"Refrigerator Called Religion"

When rehabbing a house, there is a specific process that you go by.  In order to install or put in new things, you have to remove the old things that are damaged, broken, or simply just don't work anymore.

Sounds like common sense right?  Imagine having a plan to remodel your kitchen. You have picked out the cabinets you want.  The wall is lined up with paint swatches of colors that you have been trying to decide on since making the decision to redo your kitchen.

You start the work. You tear out the old cabinets and remove the counter tops.  The pictures and wall decorations come down to prepare for painting.  You plan to put down new tile floors, but first you have to bust up the old yellow and tan floors that have been there since you moved in.

Before you remove the floors you have to move out the appliances. The stove is pretty easy to move, especially if you have a dolly.  But then you glance at the refrigerator.  That old greenish-yellow refrigerator!  It's big and bulky and isn't like the new ones that come with wheels for easy moving.

That refrigerator has been there for years. There's no telling what has fallen behind it over the years.  Imagine the dirt and grime that has built up over time.  

This hunk of metal has been decorated over the years with coupons, pictures, report cards, and much more.  But now, it barely keeps food cold.  And once a month, you have to defrost the freezer because it builds a cocoon of frost and ice around whatever is in there.

This refrigerator must go!  It just isn't cutting it anymore.  

There is no way you can put in this new stainless steel refrigerator without first removing this old mess!  It's a no brainer when you think of it in the terms or rehabbing house. Out with the old, in with the new.

But that is exactly what we try to do when it comes to the process of rehabbing our minds.  We discover a new mindset, a new pattern of thinking, we discover the Kingdom of God.  The Kingdom is God's way of thinking and his way of doing things.

Religion is man's thinking, and his way of doing things.  In the scale of things, religion is just not cutting it anymore.  It possibly never cut it, but at a time seemed like the right thing, and was "better than nothing".  A religious mindset is a limited mindset.  It has boundaries and much baggage that is not needed.

A Kingdom mindset is universal and unlimited.  You have so much more with a real relationship with God.  In fact, you have access to everything.

But many of us try to "install" a Kingdom mindset without first getting rid of that old "Refrigerator called Religion".  That way of thinking and acting that simply isn't working anymore.  That box of boundaries that's preventing you from being the real You.

Just as you can't install a new refrigerator without first removing the old one, you can't install a Kingdom mindset without first removing the Religious mindset.

Think about what relationships, careers, and dreams has "fallen" behind this Refrigerator called Religion.  Think about all that you can have and "house" with this new mindset that you couldn't with the old one. 

Mind Rehab is the process of removing negative, self-defeating thought, actions, and emotions, and replacing them with thoughts, actions, and emotions that are positive and true.  It's time to rehab our minds!

"Remembering Dr. Myles Munroe"

It was 1998.  My Senior Year at Scarlet Oaks CDC.  I was preparing for graduation and my career plans that would soon follow.

At the time, I was an avid reader of True Crime books.  Books about the mafia, big time drug lords, and "smart" gangsters like Meyer Lansky.  I read all kinds of books, but this particular genre was my favorite.  I was amazed by the accomplishments, leadership, and structured discipline of organized crime.

On one of my frequent visits to my aunt and uncle's house, who I believe was working for at the time as a co-op before graduation, I was given this book from my aunt called, "Becoming A Leader", by a guy named Myles Munroe.  She spoke very highly of the author, and said he was a great speaker also.

The title peaked my interest, I mean, who doesn't want to to be a leader right?  I ended up reading the entire book in like 3 hours.  I loved the book.  It made a lot of sense and was easy for my, "high school mind" to understand.

I liked the book so much that I had two of my closest friends read it, and gave it to another person to read.  I would never forget this book as years passed on.

Fast forward like 6 years. I had become heavily involved in my church teaching bible studies, leading youth ministries, and serving on the church board.  As I began to study the bible, Christianity, and how it relates to "everyday life", I began to ask the question, "is this it"?  And as I began to research and study things for myself, I discovered a lot of contradictions and inconsistencies between the knowledge I was receiving from the bible, and "church" and Christianity presented as a religion.

I had discovered something. I had discovered The Kingdom.  This began a personal quest.  A quest to "unlearn" the lies, ignorance, and religious mindset that I had been taught for years was "right".

I started seeking out preachers and teachers who knew and taught about The Kingdom of God also.  Then I came across Dr. Myles Munroe, the author of the book I had read years ago, on TBN.  I was captivated.  It was like he confirmed everything that I had discovered in my time of research and studying!

He became my mentor from a far.  I read just about every book of his I could get my hands on.  I watched YouTube videos of his messages for hours, while taking notes intently.

You see, to me, Dr. Myles Munroe was like the Michael Jordan or the Tupac of Spirituality to me.  I learned "God's Big Idea" from him.

Yesterday, when I heard that my mentor, my role model, one of my heroes, had died in a tragic accident, the best way I can describe it is,  I was, and still am, stunned.

But I remember what he taught me: He said, in one of his messages that I was fortunate to hear in person, very bluntly, "people die everyday, go on". Many people have died so that we can live.

So as I am remembering Dr. Munroe and the many things I have learned from him,  I vow to remember him by dying empty and standing on the shoulders of this mighty man of God.

"A Chance To Be A Woman"

Life, when does the fun start?  It's a question that many of us ask ourselves, God, or life itself.

With a mind full of urgent things that you "have" to do, comes a heart full of important things that you "want" to do.  How many of us have a mental cart, bucket, or wish list of things that we want to do but just can't seem to get a chance?

Consider this situation: A young woman graduates from high school and starts college soon after.  She grew up in a single parent home, being raised by her mother.

Freshman year is exciting!  The icebreakers, the parties, the freedom, and the boys!  Ah yes, the boys. She starts seeing a fellow male college student and ends up getting pregnant. Because of the situation, she decides that it is best that she drop to part time classes so she can work and take care of her child.  The boyfriend bails and she is forced to raise a baby on her own.

In less than 1 year, she goes from being a young woman with her whole life ahead of her, to being a single mother, father, and head of her household.  Fast forward a couple of years, and the roles mentioned earlier start to take a toll.  She feels that with all the roles and responsibilities that she has missed her chance.  The critical time period before being a mother, stand-in father, provider, protector and head of household.  The time of discovery where you have the chance to just be a woman.

Now this is not to condone the mothers who leave their kids with whoever so they can go to the club every weekend.  

But everyone needs a break.  Whether it's a day or an hour where you can put your roles and your armor down and just be and do "you".

I encourage women to make smart life decisions and no matter what season of life you are in, take a chance, a chance to be a woman.