Dear Friend, how are you? I hope that you didn’t think that I forgot about you because I didn’t. Everyday, I think about the many people who come to this site and I get the prayers out for you. The word that comes to you today, seems a little different, but it is truly intended just for you.
Proverbs 17 verse 8 says:
A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: withersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
Let me tell you a true story. I’ll try my best to make it short. (smile)
I never had the ‘knack” or ability for taking care of sick or physically challenged people. I was never really even comfortable, around “the sick” always feeling awkward or that I might say or do the wrong thing. This was so true about me; until I became sick and physically challenged myself. I was so shocked when it happened. At the time, I thought that it was the worst thing ever!
However, I learned some things, the main thing I learned was how it “felt.” I felt bad and people felt bad for me, but very few knew how to help me. During that time, I needed spiritual strengthening; I just didn’t know it! When it was all over and done, I began to view people in a different light. I had graduated to a higher level…I understood how it felt.
This new revelation and my love for God led me to go to visit friends’ mom who was in a Nursing home a while back. I was told that she was exhibiting the physical manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease. Her name is Gloria Lamb. My going to visit her Blessed my life. During the last holiday season, I was so moved by her humility, gentle sweet spirit and her faith that I wrote about her in the Southfield Goodfellows Newspaper. Thousands read the article and there was great feedback. You see, many times when people really need us; we forget about them and we just can’t do that.
Many days I read the bible with Gloria. She never ceased to amaze me with her eagerness to pray. She had such a gentle and sweet spirit. One day I went to visit and it was significant because I hadn’t been in two weeks. It was as if she had been waiting for me. When I sat down she started telling me how good God had been to her. She was saying how she had it better than a lot of people, she said that she had no complaints, no regrets…she was just thankful. SO THANKFUL!
As it turned out, that was to be my last visit with her. I attended her funeral earlier this month and I will tell you that she left a legacy by example for the three generations of her family that still remain. I’m asking you to pray for them and I know that you will. Thanks. The more I thought and prayed for Gloria and other people, the smaller my problems became.
Now please just STOP and think for a moment, here is a woman ravaged by Alzheimer’s, but REMEMBERING God through the BARRIERS in her mind and THANKING HIM! I wish that you could have had a front row seat to witness that! I was Blessed. All of this happened as a result of my giving a little of my time..my reward was an incredible gift! It was much more than I can now describe!
In this letter, it was not my intention to tell you of my giving. My intention is to challenge myself and you to “THINK HARD” daily of “whose” life we can make a little or a lot better. We can do that with just a card, a letter, a visit, an email or a phone call. I encourage you. A long time back, I decided I was going to stop apologizing for not thinking of people and not staying in touch. Finally I said, I’m going to FIX my own problem, I’m going to do better with this staying in touch stuff. I didn’t know at the time HOW GREATLY my life would be enriched as a result of that decision …I just didn’t know.
So if you’re down, oppressed, feeling incredible pressure, experiencing money woes, feeling alienated, in poor health or just not feeling like your young self…I ENCOURAGE you to REACH OUT to someone ELSE…THINGS will turn around SUDDENLY for you! I know it, but I challenge you to try it.
All of us have giving spirits; we just have to develop them! Thanks for listening and remember…my prayers for you to be Blessed, to have Favor, and for you to have all of your prayers answered.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Monday, May 14, 2007
DREAMZ TEACHES US A LESSON IN FAITH IN SURVIVOR FIJI SEASON FINALE by Elaine Davenport (WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2007)
I'm a writer but I'm also an interpreter of the landscape. I know many faith people
watch little or no television, but I do selectively. I look for faith stories. Television doesn't intend for it to be that way, but sometimes it happens; especially in Reality shows. I won't watch many of them. However, I like watching Survivor.
When Survivor began it's new season, few people expected they would have a formerly homeless young Black man. He wasn't polished or refined but he sure was likable. He talked a lot and too much but we still kept liking him. We have this "thing" for the underdog. I never expected him to get to the end of the game. The pattern is that generally minorities get voted off right off the bat. Somehow, Dreamz made it.
There was a wild Season Finale on Survivor Fiji recently, the popular reality television show. I watched it looking for a faith story. I wasn't disappointed.
Dre Heard, (also known as DREAMZ) age twenty-five years old, had a tough life. He was homeless, was forced to drop out of high school and went back and got his GED. He was a popular underdog amongst many. My friend Anna Holmes always says, We're all going to face lessons but they don't all have to be hard. Dreamz faced a hard lesson in the Season Finale of Survivor Fiji last night.
The significant thing about this is that DREAMZ is reported to be a Christian.
The whole SURVIVOR situation forced him to take what I call: "The Faith Test."
SIDEBAR:
Earl Cole, age thirty-five wins Survivor Fiji. He is the first African American male to ever win. Every single jury member voted for Earl. This has never happened in the history of the show. Raised by a single mother, Earle quickly announced that he would share the money with his mom 50-50. It's safe to say, that if it were not for the faith test that DREAMZ had to take, Earl may not have won.
HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED:
In one of the competitions, Yau Man (one of the survivors) won a 2008 Ford 350 Truck. He knew how much Dreamz wanted a car. So he made a deal with him that in exchange for the Ford 350 Truck, Dreamz would give up the Immunity Idol to Yau Man if he won it, when there were only four Survivors left in the game. It was a crazy request, but Dreamz agreed to it and took the truck.
THAT WAS HIS FAITH TEST.
END OF PART ONE******************************************************
PART TWO
WHEN EXACTLY DID DREAMZ GET HIS FAITH TEST?
His test was when Yau Man offered him the truck. He had to decide then whether to walk by faith and believe that God would give him the victory or to walk by sight and take the truck.
