Tag Archives: Jesus Christ

The Death of Amy Winehouse

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For days I haven’t been able to get thoughts of Amy Winehouse out of my head. The British soul singer’s funeral was yesterday, but thoughts of the circumstances of her tragic death are well alive in me. She was sad, deeply depressed and no matter how she dressed, the drugs and dreariness crept through. Though I didn’t own a CD or ever see Winehouse perform, the news of her death made me watch one of her videos. From beginning to end she walked a seedy path, never once looking at the prostitutes, transvestites, and other half naked people around her. Three times, a woman bumped into Winehouse, but she kept walking, never turning to see who bumped her or why. Interspersed with the seedy path is a shot of Winehouse in a hotel room with empty beer and alcohol bottles. Oblivious to everything that was happening along her path, she walked as if she believed she had to go through that path, resigned that debauchery would be her death. Like a declaration of resolve, she sang solid, from the depths of her soul, “my tears dry on their own.” Winehouse seemed to believe she just had to cope on her own, that there was no one who could dry her tears. Maybe she never knew that Jesus could.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.—Hebrews 4:15

Though Winehouse may not have known Jesus or His healing power, I think sometimes we, recovering strong black women, who know Jesus forget His healing power. We run to the world’s ways to mask our pain and our lives also end in a tragic death. Yes, we still may be physically alive, but our spirits, minds and relationships may have died at our own hands. We have tried to cope our way and even when we don’t get righteous results we continue to try to cope our way, like we don’t have a Godly way of escape, a way to help us to have peace right here on earth until God calls us home.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.—1 Corinthians 10:13

That way of escape may be a phone call from a friend, a song that you keep hearing again and again or a message from a radio show. God will use anything to urge you to “[t]ake my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29). Tragic death does not have to be our end. We can live mask free and abundantly with Christ Jesus, if we trust Him. He will always be there to dry our tears, never leaving us for them to dry on their own.

Also read Why Amy Winehouse’s Death Should Matter to Christians in EEW Magazine and tell me what you think.

Note: Some of you didn’t know there was a video with Monday’s post or you tried to watch the video and couldn’t because it was private. If you missed my big video announcement, click here to watch.

Copyright 2011 by Rhonda J. Smith

Give Up Your World

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“..(A)nyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”—2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)

The other day my oldest son asked if he could arise in the morning to join me during my prayer time. I was so pleased, but I wasn’t always this way. When Joshua was 6 God told me some things He had called Joshua to be and one was a prayer warrior. I asked God to show me how to train him to war in the spirit this way, and I didn’t hear anything from God. Suddenly, at 6, Joshua began to arise early on his own, sit quietly as I prayed and would hand me tissue so I could dry my tears. At first I thought his rising was endearing. After he kept joining me for about a week, I was upset. “Can’t I have some time to myself?” Then God reminded me that I had asked him to show me how to train Joshua. What better way than to model prayer and have him pray kneeling beside me right after me? But I soon slipped back into my selfish way, being happy a few weeks later when Joshua stopped waking up. I reasoned that the season for training him during my quiet time must be over. Truth is, discipline is part of the training, and I should have awakened him even when he didn’t get up. I did sometimes, but for the last two years that has been only a handful of times. So last week when Joshua asked to wake up to join me in prayer, I gladly agreed. I’m so glad I did. We had a rich time, and I got a chance to see a bit of what God sees every time we walk in selfishness.

When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.—1 Corinthians 13:11

Before we prayed Joshua asked, “What happens to our bodies if our spirit goes to be with God when we die?” Of course, this led to a Bible study on Christ’s return and us receiving glorified bodies and reigning with Jesus on a new earth (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 20:6). To give him a picture of what our glorified bodies might be able to do I had him read Luke 24:15-31 when Jesus walked and supped with the men from the Emmaus road then vanished from their sight. When I told him that our bodies would be supernatural, like Jesus’ body, letting us do supernatural feats like superheroes, he became sad. I was perplexed. Like his dad, Joshua loves comic book characters and he frequently asks me which ones I think are the strongest. When I asked what made him sad about getting a new improved body he said, “I want this body. I like this body. And I don’t want there to be a new earth. This earth is perfect. I want it to stay the same.” No matter how many benefits I told him about having a glorified body and reminded him of the wretchedness of this world he still wanted to cling to the old. He was determined to remain unchanged in spite of the pain and disappointment he feels in his own body and sees in the world. He didn’t want anyone to disrupt his familiar or his comfort. He didn’t want anyone, not even God, to change his world. I just hugged him and told him I understood, recognizing that he was a child and just didn’t understand how wonderful his change would be. I knew that when he grew up, his view would change. I determined that I would continue to be there for him, allowing God to disrupt my quiet time world, so I can help Joshua mature in his faith and talk the way he should.

So often those of us recovering from strong black womanhood seek to maintain our established order so that we can control our circumstances. We can’t handle a change to our world, even one that would help us create a better world or just allow God to give us a better one. Even though we know our present personal world may be in need of repair, we somehow convince ourselves that everything is perfect and fight to keep living there. Give up the fight and the temper tantrums and let God serve you a better world. This is a challenge, but one we must rise to so we walk out 1 Corinthians 13:11 and be the new creations the Bible declares us to be.

What worlds have you been clinging to that you need to let go of?

Copyright 2011 by Rhonda J. Smith

My One Thousand Gifts List

#141-150
A woman’s desire to follow God
An anointed sermon
Dinner with Stephanie
The boys making their own fun at Stephanie’s
Flynn cleaning the kitchen
Flynn putting the boys to bed
Flynn making me tea
Being able to rest
Spending time with family
My headache dissipating

Maturing into Motherhood

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“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

— 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

I have gotten older. “Duh,” you might say. “Aging happens to everyone from the moment we’re born.” But I really didn’t begin to feel older until a few weeks ago. Of course I realized my transition some years ago when I didn’t know names of popular artists or their songs AND I didn’t care. I had joined my parents’ generation and gotten amply disengaged from the current cool. This didn’t bother me since I had always flown in my own musical realm. But a few weeks ago was different. This was when it seems overnight a nest of grays had sprouted along my front hairline; an 18 year old couldn’t say why she thought I looked so much different than the woman in my 13-year-old wedding photo; and it had been months since anyone mistook me for being at least 10 years younger than I am. I settled into my eventual, always knowing that aging is inevitable. I must admit that accepting and liking my physical changes are not the same for me. But the time that changed my physical appearance is the same time that changed my spiritual position and that pleases (and, in some ways, has shocked) me.

“You’re such a mother,” said Tabitha, one of the seven women with whom I have a formal Christian discipleship relationship. She was watching me interact with my children and remarked on my mother nurturing. She said the same thing last week, this time commenting on how I mother her and her discipleship sisters. “You really want us to be okay and reconciled,” she said about the way I had mediated a small conflict that she and another of my daughter’s in Christ had. “You didn’t take sides; you just wanted both of us to be okay.” I do, and I want the same for my boys but my desire has not always been evident.

For years I struggled with strife, having to leave ‘up and out’ words with folks who needed to know the extent of their foolishness or density. I had little mercy for the weak in mind and made it my business to tell them so. Somebody had to tell them, I reasoned, so I assigned myself that job. I resigned years ago, when the magnification of God’s mercy overshadowed my sins. His great covering was big enough that I couldn’t just keep His warmth for myself; I wanted others to feel God’s comfort and how I could nestle in His care. That was my great desire and for years only remained in my thoughts. Though I had gotten glimpses of folks under God’s cover with me, Tabitha’s encouraging word let me know that I had made room for more than I thought. And even with a new girlfriend’s recent surprise that I used to be Zorro because “you’re so kind and thoughtful” let me know that I have been more consistent in my new way than I imagined. Time may have aged my body, but I praise God that time also has matured me in the spirit. Even though I am older I am brand new.

In what ways have you become new in Christ?

