Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, October 27, 2019.

This may be the most profound thing I've ever read on Facebook.

"Learn to shift your anger to compassion… Emotions are how your thoughts feel."

A day or so ago, I prayed, "God, I'm hurting. Am I supposed to ignore that? Does my pain matter at all? What am I supposed to do with these feelings?"

This post was an answer to my prayer. There's a resonance with, "Defilement comes from within" (Mark 7:14-23) and "Be angry and do not sin" (Ephesians 4:26).

I interpret the post to mean "better thinking promotes better emotional well-being". I've explored changing the trajectory of a thought so that you arrive at healthier conclusions. But, I've never considered the possibility of changing one emotion to another. Could this be how Christ, while subjected to the violence of being nailed to a cross, reacts with compassion rather than anger and exclaims, "Father forgive them…"?! (Luke 23:34)

This is a big idea with the aim being to recognize that you're angry but in the moment choosing to focus on what you can do to bring healing to the hurt that may have precipitated the situation. That shift moves you from victim to victor. This is another way we manifest being "more than conquerors". (Romans 8:37)

This Word was a great treasure and arrived exactly when I needed it. Thank you, Sister
@[1074383489:2048:Ora] @[1074383489:2048:O'Connell].

Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, September 15, 2019.

There are occasionally long periods where I have no indication of whether I'm headed in the right direction. There are no awards, no applause, no acknowledgment. If often feels like I am failing and not doing anything well.

But, Jesus is my compass in the dark -and also in the light because: "We walk by faith, not by sight." And my faith is this: when Christ is known, it changes hearts, brings heavenly government to earth and births good works by the hands of believers.

So then, bettering understanding of Christ (mine or another's) is always the right direction -even when I cannot see it. (See: 2 Cor 5:7-11)

Originally posted on Facebook on Tuesday, July 2, 2019.

You've heard it said, "If you won't help them, will you at least not hurt them?"

But consider Paul's analogy of individuals in a community as parts of a body (1 Corinthians 12:12). Imagine if the eye said to the hand, "I will not help you, but I won't hurt you." However, without the help of the eye, the body has lost vital coordination. Or, what if the feet said the same to the head, "I will not help you, but I won't hurt you." Yet, without the help of the feet, the body is crippled.

The point is there is no such thing as not helping but not hurting. The entire reason a member of the body exists is to aid in the function of the body. Anything else is dysfunction, disease -cancer.

Not helping is hurting.

Though, I'm not from Starkville, I love it. It is a community I am honored to belong to. And, one thing that's abundantly clear to me is, as a community, we're all connected. When a member of our community hurts, we all hurt. Conversely, when more of us operate at a high level, we all benefit.

It is the joy of my life to help people do good. And, the J. L. King Center is doing good work. I invite you to join me in helping them to continue providing enrichment and education programs that help our neighbors build a better life.

http://bit.ly/2Lw3JVx

Originally posted on Facebook on Tuesday, June 25, 2019.

Think it's a game.

"But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes."
Luke 12:45-47 NKJV

https://bible.com/bible/114/luk.12.45-47.NKJV

Originally posted on Facebook on Thursday, June 6, 2019.

I read a passage about prayer that hit differently this morning. In Luke 11:1-13, Jesus is teaching His followers how to pray and He compares prayer to a child making a request of his father. What struck me were the three examples of a request in verses 11-13; bread, fish and an egg -all food for life.

And, then I'm captured by the conclusion of verse 13, "If you […] know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?"

What I came away with was, 1. we should be asking for the Holy Spirit and 2. the Holy Spirit gives Life. I ask what is the Holy Spirit? What I received, I submit to you: the Holy Spirit is (but not limited to) the right idea (about everything) -it is the basis and guide to our thinking that leads to purely helpful and productive conclusions. This is life. Hallelujah!

As every believer should do, I invite you to test this spirit (idea) by the Spirit (knowledge of God) and share what good God gives you.

Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, April 21, 2019.

