Growing up, I used to hear teachers and other adults say “I’ll never forget where I was when _____ happened”. For some it was the Kennedy assassination, while for others is was Dr. King’s assassination; that phrase was rarely associated with a positive event and it never occurred to me that I’d have one of those moments.
Do you remember where you were on 9/11? Do you remember what raced through your mind when you saw the images of the planes striking the World Trade Center & the one where passengers became soldiers and altered plans for the Pentagon? What were some of the initial phrases you uttered? Mine where “what in the world” followed by a plea for help to the only one who I knew saw every plan and who knew the hearts of those involved. 9-1-1 is the number we call for help during emergencies that can be managed by earthly resources but how do you obtain help for those things you can’t control? My suggestion, call on the One who is limitless. His power has no boundaries or geographic limitations, His reign is without term limitations and there is no enemy who can surprise or defeat Him (Psalm 121:2; Hebrews 4:16). One of the most amazing things to me about this One is He cares about us. He is not an absent entity who can’t intervene; this One thought enough of us to provide for our present and our future. How do we secure His help? In my preacher voice, I’m glad you asked. . . call Him. It is as simple as that, ask Him and you too can have access to One who is able to provide the ultimate in assistance. Blessings, Rev. Antoinette
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In a prior devotional, I mentioned the need to examine the woman in the mirror. This week’s devotional isn’t a call for a critical examination of others (as if we need a call for THAT) but an invitation to see the plight of others with concerned eyes. If you’re like me, this week’s images from Hurricane Harvey left you attempting to manage several emotions at the same time, some of them being: sadness, anger, empathy and hope. Obviously, I can’t speak to whether the image that touched your heart the most was that of the: seniors at a nursing home in waist deep water, children sleeping on a kitchen counter due to the high levels of water in their home; a dog walking down a street with a bag of food in his/her mouth or of people driving down the highways towing boats so they could join the efforts to rescue others. Although I can’t speak to which specific scene resonated the most with you, I believe we are all charged to be sensitive to the needs of others (Deuteronomy 15:11; John 5:12; Hebrews 13:16). I can almost hear the objections: I’m only 1 person what can I do? My response is set aside and donate to a trusted organization: 1 thing from your canned goods, 1 thing from your closet; 1 bottle of body wash and 1 roll of unwrapped toilet paper (you just quieted a growling stomach; clothed a part of a naked body; helped someone be refreshed and allowed someone to walk and sit with dignity). But how do I know the right people will get it? My responses: how do you know they won’t and are you willing to deny someone a bowl of cereal because you need to check to see who else may eat? Looking outwardly doesn’t require a bank account with millions in it; it only requires seeing someone else as having value and acting to ensure they know they do. Blessings, Rev. Antoinette |
AuthorRev. Antoinette Gatewood-Sykes, Inspirational Speaker Archives
May 2019
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