Where Are You???

Sometimes I'll go to church and I'll see these young guys in there showing everyone and their mom that they would rather be home or elsewhere. That hurts my heart because I have talked to some of these young men and they're afraid that they'll get ridiculed for praising God. Well here's some news for you, as a female, I get ridiculed too and for a while I would sit back and watch everyone else praise God while holding back on my own praise.

I remember when I was on the praise and worship team with a few young ladies my age. We were on FIRE for Christ and nothing was going to hold our praise back. Then we had to go back away to school..........

My fire died because I felt alone. I saw and heard how we were being ridiculed because "we were extra about everything", "we said Hallelujah a little too much", "we thanked God too much". But then I went and found a Christian Fellowship at my school. The fire was back and that whole year I was a radical and I even gained a nickname from my co-workers that summer (Sista T).

I came home and it died again. My friends weren't there and once again, I was alone. I felt like my true praise would only come out around people I was comfortable with who were also on fire like I was.

Sometimes I wonder if that's what happens to these young men. Or maybe it's the fact that they don't want to be called "gay" because they love God and show it. Why are people so judgmental??? It's killing me!!!

But then again.........................

You have these men who come to church willingly, they will praise God no matter who's watching, no matter what people say. I tend to find myself looking in their direction during worship and looking at the guys who sit there mean muggin all hard and I wonder.......Were they mean muggers before they became praisers??? Or did they just not care what people thought??? Or did they do it just to impress this girl??? And YES some of them do...........

Whatever the reason...I wish we had more of the ones who don't mind shedding some tears, or lying prostrate before the Almighty, or even lifting their hands in praise. WHERE ARE YOU???

LADIES!!!

The guys of R.I.C. Productions have something for you...a song

This song "Every Girl Remix" is to remind you that you deserve nothing but the best. Check this song out and look out for the Love & Suicide Mixtape coming in January 2010!!!

Let me know what you think!!! I'm looking forward to your feedback

Until the next post...

GOD BLESS...

Sista T

Love & Suicide Part 2

I had to do some more homework and get some more vids so you could check out everyone involved with this mixtape. I hope you enjoy everything!!! You can also check everyone out on myspace.

Quaz = http://www.myspace.com/quaz0
P Dot = http://www.myspace.com/respectmyfresh85
Chouzen = http://www.myspace.com/chouzenmusic
*L. Mo featured in music on Chouzen's page*
Lamonte & Marlon = http://www.myspace.com/ricproduction3

Quaz "New Generation"

GI "Go Crazy" *by R.I.C. Productions*

Quaz "Raise Up"

Love & Suicide

I told you I was promoting the mixtape Love & Suicide. The artists include (from left to right) L. Mo, Lamonte, Chouzen, The Artist, QUAZ, and P Dot.

Here are some vids of them so you can check em out before the mixtape releases...let me know what you think!!!

R.I.C. Productions

Round 2

Chouzen "Kingdom Kid"

P Dot "I'm A Christian"

Chouzen ft. L. Mo "Roll The Dice Freestyle"

What Are You Listening To???

So I'm promoting this mixtape for R.I.C. Productions(Marlon 'The Artist' Anderson and Lamonte Harris), it's called Love & Suicide and it's being released in January 2010. It features various gospel rap artists including Q.U.A.Z., P DOT, Chouzen, and singer L. Mo

Now I was never too big on gospel rap but I respect it and I will listen to it. I do like certain artists such as Da Truth and Lecrae and I'm starting to like it. I always end up in big debates about why gospel rap should/shouldn't be accepted.

So many times I hear people say they don't like gospel rap because it reminds them too much of secular rap/hip hop. That's understandable but I ALWAYS follow that up with a question: when you listened to secular rap/hip hop, did you listen to the lyrics or the beat?

• The answer to that question can tell you a lot about the person, but that's not the purpose of this. When I hear people say they listen to the beat, I tend to ignore everything they say or let it go in one ear and right out the other. I know it's bad but they have closed their minds to the message in the music so why should I really listen to their opinion??? They really wouldn't have one because all they hear is music, no words.
• A second answer I hear is that they do listen to the lyrics but it does nothing for them. That's understandable and I actually listen to their opinion. I've heard everything from the rappers don't have enough scriptural references to some rappers only mention Jesus once and call it gospel.
• The final answer I hear is that they listen to both the lyrics and beat. With this answer, I always ask, have you ever tried listening to the lyrics without the beat??? Sometimes people listen to both and get caught up in the beat or miss something because they heard something in the beat that took their attention off the lyrics.

