This morning, a friend and I were talking on the phone. It was a very eye-opening and providential conversation.

As the conversation took its course, and we exchanged the realities of our specific circumstances, certain themes began to expose themselves. Before we explore these, perhaps it may help if you knew some of the "stuff" we're going through. Between the two of us there is unemployment of parents, financial difficulty, family health concerns, academic struggles (getting back into school), relationship strains, etc. Can you relate?

One of the themes that caught our attention was the seemingly incongruent relationship between right doing and reward. It dawned on us that often the rewards for right doing don't seem....well, right! We referenced the story of Joseph. He boldly declares in the place of unholy passion, "How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" (Gen. 39:9). The next thing we know, Joseph is in an Egyptian prison. Take Daniel and his friends. David. Job....Job! The immediate circumstances that followed their right stand didn't seem to harmonize.

Another theme that stood out was the seemingly disproportionate steps in a certain direction. How often do you feel like you're taking two steps forward and four steps backward. As men, we tend to be the most frustrated when there is no tangible, substantial, and/or consistent evidence of positive progression.

The next theme worthy of consideration is the seemingly imperceptible activity of God in our behalf. We both agreed that sometimes the acts of God aren't on our emotional or spiritual radar. We cannot see, hear, touch (feel), taste, smell...sense what God is doing in our lives. He shared with me, in considerable transparency, that he often considers taking matters into his own hands because there is no visible or tangible evidence that they are in God's hands or that, if they are, He's doing something with them. What do we do when God's activity cannot be "picked up" by us? We acknowledged that there is not a substitute for waking by faith (cf. 2 Cor. 5:7). Substitute....we talked about these too.
Let's be honest: trusting in and waiting on God "ain't" easy. As men, it is easy to find substitutes, space-fillers, or alternatives to provide temporary peace or escape from what is reality. Smoking, pornography, drinking, racing, clubbing, spending, eating, etc. If not checked, we often find ourselves indulging in the destructive thinking that therein is peace. In our prayer, we prayed for the Power of God to keep us from running to our substitutes, take them away, and give us true peace (cf. John 14:27; Philippians 4:6-8).

My friend and I share a mutual desire to be Men of God. When I look at the characters in scripture who were privileged with this title I realize that they went through some serious "stuff". Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea (YIKES), Peter, Paul, John. One Man of God who truly stands out happened to be that Man who is God. Jesus Christ. His "stuff" including a garden and guards, a council and a cross, a tempter and a tomb.

Even the Preeminent One Himself experienced (1) the seemingly incongruent relationship between right doing and reward, (2) the seemingly disproportionate steps in a certain direction, and (3) the seemingly imperceptible activity of God [His Father] in His behalf (cf. Matt. 27:46).

Fellas, maybe this kind of training is necessary in order for us to be the next generation of Men of God in our schools, in our homes, on our jobs, in our communities, with our friends, in this world. I'm not sure what your "stuff" is, but I have mine too. Somehow I believe that it's serving a greater purpose then we could ever prayer for. Blessings

-Richard Martin


Richard is a student at Oakwood University.

If I’m completely honest, life is a bit difficult right now. Who knew I’d find myself in such uncertainty? What makes this season in my life so difficult is being so keenly aware of just how dependent on God I am and evidently, I don’t trust Him. One minute I’m confident that God will see me through and the next I’m questioning why Jesus can’t just ask me to do “normal” things. In my fear, what once came with ease now seems so hard and it’d be easier to just ignore it all (well at least in the moment). With the highs and lows of this roller coaster ride it's hard to keep everything in perspective. My mind is clouded with insecurities and fears, some rational and some not. But, there’s hope. Thankfully, God continues to remind me that no matter the issue, when God is in the equation what’s “foolish” is wise.

We tend to act as if Christ Jesus isn’t “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). The same God who is urging you to depend on Him, is the same God who commanded Noah to build an ark. He is the same God who gave Gideon and his measly 300 men army victory. He’s the same God who helped a boy defeat a giant and He’s the same God who called flawed guys to abandon all to become fishers of men. Can you imagine what these individuals went through? How in the world’s eyes they may have seemed extremely foolish and even stupid?

