“Hi there. I am glad you found me. I’m not as easy to find as I used to be. I know the Guinean Forests aren’t an easy place to get around. Trust me, I know. Living in trees when the trees disappear because of deforestation is hard. Luckily, my family and I are in a protected area now but I worry too much damage has been done. Did you know at one time we were considered extinct? Then someone found a few of us that remained and here we are.”
“What’s that? You like my fur. Thank you, but unfortunately so did many humans. That is another reason why we are almost extinct. People hunt us for our unique red belly and white front legs. I am hoping we can make a come back and be removed off the endangered species list.”
“Oh my dear, don’t cry. I feel more sorry for the female humans than I do for us. We are animals, but you are humans. I have seen some bad things from up in my tree. Things I would never want done to any of my species. I have also seen hope and grace.”
“I have seen young girls sell themselves to make money. I have seen women kidnapped and forced to marry men they don’t know. I have seen children born into the most terrible situations. I have seen many women crying and at the edge of desperation. They don’t know what I know but I am going to tell you. It’s something that has been told for thousands of years but not all are allowed to hear it.”
“How did I hear of this great news? One day I was foraging for fruit and this woman saw me. She said hello and I said hello back. She said her name was Missy and she was from this place called The United States. I told her my name is Adewemimo, which means the crown washed me clean. Missy said that was a beautiful name and started to tell me about this man named Jesus.”
“I wasn’t for sure I wanted to know since it was about a man and the only thing I knew about man was no good. They nearly killed all my kind and I have seen how they treat human women as possessions but I listened anyway.”
“This man wasn’t like any man I had known. Missy told me how compassionate and loving this man was. How much he loved me and everyone, especially you. She told me how gentle he was and how he died for us. His death covered our sins, washed them white as snow. ”
“Hey, I told her that’s like my name. The crown washed me clean. I really liked that.”
“I asked her why she was here in Nigeria. She told me about this place her and her husband, John, started called Grace Gardens.”
At Grace Gardens the women are taught about God’s love and how valued they are. They are taught that they are not worthless and that they are loved so much by God. They are taught how God sent his son Jesus to die for us. That he forgives us for all our mistakes and sins and that they are not their past. They are treasured and are the daughter of the King.
(image credit David Bowman)
“I was mesmerized. I wanted to know more about this man. He was not like any other man I had known. Missy would visit me often and tell me more. When she wasn’t with me I would go to Grace Gardens and check it out myself. I was amazed at the difference in these women’s lives. The women I saw not too long ago in despair were now smiling and laughing. They were learning how to read and write and were being taught vocational skills. They were given advice and prayed for.”
“Unfortunately, not all women stay. Some leave because they do not think they can overcome the way they live. They can’t comprehend how much Jesus loves them.”
“Their situation, like mine and many other animals like us that are endangered , can be changed. Mine can be changed if people stop hunting us and see the value we have to the environment. If they give us a chance to live, we can rebound our population.”
“The women’s lives can be changed If they can learn about Jesus and believe in Jesus and his love for them and that they are a daughter of the King. If they give Jesus a chance and welcome him into their hearts they can see how valuable they are.”
“They can not do that if there are not people like Missy and John and their children that share the love of Jesus with these women. Missionaries are needed around the world. They need your help.”
“Will you help me spread the word about these women who are in need of God’s love? There are women like this all over the world, not just here in Nigeria. Will you help donate to Grace Gardens so they can purchase a bigger safe house for women to stay. The need is great and they want to accept everyone that comes to them.”
“Thank you for visiting me. Thank you for helping and remember God loves you.”
Three new musician followers this week. Think I have been stuck on three a week for awhile now. Three is better than zero right?. 🙂 Take a listen, might find someone new that you really like their music. Please feel free to share/purchase the song I wrote the lyrics to, Lily Messer is the voice and Ceylon Wise is the producer. I have many more songs I would like to get out there but can not financially afford to record them. If interested in teaming up together, feel free to contact me.
Light It Up by David Ray –
Pack That Bag by Carissa Leigh –
Wait For Me by J.R. Byrd –
Thanks for all the follows, musicians and non-musicians.
Some other music from non-followers I have listened to recently. Pick out a few you haven’t heard and take a listen. If I like the entire cd, or 90% is good, and I would recommend purchasing it or checking out more songs on your own.
Cd’s I recommend:
The Summer Set – Stories For Monday
Michael Franti – Soul Rocker
V Rose – Young Dangerous Heart
Foy Vance – The Wild Swan
Dan & Shay – Obsessed
Urban Rescue – Wild Heart
There is a lot on here today. I’ve listened to about 2200 new songs in last eight weeks. It used to be about 1000 in eight weeks but lots of cd’s are coming out so… If you only knew how many, about 90% of what I listen to, doesn’t get added here.