I believe that people should really listen to the lyrics of some of these artists because to me, personally, they have THE MOST overlooked testimonies in the church.

One thing I really don't understand how people can say that this "new gospel stuff isn't real gospel" but they won't give it a chance. They are SO against gospel rap but they sing. To those who do that, I pose the question: if you lost your vocal ability and the only way you could continue to get your message out was by rapping, would you do it??? One person said yes and I laughed and ask: Well how can you shoot these rappers down? Do you know if they can sing? That may be their ONLY way to get the message out, how can you say what you say about them? I don't understand.

Sidebar:

Someone told me that they refuse to listen to Da Truth because all of this nonsense going on. No one is perfect, the man has a message that people should hear. He messed up, so what, pray for him because I'm pretty sure you did something just as bad or worse. If not, I applaud you, but that gives NO ONE room to judge him.

Back to the blog:

I have a question: If J. Moss, a GREAT producer/writer/singer who is very well accepted in the gospel industry, produced a beat and a gospel rapper did a song over that beat, would you say that you're not listening to it because the song reminds you of secular rap/hip hop song??? Or would you say oh J. Moss did this beat let me hear what this person has to say??? Or would you look at J. Moss in a different way for producing a song allowing a gospel rapper to get a message across???

Hmmm.....I wonder

Well I'm going to stop here. I personally think some gospel rappers should be more accepted by the church because it's just another form of praise and sometimes even worship. They're bringing the same message a pastor, singer, etc. would bring. It just SOUNDS different. One more thing, PLEASE stop saying that they're trying to "appeal" to the unsaved people and that's why you don't listen to this "new gospel stuff". Last I checked, our purpose was to get that message out there and reach/win souls for God. If that's not your purpose, maybe you need to rethink why you became a Christian in the first place.

Now ponder on that..........

Until next time...

God Bless...

Sista T

Some gospel rappers from VA evangelizing. Check it out. This is what I call evangelizing at it's best (some of them featured on Love & Suicide)

Post Ordination

The last blog I posted was "Ordination".

Since Rev. Rakeem broke down the different things you can and can't make with "2 Sticks", I've noticed some things. Before the sermon I made a promise that I would not put anyone or anything before God and I'm keeping my promise as far as I know. I knew I was trying to live right and I was seeing a little progress. It wasn't until after that sermon that I noticed how certain people were so kindly removed from my life and I had to do nothing but live my life for God. I noticed that I no longer desired to do things that I LOVED to do at some point. I realized that I'm not the same person and at times people say "you're a Christian now you can't be listening to this or you can't know this or why are you in here listening to this?" Well I have my reasons for doing everything I do.

Most people that get in my car listen to secular music on a daily basis but while in my car they hear gospel and they even begin to request certain songs and ask questions about the message behind the song. I even have someone who censors themselves unconsciously. I know I'm doing something right because people are seeing the change. I don't even have to open my mouth, they can now look at me and see the difference between me now and me a year ago. I have people online asking me questions about the Bible and I have to go and ask someone for help because I'm still learning myself. I have people asking me ONLINE to pray for them, and asking me for advice. I'M A SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER NOW. I NEVER saw that coming, but it happened and it's nothing but God. If it was up to me I would have said no and still be sitting in the back just listening and giving an answer here and there.

With all of that said, I used to ask God to give me the gift of speaking in tongues so I would know I was saved but I have more than enough evidence to know that I'm saved and that God is using me. I just had to open my eyes and REALLY commit to the relationship. I still have a lot of growing to do and that fire that I mentioned at the end of the other blog, it's still burning. I REFUSE to let it die.

Until next time...God Bless

Ordination!!!

So last night was the ordination of 4 people, all four of them had some type of influence on my life. The four ordained were my mom Deaconess George as Evangelist George, My youth minister Min. Brown as Rev. Brown, My praise dance team leader Sis. Ford as Evangelist Ford, and her husband another youth leader Trustee Ford as Min. Ford (new youth minister).