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Matthew 7: 14, 13). It may be hard, probably even scary. You may even look foolish but, remember "...the wisdom of the world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: He catches the wise in their craftiness" (1 Corinthians 3:19).  Know that God will be with you all of the way. There's no need to be discouraged.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

“By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.” Matthew 7: 16-18

“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5

“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” Galatians 5:19-23

“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. …” Matthew 7:22

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:18

Paige Henry is a school social worker and independent artist in Detroit, MI. Check out her music at www.sydneyandpaige.com or www.facebook.com/sydneyandpaige.
Twitter: @PaigeAHenry

Growing up, I could not imagine what a life absent of attending church for regular service, bible study and prayer would be like.  Like many of us who grew up in the church, I really had no choice. You could count on me to be present every time the doors of the church were opened.  It seemed as if every time my mother thought about church, we were there!  I recall a conversation with my mother where I questioned the point of attending church as often as we did. What else could the pastor possibly say every Sunday that he had not said before?

      When I found out that I was with child, I was full of mixed emotions. Knowing that my life was about to change, I was highly dissapointed in myself.  I never wanted to bring a child into this world unmarried and without proper planning.  I was smart and I knew what the consequences would be, yet I found myself in this situation.  I felt an overwhelming sense of self-condemnation, doubt and fear.  I no longer saw myself as the vibrant, smart, and intelligent young lady full of potential.  I painted a very negative image of myself and somehow I was convinced that I identified more with those who never dreamed. My low self-esteem led me to believe that I could no longer dream, and that it was selfish of me to do so considering the fact that I was unpreparred for the child I was carrying inside of me.  I had the support of an amazing friend during this time, however I was in a very dark place on the inside.  No matter how much anyone did to try to show me that I was still the same person and that I would be ok, I had given up. My dreams of becoming a professional singer were replaced with nightmares of how I would live downtrotted for the rest of my life, and for a while I would not sing, not even to myself.

       So, what did I do? Who did I turn to? What could lift my soul from the pit of condemnation? Where did I go to find myself again? I returned to that same word of God that I had read about all of those years. I returned to my foundation and God began to strengthen my broken heart.  It has not been an overnight process, but healing began to take place when I decided to believe in the God of my salvation.  I knew that in him I could be redeemed. Looking back, I realize that the word of God that was repeated over and over in my youth was for now.  I required that foundation because I would not know that God was for me and that he would never leave or forsake me. I would not know about the Love of God and how he says in Rom. 8 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."

      Now I stand from a place of victory. I love my healthy, smart, intelligent and amazing son who's birth gave new life to me! I know about God's love for myself and it's what I sing about everyday!

-Colandra McDowell



Colandra is an independent artist in Raleigh, NC. Follow her on twitter: @colamcdowell
Check out her music ministry at www.colandramcdowell.com

      Certain recent events in my life prompted me to take a closer look at the story of Jonah. Sadly, at most the last time I read the book of Jonah was in high school. I remember as a child thinking the moral of the story was obey God or He’ll punish you. Cleary I missed the mark. My conclusion had a lot to do with how I viewed God then. I’m not exactly sure why but, I grew up feeling especially special to God. I even remember sitting in church thinking to myself about how while I knew God loved everybody if He had to have a favorite it’d be me. Don‘t judge me ;). While I didn’t worry much about God punishing me for doing wrong, I did believe that my fairly obedient behavior, my desire to please God and inherent specialness meant that God would spare me from any really bad experiences. All in all, whether the belief is that you will be spared from harm or punished in complete accordance to your behavior it’s pretty much the same thing and is it ever truly the case? We all can look back on our lives and remember times when we didn’t experience consequences we very well deserved and times we endured adversities we didn’t. But still, we all from time to time, find ourselves certain that the wrath of God will be upon us at any moment or angry with God because of our misfortune. I think it all stems from the notion that this Christian walk begins and ends with behavior. It’s more than that.

