I am still HERE!!!!

On Friday I was having an UGH moment or morning. I called the world's best psychologist and we had lunch.  Everyone should have a doctor, a lawyer and a psychologist on speed dial.  They are priceless!  I was able to talk over my concerns with my him and get some perspective which was greatly needed.  He told me what he sees in me professionally and personally ( please note part of having a psychologist and a friend in one they also tell you what they think).  It was reassuring and comforting I just have to make sure to get out of the way of my own future.

This was reinforced on Sabbath when Pastor John Boston spoke on topic  I am still here.  Coming from the story of Joseph and how his brothers sold him into slavery (Genesis 37).  His brothers were jealous of him.  Joseph shared his dreams with his brothers who began to hate him because they saw potential for greatness in him in through his dream that they were jealous of.  Pastor Boston went on to say sometimes other people/our enemies/our so called friends see potential in us that we do not see in ourselves and attempt to stop us from reaching it out of their own jealousy.   It is important for us to recognize and accept the call God has on our lives and be assured that what God has called you to become he has equiped to be. 

Now to bring what my psychologist said and what Pastor Boston preached and what I know the call God has on my life full circle that is brining me to my Sweet Spot.  I know I am destined to do something amazing to help people live better lives on this earth until Jesus returns and that I will perform it around the world.  and I  am going to get to do all of that with a man (my husband of course) that will continually sweep me off my feet as we both bow in thanksgiving to God! How awesome is that!!!

What does success look like?

I attended a Public Health Leadership Seminar as part of my MPH program on last Friday and a young man named Dustin Duncan, a Morehouse College Alumni and PhD doctoral student at Harvard University had this slide in his presentation (using with permission) that caused me to ask myself the following questions and they gave me an assurance that I am coming into my SWEET SPOT!!!

-What am I passionate about?  Inequalities in developing countries that result in poor health outcomes
-What can I be really good at?  Advocating for those that cannot speak
-What are indicators of success?  Making a lasting change that results in people that might not have had a favorable outcomes do because of some intervention I was able (by God's grace) to implement and doing it all around the world. 

Sabbath Reflections

I shed tears in church today as I watched a young lady have a baby dedicated.  Let me give you some background on baby dedications at my church.  We (Seventh-day Adventist) believe in returning children back to God thru dedication when they are infants.  It comes from the story of Hannah and her dedication of Samual ( I Samuel 1:19 - 26). 

The dedication is surrounded by lots of friends and family and the church elders.  The leading pastor holds the child and offers a prayer of thanksgiving for the birth of the child and prayer of dedication of the child back to God.  Today this young lady stood dedicating her child with only her sister.  She did not have any other family or friends to stand with her for this momentous occasion.  It sadden me and  made me thankful at the same time.  Thankful that I believe I have family and friends that would stand with me indifferent of my religion and the circumstances and come to the dedication of my child (if I had one) because it was something important to me and my child.  It saddens me to think that a man could lay with someone to make a child however would not stand with her for the dedication of the child they created.  There are a number of reasons why she stood there with only her sister, I do not know them.  Most of the ones I imagine are sad to me.  This is an opportunity for me to prayer for and reach to this young lady and I hope you would do the same. 

Foreign Service Oath of Office

I think this sounds pretty awesome

"I ________, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."

Sabbath Blessing for Me

I awakened this morning with a resolve on a issue and then I put on my ipod and listened to one of my favorite songs by Dyanamic Praise ( a gospel group from my alma mater Oakwood College).


The song is You Are More Than Worthy on their album Testify;

The words are;

You (referring to God) are more than worthy of my praise. I tried things my way didn’t realize I drove you away you are more than worthy of my praise. I am nothing unless you are leading my life. Teach me Oh Lord your ways and statutes. I am nothing unless you are leading my life. I praise you no matter what comes in my life. I just want to be the vessel you want to use, you have my heart ,my soul , my body and mind. I just want to exalt a total praise to you.  I praise you no matter what comes in my life.  You have my heart, my mind and soul, have your way in me, I yield to you. I praise you no matter what comes in my life just want to be a vessel you want. Thank you Jesus. I give it to you you created me. I praise you no matter what comes in my life I just want to be a vessel you want to use. I just want o be in constant praise to you.

This song is so powerful to me.  The words in bold just caused me to raise my hands and cry holy holy holy.  God is more than worthy.  My greatest desire is to be a vessel that God would want to use to draw others to him.  There is no greater purpose on this earth than that.  Father I yield!!!!

Good Friday

Today is my 34th birthday.