I remember as a young man being frustrated and shared, "I thought when you were earnestly trying to do the right thing and trying to lead, people would appreciate that -not fight you." The response of my friend and mentor, Dr. Gregory Jones, was a watershed moment and has guided me through many a dark hour. "Sometimes," he said, "a man must walk alone."

Decades have passed and I have since learned that resistance can provide a healthy opportunity to re-evaluate whether you're headed in the right direction. As a leader, you have to keep moving True North. But, leave a trail. Sometimes, people just have to meet you there.

Originally posted on Facebook on Monday, December 3, 2018.

Connie Griffin was my high school counselor and is one of the 5 most influential people in my life. She sought out every possible opportunity I could take advantage of; extracurricular activities, essay contests, summer camps, college scholarships -the list is virtually inexhaustible.

Aside from that, she gave me something of such tremendous value it only comes second to my faith in Christ. She implemented a student service organization called Natural Helpers that served as counselor's assistants. We were a network of students trained to support and encourage other students. Through that, she taught me how to listen; to suspend my judgement (or at least try) and hear what another is saying. I cannot tell you the positive impact those lessons have had on my life -lessons I'm trying to pass on now to my children.

What's more amazing is that she did not just do that for me. I watched her do that for scores of other students that walked the halls of Bailey Magnet. Today is her birthday, a day that she should be honored with gifts but I wanted her to know what a gift her life has been. God has used you to do so much good and to help people you will never meet or that hasn't even been born yet. You often say how proud of us you are but I'm sure I'm not alone in saying how wonderfully blessed we were to have you in our lives and how proud we are of you. Happy Birthday!

Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, February 25, 2018.

An enduring government requires equal access and protections for all citizens, otherwise it discriminates, which makes it possible for you to someday be discriminated against. Therefore, the best thing any of us can do as citizens is to actively seek a government that works well for every citizen, including those with whom we disagree.

Now, to my family in Christ in particular, we would be much more productive if we understood that our city, state or nation is neither the Church nor the Kingdom of God. What we believe is a matter of faith and it cannot be legislated or imposed -it comes by believing Jesus. But, let's not pretend that many of our reactions over the Starkville Pride Parade have anything to do with a love of God. Because if it did, we would be just as incensed about lying on our taxes as we are about homosexuality. Many of us are simply gripped by a fleshly desire to elevate ourselves above others. That's pride and discrimination and has nothing to do with God. Come out of the fire! Let us repent of our hypocrisy and seek God for wisdom on how to function profitably in and outside the household of faith and for the discernment to know the difference.

Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, May 7, 2017.

I don't reach out and stay connected with people like I should because Satan's always in my ear convincing me that I have nothing to offer because of my failures, because my life is not perfect or because I haven't attained a certain level of wealth or success. I feel like once I get my life together and do something important then I can be around people because I'll have some value to offer and then it will be worth it for them to have me around.

But if I pay attention, Satan's tactic is always diversion. In this case, he deceives me into placing the focus on myself. Satan cannot overcome the Light so he works to turn us from the Light. As a follower of Christ, I know that the Power to help others is not in me but in the One who uses me.

And so, I must fight to make myself available because my faith is in God who is able to make straight paths with crooked lines. I must trust He is powerful enough, brilliant enough… God enough to use me. Yes, even me. #MakeWar #TurnToTheLight

Originally posted on Facebook on Tuesday, February 28, 2017.

You know, my dad wasn't particularly expressive when I was growing up but there were was things he did that spoke volumes. One example is how he would always be looking for change on the ground. It didn't matter where we were or the condition of the coin -it could be in the bottom of a puddle, covered in mud or even bent and mangled, my dad would stop in his tracks to pick it up. I also observed the same attitude when he would help people. I can't tell you how many times we were late getting somewhere because he would stop to help someone on the side of the road. Somehow as a child I put the two things together and what I learned from watching my dad was that all people have value, no matter where you find them or how they come to you. So, now I stop to pick up loose coins wherever I am, no matter the condition I find it in because it's a reminder of a lesson I learned from him. Happy Birthday Rev. Paul Luckett. I love you.