teach me how to (agape) love

“Teach me how to love, show me the way to surrender my heart.” – Musiq

Recently, every now and then, that song, mainly that hook, found its way on my heart, and in my mind. It became more frequent over the last few days. I don’t know where it came from, I have not knowingly listened to that song in months, years possibly. This weekend I understood why.

Every message I received this past week centered on agape love. A very timely and relevant message I needed to receive.

God is Love and I was made for love. In order for me to progress and grow, to know the power and the anointing, and the promised ability to do all things, I need to be rooted and grounded in love. Without roots completely in the love of God “everything is just a religious display.” – Dr. Creflo Dollar

I need to attend to my roots. True story.

Earlier this summer, I almost missed an opportunity for development; developing unconditional love. I didn’t realize I was actually running away from it. Loving what is already lovely was easy, everyone likes good people; I do. When it came to the unlovely, I was being conditional.

“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” – Carl Gustav Jung

Mistakenly, I believed I was consciously avoiding negativity and I was content with the status quo of this situation. These were basically conditional justifications, no less, of why I felt I did not have to love in this instance. Consequently, these conditions were placing hindrances on my development.

Walking in conditional love is not an option. I need to walk in unconditional, supernatural, agape love, All. The. Time; it’s mandated. I cannot choose when I will walk in love; it has to be everybody and anybody, whoever He places before me. I need to love what (who) is not as lovely, unconditionally. To love people in their weakness, because He unconditionally loves me, the way I am, undeserving and in my weakness.

“You get the richest measure of His Divine Presence on your life when you’re rooted and grounded in Love. And you become a body holy filled and flooded with God, Himself. Because when you’re rooted and grounded in love and you’re developing that love, you’re rooted and grounded in God and you’re developing in God.

And the more of that love you walk in, the more the Presence of God is going to be there. Because you can’t separate this love from God, because God is love. So Grow in Love. Grow in God. Grow in His Presence. Grow in His Anointing. Grow in His Blessings. Everything is going to start with the roots!” – Dr. Creflo Dollar

If I was made for love, I need my roots to be grounded in love, in order to make this love.

Please teach me how to love, like You do, Abba Father. Show me the way to surrender my love, unconditionally.

. . . two highlights from today

The church I went to today celebrates the couple when either spouse has a birthday. The couple comes up together and then they dance to the middle, for a minute. (interesting) Then the birthday celebrant stands while their spouse gives a testimony-type toast on their behalf.

So today the husband says some sweet things like “from now on your new nickname is Iya Beiji (mother of twins) because I know God is going to give us the twins that he promised us.” “I’m so glad we’re on this journey together.” Etc. etc. Aww. Okay but the real awww was the ending.

“If you live to be 100 years, I pray that I live to be 100 minus 1 because I don’t want to be without you.”

This statement works if they are the same age, (and besides the fact that this would make her a widow to mourn his home going while he is enjoying in Heaven, (just saying)) but we get the point.. . . awwwwww. *brownie points.* Maybe the twins will come sooner than we think.  On a side note, they looked so young!

Another side note:

You know a Nigerian woman is giving a testimony when she uses the phrase “dirty slap.”

During her testimony she says “I sent my son to Wal-mart and this white boy came out of nowhere and gave my son a dirty slap *** And so I want to thank God for safety.” End quote. I love it!

Familiar vs. Unfamiliar

Prior to relocating to Atlanta this summer, I sought out churches that had similar characteristics to the church I fellowship at in Chicago, Jesus House Chicago. I started looking as soon as I knew I was coming to Atlanta last year, but websites don't tell you everything about a church. So I started asking people too. I wanted to find that one perfect church for me and go there the entire summer. Then Pastor Isoken informed me that that's not how it's going to go down, in so many words of course. I would have to visit a few churches to get a feel for the right one for me.

And so I did that, literally (almost too literally). I visited a new church practically every week. The first week, I just picked a church, cold. It's been so long since I was a visitor. Then the following weeks, I accepted invitations or went with someone.

• City of David - Week 1
• Jubilee International - Week 2
• First Baptist Lithonia - Week 3
• RiverStone - Week 4
• Victory International - Week 5
• World Changers International - Week 5
• Jubilee International - Week 6
• International House of Prayer - Atlanta - Week 7
• Jesus House Chicago - Week 8

I appreciated experiencing different churches and seeing how they conduct different parts of the service. The opportunity to "church hop" does not come along frequently (or ever) when you're a member of a church and  have responsibilities in departments within the church. I was able to see what's going on outside of the not-so intentional but partly intentional comfort zone.