Now the service was good but the main focus of this blog is the actual sermon for the night and it really got me thinking more about evangelism. Rev. Rakeem Thomas delivered the sermon. I always like the way he speaks because he doesn't try to make himself look good by using big words and being conservative. He wants God to look good and get all of the praise. He sugar coats NOTHING and makes sure we understand what the message is through his illustrations. The title of the sermon was "Two Sticks". It came from 1 Corinthians 1:18 which reads:

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Now he was talking about the cross and what it meant to some people. The he brought out 2 sticks. Throughout his sermon, he formed the 2 sticks into 5 different things. First he formed them into a cross to represent the cross Christ died upon. Then he began to talk about math and how it applied to the church. He formed the sticks to form an addition sign (+), this represented the addition of Jesus to your life as a result of Him dying on the cross. He the took one stick away and held the other horizontally to form a subtraction sign (-). That is to represent the removal of things/people from your life. There is no subtraction until there is addition. Many people think they can just start taking things away and removing people from their lives that they THINK aren't supposed to be there. But if you just add Jesus...He will do the subtracting for you. After you add Christ and he subtracts people and things from your life, you will begin to multiply (x). God will begin to open doors for you to tell someone else about him so they can add Him, he can subtract people and things from their lives, and they can multiply.

Now imagine this; you have 20 people in the church. Everyone adds Christ, allows Him to subtract from their lives, and take the opportunity to minister to just one person. They add Christ and allow Him to subtract. You now have 40 people, they speak to one person and the cycle continues. Imagine just how many people we will reach if every church would add Christ, allow Him to subtract, and use the given opportunity to minister to someone else. Just imagine that.

Now if your church is not growing, DON'T LOOK AT YOUR LEADERS!!! Look at yourself and see what's wrong with YOU FIRST!!! YOU have to tell somebody. The leaders can't do it alone, they are being used to teach YOU so that YOU can assist them in bringing others to the church so they can minister to them and teach them.

With all of that said, let's move onto the next operation. Rev. Thomas stood there and struggled to make a division sign. It couldn't be done. That was for a reason. There should be no division in the church. Satan tries and sadly sometimes succeeds at dividing churches. God can't properly use a church if it's divided so we must stay in God and be deeply rooted in Him and His word.

There is something you can make with the 2 sticks, and that a (V). If you do all of the operations that can be formed you will obtain Victory in Jesus Christ. There is one last thing you can make with 2 sticks. He really had us puzzled when he said that because we couldn't think of anything else. I sat there thinking of a bunch of math symbols trying to figure out what else you could make with 2 sticks but I was lost. He then said, the last thing you can do is start a fire within the soul. HA!!!! Who would have thought he would have said that. I know I had a burning fire when I went in there but when I left, that fire had some extra fuel and I was ready to tell someone about God.

I love sermons like that, ones that make me think, ones that can refuel this burning fire I have inside of me. I'm not sure it will touch someone else like it touched me but I just HAD to share it with somebody.

Until next time...GOD BLESS!!!

Post Big Event 2009

So I said I would tell you all how Big Event went, so here it is...

The ride this year was very different, my best friend was driving and there were 2 people in the car that I had just met that day. While we were talking and getting to know each other, we found that we all had a lot in common. My best friend and I strayed away from God last semester but we're coming back in full force. The other two were invited to come and decided at the last minute that they would join us.

The whole weekend was full of joy, peace and happiness even though we all had problems at home. We were able to come together, pray for one another and keep each other encouraged. We had our times where we praised God, we worshipped, we cried, we laughed, but most of all we were all changed in some way.

The track (workshop) I chose this year was Evangelism. I learned different approaches I could use for different people to get the Gospel out. I was given "tough questions" that people may want to ask and I was also given tools on how to answer those questions and use scripture to back it up. The people in my track were split into small groups of 5 or 6 people and a small group leader. The people in my group we AMAZING. We were able to open up to each other and help each other, give suggestions on how we could improve or different approaches we could share to give a different outlook on situations we may run into. They also warned us that not everyone would want to hear what we have to say, and that some may even get hostile and say some crazy things but we have to be patient and stay in prayer.

