In Loving Memory of Joyce E. Adejumo

Publisher's Note: On May 27, 2013, Joyce E. Adejumo passed away.  This post is in memory of this amazing woman.

In January 2012, I had the pleasure of meeting businesswoman and community leader Joyce E. Adejumo. We met at her store, Mitchie’s Gallery, when I brought my dad, who had been visiting to New York.  Always a supporter of black businesses, I knew my dad would enjoy shopping at Mitchie’s. During our shopping excursion, I conversed with Ms. Adejumo for close to an hour. It was sure a pleasure speaking with her.  We talked about politics, the community, God, and of course, her son, Mitchie.

One of the items I purchased was a book of prayers that Ms. Adejumo had authored. It felt only fitting that Ms. Adejumo was a Christian woman with great faith.  Knowing a little bit about her son’s life story, and how she  had fought so hard to spread the word against drunk driving and had built her business so that she take care of her paraplegic child, it only made sense that she believed in God.  

I could tell by that brief encounter that she was a special woman.  In February 2012 I looked forward to attending the fundraiser to keep Mitchie’s Gallery open.  The night of the fundraiser was amazing.  It was obvious from all the attendees there that Ms. Adejumo held a special place in the hearts of the African American community of Austin.   

Shortly afterward I asked Ms. Adejumo for permission to publish prayers from her book.  And she graciously agreed. February 7, 2012 was the day I started publishing her prayers at New Life Today Blog.  It has been such an honor to share 5 of her prayers on this blog since that time. 

Ms. Adejumo, you may have gone on to glory, but you will never be forgotten.  Your voice will continue to speak to all who listen and read your prayers. 

Below is the first prayer of Ms. Adejumo’s that I posted. Ironically, it is entitled The Day and Hour Unknown.

Father in Heaven, thank You for waking me up this morning and

giving me another day to praise Your Name.

I do not know the day You will take me home, Father,

but I do know I want to go home with You on that day.

Teach me humility,

so that I walk with You and live a life that is pleasing in Your eyes.

I want to have an unbroken relationship with You, Father.

Thank You, for everlasting life.

In Jesus' Name.

Amen.

My Daily Prayers: Spiritual Words of Wisdom, Volume I, Page 13

Driven To Make A Difference by Dr. Sinclair Grey III

Editor's Note: This article is written by Dr. Sinclair Grey III, Senior Pastor, The Liberation Temple, a non-denominational Christian Church in Mt. Rainier, Maryland.    

An inspirational speaker, motivator, author, organizer and “liberator of persons from all intellectual, social and cultural walks of life”, Dr. Sinclair Grey III is a committed advocate for communal change.  NewLifeTodayBlog.com publishes Dr. Sinclair Grey III's writings every Thursday.

In this spiritual journey, you need to know that God has equipped you to do mighty things. Let me say it this way. God has placed His Spirit in you for you to change the lives of people you meet professionally and personally. Anytime you open your mouth, you have the potential of building up or tearing down, to encourage or discourage, and to minister or hinder. The choice is yours. Everyday is an opportunity to make a difference. As you make a difference, you're getting closer to reaching your dream. As one of my mentors told me years ago, 'the more people you help along your journey, the easier it'll become to reach your dream. The more doors you open up for others, the more doors will be opened up for you.' Dreams go away when you stop working towards them. In writing to his son in the ministry, the apostle Paul told Timothy to "Stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." Please don't miss this. God has freely given you a gift and expects you to use it. Because you're part of God's family, you have a mission to accomplish. Don't worry about how difficult it may seem, just know that God is with you every step of the way. You're here to make a difference because you're a child of Almighty God. In a real sense, you're His representative. As I close this message, I leave you with the words, 'on your mark, get ready, get set, and go.' Make this the day you're driven to make a difference.

Scripture of the Day: 
 "To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice." (Proverbs 21:3- NIV)

Cut Out Excuses by Dr. Sinclair Grey III

Editor's Note: This article is written by Dr. Sinclair Grey III, Senior Pastor, The Liberation Temple, a non-denominational Christian Church in Mt. Rainier, Maryland.    

An inspirational speaker, motivator, author, organizer and “liberator of persons from all intellectual, social and cultural walks of life”, Dr. Sinclair Grey III is a committed advocate for communal change.  NewLifeTodayBlog.com publishes Dr. Sinclair Grey III's writings every Thursday.

In this spiritual journey, you need to put away excuses and get on with what God has called you to do. The time to step out on faith is now. If you're busy wrapped up in making excuses, I want you to stop what you're doing and pray to God. That's right; pray for strength. Pray for courage. And pray for boldness. Remember, God will never leave you nor forsake you. From this day forward, I'm challenging you to tell yourself everyday, 'No More Excuses.' In fact, remove the word excuse from your vocabulary and replace it with two words, I can.

