You've been under lots of pressure. The situation's been dire. These are all indicators of where you're headed in your life.
-New Beginning Ministries Choir
It's Not Over, what a message. And then for it to come on the scene as a part of a project entitled Let Me Be God, that's something special. The long awaited studio album released from New Beginning Ministries choir finally happened in the year of our Lord 2016. I couldn't resist being a bit British in the previous line, ha! I have to be a little silly otherwise I'll just melt in the floor. Anyhoo, if you are a newer member of my family of followers then you may not be as familiar with my Spiritual Father Bishop Hezekiah Pressley, Jr. who pastors New Beginning Ministries. He is one of the angels that I'm convinced God placed on Earth just for me. I'm always learning mysteries of the Bible and keys to a better life from Bishop Pressley. And I am always sure to share. At least two-thirds of my content is inspired by something he's said and the other third I just steal from him outright. I mean, come on how could I not?
Like the lyric above, when he speaks my mindset shifts. I become open to new possibilities. I began to look for new ways to serve others and fulfill my destiny while I'm still here. Bishop made me to understand years ago that if I am still here it is for a reason and that I better go about the business of finding out what that reason is. It's called Purpose. Today my life is filled with it, driven by it even. But just a few years ago, it was not this way. At the most stressful time in my life dire was the perfect word to describe how I felt about my relationship. I thought I knew what was ahead; I thought I was in control. I was the picture of a rebellious kid- ignoring all the warning signs, being reckless in the name of having a good time and still wanting my Dad to bail me out when I got in trouble. The thing was I was going through this phase at 36 years old.
It made no sense. I had experienced things in my faith that were beyond my natural understanding. I had known God to set things up for me academically, financially and even emotionally. But in my relationships was where I had so much turmoil. And looking back on it I can see now that a part of me didn't trust God in that area. Not that I didn't think He was good, but I simply did not want it His way this go round. I wanted to do my own thing. I honestly felt that I had tried as best I could to be a "good wife" and I had no energy, no joy and was running out of love. I hated that feeling. So I was done. I was done doing things the "right way" I was gonna have fun now. Turns out I didn't like the outcome there either. It wasn't fun. It was exciting, but it was empty. The stuff that was missing was passion and purpose. And even through my bouts of crazy thinking and crazy decision making, the messages in lyrics like the one above kept me tethered to the ministry in hopes that there was something more. Thankfully it was, I wasn't a lost cause and neither was my marriage.
As a side note I want to share here that I tried as best I could to get Mr. B to join New Beginning choir, even offering to join with him, but it was a no-go. He feels like three-part harmony takes him too far out of his range. In fact it was less than a year before the release of the choir's CD project that Mr. B and I became full fledged members of the ministry. It was this ministry with sound teaching and moving melodies that was consistently powerful in my life. It was this body of believers, with my Spiritual Father at the helm, that turned things around for me. I came to realize that I needed to uproot some thinking patterns that had been passed down to me from generations. I was brave enough to stop committing self-sabatoge and recommit myself to Christ as well as my husband, family and community.
My life, business, and now my own ministry are all centered around true identity, purpose discovery and joyful living. I'm headed somewhere and the future looks bright. atb
