![]()
|
|
Volume
1, Issue 1
|
 Welcome
to the first issue of Passion!
Some of you may already be acquainted with me through one of my other
eNewsletters or blogs where I've pretty much laid everything on the line
about the fact that I'm a Christian, I'm a single (again) Christian, I'm a
writer, I'm a caregiver (my elderly mom lives with me), I'm a single parent, I'm
naturally coiffed, I'm bipolar (manic depressive), I'm a survivor or the fact that
at 210lbs I'm slowly sliding into BBW territory.
I have, however, been a bit silent on a pretty important part of my
life--that of my call to ministry--not the fact that I've been called, per
se, trials, tribulations and triumphs that go hand in hand with said
calling.
When it first occurred, aside from
being gobsmacked about it, I was fully into the "You've got the wrong gal!"
mode.
After working my way through that, I did a 180 and went into the "Isn't it
great, I gotta tell everybody!" mode.
After several online conversations with prospective dates (98% Christian)
and receiving responses that ran the gamut of: "Uh ... great ... goodbye!",
"I know more than you, so you can't be called", to "women are only allowed
to preach to other women and boys under twelve". I began to slow my
roll a bit.
As I began to attend Bible School and really began to get into the nitty
gritty of the word I slid into Joseph's territory and got a little beside
myself. All I can say is: My poor mother and child were preached to
incessantly, but they somehow resisted the urge to sell me ... LOL.
It took a test of faith to
bring me back down to earth, and as I looked around me I began to realize
that aside from my pastor and the other female member in my class. I really
didn't have a support system for this new phase in my life, someone who
would understand all the doubts, insecurities, challenges and most of
all--the aloneness.
I tried a few books and online groups, but came away feeling like I needed
to check my "Called and Chosen of the Lawd" membership card--everyone was so
highly favored and spiritually blessed that I hated to throw a spoke in the
wheels of things by rolling out my list of questions and downright battles
that I was having with myself and the Lord.
Around the same time I realized that one out of every four people I met
online was a minister or evangelist of some sort. With the state of the
world--who'd have thought there were so many around?
When I got comfortable enough to broach the subject, I enquired about their
support systems and the men seemed to be cool, but the continuous response I
received from the women, was that they'd love to have a support system of
some kind.
So ... it's been two years in the making ... but here it is ladies and
gentlemen!
Passion! The place where we can keep it real about what really goes on
behind the scenes. And to that end, see our feature story below, "The
Call, or Before the Surrender - Part I".
I look forward to hearing your
stories ... and solutions.
Peace,
Dee
| |
|
The Call, or, Before the Surrender - Part I
The morning of Good Friday in April, 2002 began just like any other. I
rolled over in my bed and peered myopically at the alarm clock.
Satisfied that once again I’d beaten the alarm, I returned to my
previous position and contemplated the ceiling as I prayed in my mind.
Good morning, God! Without interrupting the flow of my prayer, I
reached over, beat the alarming clock into submission, and continued.
I thank you for waking me up this morning…
My prayer complete, I
jumped out of bed (actually more of a sideways shuffle) and headed for
the bathroom. It was a day I anticipated with glee, a day devoted to
God. My only complaint: why did the day have to begin so early?
Our family had begun a
tradition of attending three services on Good Friday: one at 7 a.m. featuring
all women preachers, another at 12 noon in a Senior Center, and the grand-daddy
of them all at 6 p.m. This last featured seven heavy-hitting preachers from the
New York and New Jersey areas, accompanied by seven bumping choirs who sang
earth-stirring songs (the Christian equivalent of the “Drop It Like It’s Hot”
phenomena).
In the first service, we heard
a rousing round of women who brought new revelation to the seven last words of
Jesus on the Cross. One which stuck in my mind was delivered by Rev. Jackie
McCullough, who had the word “It is Finished!” In her exposition, she posed the
theory that becoming a Christian finishes our lives as sinners, but our lives in
Christ have just begun. She relegated the stagnancy of many believers to
stuff-and-nonsense and pointed to the fact that mustard seed faith will get you
into heaven, but great faith is what gets you through here on earth.
read more...
| |
|
This section will begin next issue and is kinda sorta dependant on your
input... LOL. So post a comment, send an email -- something, and let's get
interactive!
|
|
| |
|
Are you a writer in need of an editor? Try
Rachel Thomson of
Thomson Editing Services be sure to tell her that Dee sent you.
|
| |
|
This section will begin with the next issue. Here I'll either post my
questions or you may submit your question that is yet unanswered or has
recently been answered in the
contact
form on my website.
| |
|
|