Just like an earthly father, God wants to commune with you and prosper you (Jeremiah 29:11, 1 Timothy 2:3-4) both in this life (the womb, developing you until your birth in…) and in heaven (…eternal life). Now when I say that God wants to prosper you, I don’t mean that God wants you to have a rolls royce but, that He wants what’s best for you. Not everybody can handle a rolls royces, worldly wealth or certain successes. If you gain the whole world for say a short 70 years and lose your soul it will not be prosperity but, foolishness (Mark 8:36). Even earthly fathers will not allow their children to indulge in every pleasure of this world only to find themselves in ruin. The only way he can truly prosper you and be in relationship with you is to save and transform you. In the most practical sense sin separates us from God.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 6:23. 
“For the living know that they will die, but, the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten” Ecclesiastes 9:5. 
There is nothing prosperous in death and having a relationship with someone who is dead just won’t work. Therefore, God journeys with us so that we will know/experience Him, accept His gift of salvation and its resulting sanctification.

Many times this journey can be perceived as coercion. For example, when Jonah refused to obey God and decided to run he ended up in a whale. What could be seen merely as punishment is only love. God knew Jonah would run and he used it as an opportunity to show him, and us for that matter, his love for mankind. Jonah finally obeyed the Lord and as a result Nineveh repented "But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the Lord and said, "O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” And the Lord said, "Do you do well to be angry?" Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city. Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, "It is better for me to die than to live." But God said to Jonah, "Do you do well to be angry for the plant?" And he said, "Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die." And the Lord said, "You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?" Jonah 4

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NIV

 “The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong, and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:11 NIV

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

“The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” Psalms 37:23 NLT

“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” Number 23:19 ESV

Paige Henry is a school social worker and independent artist in Detroit, MI. Check out her music at www.sydneyandpaige.com or www.facebook.com/sydneyandpaige.
Twitter: @PaigeAHenry

I like to be in control. Why? Well, I don’t know about you but, I hate waiting. I’m quite fond of now. I want my dream job now (or at least to be well on my way to it), maturity now, wisdom now, Christ like character now, and the eye glasses I ordered last week, I want them yesterday.  My birthday is coming up and because I’m pro-now it’s just a little dreadful. I don’t know exactly what I was supposed to do before I turned 24 but, I know it included conquering the world. However, unfortunately or rather fortunately for me, God doesn’t work that way. God is pro-eternity. He is not only concerned with now but, with later.

God is in control and he truly is our only viable option. Even knowing that, it’s often hard to wait on God, to allow him to solve our problems, or to give us direction, answers or clarity and especially when there are consequences to endure when things don’t fall quickly into place. In these moments its easy for us to attempt to solve the problem ourselves or to move when we should be still. Maybe we even feel it’s our duty to but, our attempts to handle it on our own only prove to be busy work. They make us feel like we are doing something or getting somewhere but, they only take up time and energy.

We often get so consumed with now that we forget that our time here on earth is only the womb. It’s our time to grow and mature. Heaven is no retirement plan. It’s when we begin life.  Remember God’s first priority is to get you home with Him and to restore communion. He wants you to experience Him.   

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it."

-Romans 8:18-25

Maybe like me, God has you in a spiritual time-out. A time out and away from distraction.  Let’s wait, silent and still until God says move.


Sydney is an independent artist and the Executive Director of Uprise. She is passionate about music and young adult ministry. Find her music at sydneyandpaige.com or www.facebook.com/sydneyandpaige

“Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts” (1 Corinthians 4:5a).  

