My Divine Notes

  Today is my spiritual birthday – the date that changed my entire life.  It’s the before and after life changing date when my eyes were  opened to the divineness of God. I’ve been on an exhilarating and sometimes uncomfortable journey  full of experiences I never imagined I could or want to handle. But the best part of my journey is how God expanded my closed “religious”  mind and views. The knowledge I have is but a drop in the cosmic (heavenly) bucket; and I’ve learned that I’m in no position to impose my views on  people of different faiths or no faiths. There’s room at the table for all of us. We are all welcome and loved! There’s always room at the table. My life has been about constantly getting myself out of comfort zones  I prefer…always hesitating but drawn to the next adventure. That fateful, ever evolving connection to God has powered everything  about my life. It has taken me from the depths of despair to the heights of love;  fr...

Hello friends and readers! So much has changed in the world since I started this blog. I have also evolved as we all should to reflect new experiences, knowledge and calls of the Spirit. But the one aspect of my life that has remained constant is my life with God! My reliance and belief in God have never changed. What has changed is the call of the Spirit in my life and ministry. When I started my journey I had one-way vision influenced by the voices I listened to.  Change gradually happened in my ministry and beliefs because of the many years of ministering in hospital settings. One can't impose spiritual beliefs on people of different faiths or no faith. That was the starting point for me. Racial and political reckoning also awakened me to the systemic oppression of the White church that I embraced in my adulthood. I engaged in learning to understand how the church was always made for light skinned people - not me and my loved ones. I stopped engaging in religion and my faith gre...

How to stay young and youthful all your life Word of Instruction from Dr. Charles F. Stanley These are my notes from today's broadcast . Scripture: Psalm 92:12-15 Psalm 92: 12 Good people will prosper     like palm trees,     and they will grow strong     like the cedars of Lebanon. 13 They will take root in your house, LORD God,     and they will do well. 14 They will be like trees that stay healthy and fruitful,     even when they are old. 15 And they will say about you, “The LORD always does right!  God is our mighty rock.” Keep learning – a lazy brain is a decaying brain Keep loving – don’t be bitter Keep laughing – 😊 Keep leaving your past behind – don’t live in the rear-view mirror of your life Keep longing Keep dreaming about the future – it’s a matter of attitude Keep looking your best Keep laboring and working – there’s no retirement in the Bible Keep learning, depending, and trus...

Houston - we have a problem I confess that before the 2016 presidential election, I wasn’t interested or concerned about participating in government or politics.   That changed on Nov. 8, 2016.   It’s now painfully clear how important it is to know what our elected politicians are doing on local, state and national levels. It’s time to shake ourselves out of complacency. We must be involved in directing our basic American rights, our policing, our healthcare, our financial lives and more. Our families depend on us. The best way to do this is to get to know your elected officials and to vote.   Consider running for office or supporting someone you think has the gifts to be a politician. Our families are in crisis, our healthcare is in crisis, immigrant families are in danger and law enforcement may not be serving the interests of people of color   We need people who serve the interests of the majority of our communities These are m...

Old Testament Scriptures proclaim the birth of Jesus. His birth as a human is   central to the redemption of humankind. Genesis 49:10 The scepter will not depart from Judah or the staff from between his feet until He whose right it is comes and the obedience of the peoples belongs to Him. Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Micah 5:2 But you, Bethlehem of Ephrathah, of the clans of Judah, are no poor relation— From your people will come a Ruler who will be the shepherd of My people, Israel, Whose origins date back to the distant past, to the ancient days. Psalm 72:11 Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; All nations shall serve Him. Isaiah 9:7 ...

The best 10 years of my life Acts 20:24 (The Voice) …The only value I place on my life is that I may finish my race, that I may fulfill the ministry that Jesus our King has given me, that I may gladly tell the good news of God’s grace. I’m sure May 2, 2006, the day God’s presence become real for me and my life changed, will be pale in comparison to heaven. Since God awakened me, I’ve lived in constant awareness that life on Earth isn’t “it.” This is not my final destination and the thought excites me. What will happen when I see His face? Meanwhile, my mission gets more urgent. While these have been the best years of my life, it hasn’t been easy. I’ve faced losses and disappointments.  But I’m no longer desperate through tough times. I’m also not easily discouraged because my Lifeline is constantly with me.  God is powerful. Two things enhance my walk: deep, sold-out love and reading His word. Love   The Lord commands us to LOVE HIM WITH ALL OUR HEART...

