To My White Christian Friends

 reposted from Praying for Greater Montgomery page 9/20/2016

Ezekiel 36:26   "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

In Montgomery, in Alabama and in our country, we still wrestle with race issues. People are still treated unjustly, they are targeted and profiled and we continue to not want to acknowledge that, as white Christians, that there is still a problem and it does exist in the Greater Montgomery area.   This post is specifically for the white followers of Christ on this page.

 ALL of us have the ability to be prejudiced. We do. Why? Because we are all sinful. BUT...the good news is that BECAUSE OF CHRIST, the sin of prejudice CAN be overcome. Those of us who are WHITE Christians need to be aware that because our skin is not DARK, we really have NO CLUE the full ramifications of the ongoing prejudice in our city, our state and our country.  We can't say "I know how you feel". We don't and we are fooling ourselves if we think we do." 

It is WRONG to make light of our black brothers and sisters concerns and pain as they see people weekly(sometimes daily)be shot or profiled. We don't know what it is like to fear that when your children go out of the house that they might be shot or profiled or the worse scenario, killed. We don't know. It is a lie to say we do.

So what do we do as White Followers of Christ?
We pray.
We ask the Lord for insight.
We ask the Lord to show us our prejudices.
We ask for forgiveness and we turn around from what we were doing(repent)..      I John1:9 
 We go to our neighbors/friends/family and confess that we don't know what it truly feels like but that we are willing to stand beside them/walk beside them and do what we can do to change things which includes SPEAKING UP for what is wrong. That off the cuff joke, that added, my "black" friend, etc. Those are things we MUST change. Jesus would never tolerate that. We must change our language, our thoughts, our actions if we are to claim to be FOLLOWERS of CHRIST in this city. WE MUST BE DIFFERENT!

We have talked about "heart change" and the ongoing issues that are in the Greater Montgomery area. THIS is a way to have that HEART CHANGE in our own lives.

PRAY PRAY PRAY for our own hearts to be changed toward what is happening today and ask for ways to begin to build bridges not walls with our neighbor.

READ BELOW:
From former pastor of McGehee Road Baptist, Greg Murks.

With another black man, Terence Crutcher, having been shot and killed by police in Tulsa, Oklahoma our Facebook feeds are once again alive with posts - people stating opinions that fall on different sides of what continues to be a tragic and complex issue in our society. Every time there is a shooting like this - either the shooting of policeman in the line of duty or the shooting of a black person by the police, lines and sides form. These same lines form every time a person makes a social statement about these things - the current issue being statements made during the playing of our National Anthem. With all this in mind, and my heart struggling to keep up, I have decided to make the following commitments:

* I commit to seek to hear and see both sides of the story and not simply hear or view these things through my predetermined lens (which is by definition, prejudging, hence, prejudice) - I do desire to see these things through the eyes of Jesus.
* I commit to not rush to judgment because of what I see reported by the media or posted on social media, especially if the information is from a source that is clearly slanted in support of a particular viewpoint.
* I commit to communicate and demonstrate love and value to persons of a different race, perhaps the simplest way being listening to their perspective (and not simply choosing people who I already know see things the way I do)
* I commit to not bury my head in the sand, which, quite frankly, tends to be the easy path, and to not pass judgment on those who protest in order to arouse people's attention.
* I commit to weep with those who weep - whether it be African American families who have lost loved ones, families of police who have died in the line of duty, or all who die a little on the inside because someone who represents them has died in senseless violence - I will not be dismissive of their pain.
* I commit to only take the side of Christ with a clear understanding that He has a greater purpose that transcends and overrules my personal agendas and perspectives.

Some of these commitments will not be easy to keep. Pray for me as I seek to keep these commitments as I will pray for you as you seek a similar path!
In Christ's love,
Greg

Being God's Image Bearers

I have watched both Conventions this week and without getting into politics, I want to think about things from a biblical view. Of ALL the rhetoric these past two weeks, a 9-11 survior, businesswoman, wife and mother said it all in her speech last night at the DNC. I have followed her story since 9-11, read her book and seen her overcome A LOT!! I don't know her faith journey, but I know her words were right out of the Bible. Last night, on a completely different subject from politics , Lauren reminded me that as follower of Christ, we MUST show up when people are in crisis and walk beside them. It is not enough to "Wish someone well and then go on your merry way" when they are hurting but you must invest in their healing. That is the way of Jesus.

"During the darkest of days and hardest of nights, the people who show up in your life mean everything". Lauren Manning, 9-11 survivor 

 

Deuteronomy 15:11 "For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land".