One of the questions asked was "How can a good God send good people to hell? And how about if people have never heard about Christ?" Now we were told to first ask questions to get better clarification on what the person is asking, try to answer the question to the best of our ability, and if we aren't sure about something ask for an extension and ask someone who knows the answer. This is how our role-playing exercise played out:

• What do you consider good people?
• I know someone who does a lot of good things for people, they help the elderly cross the street, the serve at shelters, and things like that.
• Well some "good people" do not have a relationship with Christ.
• I believe in God but I don't believe in Jesus Christ.
• Have you ever heard of the Holy Trinity?
• No, what is that?
• Genesis 1:26 says "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness..." and "our" is referring to the Holy Trinity which consists of God the Father, God the Son(Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit. Though they are 3, they are only 1. I can find another scripture to explain that but you would have to give me some time.
• Ok, I would like that, here is my number so you can call me when you find it.
• Ok, and here's my number so you will know it's me and if you have any other questions feel free to ask.
• What about those who never heard of Christ though?
• Oh, Matthew 24: 14 says "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all the nations; and then shall the end come." That is saying that everyone will have a chance to hear the gospel before the second coming of Christ. This is why we have missionaries.
• Ok thanks, now I understand, but I have to go, I look forward to hearing from you again.

I found this to be very fun. Not just fun to ask questions and be on the difficult side asking very difficult questions, but fun to look through my Bible and share with someone the Gospel that I'm still learning myself. So answering these questions are actually teaching me something. I asked a few people to ask me those questions knowing that I would get different responses from everyone. While answering these questions, a friend of mine began to get personal and ask questions about faith and we got into a deep conversation and I had to really stop and call my Pastor and ask him to explain it to me so I could explain it to them.

Overall the Big Event was GREAT, I came back with a new fire and it's still burning high. I wish everyone had access to something like this because it will really help a lot of people.

PRAISE REPORT!!!

We had 10 people saved that we know of and I heard that more were saved after we dismissed from Big Event. 2 of the 10 people were the 2 people I didn't know in my best friend's car. I was so happy when I saw the 2 of them make their way to the stage to accept Christ. I cried like a baby because I wanted to run up there and hug them both. I look forward to attending Big Event 2010, maybe this time I'll do the Leadership track...who knows

Until next time...GOD BLESS

Big Event Prep

So every year since 2007, I have been going to this retreat type event called Big Event. Now this is no "ordinary" retreat. In my eyes it is but they don't like to call it that. There is a very diverse group of college students eager to hear from God in Port Jervis, NY from many different schools in NY and NJ. Although there are many schools represented, there are 2 things all of the students have in common. A burning fire for God and an affiliation with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship.

Every year I go prepared to be empowered, encouraged, and refueled. I come back home a radical for Christ and after a while it dies down. This time I doubt my fire will die down, I doubt I go back to the way I was. I really want change in my life and this is my time of transformation.

I'm going to challenge myself, right now, to stay in God's will, read His word, Speak to Him all the time, and put my all into this relationship just as I had with my previous relationships, only this is true love and a relationship that will NEVER fade.

Be back in a couple days to update on what happened at Big Event 2009. Stay tuned...God Bless

You Can Make It

So I just got this cd a couple days ago and I finally got a chance to listen to it. It's called You Can Make It by Alvin Darling & Celebration. My big bro put me up on them and I like it. (The man sitting on the bottom left in the pic is my bro!)

One thing really stuck out to me that I'm really big on. Alvin said "I love this song" and someone shouted "Sing Reverend". He said "How about Alvin?" Anyone who know me KNOWS I'm not a big fan of titles. Just because you have a title doesn't make you anymore higher than anyone in God's eyes. You can be the most corrupt person with a title, but those few words really meant a lot to me. I love when people aren't hung up on titles.

I like this cd overall...you should really go out and get this cd.

And You Are???

I just want to say that we all have our issues and flaws. I have a million and one that I really need to work on. Some I know of some I don't but we can't go around judging people because they're not like us. WHO ARE WE TO JUDGE ANYONE??? The Bible says "He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone." - John 8:7 Instead of judging people, why not help them?