Originally from Philadelphia, PA, Sam pastors the Soso and Macedonia SDA Churches in Soso and Laurel, Mississippi.
Hobbies:  Reading (especially Black History), Barbering, Bass, Baking, Collecting Bow ties...Soon Photography
He is passionate about music, worship and people.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he re wards those who earnestly seek him.  Hebrews 11:6

 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts 1 Thessalonians 2:4

For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; Philippians 1:29

Paige Henry is a school social worker and independent artist in Detroit, MI. Check out her music at www.sydneyandpaige.com or www.facebook.com/sydneyandpaige.
Twitter: @PaigeAHenry

COMING SOON

Uprise Winter Encounter 2012: EMPOWERED

$149 Includes:

• one-hour ski/snowboard class lesson
• snowboard/ski & helmet rental
• Lift Ticket
• Bunk Style lodging
• Meals
• All retreat activities
 

To register email uprisemovement@gmail.com

$25 non-refundable deposit due by October 31, 2011.

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you;he will never let the righteous fall.
Psalm 55:22

Insecurities, we all have them. They take root in different forms and so often it’s easier to see the magnitude of their effects in others. We see it in the acquaintance who, oblivious to her potential, is much more comfortable riding on the coat tail of others success. She’s great at assisting someone with their vision but, won’t step out to execute hers. She’s a superb sidekick.  We see it in the envious friend who won’t genuinely support his friends endeavors or congratulate others. Their success has him feeling inadequate. He never considers that they struggle too. He’s a superb hater. We see it in the individual so concerned with what others think he’s rarely himself. He’s too busy pretending to be someone else, pumping himself up, telling white lies and never admitting when he is wrong. He reasons that if you really knew him you wouldn’t like him. He’s a superb actor. In one form or another they’ve all settled for comfortable roles when they’d be best at being themselves.

Not too many of the people around me know but, I play piano by ear. I didn’t start playing until I was 17 and did so without lessons. Even still, within a few years I was able to play for a few choirs here and there. However, when compared to a seasoned musician I start to feel inadequate. I don’t learn songs as fast and my runs and licks aren’t as good. It doesn’t leave room for gratitude. It by passes the fact that I specifically asked for the gift and God was gracious enough to give it to me when he didn’t have to. However seemingly little it may be, the truth is that it’s more than most have been given. Though at times I may feel out of my element, it’s helped immensely with my songwriting. I’ve come to realize that the best aren’t the only ones who’s gifts have purposes or who have callings. The key is to look to God for security. How are your insecurities holding you back?

“All I am is all I have.  And all, all I have to give and I give it all to You”.

 

Sydney is an independent artist and Executive
Director of Uprise in Detroit, MI. She is passionate
about young adult ministry.

Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
Proverbs 16:3

    I  started my graduate studies the fall after earning a Bachelor of Science in Communication in April of 2009. The original plan was to work and take one or two classes a semester. I figured that I’d be finished in three to five years. No rush. However, because my job search wasn’t going the greatest by the time classes started and I saw no use in sitting at home, I enrolled as a full time student. All the while, I looked for employment in the nonprofit sector but, semester after semester I found none. I ended up earning a Master in Public Administration with a graduate certificate in nonprofit leadership in 16 months and 8 months later there is still no “job”. I got to a point where I’d take just about any job. In all this time I have only had three interviews. It’s quite pitiful…so much so that instead of being discouraged I was quite excited to see what in the world God was up to. My job prospects were too bleak for God not to be in the midst.

    During my time in graduate school, I along with three others started Uprise, a faith based nonprofit. It was something I had not planed to do until some years from now, you know…when I had more experience. It was why I wanted a job in the nonprofit sector and why I continued school. It was a logical plan. I had my plans but, God has His and it’s time now to submit to it. It’s time to be bold. It’s time to step out on faith. You see I have a job and have for some time as Executive Director of Uprise but, because this job doesn’t “pay” I’ve reasoned this can’t be it. God must have an additional job in store because of course I need money. To believe that this what God had in store for me entirely seemed downright foolish. When people asked what I did for a living I hardly ever said I was an executive director for a nonprofit and if I did it was downplayed as if it were a mere hobby. I let how I thought others would perceive the legitimacy of my job dictate its significance and the amount of time I felt justified putting into Uprise. Ultimately I put God in a box.  I limited Him.