Matthew 25-37-44 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
“Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’“Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

Juy 25th, 2015 Rest In Peace Nina Parker

I meant to re-post this from Facebook as I am keeping a record of some special Graffiti friends who have died this past year....

Nina Parker was one of the first ladies I met when I moved to NYC in1985. She was one of the long term volunteers who knew everyone on the block and showed me the ropes. She made sure everyone on the block took care of me when I lived on the block. She taught me a lot over the last 30 years and I am so very privileged to have known her and called her friend.
Today, she crossed over into heaven and I know she is up there telling Jesus what HE needs to be doing and who He needs to help. Probably sorting clothes and drinking coffee too!!! Love you Nina and I am so glad I got to share a part of life with you!!! REST IN PEACE!

Frank Razzano- A Person I Will Never Forget

Another friend from Graffiti died on July 4th.

Frank Razzano was one of those people whom you don't forget. I met Frank when he was homeless back in 1985 and a volunteer at Graffiti. He was both annoying and intriguing at the same time. He had both deep insight and a tough spirit of survival. You either loved or hated Frank. He always had interesting outlooks on life.

He moved south in the early 2000's and ended up in GA. He found me on Facebook about 2 years ago and we had had some conversations over the years. He struggled with life but he loved God in his own way. He was always trying to get others to get help while neglecting himself. We didn't get to see each other these last two years but kept in touch. He would message me from time to time a message of encouragement. A few months ago,he reminded me how he thought I was really naive when I moved to NYC( I was) and he didn't think I would last. He said " you surprised me on how quickly you became a New Yorker and I knew you were okay then". 

I heard last night that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last October. He was one of the most faithful people I know in BELIEVING that Jesus would heal him. And Jesus did....He answered Franks prayers on July 4, 2016 and took him home where he is now whole and healed. It was quite appropriate that he died on July 4th...for it was truly an INDEPENDENCE day for Frank.

Revelation 21:4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

The Prayer Request

I was sitting in church one Sunday, not too long ago, and as we were talking about redemption, I thought of my youngest son. About 4 years ago, we had put him on the prayer list because life was very, very rough for him, really for our whole family.  We didn’t really think any of us would make it through this.  In fact, many times, we cried out in anger at God saying “we didn’t sign up for this”. That anger, though, was always met with grace, love and mercy on us. We got through those moments, one day at a time. 

The prayer request was simply this, "Pray for Steven for continued healing”.  Four years after sending in that prayer request, we are starting to see the fruit of prayer. Steven is becoming a new person. He made a decision in the Fall of 2014 that he would never do what he had done again. He had a few setbacks, one that cost him the privilege of living at home this past Fall of 2015, but he stepped up even more when that happened and has now been living on his own for 6 months in a transitional housing situation looking for a job and then he will have permanent housing. He is graduating this weekend from a job readiness program that has helped him blossom and bloom even more in just over a 4 week period. He has found an extraordinary therapist and they have been working together on the future while healing from the past. He has made great strides in healing from his very tumultuous past and we are thankful for that.  My husband and I actually see that he m be able to do things that he wants as an adult that we didn't think possible several years ago. There is more hope than ever before.
 

I sat staring at the prayer list with that prayer request on it and I started to cry. God is in the business of redemption and restoration. He heard the prayers of His people. There have been people along the way that have prayed, fasted, come and anointed our home with oil, pleaded to God on his behalf and grieved with us. Isn’t it amazing what a simple line of a prayer request, written down 4 years ago, can do? 

I am grateful for the fellowship of the believers both in our local church and the bigger body that know that prayer does change people, situations and our hearts. I am also, on this eve of him completing something new, more hopeful than I have ever been before. I know that there will probably be moments ahead that are rough and bumpy but I know that based on what I have seen lately, there will be less bumps than before and more joy! I believe that. I still keep him close in prayers but this momma can let him go a little bit more today.  

There is a prayer that I have specifically prayed for Steven over the years. It is from the book of Jeremiah in the Old Testament.  It reminds me of the very hard life that was imposed on him when he was young and what the Lord has done and is doing now and will do.

"..... I will give you back your health and heal your wounds," says the LORD. " 
Jeremiah 30:16-17

Then I found these over the years too. They talk of hope.

Therefore this is what the LORD says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Jeremiah 15:19

The LORD says, "I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts”.  Joel 2:25 

“To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory”. Isaiah 61:3 

I am seeing redemption and restoration right before my eyes in this son of mine. I am joyful as I think about his future and the hope that comes with a relationship with Christ. My son is being an Overcomer and though God is not finished, He has given us a gift of seeing a greater glimpse of what he can be as he is restored each day to who God intended him to be. The clouds of the past are being removed and the sun is shining more clearly now.