I see this all the time where someone would come to church for the first time and they're not dressed "appropriately" for Sunday service. Instead of giving them the side eye, why not ask to speak to them in private and talk to them. NOT DOWN TO THEM!!! Talk TO them. If you do decide to TALK TO THEM, make sure you don't look JUST LIKE THEM. You have to be an example to them.

What really gets me is how people will say "You know who I saw in the liquor store yesterday?" How did you see someone in there if you weren't in there yourself? Matthew 7:3-5 says:

"And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." - KJV

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye, when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." - NIV

How can you criticize someone for being somewhere when you were there to see them in the first place??? I really don't understand that. You see someone smoking and you're the first to say, "your a Christian, you shouldn't defile your temple," mind you, you smell like you just smoked 3 pounds of weed. STOP.

Like I said before, I'm not the most perfect person in the world. When I try to help someone out, I make sure I put MYSELF out there and let them know I may have done that before but NOW I don't and I don't want you to make the same dumb choices I made. I always get called a hypocrite, and I know I am one, BUT I'm changing for the better and while I'm at it I'm trying to help someone else.

I encourage everyone to do the same. But PLEASE be careful of how you come off to people. You WILL be called a hypocrite, DO NOT spaz, DO NOT give up, just say I know what I did and I'm not proud of it, hence I'm trying to change for the better and I want to help you so you don't end up in my predicament. Tell them that enough and trust they will start to hear you.

One more thing, JUST SAYING IT IS NOT ENOUGH!!! You have to PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH!!! I don't like to use that saying too much but it's true. If you don't you LIVE what you talk about, you are IN FACT a hypocrite.

I hope someone will understand what I'm saying and try to put it into practice. God Bless.

Sista T...Renewed

This should have been the first blog on this page, but I didn't think of it until after I wrote "No More Games".

Renew defined is to restore to a former state; make new or as if new again. This song Restored has been on repeat for some time now. I'm doing a big transformation in my life right now and this song is helping me, encouraging me, even motivating me.

He said "It's done"and when I think of the words "it's done", I'm thinking all of my past is done, now God lined up my future, that's already done. All I have to do is walk in it. J. Moss said his struggle is over but mine has just begun. Satan is about to throw everything he can at me, he already started. Will I let it knock me down? NO, will I come out victorious? OF COURSE, why? Because I have God on my side and he has something great planned for my life.

Which brings me to my next song, it's by GI called "I Promise". This song says:

"I promise, to love and to honor You,

I promise, to never hurt or mistreat you,

I promise to always put You first,

In everything I do, from my heart is true,

I promise, I'll never let no one take Your place,

And I promise, I'll never change, I'll stay the same,

Through and through, I'm done being a fool,

Now it's all about You, I PROMISE"

This is my promise to God...I can't really say never because I may unintentionally do something wrong. But I do promise that my life belongs to Him, no person/object is before Him, and I mean that.

No More Games

So I'm done playing games. My calling is becoming more clear and I need to start walking in it. Ever since my last relationship ended, I realized why my relationships failed. I was disobedient and God was calling me in high school but I ignored Him and ran from Him. It's about time I stop running.

I was talkin to my homie the other day and we're both excited about this retreat we're going to this weekend. So while everyone will be partying on Holloween, we'll be praying and worshipping God with a few hundred college students who are on fire just as we are. I was also talking to my best friend Paulette, she is excited and she's ready to start over also. We all have a calling on our lives and with the prayers that we say for each other and the encouraging words we give help out a lot. I'm glad I have 2 people who are on the same page with me.

Acts 19:15-16 says: And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

Satan knows who his threats are, he knew Jesus and Paul and I want him to know me too. Not in a bad way, well bad for him, a MAJOR threat to him. My mom preched a sermon yesterday entitled "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" I KNOW who I am now, before I knew I had to do something, but what? I know now and my calling is becoming clearer. I know now what I have to do, I know why things happened the way they did, my eyes were opened. My heart is open now also, to God only. No more relationships for me until I KNOW it's what God wants for me. All the things I know I shouldn't have been doing is over. That's my past and it's there for a reason. I'm looking forward and up...I see my goal, time to reach it. NO MORE GAMES!!!

GI(God's Image) Stellars

This year GI was placed in the first round ballot for 2 Stellars. I need everyone to help out and vote today or tomorrow and get them in that final ballot. Instructions are on the flier below. LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOO