THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO GIVE UP!

We cry, point fingers, can't sleep, feel hopeless, angry, close our eyes not wanting to see or know the truth and become paralyzed with fear. That is what the enemy wants us to do when change and pain show up in our lives. Get up! We can be angry at what has happened to us or others, without abandoning our faith, praise, hope and gratitude. We can recognize our anger at life's unfairness. We can learn to see our instinctive compassion at seeing people suffer as coming from God who teaches us to be angry at injustice and to feel compassion for the hurting. There are so many lessons we can learn from our personal setbacks and from witnessing the human suffering of others. What a marvelous time to truly go beyond talking our faith and now to walk it, live it, show it and share it. Every demonstration of kindness, courage, prayer and giving counts.

Every moment you decide to get up and overcome the paralysis of fear, the isolation of shame and hopelessness and take action, you have victory. Small victories lead to big victories. Small steps lead to progress. As we keep the Gulf Port area in our hearts through action, prayers and deeds, we can learn from them how to be resilient, caring, strong and create a sense of community. Life is sending us messages to make a paradigm shift from greed, individualism, war, excess, materialism, inadequate and dishonest leadership to a nation of love, faith, caring, integrity, community, personal strength and political intelligence.

You could be facing unemployment, divorce, sickness, grief, financial struggle and feeling lost and displaced. Only the strong survive! Our national tragedy from the hurricane is a great reminder for us to get strong spiritually, mentally, physically, financially, emotionally and in our relationships with others. Whether you are facing minor or major changes and challenges in your life, gospel singer Marvin Sapp inspires us through his song, "this is not the time and this is not the place for giving up."


by Jewel Diamond Taylor, Inspirational Speaker