When there were four people left in the game, Dreamz won the immunity Idol. At that point it was clear that IF he gave it to Yau Man and kept his word, he'd miss out on an opportunity to win the million dollars.
So he had to decide: Would he keep his word and maintain his integrity as a Christian or would he succumb to the temptation to try for the million.
According to your faith be it unto you...Matthew 9: 29
DREAMZ MAKES SOME DECISIONS
Dreamz decided to take the Ford F350 TRUCK! He also agreed to give Yau Man an immunity idol in case he won it with four people left.
HE DID NOT KEEP HIS WORD
DREAMZ KEPT THE TRUCK AND THE IMMUNITY IDOL. FOR THE MEMBERS ON THE JURY; IT PROVED TO BE AN UNPARDONABLE SIN.
Dreamz had an opportunity to sit before the jury to be considered for the one million dollars. However, they had no sympathy for him because they felt he double dealed, back stabbed, betrayed alliances and did not keep his word. They didn't trust him in a game that many call: BACKSTABBING 101. Is it possible to win this game without smear or blemish? It's hard, but the people who generally win have usually managed to do this to a great degree. DREAMZ did not win the one million dollars but, will still win $100,000.
THE WAY SURVIVOR WORKS...It "looked " like Dreamz never could have won whether he kept his word regarding the truck or not. However, I would have hoped to see him keep his word. I truly believe his doing the right thing could have opened up the door for a Blessing for him. We'll never know.
I want to add that anyone can face a test of faith at almost any time. The only reason we saw the test that Dreamz faced was because he was on national TV. Make up your mind today that when your test comes, you'll pass it. If you fail your test, you'll have to take it over.
NOTE: I just want to say to Dreamz that I'll keep praying for you and believing that another door of opportunity will open for you. I know you'll be ready. Keep persevering.
_________________________________________________________
watch little or no television, but I do selectively. I look for faith stories. Television doesn't intend for it to be that way, but sometimes it happens; especially in Reality shows. I won't watch many of them. However, I like watching Survivor.
When Survivor began it's new season, few people expected they would have a formerly homeless young Black man. He wasn't polished or refined but he sure was likable. He talked a lot and too much but we still kept liking him. We have this "thing" for the underdog. I never expected him to get to the end of the game. The pattern is that generally minorities get voted off right off the bat. Somehow, Dreamz made it.
There was a wild Season Finale on Survivor Fiji recently, the popular reality television show. I watched it looking for a faith story. I wasn't disappointed.
Dre Heard, (also known as DREAMZ) age twenty-five years old, had a tough life. He was homeless, was forced to drop out of high school and went back and got his GED. He was a popular underdog amongst many. My friend Anna Holmes always says, We're all going to face lessons but they don't all have to be hard. Dreamz faced a hard lesson in the Season Finale of Survivor Fiji last night.
The significant thing about this is that DREAMZ is reported to be a Christian.
The whole SURVIVOR situation forced him to take what I call: "The Faith Test."
SIDEBAR:
Earl Cole, age thirty-five wins Survivor Fiji. He is the first African American male to ever win. Every single jury member voted for Earl. This has never happened in the history of the show. Raised by a single mother, Earle quickly announced that he would share the money with his mom 50-50. It's safe to say, that if it were not for the faith test that DREAMZ had to take, Earl may not have won.
HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED:
In one of the competitions, Yau Man (one of the survivors) won a 2008 Ford 350 Truck. He knew how much Dreamz wanted a car. So he made a deal with him that in exchange for the Ford 350 Truck, Dreamz would give up the Immunity Idol to Yau Man if he won it, when there were only four Survivors left in the game. It was a crazy request, but Dreamz agreed to it and took the truck.
THAT WAS HIS FAITH TEST.
END OF PART ONE******************************************************
PART TWO
WHEN EXACTLY DID DREAMZ GET HIS FAITH TEST?
His test was when Yau Man offered him the truck. He had to decide then whether to walk by faith and believe that God would give him the victory or to walk by sight and take the truck.
When there were four people left in the game, Dreamz won the immunity Idol. At that point it was clear that IF he gave it to Yau Man and kept his word, he'd miss out on an opportunity to win the million dollars.
So he had to decide: Would he keep his word and maintain his integrity as a Christian or would he succumb to the temptation to try for the million.
According to your faith be it unto you...Matthew 9: 29
DREAMZ MAKES SOME DECISIONS
Dreamz decided to take the Ford F350 TRUCK! He also agreed to give Yau Man an immunity idol in case he won it with four people left.
HE DID NOT KEEP HIS WORD
DREAMZ KEPT THE TRUCK AND THE IMMUNITY IDOL. FOR THE MEMBERS ON THE JURY; IT PROVED TO BE AN UNPARDONABLE SIN.
Dreamz had an opportunity to sit before the jury to be considered for the one million dollars. However, they had no sympathy for him because they felt he double dealed, back stabbed, betrayed alliances and did not keep his word. They didn't trust him in a game that many call: BACKSTABBING 101. Is it possible to win this game without smear or blemish? It's hard, but the people who generally win have usually managed to do this to a great degree. DREAMZ did not win the one million dollars but, will still win $100,000.
THE WAY SURVIVOR WORKS...It "looked " like Dreamz never could have won whether he kept his word regarding the truck or not. However, I would have hoped to see him keep his word. I truly believe his doing the right thing could have opened up the door for a Blessing for him. We'll never know.
I want to add that anyone can face a test of faith at almost any time. The only reason we saw the test that Dreamz faced was because he was on national TV. Make up your mind today that when your test comes, you'll pass it. If you fail your test, you'll have to take it over.
NOTE: I just want to say to Dreamz that I'll keep praying for you and believing that another door of opportunity will open for you. I know you'll be ready. Keep persevering.
_________________________________________________________
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