| "What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts | | | | from my three children, Kyeisha, Richie, and Jonathan, |
| no one can open." (Revelation 3:7b NIV) | | | | so as a mother I am dealing with some issues; but, |
| Closure - Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary defines it | | | | there are times when you have to cut the apron |
| as "an often comforting or satisfying sense of | | | | strings and allow God to be God in their lives, without |
| finality". But when we are saying goodbye or being | | | | interference. There comes a time when you have to |
| forced to "close" (foreclosure) something that we | | | | truly exercise your gift of prayer to see and know |
| have grown fond of, or that we have formed an | | | | that "prayer changes things"! I also had to leave close |
| attachment with; it is neither "satisfying" nor | | | | friends, but the funny thing about moving-you really |
| "comforting". The year 2008, although slated as, "A | | | | can evaluate who your "real" friends are! I would like |
| Year of New Beginnings", has brought about many | | | | to thank my "faithful" friends and family members |
| "closures" in my life, a few I had to be "forced" into | | | | that helped me pack, opened your homes to me, |
| (God shutting the door that no man could open). | | | | and fed me (smile) during this transition. And of |
| After two decades (actually more) in a career track | | | | course, no good things are accomplished without |
| that have brought "joy" and "pain" and "ups" and | | | | opposition, and opposition I have truly faced. |
| "downs", I said goodbye to a career in information | | | | Opposition with my former house in Virginia; |
| technology and "by faith" (and I am out here strictly | | | | opposition in actually getting to Charlotte - I made |
| on faith), I walked into the door of entrepreneurship | | | | three trips back and forth from Virginia to Charlotte |
| and full-time ministry. As a fellow author, Wanda | | | | during the weekend--I even drove the moving truck, |
| Childs (whom I hope to highlight in our "Artist | | | | which was an accomplishment for me; I like small to |
| Spotlight" this year), can testify and so admirably | | | | mid-size cars! I must give special thanks to my son |
| wrote in her book "Pushed into My Purpose", I was | | | | Richie, who endured it all with me. I can truly affirm |
| "definitely "forced" into closure in this area. A few | | | | Philippians 4:13--"I can do all things through Christ who |
| days after producing my play, "A Change is Gonna | | | | strengthens me"! |
| Come", at the Lincoln Theatre, and preparing to | | | | All these events have truly been "God shutting |
| return to work after a week-long vacation, Divine | | | | doors" yet the second part of that equation is when |
| Revelation revealed that my return would be | | | | "God opens doors", no man can shut it. I have a |
| short-lived and indeed it was time to "make a | | | | lovely two-bedroom apartment in Charlotte, with a |
| change". In less than a week, the contract ended and | | | | sunroom. Originally, I applied for a one-bedroom |
| my position was "down sized". Of course, fear was | | | | apartment because I believed that was all I could |
| my first reaction! Fear of failure, fear of poverty, and | | | | afford, which God shut the door to--I was turned |
| fear of losing material things. At that time, I did not | | | | down because of my self-employment status. I was |
| reflect on Matthew 6:33 that states "Seek Ye First | | | | disappointed because it was my first choice; it even |
| the Kingdom of God and All These Things shall be | | | | had a theater room, which I thought I could use to |
| Added..." nor did I see it as God shutting a door so | | | | conduct business. When I went back to Charlotte the |
| that He could open another. After six months into | | | | second time, and was Divinely instructed to apply for |
| my "new beginning", I can truly say that God's Word | | | | the two-bedroom apartment, which I loved more |
| does not lie; I have not missed a beat - Jehovah | | | | than my first choice, the door open. I did not have |
| Jireh has provided! Let me say that His Provision did | | | | to prove anything-no self employment, nothing! I was |
| not come in the way that I imagined, nor has my | | | | even exempt from the $50 application fee. Indeed, |
| transition been easy; I had to make some major | | | | our ways are not His ways, but His Way is the best |
| adjustments--and yes, I had to let go of some things | | | | way! And when He opens doors for you, Oh my |
| that I had formed attachments; but not without | | | | God! |
| replacement. He knows what is best for me! | | | | Some of you may be facing some "closures" in your |
| Another closure actually began in 2008, but came to | | | | life to include: foreclosure, unemployment, divorce, |
| pass in 2009, which I have penned as "My Harvest | | | | even church (I have an article that I wrote entitled, |
| Time!" After 19 years of living in Virginia, (starting in | | | | "church hurt" that I will share in the upcoming |
| Fort Belvoir, to Woodbridge, and finally in | | | | months); whatever the situation; it may not feel like |
| Fredericksburg), I pulled up stakes and moved to | | | | a "good" thing, but it is A "God" Thing! Stand firm in |
| Charlotte, North Carolina; a dream that I have carried | | | | the test and know that you have brothers and |
| for three years or so). The funny thing about this | | | | sisters, like me, who have been through, succeeded, |
| dream is that I had never been to Charlotte--my first | | | | and survived (read Isaiah 43 and Psalm 91 for |
| visit was October 2008, and as of January 3, 2009, I | | | | comfort). If He did it for us; He can do the same |
| am now living the dream. No dream comes without | | | | thing for you--He is no respect of persons! Behold I |
| sacrifice; this is the first time that I have lived this far | | | | set before you an "open door"! |