rehearsals, or meetings? In times like this, it’s easy to run toward self-preservation and self-interest…but there are so many of us in this boat together. All of our survival is on the line. If the American economy collapses, we all suffer!

The Lord gave me a sermon, “How to Recover from a Crisis.” I did not know at the time how prophetic that sermon would be. We can all learn from the Shunamite woman in 2 Kings 4.

Pray with me: LORD, WE ARE IN GRAVE TIMES. OUR WORLD IS IN MORAL DECAY, SOCIAL UNREST, AND ECONOMIC CRISIS. OUR PLANET, YOUR GIFT TO US, IS ERODING RIGHT BEFORE OUR VERY EYES. HELP US TO HEAR YOUR VOICE IN THESE UNCERTAIN AND DIFFICULT TIMES. THEN, GIVE US THE STRENGTH AND WILL TO OBEY. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

Comments (2) Sep 25 2008

Good morning Gospobloggers! (It’s actually 2:00am EST on Monday Sept 22)

This has been ONE TREMENDOUS DAY!! I ministered the preached word at Third New Hope Baptist Church where my mentor, Dr. Edward L. Branch serves as Pastor. Services today were off the chain! I must say, “I felt my help coming on!” The music ministry was a blessing both services. (I ministered at the 10am & 12pm services).


I must give a SHOUT OUT to everyone at TNH today…especially my family, my old friends, and my devastatingly dynamic sorors! There’s no place like home…and I certainly felt at home at TNH. It was so overwhelming to see God move so mightily in both services. I was awestruck.

If I’ve got any bloggers who were at TNH, be bold and add a comment to this blog. I’d love to hear your comments about today’s service!


On a different note, I’m sure you’re wondering WHY I’m blogging at 2am?! Well, it’s because my flight from Detroit to Memphis was cancelled this evening. I must say, I’m VERY disappointed in Northwest Airlines. I have been a faithful NWA customer for many many years. In all my years, I don’t think I’ve ever been as disappointed with them as I am today. My flight was scheduled to board at 8:36pm. It was delayed 30 minutes before boarding with no explanation. We pulled back from the gate and sat for another 30 minutes because the right engine wouldn’t start. We pull back into the gate for another 15 minutes before we’re told to deplane the aircraft because they didn’t know how long the repair would take. An hour later, we’re shuffled to another gate. An hour after that, we’re shuffled back to our original gate. An hour after that we learn our flight was cancelled. Reason: There were no spare aircrafts and our assigned aircraft was grounded due to maintenance. And now I’m sitting in a GRIMY hotel room near the airport so I don’t miss my flight tomorrow.

Did I say GRIMY? I truly mean it! But I won’t complain because it is a complimentary hotel stay and meal vouchers. So maybe NWA isn’t so bad tonight!

Despite all that drama, today has been ONE TREMENDOUS DAY!!

Comments (1) Sep 22 2008

September 1, 2008

Hello gospobloggers! As I coast 30,000 miles into the clouds, I leave behind my role as Pastor Mommy to my 5 year old godsister and return to my regular life as Pastor Janae. I leave her with her godmommy (my mom) in Detroit and I return to Memphis to restore order to my disheveled home and office. The 3-week journey is complete. We have laughed, cried, played, sang, preached, prayed, zoo-ed, circus-ed, biked, swam, read, colored, painted, scrapbooked, ate and slept!

It’s interesting what one learns about one’s self and even about God when a child comes into your life. Granted, I was only a mommy for 3 weeks, and she was already toilet-trained, but there were still many lessons I learned about myself and about God along the way!

Trust has taken on new meaning. Every morning Jasmine awakened fully confident that all her needs would be met. She had no doubts that she would eat breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner, that she would be bathed and nicely clothed, and that she would be protected from danger. When she was having tough days missing home, she felt assured that Auntie Na-Na would soothe her fears with a really nice song and story before bed. She was certain that I would introduce her to helpful and honest people, share with her in her morning and evening prayers, and check on her periodically throughout the day to make sure she was ok. Even when she could not see me, she knew that I was somewhere near ensuring her provision and protection.

Is this not how we are to trust God? If in my mortal ability, I do this for one whom I have not birthed, how much more does God do it for those whom God has created, destined, and willed into existence? Jasmine reminded me how God ensures that all of my needs are met everyday. Even when I feel estranged, God is present and active in my life protecting me from danger, preparing healthy relationships for my journey, directing my steps, and inviting me into deeper relationship with God.

I invite you to reflect how God has been present and active in your life. When you encounter another difficult time or insurmountable obstacle, remember these things.

Comments (0) Sep 01 2008

Hello again my gospo-bloggers!