Remember who is in control.  Jeremiah 1:18-19  Remember, Jeremiah, this very day I have made you as a fortress, a column as strong as iron, a wall of bronze able to withstand the attacks of the entire nation of Judah—from her kings and leaders to the priests and people. Eventually, they will all give you trouble, but you will be safe. They will fight you, but they will not win. Remember, I am with you. I promise I will always deliver you. 

John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you will have peace of heart and mind. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows; but cheer up, for I have overcome the world. God does not promise to spare us from suffering. But  He does promise to be with us in our suffering. 

Mark 15:42-47 It was now the evening before the Sabbath, and the Jewish people were getting ready for that sacred day. A man named Joseph from Arimathea was brave enough to ask Pilate for the body of Jesus. Joseph was a highly respected member of the Jewish council, and he was also waiting for God’s kingdom to come. Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was already dead, and he called in the army officer to find out if Jesus had been dead very long. After the officer told him, Pilate let Joseph have Jesus' body. Joseph bought a linen cloth and took the body down from the cross. He had it wrapped in the cloth, and he put it in a tomb that had been cut into solid rock. Then he rolled a big stone against the entrance to the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph were watching and saw where the body was placed.

Mark 15:25-26, 33-34, 37-39 His crucifixion began about nine o’clock in the morning.  Over His head hung a sign that indicated the charge for which He was being crucified. It read, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.” At noon, the day suddenly darkened for three hours across the entire land.  Sometime around three o’clock Jesus called out in a loud voice.Jesus: Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?Jesus was speaking, as in the psalms, “My God, My God, why have You turned Your back on Me?”  Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and He took His last breath.  At that moment, the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  When the officer who stood facing Jesus saw how he gave up his spirit, he said, “Certainly, this man was the Son of God!”  Good Friday 

August 31, 2015 The greatest is love 1 Corinthians 13:13  But now faith, hope, and love remain; these three virtues must characterize our lives. The greatest of these is love. Two loved ones connected to friends and another person bonded to my heart by my ministry finished the circle of life and passed into eternity this month. Certainly when the calendar turned to August 1, 2015, their families never imagined they would be saying good-bye. We’re never ready to say goodbye. Death changes everything. The new normal never fits – it’s awkward, it’s painful, it’s stressful and it can bring regrets.   It is good to love well (1 Peter 4:8), forgive easily, be truly present and let loved ones know they matter.   Because. Once death arrives we no longer have a chance to love. We'll either have wonderful memories or deep regrets.  Choose love.

Psalm 119:76 Oh, love me—and right now!—hold me tight! Sometimes you just need The Message! Meet God at your deepest need. 

Until my last earthly breath, I will never stop telling what happened to me on May 2, 2006. That day changed my life and I finally knew what my important mission was. I knew at a very young age that there was something I was going to do, but I had no clue. Acts 16:13   On the Sabbath day, we went outside the city walls to the nearby river, assuming that some Jewish people might be gathering for prayer. We found a group of women there, so we sat down and spoke to them. 14 One of them, Lydia, was a business woman originally from Thyatira. She made a living buying and selling fine purple fabric. She was a true worshiper of God and listened to Paul with special interest. The Lord opened her heart to take in the message with enthusiasm. 15 She and her whole household were ceremonially washed through baptism.[a] On May 2, 2006 I saw the hand of God and it changed my entire life. Ask my friends and family. Ask my daughter – she can tell you how I really was! I am a sinner t...

Rethinking the familiar when God calls you out Joshua 5:12 Beginning after that Passover, the Israelites were no longer fed with manna, as they were in the desert. From the day they ate from the new land, the manna ceased. From then on they ate only the crops of the land of Canaan. It occurred to me how many people stay stuck on neutral in their life with God. It’s like they continue to do the things on auto pilot like the crowd who ate manna (which was life-sustaining) instead of venturing into exciting pastures of Canaan-like territory that might cause potential discomfort, but provide growth and new insights. How are you going to know if you like new crops if you continue to eat the familiar life-giving manna?  Is God just at church for you?  Is the Bible the book read by your priest, pastor or minister? Do you know God’s heart on an intimate level?  Have you tapped into delicious new crops available from the Holy Spirit?  Remember that God...

