Tag Archives: Life

I Have a Dream

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In observance of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, I would like to share some of my dreams with you …

Martin Luther King, Jr. Monument

I have a dream…

1. To personally lead at least 100 individuals to financial independence.

2. To lead more people to Christ than I do to financial independence.

3. That my career, calling, and creative expressions will empower and encourage others to be all that God created them to be.

4. That Martin Luther King Day will not be reduced to just another day off.

5. That “white” folks will acknowledge racism still exists in America and work to dismantle the stronghold it’s had over our educational, medical, environmental, financial, political, and capitalistic systems since 1619.

6. That Black folks will be able to live and thrive and feel and heal in the fullness of their humanity. #BLM

7. That inter-racial relationships will truly become a TABOO of the past. Seriously. Stop putting others down because of your own prejudices and/or insecurities. And stop limiting yourself! 😉

8. That we all become the change we wish to see in the world. If you’re not a part of the solution then you’re part of the problem.

9. That I will live to see the 1st woman president (and she’ll be fabulous!).

10. That quality healthcare and quality education will be the norm for every U.S. citizen.

11. That parents will take more responsibility for their children. TV, social media, and “smart” devices are poor babysitters. Parenting is a hands-on job. Take an active role in your child’s life. Listen to them. Learn from them. Spend quality time with them. Help them with their homework. Say “I’m sorry.” Celebrate their accomplishments. Encourage them in moments of defeat. Take heed to what their teachers are saying about them (’cause no one is an angel 100% of the time…. no matter how cute they look or “act”). Wake up. Wise up! And if your kids are always on punishment, then, perhaps, you’re the one doing something wrong (GASP!).

12. That I’ll leave a legacy that blesses generations.

13. That Americans will place more importance on financial independence than on credit dependence.

14. That Christians will start practicing Christian discipleship instead of misquoting Scripture to justify oppressive systems (slavery, patriarchy, etc.) and harmful behaviors (“Spare the rod and spoil the child”? Spare me!). Jesus modeled a life of faith, love, and liberty for all. Anything we do outside of His example is self-serving at best. And incompatible with The Gospel.

15. That the sanctity of life is prioritized over the senselessness of gun violence.

16. That we’ll accept our fellow human beings for who they are instead of rejecting/neglecting/abandoning/oppressing them for not abiding by “mainstream” expectations.

17. That therapy will be the norm for everyone. Mental health and wellness should be prioritized not stigmatized.

18. That women will have autonomy over their own bodies- worldwide.

19. That men will be free to express their emotions without ridicule.

20. That we will all make every effort to be at peace with one another and to be holy (Hebrews 12:14).

21. That every African American and African Descendants of Slavery and Jim Crowe in the U.S. will receive adequate, inflation-adjusted financial reparations.

23. That our history books are re-written to preserve the reality of our past instead of the white-washed version of it. When we don’t know our history, we’re destined to repeat and be destroyed by it.

24. That we’ll all learn and live our God-given purpose.

25. That there will be more emphasis on building marriages than on planning weddings.

26. That the gender gap is socially, politically, and financially eradicated.

27. That we start living and stop existing.

28. That one day we all spend more time with Jesus than we do on social media.

29. That we all commit to breaking our family’s generational curses.

30. That everyone reading this will accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.

What are your dreams?

(Originally written 1/18/2010. Updated 1/16/2023.)

Crack Kills

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Dear Struggling and Strung Out,

One more hit. Just one more rush. It’ll be your last time, for the last time. For real this time. Just one more intoxicating high and you’re all done. At least that’s what you tell your self… and your friends… and your kids. But before you know it, one hit turns into two and two hits turn into too many tomorrows and suddenly, you see your self years later- still strung out. You tried to let it go, but the lifestyle keeps calling you back. You risk all that you have for the comfort of just one more hit. Hooked, you give in for the last time- again. The hole in your heart cries for mercy, but you cave- yet again, to the false security of empty promises and lust-filled fervor. You’re looking for love in all the wrong places and filling the void with temporary pleasure. Instead of self-improving, you’re self-medicating… diseasing your mind in the process. You want more. You deserve more, but just can’t imagine life without the fantastic lies you’ve grown accustomed to. And so you settle- once again- for a life of loneliness and shame. You settle for a cracked life. No drugs necessary- you are addicted to the stability of your comfort zone. Yes, you’re cracked at the core, filling every crevice of your being with nothingness. No, no drugs necessary. But this crack does kill.

Crack will have you dressed up, stressed out, standing still, lying down, living for lust and dying for love. You’ll find yourself doing things you never thought you would do. Who or what has you open like that? Who’s got you climbing the walls and leaving a piece of your soul in their bed every time? What’s keeping you from your Promised Land? What cracks are in your foundation? I know- you want to do better, but you’re stuck. It’s like the world is turning so fast and you want to get off the ride, but you’ve grown accustomed to the cycle. It’s familiar. Some of the symptoms may be physical, emotional or even financial, but the core issue is spiritual. And unfortunately, withdrawal is short-term when sobriety seems impossible. But take heed to the following and you will overcome your dysfunction once and for all.

1. Acknowledge Your Problem– I know, that seems too simple. But it’s true. If you don’t acknowledge that you’re engaging in self-destructive behavior you’ll never be able to get the help you need. Face it- you’re strung out on him, her, a high-maintenance lifestyle, maybe even the rush of pounding your fist to someone’s face. Your life has become unmanageable. Everyone sees it, and you’ve refused to believe it. Stop making excuses and you’ll start making progress. Crack kills, but it doesn’t have to kill you.

2. Kill it at The Root- When you truly want to be free of something, you eliminate every trace of it. Otherwise, even the smallest seed will begin to grow by simply watering it with your attention. When the children of Israel were preparing to enter the Promised Land, the Lord instructed them

“to destroy their enemies totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy.” (Deuteronomy 7:2)

Now, please don’t get it twisted. I am not advising you to kill anyone (besides, our struggle isn’t against flesh and blood but of evil spirits in heavenly places. See Ephesians 6:12). What I recommend is that you destroy all ties to anyone or anything with a poisonous presence in your life. If it’s a person, get rid of their souvenirs (gifts, clothes, etc.). Stop staring at their picture. Delete their number from your phone- it’s only going to remind you of them every time you scroll by. Take their e-mail out of your contacts list. Stop calling them, and stop accepting their calls. No more text messages, DM’s, in-boxing or on-line chats. Defriend and unfollow. They don’t love you and you don’t need them. Love doesn’t live in double lives and secret seductions. It doesn’t dwell between the sheets of manipulation and abuse. And it certainly doesn’t hurt…. Perhaps you have an issue with overspending. Stop carrying the credit cards in your wallet. Discontinue the e-mail reminders for shoe sales and special events. Stop negotiating with the negative forces in your life. You can’t afford to flirt with temptation. Destroy it before it destroys you!

3. Expose The Cracks- Take some time to discover who you really are and how you got to this low place. What cracks are in your foundation? What led you to fill your void with false love? If necessary, seek professional help. The sooner you expose the hurt, the sooner you can mend your brokenness.

4. Seal The Cracks– This is the last vital step to take. You have to seal the cracks. Just ridding yourself of the temptation isn’t good enough. You can get rid of every booty call in your phone book, but if you don’t change your environment, break free from your circle of “friends”, and begin to see yourself as worthy of true love, you’ll find yourself attracting the same parasites all over again. Likewise, you can clean out your entire closet and one day find yourself binge shopping because you never got a healthy dose of self-esteem. You don’t see yourself as more than enough- without all the external clutter. Jesus warns,

“When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes several other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.” (Luke 11:25-26).

If you have tried to rid yourself of the temptations in your life only to find that you are worse off than before, it’s probably because you never sealed your cracks. You left your spiritual house unoccupied. The moment the next good-looking person glances your way, you find yourself right back in a compromising position (or two). And so your downward spiral begins- again. You must seal the cracks. Spend time discovering what God says about you and the gifts and talents He has placed inside of you. Allow the Lord to fill all the empty spaces in your life. He has created you for a purpose. When you fully understand what that purpose is, you will begin to walk in victory. And that victory won’t have time to wade in defeat.

God has created each and every one of us with a secret place that only His love can fill…. this is the God Spot. Allow Him to seal your cracks and fill your empty places with His love. I promise you will never be the same again. With His help, you can live a life of abundant joy and peace. Don’t worry about how you’ll get there. Just take it one day at a time and commit to the process. Yes, crack kills, but it doesn’t have to kill you.

Practically Yours,

~The Practical Chick

P.S. If you are dealing with domestic violence, or you have been involved in a pattern of abusive relationships, help is available to you! Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1 (800) 799-SAFE (7233) or log onto http://www.thehotline.org. Advocates are available 24/7. Anonymous and confidential.