Some weeks ago I participated in a working retreat at a wonderfully spiritual retreat site in Arkansas. One of our retreat commitments was to “expect the unexpected.” And boy did it come…in many regards. On one side of the spectrum, we experienced unexpected conflict as a result of clashes of varying core beliefs. We experienced unexpected inconveniences due to unplanned lodging changes. We even experienced unexpected detachment by key participants. On the other end, we experienced an unexpected shekinah, a hovering of the Spirit that still amazes us. We experienced an unexpected productivity to accomplish the “work” of the retreat while allowing God tremendous time and space to “re-create” us. We experienced unexpected confirmation of God’s preached word through the testimony of the saints. This was the epitome of EXPECT the UNEXPECTED until August 10, 2008.

This was the date that I brought my 5 year old godsister with me from Detroit to Memphis. This brings an entirely new dimension to “Expect the Unexpected.” I offered to bring her to Memphis to for summer exploration, academic enrichment, and some Mid-South fun with her “Auntie Na-Na”. But no one, I mean no one, could have prepared me for this! Most days are good, but then it’s the unexpected ones that completely throw you off course. Tonight was one of those nights.

Because I know 5 year olds are unpredictable, I tried to plan ahead! I knew today would be a long night because of our church’s Wednesday night service. So what did I do? I brought a comfortable pillow and blanket with me to the church so that after I picked her up from school she could take a nap in my office to help her endure through the long evening. GOOD! I prepared a light meal of meat and veggies to ward off any hunger pains which might develop. GREAT! I rushed home after service to get her a “real” dinner (with more veggies) and into bed at a reasonable hour. Here’s where the breakdown happens.

It takes ONE HOUR to get to bed!!! ONE HOUR! Every distraction possible…bathroom, hair, clothes… Can I have a bedtime story? NO!! We’re already 20 minutes behind Auntie Na-Na’s great schedule (I said this in my head). “No honey. We’re out of time for a story tonight. But we can tomorrow. Close your eyes and go to sleep.” I tuck her in. Give good night hugs. Turn out the lights. Walk out the door. Whhaawwww! We now commence 20 minutes of a very frustrating whiny cry that produces no tears, only annoying sounds. WHAT?!? Are you serious? Do you have any idea what time it is? (Again, this is in my head!!) So I did what any mommy (or godsister-mommy) would do. I picked her up and cuddled her with the love and gentleness her crying begged for. And then I sang to her. Thank goodness, the crying stopped! But hello…we’re 45 minutes behind schedule!!!

I was reminded then that just as unexpected crises break through the course of our schedules, so must we be patient and calm when those moments arise. They could be a test for God to see what character truly lies inside of us. Or they could be opportunities to demonstrate what we’ve learned from our time with God. Either way, we should expect the unexpected!

What unexpected situation has happened in your life recently? How do you think you handled it? Prayerfully, you’ll handle the next one better.

Lord, thank you for breaking through the scheduled monotony of our days. Your unexpected interruptions bring color and shape to our lives. Help us to handle them with maturity and honor. Amen.

Comments (0) Aug 20 2008

Hello cyberspace!

This is my first blog entry.

I decided to begin blogging while attending a Leadership Summit hosted by Bill Hybels and Willow Creek Church. The Summit was phenomenal. They hosted from Chicago and videocast to thousands of satellite locations throughout the country. I attended the satellite location at Hope Presbyterian Church in suburban Memphis, TN. I was challenged and inspired all in one breath. Particularly while listening (watching) Craig Groeshel from The Life Church, I was utterly amazed and moved. There are few words that can express how inspired and impassioned I was after experiencing his presentation. His topic was “How to Get ‘IT’ and Keep ‘IT’!” After listening to him, I said to myself, “Thank you Jesus, I’ve got IT. Please don’t let me lose IT!!”

I sat there listening to Groeshel’s presentation feeling the Spirit of Christ stir up in me. I was immediately transported into a high energy, ‘just lemme at ‘em’ frenzy ready to take on the world and ministry! I felt like a trained steed waiting for the gates to swing open so I could charge full steam ahead. Then I realized….wow….I’ve felt this feeling before. This pure, undefiled, passion for ministry…this youthful zeal that seemed unquenchable…this is ‘IT’!! And when I focus this energy onto projects, programs, and initiatives God is glorified! When was the last time you felt ‘IT”? The unfortunate reality for many of us in full-time ministry is that it is rare to feel “IT” all the time! It comes and goes, ebbs and flows.

Lord, thank you for IT! Thank you for your Spirit and the intellect to recognize your Spirit at work. Please keep the fire burning. Don’t allow the trivial and mundane to quench the blazing fire aflame in my soul!

Amen.

You can watch Craig Groeschel talk about ‘IT’ at http://swerve.lifechurch.tv

Comments (1) Aug 15 2008