From The Ground Up by Dan & Shay –
Hold On To Me by Placebo –
Good To Be Alive Today by Michael Franti –
A Guy With A Girl by Blake Shelton –
Hang On To The Night by Tegan & Sara –
I Can’t Wait To Stay by Craig Morgan –
Heaven Can’t Take It by Ziggy Marley –
Hemingway by Jussie Smollett –
Here I Am by Asking Alexandria –
The Hired Band by The Strumbellas –
His Name by Urban Rescue –
Hope by Mudcrutch –
How Not To by Dan & Shay –
Hum For Your Buzz by The Kills –
I Could Use A Love Song by Maren Morris –
I’ve Got To Use My Imagination by The Rides –
I Will Be There by Eric Clapton –
I’m Good by Tim Bowman Jr. –
I’m Not Laughing by Lacey Sturm –
Missin You by The Summer Set –
Judge by Da Truth –
Keep The Family Close by Drake –
Keep Your Head Up by Chicago Mass Choir –
Kindly Calm Me Down by Meghan Trainor –
Leaving The Monsters Behind by The Jayhawks –
Love In Her Eyes by Jeff Healey –
Love Like That by Mayer Hawthorne –
Love Shaped Heart by V. Rose –
Mary Jane Kelly by The Volbeat –
and our song:
I Question You by Lily Messer –
On Itunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-question-you-single/id1018588943
I wanted to post something on fitness. It has been awhile since I did so. There are a lot of people who get frustrated with their journey because of the scale. “I worked out hard last week and only lost two pounds” or “I watched what I ate but I gained weight.”
Here is my life in 24 hours. I didn’t log my bathroom visits, didn’t want to give too much information. I did drink about 150 ounces of water and 16 ounces of milk so let’s say I lost in the bathroom what I drank during the day.
Here is what I would like everyone to take from this. Do not pay attention to the numbers on the scale. As you will see they vary greatly through out the day. Yes, you can weigh yourself each morning at the same time but more like once a week is enough. Listen to your body. How do you feel? Are your clothes looser or tighter? Muscle weighs more than fat so you can be healthier and your clothes looser and you feel better even though the scale doesn’t show you lost any weight.
I did find it interesting that eating, or drinking, a healthy shake, a decent lunch and good dinner verse eating cookies and milk that the weight gains were comparable. I don’t know about you but I would rather eat a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs and gain 1.2 lbs verse eating three cookies and a glass of milk for the same weight gain of 1.2 lbs.
Morning weigh in at 0700.
Drank 8 oz of water, do this every morning to get your body re-hydrated. Weigh in at 0715.
Ran 4.5 miles at 0800. Notice the immediate weight loss. I did not sweat 2.6 pounds off in 4.5 miles. Benefits of exercise.
After shower at 0840. Notice I either lost another .4 pounds in dirt I had on me -not, or the benefits of exercise are still showing. After you exercise, your metabolism and all that is still going, hours after you are done.
0850 -After morning shake. Arbonne vanilla protein with added chia seeds, Arbonne Greens Balance, and Arbonne Fiber Boost and Digestion Plus, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, 2 ounces of oatmeal, a squirt of honey
1000, after meeting at church for Temple Fit. Exciting news for the children.
1200, before lunch. Keep in mind I have been drinking water all morning.
After lunch at 1215. 1.2 lbs of spaghetti and meatballs with water to drink.
1245 before going Putt-Putting.
1500 (3 pm) after playing putt-putt. Just walking around for almost two hours and lost 1.6 lbs. Also drank 16 oz of water during this time. Benefits of exercise and just moving around instead of sitting on couch.
1700 ( 5 Pm) after mowing the yard. Drinking water also. Lost more weight from being active.
1840 ( 640 Pm) Before dinner. Drank lots of water.
1900 (7 Pm) After dinner and 8 ounces of milk
2115 ( 915 Pm) Before 3 cookies and 8 ounce cup of milk. Notice still lost weight from previous weigh in. Body still burning calories from being active.
2120 ( 920 Pm) after cookies and milk. Notice after just 3 cookies and a glass of milk I gained 1.2 lbs. With dinner of a half plate of salad and 1/2 plate of cheesy chicken bake and the same 8 oz glass of milk I gained 1.8 lbs. Now, what would you rather eat ?
2200 ( 10 Pm) Did a quick circuit, 20 push ups, 20 sit ups, 20 jumping jacks, 20 mountain climbers, 20 lunges to get rid of the cookies I just ate. Lost .6 lbs . Exercise, movement. It changes the body.
The next morning after 8 hours sleep. 1.6 lbs lighter than yesterday morning. I was active all day yesterday and ate well, minus the cookies – which I did to prove a point- and decent proportions. Benefits show up.
Now if you are constantly weighing yourself you can see how you can go crazy. Your weight will vary throughout the day, or even from day to day depending on what you eat and drink and how active you are. A good goal is to lose 2-3 lbs per week and stay consistent.
