MLK Night: Remembering our Suffering and Fight for Equal Rights

I wrote this one week after Election Night.

Dear Family & Friends,

Please join me on Monday, January 16th (MLK Day) in front of the White House at 6pm ET to celebrate with lighted candles of the many accomplishments that have and will forever change the history of our great nation. Let's focus on how grateful we are for our nation's first Black president and how huge of a milestone this mark has made for many generations to come. Let's give thanks for the many generations before us who have fought for our freedom and civil rights with their sweat, blood and tears. Let's thank God for blessing us with experiencing these years!

Let's rise above expectations and show the world why we are STILL a great nation. During the last week of President Obama's leadership and service, let's give praise and shouts of joy as the 44th president, his wonderful family and team finish strong with their heads held high with respect. Let's show them some love and support of all the strength and courage it took for them and us to make it this far and come out as champions. Let's show the world that we are still standing with the Obamas and we still have faith in the Prince of Peace.

I know many of us might still feel defeated. I totally understand. I, too, was shocked at what was happening during Election Night. I was caught off guard. Yet, I'm thankful for the news coverage on breaking down the voting progress by county which revealed a lot. I was not aware of how many Americans still have a different American Dream, one far from the one envisioned by Martin Luther King Jr. Although it's painful, I'm glad that I now know.

As a person who loves playing sports, it never feels good to lose a game. It never feels fair when our opponent fights harder to win even at all costs including character. However, every game has a clock and an end. Champions never focus on the loss, but on how to win the next game. Champions evaluate the game and look for areas that our opponents gave more attention to. Then, champions make adjustments and ensure those mistakes never happen again. And, champions do this with keeping a character of integrity. Again, we did not lose. We are just learning a lesson. Our nation's brothers and sisters have simply helped us with identifying areas that we need to improve in. Over the next several years, let's pray and show them some love. Let's start by being great examples of support for our new president meanwhile praying for a better 46th U.S. president and preparing a nation to leave to our children.

Please join me on Monday, January 16th (MLK Day) and let's really show the world how strong we are.

Please feel free to invite everyone. Everyone is welcome to join us in this celebration and prayer.

This was the outcome of a beautiful, still night in remembering why we are truly here. Not for our equal rights, but equal rights for all. Not for our prayers, but for prayers for everyone. Not to simply show love to ourselves, but to practice showing love to everyone. And conditioning our hearts to ask God to help us love on people the way He loves on people; including ourselves.

Let's pray more and love more. May our God increase our hearts with love and thoughts of righteous prayers.

Book Review - Jesus B

Jesus B 

(by Jim Lyon)

This refined collection of sermons was a pleasant and insightful. I always thought like this author and have had many thoughts of my own regarding "The Calling of Every Christian" throughout the past couple of years. The outline of the book makes this an easy read. It's also a short read being less than one hundred pages.

How does one be like Jesus? Although everyone is unique, there are the fundamentals of character that Jesus has perfected. These fundamentals are what we ought to strive for as we be like Jesus. However, to be like Jesus we have to know more about who Jesus is.

Main Points

Here are the main points that I really liked from this book.

• Who do you want to be?
• This is a simple, yet powerful question. The answer to this question often determines our direction in life. It determines your identity. It determines where we put all of our energy and focus. So as a Christian, shouldn't we put a lot more energy and focus into being like the one we call our King, our Prince of Peace?
• Celebrate Baptism.
• We Christians need to make a big celebration of baptism. If there's anytime the church puts on a party, then these baptism moments are the time. Our family, friends, and everyone needs to know about this incredible conversion and proclamation of one beginning his/her journey to be like Jesus. Perhaps baptisms should happen outside in the public like the Jordan River?
• Be Spirit-led.
• Walk in the Way and keep in mind always to guard against these three natural temptations: 1) Providing for Yourself (i.e. selfishness), 2) Acting on Impulse (i.e. human nature vs godly nature), and 3) Switching Loyalties (i.e. cheating on God).
• Be the change.
• See what God can do through you. Let Him use you for the good of our world.
• Let your walk around the neighborhood say a lot about the new you.
• Be a healer.
• Serve people, your community, your neighbors.
• Spread hope.
• Speak life into people (i.e. be encouraging).
• Listen to what people need.
• Be a nonfictional storyteller.
• Master the storytelling of Jesus's life, and the other Bible stories.
• Know how history is interconnected with the Bible.
• Know how the Bible stories relate to today's stories.

Favorite Quotes

There were a lot of nice quotes by the author, but I'll limit to ten.

1. Most of us want to have a relationship with Jesus, but we're not so keen on being like Him.
2. Think of it: God Himself discipling us.
3. We become evidence of the Scripture brought to life.
4. Someone being baptized is completely helpless, off balance, and dependent on someone else: Jesus Christ.
5. You can do more than influence others, you can show what it means to live in right relationship with God and help them see the world as heaven sees it.
6. Never leave a conversation with another person in despair; always leave them with hope.
7. ...spiritual gifts may be for a lifetime or may be for a season.
8. It's God's gift to you for God's purpose.
9. All of us have a tendency to worry about what others are going to say or think about us when we reach out to people who are not already followers of Jesus or whose journey with Jesus has been troubled, but Jesus Himself seemed to be free from such worry.
10. One last thing: If you want to Jesus B. and really become a friend of sinners, you must know who you are, as Jesus did. #identity

Favorite Verse

"I am confident of this very thing, that He who began the good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ." - Philippians 1:6

What's Missing?

On page 88, the author provides a nice list of steps to remember when being like Jesus.

1. Be publicly baptized.
2. Be filled with the Holy Spirit.
3. Be God's light.
4. Be a healer.
5. Be a friend of sinners.
6. Be a storyteller.

What I think is missing is this:

• Let your life tell a story of being like Jesus.

If you died later today, then at least have people say that they could tell you were trying to live a life like Jesus Christ (of truth and love).