 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5,6.

    God has asked me to do some things and don’t completely understand why and as much as I would like them to be they aren’t in my comfort zone.  For some of you too, it’s also time for you step out of faith…to be bold. The truth is that not everyone will understand or agree but, why should they? It’s YOU that has received conviction.


Sydney is an independent artist and Executive
Director of Uprise in Detroit, MI. She is passionate
about young adult ministry. 

Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalms 25:4-5

“For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.  And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.  To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.  And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you” 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

    I was feeling amped for no reason!  I was whizzing down I-59 on my way to Best Buy to look for a certain TV that I had been eying for quite some time and the price had been dropping.  I was blasting my music from my iPhone at decibels that would make it seem like I almost had no regard for my eardrums; plus I was driving my green ’97 Parker like I [had] stole[n] it…  R-Swift is on and I hear him say in a verse in his song Anthem on the album Anthem,

“I’m on some, Back to the basics;
Church lost passion,
Turned our backs to the faithless…”

And all of a sudden, I got an epiphany.  The church has lost passion and we’ve turned our backs to the faithless but we’ve also turned our backs on those who minister to the faithless in their own language.  What do I mean?  Reader, I’m so glad you asked!  We refuse to be “downgraded” so that we may reach folk where they are…  For those of you who don’t know who R-Swift is, he is a Christian urban poet who ministers by using the art form commonly known as “Rap” to convey the message that rests on his soul: that Jesus died for sinners and eternal life is available to all.

No, this is not a commercial for “Gospel/Christian” rap and this is not a promotion for a particular agenda.  Nor is this an idolized pet opinion of the writer.  Rather, this is a challenge to Christians to take an objective look at outside the box ministries and think twice before we ridicule those who minister to particular subcultures. 

Urban ministries seek to mingle and blend in with their urban settings and seem no different from their target group except in their message.  Campus ministries’ personnel enroll and take classes and study the same books and take the same tests as those they are trying to reach.  So too, those in the Gospel/Christian rap scene understand their target and make the necessary adjustments and package the Gospel in a way that those on the street can at least identify with.  Naysayers may come with rebuttals of every species but when I go to the Book I see a God who downgrades the Good News so that fallen finite and feeble humanity might look, comprehend and live!  For the sake of time and your attention span and you getting back to your Facebook chat or whatever, I’ll just list two examples…

Have you ever stopped to think of the wise men who came bearing gifts to the Savior?  These were astrologers, soothsayers, down right magicians.  Not some Harry Potter, movie make-up magicians, but the real deal!  They practiced a so-called “science” forbidden by God.  They used the stars to predict the future and connect with ancestors and such… Yet God “downgraded” the Gospel and used the very art they were familiar with to herald the message of the newborn King!  Hmmm…. Wrap your mind around that….  However, no other example of “Let me downgrade you” is more powerful than the example of Yeshua haMeshiah Himself…  “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5-8, NASB).   One of my favorite Christian authors puts it this way,

“…the [human] race had been decreasing in physical strength, in mental power, and in moral worth; and Christ took upon Himself the infirmities of the degenerate humanity.  Only thus could He rescue man from the lowest depths of his degradation” – The Desire of Ages, p. 117.

‘Nough said… Is there any downgrade lower than that?  What’s even more striking is that urban ministries often meet the same kinds of responses that Jesus did.  On the one hand, His own didn’t receive Him and ridiculed and ultimately crucified Him; and on the other, only few of those who needed it most responded positively.  Today, the church says, “they’re trying to be worldly… you’re mixing godly things with ungodly things.”  And on the other hand, the world says, “These guys are ‘wannabees…’”  But God who sits up high and looks down low is asking, “Will you let me downgrade you, to upgrade a dying world?”  Reader, hear me out: you don’t need to be a rapper or a college campus backpacker, all you need to do is ask, “where can I be downgraded?” and watch God downgrade you to sober up a world inebriated!  Let Him downgrade you and He’ll raise you and your mission field up!