Copyright 2011 by Rhonda J. Smith

My One Thousand Gifts List

#131-140
Joshua shoveling Nana’s snow
Joshua spending time with two generations
Flynn being able to attend evangelism training
Renee loving One Thousand Gifts
Renee wanting me to go to Paris with her
A smooth Sunday morning
Going to church and on time
Being able to sit in the sanctuary
A quiet child during church
Being able to serve at the altar

Marvel in Small Things

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Last weekend was fabulous, likely the best personal getaway I have ever had. I went on a writing retreat with my best friend, Nichole. We wrote in a coffee shop, another time in a tea house, but our main writing space was in a certified Wildlife Habitat, the backyard of the place where we stayed. We saw wood chucks and chipmunks scurrying about; heard unfamiliar birds that flew high and perched themselves in branches some 200 feet in the sky; the oversized squirrels jumped from tree to tree; and a dozen or so unknown insects popped up, including one so small and totally amazing to me. This yellow worm-like bug was no bigger than the tip of my ink pen and would curl itself then bounce in whatever direction it wanted to go. How could God put life in something so miniscule, and not just life but an amazing life capable of doing seemingly impossible feats?

When I saw that bug I marveled at the great love our God has for us. We were made just a little lower than the angels, but compared to God, we are tiny. Yet He put it in us to do great things. He gave me a weekend and allowed me to write two 700-word essays and compile other writings into one file for a book. He gave our husbands grace to care for the children alone AND on Father’s Day weekend. God also allowed us to walk miles, drink coffee and tea, eat Indian, Ethiopian and Cuban food, have short talks about big stuff and to enjoy and fully embrace the little time we had in a place only a short stop away.

Nichole returned home to a broken hammock and I to a vomiting toddler, but the small getaway helped us to forgive and nurture in a big way. Only God has the power to bring greatness from the small and I stand in awe of my Jesus (Psalm 136:4).

Copyright 2011 by Rhonda J. Smith

My One Thousand Gifts List

#101-110
Sweet children sitting at our table at Benihana
A different type of blog post
Picking Joshua up from school on time
Birthday dinner for Renee
Renee saying my “One Thousand Gifts” gift was “prophetic”
Flynn’s willingness to care for the children so I could celebrate with Renee even though he had to study for bible study
Enjoying my children’s laughter
Flynn going to the ATM and getting change for me
A warm coat for Joshua
Xfinity TV on my iPad because of Andrina

Lord of the Sabbath

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What Do You Think? Wednesday

It’s 9:48 p.m. and I am just writing today’s blog post. There were no preemptive activities or technology issues. I just didn’t have anything to say. Well, I did, actually, but that was the problem: I had something to say. I’ve learned if I have something to say and God didn’t tell me to say it then I am on my own, and I can’t be out there like that, you know what I mean?

I remember that time, I’m sorry, those times, when I dated that boy because I wanted something to do. Then there was that time that I went to that place because I wanted somewhere to go and other times I said something because I wanted someone to know and each time ended in disaster: hurt bodies and emotions lay scattered, I was scattered wishing I had just listened to God.

We’ve all been there, wanting immediate gratification so we follow our flesh instead of waiting for God’s best for us. We try to rationalize, even spiritualize, our decisions. Sometimes that’s just easy to do when we are out of God’s will but want to be in His will. We work hard to make our will look like His will. I tried to do that in my mind. Thinking to God, I said: “You told me to start this blog and post every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I want to be obedient to posting on the days you told me.” Even saying this I knew I couldn’t write what came to mind because I didn’t have a release in my spirit. Had God forgotten what He told me or did He change His mind? I know God doesn’t have any memory problems and doesn’t change His mind (though a change for us may seem like He does) so I decided to wait on him. He would tell me what I needed to know when I needed to know it.

This afternoon when telling a friend about my dilemma I said, “He’s the Lord of the Sabbath. He can do what He wants” (Luke 6:5). After the scripture popped in my mind, I understood my delay. Just like Jesus could heal on the Sabbath, the day Jewish law designated at God’s command as the day of rest—a day set aside to honor God—Jesus could tell me not to post just to remind me that He is the Lord of my blog. In the beginning He told me what days to post. If he decided to change my post days, He could do that; He is the Lord of my days. He is the Lord of all our days.

So what are you fretting about? Did He give that to you to do? Did you say you He was your Savior and Lord, too? Well, I had to let Him be. Won’t you let Jesus be the Lord of your days? C’mon, what do you think?

Copyright 2011 by Rhonda J. Smith