Psalm 118:24 This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad today!  It's been a season of weather discontent. Too much snow, too much rain, too much gloom and on and on.  Lamenting the rain that gives life to greenery is now a pastime for many in my area. We forget the drought that killed vegetation and maimed our properties, park and public spaces.  Complain, complain, complain.  FaceBook, Twitter, in person or phone, we complain that we have no sunshine. Massive gray skies and clouds frame my daytime views most days, and I also ask for the sunshine. But I and countless others fail to see the beauty of the current moment. Seems like we should stop and thank the Lord that we're alive to see the day with its dreariness and all.  That's how I've decided to look at my days. Soon we'll see endless days ushering in soaring temperatures and humidity fit for a sauna spa.  Instead of lamenting out loud and in...

Matthew  5:33  You know that God expects us to abide by the oaths we swear and the promises we make.  Don't swear by heaven Matthew 5:34 But I tell you this: do not ever swear an oath. What is an oath? You cannot say, “I swear by heaven”—for heaven is not yours to swear by; it is God’s throne.  Don't swear by earth Matthew 5:35 And you cannot say, “I swear by this good earth,” for the earth is not yours to swear by; it is God’s footstool. And you cannot say, “I swear by the holy city Jerusalem,” for it is not yours to swear by; it is the city of God, the capital of the King of kings.  Don't swear by your own head Matthew 5:36 You cannot even say that you swear by your own head, for God has dominion over your hands, your lips, your head. It is He who determines if your hair be straight or curly, white or black; it is He who rules over even this small scrap of creation.  Instead of swearing, keep your word! Matthew 5:37 Yo...

Living strong in the Lord  Romans 12:11 Do not slack in your faithfulness and hard work. Let your spirit be on fire, bubbling up and boiling over, as you serve the Lord.  (This is my Scripture for 2015). My main goal in 2015 is to go deeper in my spiritual journey with the Lord. I never want to be satisfied in the place I am unless I am certain that God has put me there. According the Dr. David Jeremiah, most of us think we're too busy and we are. But much of our “busyness” is the result of how we choose to spend our non-working hours. He goes on to say that Christians should step back and take a bigger and longer view of where we are in life. I'm asking myself hard questions. Am I still passionate about kingdom building and am I using that passion as a vibrant witness for Christ? Or do I need to be still and listen for other instructions? Time isn't on our side - Psalm 90:10 a We may journey through life for 70 years; some may live and breathe 80...

Psalm 50:6 (NLT) Then let the heavens proclaim his justice, for God himself will be the judge. Interlude. The long, hot days of August come to a close as I reflect on the grief and terror experienced  around the world  and  in America by innocent people. Somehow, this month can’t be all about me and my personal world because God opened my eyes and heart to the hatred and evil of humankind. Terrorism against any group, anywhere in the world, is evil whether it’s political or is conducted by organizations that are supposed to protect the citizens of America. We saw images of an innocent journalist, women and children harmed across the world. We saw how racism reared its ugly head in our own back yard with the killing of a young black man. I came of age in the era of desegregation and it feels like  we've  lost ground. I’m particularly appalled at the ignorance of some Christians who are hypocrites when it comes to  loving your brother as yourself....

  Psalm 16:8,11   I know the Lord is always with me.     I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. You will show me the way of life,     granting me the joy of your presence     and the pleasures of living with you forever. Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image and likeness.  Mark 6:31b-32a   He said to them, “Come away by yourselves, and we will go to a lonely place to get some rest.” So they went in a boat by themselves to a lonely place. Don’t let the busyness of your life get in the way of spending time knowing the heart of God who made you in His own likeness. So many of us have the best of intentions, I know I do. I want to do it all: I want to write, tweet, FaceBook, care for my family/friends/others, take care of my cats, handle my job and the ministries I’m called to do, plus I must keep up with daily responsibilities as you do. Where does this leave God in all my busynes...

Mark 10:47-49   KJV And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.  And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.  And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.  This statue is located at Houston Methodist Hospital. My photo.  Can you imagine? Jesus stood still when the blind beggar, Bartimaeus, called out! Yes. God stood still !  The blind man boldly ask for mercy and for sight. Jesus restored his sight!  Opportunities like that never repeat themselves!   How are your spiritual eyes? Do you obey when God asks you to step out? Are you missing out on God's choice blessings when you can't hear His call or when you are unwilling to obey? Those blessings c...