*************************

Son, I know you will read this. I want you to know that we know you have had extra challenges along the road of your life, some that were imposed on you, some you chose. But God is faithful and the more that you choose to stay close to Him, no matter what the challenges, He will guide you and show you the way. 

"Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them.  Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:20-21

This is my new prayer for you, Steven. I will probably be praying this one for the rest of my life for you! Your dad and I love you, we cherish you and know God can do great things in you and that you can honor Him in all you do!

Love, Mom

When God and I Actually Work Together

 OR better titled: " When I Actually Listen to the Nudges God Gives Me"

 (NOTE:  There is a whole lot more to this story than I can write here. The story is not over yet but yesterday was a long, tiring but fulfilling day.")

This weekend, I got a call from one of our MBA staff members asking if we could house an elderly woman who was homeless at one of the hotels in the area until Monday. I said sure and told her that I would go over and do an assessment of her situation on Monday and see what we could do if she wanted help.   Monday morning came, and to be honest, was not a good one. I woke up with sinus issues(a complication of living in the south). I was tempted to put it off til another day but went because I had committed to doing it. I was rushed.On the way over, I confessed to the Lord that I was not in the right frame of mind. I was tired and groggy from the medicine I had taken and so asked Him to help me to listen, to know what to say, how to help and to prepare this lady to receive from Him what she might need to hear. 

A very small, meek woman showed up and we sat in the lobby talking. To be honest, I was expecting her to immediately ask me for some money but she didn't. *Betty wanted to talk to me about her ministry to sick people in Montgomery not about whether she needed housing assistance.That was the least of her concerns. She told me the Lord would take care of that and she was not worried.  She had been a nurse at one time and still cared for people.  Betty's only concern was her mission and how she was going to fulfill it. We chatted and and found that we had several things in common. We were both born and raised in Alabama, we both had lived in New York City and we both felt called to missions. I asked her several questions about her life and she freely shared. I kept thinking, "there is something more here". I noticed she was having a hard time remembering things such as the day of the week and such so I immediately thought she might be on the fringes of  early dementia.  There was also a feeling that there was more to her story. After we talked for a while longer, I invited her out to eat with my family that night so I could get to know her and learn more. She accepted and I went back to the office to look for some resources that she did not ask for(go figure!!!).

I started making some phone calls and found that unless she was being harmed or harming others, there was not much that social services could do(not a slam on them as they are under budgeted and overworked). They just couldn't handle non emergencies. One of the workers at DHR told me to try and find out a phone number of a family member and see what they could do. I started doing some searches on various sites and finally found and talked to a sister not too far from Montgomery. *Mary told me a lot about Betty---she had a mental illness, in her 60's and had been missing for several weeks. No one had heard from her and they were worried. I knew it!! I had had that feeling that her family was needing to hear from her. I decided to go with that "nudge" and sure enough, it was the right direction. The sister connected me with this lady's daughter, *Ann, who lives in Italy, and we talked for a long time. I found out more of Betty's history and we talked about options for her mom, who desperately needs some guidance and stability. We are working on a long term plan to help her, and together, will hopefully help her to be safe. Ann got to call her mother and reconnect with her and encourage her to get some help.

Betty is a gift from God. She is a beautiful woman, who genuinely wants to be follower of Christ and literally do what the Bible says about loving your neighbor. She has grace, speaks softly and loves the Lord. She hungers for Him daily and her overwhelming need to minister put my own calling to shame. Despite her illness, she wants to serve but because of her illness needs care and support. My prayer is that if she goes to the place her daughter and I hope she goes, she will have it all. She will have support so that she is taken care of and she will be able to minister to those around her which is her hearts desire.

Pray for Betty. Though it is not her real name, God knows. She is his precious creation and He loves her. It was no accident we ended up meeting her.  A family was reunited today and that made me happy.

Reminders from the day.....
1. It is vitally important to listen to people when we are "helping" them. They will tell you, if you listen, what their "real" need is, not what you think they need. I thought she needed or wanted a place to stay. She needed to be reconnected to her family. She wanted to but was afraid they would be mad with her because she had left home. She also did not know "where" they were because of her memory loss. Proverbs 18:13 says this:  "Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish".
2. Let the Holy Spirit guide you. If you stop and let the Holy Spirit guide you, you will be able to sense what the real need is and will know what to say and do. John 16:13 says this: "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come".