-Samuel Jeudin 

Originally from Philadelphia, PA, Sam pastors the Soso and Macedonia SDA Churches in Soso and Laurel, Mississippi.
Hobbies:  Reading (especially Black History), Barbering, Bass, Baking, Collecting Bow ties...Soon Photography
He is passionate about music, worship and people.

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."Psalm 46:1

Having already searched my pockets, under my bed and my sheets,  I empty my purse looking for my beloved iPhone. As each item leaves my purse my concern grows. What if I left it at the church? What if someone stole it? I can’t afford to replace it. Then suddenly I remember “there’s an app for that” and log on to me.com to track my iPhone. After struggling to remember my password I confirm that indeed my iPhone is in my garage back home and although I am relieved that it’s not stolen I can’t help but wonder why Jesus didn’t remind me to check for my phone just as I was leaving the car. Because of course I NEED my phone. It’s right up there with water, food and air.

Now although this dilemma is arguably trivial, there have been times when I needed God, I mean really needed God and at the time I’d reason that he was not there. Every attempt I made to change my environment or situation not only fell through but, seemed intentionally blocked. I wondered how in those situations God could be fair. Why would God allow my efforts to better myself or to do right to be blocked? After all some were things He was leading me to do. So I reasoned God must not want these needs meet. Those were times when it seemed like I was pursuing Christ more than he was pursuing me. However, it was trusting God in times when He didn’t seem trustworthy like this that strengthen my faith. Having gone through the storm I see now the many ways that God was always there right from the start. In fact, I sought God because He first sought me. He was pursuing me on the cross before I even was. He died with me in mind. He created a solution way before my problem existed.

When we ask God for help its doesn’t always come in the form we want it in. Hey, I asked God to give me a post for this blog and He did by allowing me to forget my phone. We’re never alone. Even when you don’t hear, feel, see or acknowledge God He is always there. You weren’t created to function in your own power.

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one
and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and
sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. We love
because he first loved us.” - 1 John 4:9-10,19


Sydney is an independent artist in Detroit, MI. She's passionate about young adult ministry and faith based nonprofits. Find her music at www.sydneyandpaige.com or facebook.com/sydneyandpaige

Paige is a school social worker and an independent artist in Detroit, MI. Find her music at www.sydneyandpaige.com or facebook.com/sydneyandpaige

She approached me sheepishly, all the while checking to see who was watching. She was young, likely still in High School. Without any introduction she began to share a struggle all too similar to mine. I could see it in her eyes that she was desperate for answers, ones I didn’t have.  Earlier that day my sister and I sang “He Washed Me”.  At that time, we had recently finished writing the song.  It was clear that people were touched which left me feeling both humble and hypocritical because though the lyrics spoke of triumph I was certainly still in bondage.  In fact, it was why I wrote the song. Uncomfortably I sat as she poured her heart out to me wondering what the heck I was supposed to say and more importantly who was listening.  There was no way I was going to let her know she wasn’t alone at my expense and just like that an opportunity was missed.

    I wish I could say that was the only time my pride got in the way of an opportunity to encourage or edify someone, but, it wasn’t.  There is an unspoken rule that we as Christians must give off an image, true or not, that we have it all together. Too often we struggle alone, perhaps thinking we are the only ones, while unbeknownst to us many around us have already overcome the same sins.  To often our churches shy away from certain topics as not to air out their dirty laundry or we condemn those looking for help. Too often we let pride get in the way, valuing man’s opinion of us over God’s. God is slowly chipping away my pride and the truth is that not everyone will respond to my testimony with love. However, I’ll share not for the praise of man but, for the praise of God. For if God is not pleased with me what else really matters? I’m tired of the status quo…I’m looking for something real. How about you?

"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind..." 1 Corinthians 10:13

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective". James 5:16
- Sydney


Sydney is an independent artist in Detroit, MI. She's passionate about young adult ministry and faith based nonprofits. Find her music at www.sydneyandpaige.com or search "Sydney & Paige Henry" on Facebook.