Ahh but last weekend, I went home! Fabulous time! It was great to see everyone. And likewise, I went to my home church. There really is no place like home. I've been going there since I was 12. And I feel the love every time I come back from any type of hiatus - school, internship away from home, etc. and even when I'm gone; messages, calls. It's like Cheers; everyone knows your name. I even took pics of different highlights and uploaded them onto facebook, kind of a like a groupie :) gosh!

So in that vein, along with a few other factors, I decided I would watch Jesus House Chicago livestreamed tomorrow.

I'm currently revisiting that decision since tomorrow is the First Sunday of the month, Thanksgiving Sunday, and Mama says (referencing the great Book) "do not forsake the fellowship of others." 

Well Sunday morning is quickly approaching and I'm at the same decision phase that I go through every Saturday night stroke Sunday morning that I've been here. I could either go to one of the aforementioned churches or pick a new church completely and inevitably be the visitor or the new[er] person with either decision.

But tomorrow I don't feel like being the visitor or the new[er] person. I just don't feel like it. *shrugs* I just want to get my praise and worship on and my lesson, Pastor B style. 

Now, it boils down to two options:

1) Virtual attendee of the Familiar vs. 2) Visitor to the Unfamiliar.

1) Safe route vs. 2) The unfamiliar route

To some people, it's just church, to me it's deeper, a little more complex and very symbolic of decisions to come.

To be continued . . .

WWJD

So I went to this department store and bought a few (a lot of) items. The store was officially closed and they were trying to get the last stragglers out. She said my total but something didn’t seem right with the amount. It looked like she didn’t charge me for something. I tried to do the math in my head real fast but she was directing me to swipe my card. I got home and double checked everything against the receipt and realized she didn’t charge me for a dress I received.

I brought the dress back on the next available day that I could and this is how part of the conversation went:

Sales Associate: Oh you’re bringing it back . . . but you still want it?

Me: Yeah I still want it, I just came to pay for it.

SA: Oh most people, well the average person wouldn’t do that?

Me: I’m not average. (smile)

SA: Oh, so why did you do it?

Me: Because that’s what Jesus would do?

SA: Huh? Because that’s what you’re supposed to do?

Me: Because that’s what Jesus would do.

SA: …oh……***

SA: can I have your telephone number?

Me: Is it okay if I don’t give it out? I don’t like to give it out.

SA: Yeah, but Jesus would give it out, Jesus would give me His phone number.

Me: Jesus wouldn’t have to, you can call on him anytime anywhere.

[laughter and smiles]

All ACCESS Passes!

Are you Sasha or Chelsea?

Today, in church, the Pastor used a great analogy!

Sasha Obama, as the youngest (and adorable) daughter of the President of the United States, has ACCESS to quite possibly the most powerful man in the world. However, amidst the cameras and bodyguards, she is probably too young to fully understand and appreciate the access she has to a man she just refers to as DADDY.

This is a 180 degree contrast to other presidents’ children who realized their access. The Bush twins exemplify president’s children who realized this ACCESS, albeit socially detrimental. There are also the Chelsea Clinton’s and John and Jane Doe Kennedy’s of the world, who used this access to their benefit.

Nonetheless, most of these children, regardless of what segment of the Evening World News they’ve chosen to appear in, have matriculated from the likes of Yale, Stanford and other Ivy Leagues, probably realizing and understanding the privileges bestowed upon them through their ACCESS.

Similarly, as the Peculiar, Chosen, Royal, (shall I go on) daughter or son of the Most Powerful, All Knowing, Everlasting, Faithful (it Goes on) God, In The World (Heavens, Earth, Galaxy, Universe yup all that), we have ALL ACCESS PASSES, BACKSTAGE PASSES; VIP status! No Lines No Waiting....But do we fully understand and appreciate it?

When you speak to Him you’re either calling Him DADDY, like a Sasha, or DADDY like a Chelsea. It all depends on whether you understand your ACCESS.

pretty song

pretty song
nice melody and lyrics makes you saw aww ;-)

"beautiful girls all over the world,
I could be chasing
but my time would be wasted,
they got nothing on you baby"

Seek The Kingdom First.

I was praying for this and that, and that and this. Not even sure if this and that, and that and this was really what I needed; if I was asking for the right things.

I noticed I was spending time trying to get specific requests out, time thinking exactly what is it that I really need to ask God for? What is it that I want?

Seek ye first, the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all other things will be added unto me.
-My Provider

All things. Not just the things that I think I need, or just the things that I think I want but moreover, ALL other things.

Seeking the Kingdom first, allows everything that He knows I need to be added unto me.

That’s more than enough for me.