3. The Lord shows up in mysterious places to help those of us who are "helpers".  We learn over and over again that  it is not us, but the Lord who meets need. He directs and guides and it is not of our own will. Psalm 5:8 says this:   "O LORD, lead me in Your righteousness because of my foes; Make Your way straight before me". 
 4. Investment in someone else's life is worth more than a bag of groceries or a hotel room.....yes that person may need food or housing but spending time with them is more important than anything. Slowing down and letting those things go that you think are important, is the key to loving a human being. Loving your neighbor requires investment. Laying down your "busy life" to help someone in need is what Christ asks us to do.

* not their real names.

Cowboy Stan

My long time friend, Stan died late last week. Stan was my friend almost from the very beginning of my time at Graffiti Ministries in NYC way back in 1985. Here is my little tribute to a guy who made an impression on my life.

Stan was no one who would be known worldwide, but he was known well and loved big by a group of Christ followers on the lower east side.

He loved his dogs who were his family. They were precious to him and though he never won any Humanitarian awards, he treated every animal he had with the deepest care and dignity. God had given him a heart to care for animals. And he did with great love.

Stan was always a jokester and when you least expected it, had a deep spiritual insight that made you think.

One of Stan's spiritual gifts was service and helps. He was always there before and after a meal helping get things ready or cleaning up. He stayed after church when everyone else left an with a few others cleaned and helped get everything back to clean.

He was a crusty soul at times....the hard knocks of life had made his outer self that way but once you got to know him he was a kind soul.

When my mother died in 1990, he was one of the first ones who came and gave me a huge hug and actually reminded me that I had "family" there who would be with me through the pain.

God redeemed Stan from his former life and drew him closer every day of his life.

I loved Stan mostly because he was real and always told you what was on his mind. He was proud when I got married and when we adopted Jason. I heard him say nice things(and not so nice things sometimes)to my face and never behind my back. I appreciated that.

He had several nicknames which included Stan the Man and Cowboy Stan. He was unique and lived that uniqueness to a tee. When you met Stan, you never forgot him.

I think of this verse when I think of Stan. He lived a simple life and didn't have much but because of his redeemed life, he left this earth with more than silver or gold or things....he left to be with Jesus.

1 Peter 1:18-19
"..knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ".

Thoughts as we prepare for Easter

LENTEN DEVOTION
This is not mine but wanted to share. A colleague from NYC is sending a daily Lenten Lesson out to his church members. Very insightful today.

Lent: Day 28
God Specializes In Mixing Your Successes & Struggles Together

The story is told of a conversation between a mother and her daughter. The 16-year-old told her mother that her life was basically falling apart. She said that everything was going wrong, that she's failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her, and her best friend is moving away. Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake, and asks her daughter if she would like a snack. The daughter says, "Absolutely Mom, I love your cake." 

"Here, have some cooking oil," her Mother offers. "Yuck" says her daughter.

"How about a couple raw eggs?” "Gross, Mom!"
"Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?” "Mom, those are all yucky!"  

To which the mother replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves, but when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake! 

God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times, but God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! Like that cake we must go through the hot fire of the stove to rise up into something wonderful.

You can believe this way, because God specializes in mixing your successes and your struggles together. He is the Master Baker, and He will fulfill His purpose in your life. Psalm 57 was written by David while he was on the run from Saul. After finding shelter in the cave he sought the refuge of God. Psalm 57:2 says:

“I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.”

Coming to God in a passionate prayer free of the nonsense of pretense will yield a correct confidence that this verse shares. David knew that God will use his struggle to fulfill the purpose he was called to.

God will do the same in your life as you seek after and cry out to Him.

Rev. Ray Parascando

Crossroads Fellowship, Staten Island, NY 

For devotionals during LENT, go to My Daily Inspiration

There Is No Room for Fear in the Life of the Follower of Christ

I have to apologize for the lack of writing over the last 8 months. We have been through some heavy medical things in our family and I have been especially distracted. I have thought of a lot to say and write about but too tired or distracted to do so. 
I am not going to start a political discussion here but I wanted to share this blog post today. I think it is one the truest and most well written blogs I have read in a long time. I wanted to share and will be doing some writing of my own later but here is some food for thought for now. 



We need to pray carefully about who we vote for in the March 1st primaries. We have been talking about and praying about FEAR in our lives and this post applies as well. For followers of Christ, we must choose another path over fear. We must overcome FEAR and replace it with LOVE.

PONDER this verse this week and pray for the Lord God to banish fear from our lives as followers of Christ.   Fear affects our decisions. It makes us "uncourageous" and it can cripple us from doing what we have been called to do.

"There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love. (1 John 4:18)

There Is No Room For Fear in the Church