Be Encouraged, Be Enthusiastic, Be FOCUSED

Thursday, September 25, 2008

My Brotha Says… Be Encouraged, Be Enthusiastic, BE FOCUSED

II Timothy 3:14-17 (Paraphrased later in the writing… But I do encourage you to read it before proceeding)

I reference this excerpt from a letter by Paul, written to a young preacher who is about to embark on a spiritual assignment that even Paul knew was going to be a test of Faith, Spirit, and Focus. If you have the time, I highly recommend reading both of Paul’s letters to young Timothy, but especially the third chapter of the second letter… It’s the blueprint for the foundation of popular culture right now. All that said, I truly love the way Paul after laying out prophetically this pop-culture blueprint, encourages the young man of God to continue to walk closely to, and be guided by the Word of God. Allow me to paraphrase in our modern day language what Paul is saying from verse 14 to the end, and hopefully you will find my intent for you , my sisters.

“So check it out, You need to make certain that you continue to practice DAILY the things you have learned, and have tried, and have been made fully aware of in the spiritual realm. Especially since the people who taught it to you have passed this way too… SO you know it’s real talk. Even from your early childhood years the Word has been poured into you, and you know the scriptures and their ability to keep you, (not just spiritually, but also conscious out here in these streets) remembering that they lead to salvation in Christ the Son of God, if you keep your faith strong in Him. ALL of the Word is God- spoken, even if not directly from His own mouth, but is TRULY handed down by Him. So it is a good foundation, strong enough to keep you learning, growing, disciplined, and spiritually focused on walking in obedience and righteousness to God. There you will find completion, AND be fully equipped and capable to serve God’s purpose on earth by serving mankind and serving God.”

Family, IT IS TRULY NOT A GAME OUT HERE!!! As you, my sisters, enter the depths of the school year, into new careers and new endeavors in life, WHATEVER the case may be, TAKE THE WORD WITH YOU!!! God, through HIS word will hold you still in the storm, keep you rooted and grounded when other ground is shaking and the world around you is crumbling. HE will give you peace of mind in chaos, uncertainty, and even doubt. Just remember from the beginning, YOU know, have known, and STILL KNOW the power of God in your life. SOOO… Continue to walk closely to the Word. Your focus in this season is critical. I’m seeing the cast outs, castaways, and cast downs all over the nation rising up and possessing your territory for the Kingdom of God. That is happening because there are those of you out there right now who are making U-Turn decisions with your lives even now. It’s time to do something different… IT’s TIME to GET RIGHT… OTHERWISE GET LEFT!!!

Again, I encourage you, Be encouraged by the Word, Be Enthused by the Word, but most of all be FOCUSED ON and IN the WORD, which will keep you focused in your life pursuits. I’ll close this with Matthew 6:33… “Seek, FIRST, the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all things will then be added to you.” Whatever you want or Need, God has it for you… SO LONG AS YOU ARE SEEKING HIM FIRST!!!

Love Ya’ll
Joseph

Please send any questions, comments, and/or Prayer Requests to: mybrothasays@gmail.com
For more information on the Teen Moms/Nashville Youth For Christ Program, please contact:
Shellie R. Warren at Shellie@nashvilleyfc.org or call 615-290-9905

introductions...

Hey Ladies,

So, I'm sure you're wondering just what this blog is all about. Well, if you stick with it for, oh, about five minutes or so, I'm sure you'll get the gist. I just wanted to take a moment to assure you that it will be well worth your while!

As a survivor of sexual abuse (what happens to you) and sexual misuse (the harm you tend to do to yourself), I have learned the hard way that when it comes to understanding the mind of a man, the last place you should go is another woman; it's best to ask a man---preferably a godly man, first.

During this season of singleness and abstinence, I have found true blessings in my own "Big Brothers". Whether I want to hear it or not, believe it or not, they have given me some valuable information that has prevented me from making some grave mistakes. In the fantasy world, we tend to only listen to what we want to hear, but in the real world, we need to hear that truth because as John 8:32 says, when you know the truth, it will make you free!

So, as a part of the Nashville Youth for Christ Teen Moms Ministry, this blog was birthed as a way for young women across the globe to read information, ask questions and make prayer requests as it relates to matters of the heart. I hope you will check back to see what Joseph and Rick have to say each month. I know both of these guys personally and they have definitely provided me with a big, healthy helping of food for thought.

Happy Reading...Learning...Growing,

Shellie R. Warren
Teen Moms Coordinator/Nashville Youth for Christ




Hello all,

My name is Rick and I'm a 29 year old single brother from Nashville, TN. I'm both grateful and excited to be given this opportunity to share my thoughts with you through this blog. What I hope to be able to do here is start a dialogue, both with you and amongst yourselves, about some of the issues that women deal with, as well as offer a uniquely male perspective on those issues. I will never claim to be perfect or all knowing, only even headed and open minded as we explore these topics together. Feel free to question, comment, and/or challenge what I have to say. Just know that my intention here is to shed light on how men see things so that, hopefully, you can gain some insight and perspective as God leads you to your own conclusions. Don't think of me as an expert, a counselor, or a professional... just as a brother with some common sense that you can talk to and hopefully gain from. I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you and hearing from you as we try to navigate through this crazy world together.

Your brotha,
Rick



Greetings,

My Name is Joseph, I am 31 years old, a native of Nashville, Tennessee and still a proud resident of Nashville as well. I am single for the moment, but in a patient awaiting for the Most High God to present my life partner to me. As I try to serve God's purpose in my life, I've found that personal habits, choices, and thoughts needed to change severely, which led me to a number of revelations spiritually, emotionally, physically, mentally, and philosophically. Honestly that is why I'm here... To share candidly some things that I feel we all question, and to offer personal insights that I hope will spark more than dialogue, but a revolution in thought and action. I am not a preacher... YET, I am not counselor, a clinician, or by any means an expert. I AM, however, simply a MAN, a man who thinks, a man who feels, a man who cares, and a man who will at the very least say what is on my mind. And I hope you will join me as we get honest, and very candid with each other and dialogue. I expect disagreement, I anticipate the challenge of getting to a deeper level of understanding and appreciation for What women everywhere are searching for, what they are thinking about, what they are seeking from GOD. Yes, In some ways I know how men think and therefore act (Proverbs 23:7) so I hope to identify some common sense solutions, and basic thought processes to seek God FIRST in all aspects of life and in human relationship dynamics. I hope you join in... Let's Begin...

Your Brotha,
Joseph


You can reach us with questions, comments and/or prayer requests at mybrothasays@gmail.com.


For more information on the Teen Moms program, please contact Shellie at shellie@nashvilleyfc.org or call 615-290-9905.