Graphic Source:
http://www.cccathens.org/No_More_Excuses_Cover_01B.jpg

The Bible tells us when God called Moses to lead the Israelites, Moses provided many excuses as to why he was incapable and incompetent. How many of you have done the same thing? However, God had to comfort Moses with these words, "I will certainly be with you." Anytime God calls you, He'll equip you for the task. It's time to stop making excuses as to why you're not in church, in Bible study, studying the Word of God, and doing ministry. Let me say this this way. Stop making excuses for not chasing your dreams. If you keep making excusing, you'll miss everything that God has for you. Stop looking to people and look to God. Let this be the day you stop making excuses.

Scripture of the Day: 
"Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die." (Proverbs 23:13- NKJV)

Stronger Than Your Enemy by Dr. Sinclair Grey III

Editor's Note: This article is written by Dr. Sinclair Grey III, Senior Pastor, The Liberation Temple, a non-denominational Christian Church in Mt. Rainier, Maryland.    

An inspirational speaker, motivator, author, organizer and “liberator of persons from all intellectual, social and cultural walks of life”, Dr. Sinclair Grey III is a committed advocate for communal change.  NewLifeTodayBlog.com publishes Dr. Sinclair Grey III's writings every Thursday.

In this spiritual journey, I want to share with you a few lessons to help you understand why you're stronger than the enemy. The first lesson you need to know is that the enemy has no power over your thoughts and your actions. Let me say that again. The enemy can only provide you with illusions and distractions. God has given you power on the inside to handle any temptation on the outside. If you say, 'the devil made me do it' to cover up your actions, you're not being true to the you that God created you to be. The second thing you need to know is giving the enemy credit for your mistakes only gives him more fuel for future attacks. Here's a hint - don't pump up the enemy when you should be destroying the enemy. Remember, we're in spiritual warfare and because of this warfare, we must never ever give the enemy credit.

Graphic Source: http://larryslines.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/armor_of_god.jpg

 In writing to the people of Ephesus, the apostle Paul said, "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Please don't miss this last lesson. When you allow God to order your steps, you'll know where to go, what to do, what to say, and how to think. Whenever you submit to God, you're developing a dynamic relationship to help you rise above the status quo. Say yes to God and no to the enemy. That's it. You're stronger than the enemy.

Scripture of the Day: 
"Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die." (Proverbs 23:13- NKJV)

Motivated By Your Haters by Dr. Sinclair Grey III

Editor's Note: This article is written by Dr. Sinclair Grey III, Senior Pastor, The Liberation Temple, a non-denominational Christian Church in Mt. Rainier, Maryland.    

An inspirational speaker, motivator, author, organizer and “liberator of persons from all intellectual, social and cultural walks of life”, Dr. Sinclair Grey III is a committed advocate for communal change.  NewLifeTodayBlog.com publishes Dr. Sinclair Grey III's writings every Thursday.

In this spiritual journey, you need to know God has placed His Spirit in you to rise above haters and distractors. Life is full of distractions but understand God is bigger than any hater you'll encounter. I want you to get into your spirit the enemy doesn't want you to succeed in anything and that's why he wants you to submit to your haters. As we say in the church. 'the devil is a liar.' The fact that God has anointed and appointed you for greatness means there's something wonderful in store for you. When the enemy tries to put a roadblock in front of you, the good news is that you can knock it down through praise and prayer. That's right; look beyond what you see in the natural and get hooked up with God in the spiritual. Because of God's omnipotence, you can make it.

Graphic Source:  http://www.divineverses.com/blog/boldness/be-bold-know-that-no-weapon-formed-against-you-will-prosper/

The Bible says, "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me," says the Lord." Please don't miss this. No racism, sexism, or elitism can penetrate the plans of God. I can't stop there because you need to understand that mistakes you've made in the past can't stop what God has planned for you. Whenever someone tries to block you through hating on you, begin shouting these words 'greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world.' That's my word for you. Don't get down because of your haters; use them as motivation. Stay strong in your commitment to God and watch Him handle the rest.

Scripture of the Day: 
"Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die." (Proverbs 23:13, NKJV)

No Fear - Only Success by Dr. Sinclair Grey III

Editor's Note: This article is written by Dr. Sinclair Grey III, Senior Pastor, The Liberation Temple, a non-denominational Christian Church in Mt. Rainier, Maryland.    

An inspirational speaker, motivator, author, organizer and “liberator of persons from all intellectual, social and cultural walks of life”, Dr. Sinclair Grey III is a committed advocate for communal change.  NewLifeTodayBlog.com publishes Dr. Sinclair Grey III's writings every Thursday.

In this spiritual journey, you need to know that God hasn't called you to fail, but to succeed. God wants you to be successful in all areas of your life. However, I need to warn you that success means you must break free of the shackles holding you back. Are you ready to receive all that God has for you? Are you willing to put forth the effort to become successful? Are you willing to say no to what's not good for you and yes to what's going to get you to where you want to go? Life is full of choices and the decision you make today can get you one-step closer to your goal.

The writer of Proverbs deposited these powerful words of wisdom, "Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest." While the ant may seem insignificant to most people, the writer sees the ant as successful because it looks pass its size and obstacles, and see its potential. That's my word for you. You can be successful in all things, but you need to be proactive. Don't be scared because God is with you. Don't allow fear to rule over you because the Bible tells us, "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

Scripture of the Day:
"To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice." (Proverbs 21:3, NIV)