Be active and watch what you eat and quit stressing over the number on the scale.
Some people do not believe in God or miracles because they can not see them. Their eyes are not open to see all the miracles that happen around them every day. They look for the big miracles, the wow, did you just see that. They do not see the little miracles, how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly, the blooming of a flower, or even the miracle of you. How you woke up and can breathe. This is a story of one man whose eyes are closed.
I just wanted to share some snippets of my life. Things that have happened that I can’t explain. Some people will ask me how I could not believe in God after what has happened to me. I say I would, if I could only see a miracle.
I was seven at the time. It was the largest tree in the neighborhood so, naturally, I was drawn to it. I was a climber. I climbed without fear. I climbed until the branches could barely hold my weight. That is, until I climbed too far and the last branch didn’t. I fell. I knew I was going to die. Right before I hit the ground I could feel a swoosh of air around me and the next thing I knew I was standing on the ground. I stood there for a minute, not sure of what just happened. All I knew was I was standing without a scratch on me when I should’ve been laying on the ground seriously hurt, if not dead. How did I do that?
When I was twenty, I was driving in my car and was hit by a big truck. The entire front end was separated from the back end. It was bad. Here is the crazy thing, I wasn’t hurt, not a scratch. I don’t know how it happened and it still has me scratching my head to this day. You see, I ended up in the back seat, with the seat belt on. I don’t know how I managed to get out of the front seat, place myself in the back seat and put my seat belt on all in less than a second. The funny thing is the seat belt in the drivers seat was still attached, like I was sitting in it. How did I do that?
Many years later my wife and I were expecting our first child. She was born four months prematurely and had a heart that wasn’t fully developed. The doctors told us she wouldn’t live more than a few days. We were devastated. My wife was a prayer warrior, but I wasn’t. I didn’t believe in God. I didn’t mind my wife praying if that’s what got her through the day but it wasn’t for me. There was a nurse that seemed to be there all day and all night. Every time we would go to NICU she would be there. She was also always with our daughter. One day would turn into two into four into eight. Our daughter made it through those eight days and is now a strong, beautiful, smart, young twenty year old woman. I remember asking the hospital staff about the nurse that was always there and no one knew who I was talking about. Crazy isn’t it? One of the nurses even said maybe she was our daughter’s guardian angel. I guess if you believe in that sort of thing, but I don’t.
My wife became ill two years ago. She was diagnosed with a disease I won’t even try to pronounce, let alone spell. A disease there was no cure for. The doctors gave her two- four months to live. How could this be? She was perfectly healthy one day and the next we are being told she would be gone in four months. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My wife prayed. I pulled my hair out. To be honest maybe I did say a tiny prayer to a God I didn’t believe in but….
While my wife was in the hospital guess who I saw ? You are correct. The same nurse that was in NICU that no one knew who she was. I would see her walking up and down the hall ways day and night. I would go get something to eat and my wife would tell me about the nurse who came in and made her feel at peace. Once again, no one knew who I was talking about. How could I see this nurse during these times yet no one on staff knows who she is?
Wouldn’t you know it, my wife came home two months after her diagnosis. Completely cured of her incurable disease. I said it must have been a misdiagnosis. The doctors called it a miracle.
My daughter visits often and talks about this lady she sees from time to time. Like the time she was looking at her cell phone and almost stepped in front of a bus. That was until a lady grabbed her arm and pulled her back. My daughter had my wife’s faith and said maybe it was her guardian angel. I laughed. She knew I didn’t believe in those kind of things.
It was a little uncanny however when my daughter described this lady and it was an exact match to the nurse I saw in the NICU and in my wife’s hospital room.
Sometimes I wish I believed like my wife and daughter do. This world is just too much of a mess for me to believe in God.
Maybe I could believe in God if I could just see Him do a miracle.
I ran today. Without pain. I don’t remember the last time I ran without pain. It was a lot easier to run, let me tell you that. I didn’t even realize I had no pain until I was finished and was like hhmm, that was fast and felt good. Then I got to thinking, did I have pain yesterday? I don’t think I did.
I had ran with pain for so long that I had gotten used to it. It was just an every day part of my life. A pain and irritating but it didn’t stop me from running. Well, it did stop me from running like I used to but I could still run.
Which brings me to my topic for today. Running with sin. How many of us are so used to sinning that we don’t even think about it anymore. It has just become a part of our lives. Lying, cheating, addiction, idol worship, spending more than we make, etc… We don’t even think it is wrong anymore, it’s just become a part of who we are.
We limp around everyday with the sin on our back. It doesn’t stop us from living. Not only sin but let’s talk about shame, guilt, fear, pride, etc.. The monkey is on our back but we just keep on going. Sometimes we add on to it until the weight becomes so much we can longer carry it. Then we break.
The smart thing for me to do when I am injured is to slow down. Take a few days off. Rest my injury so I can get back to a pain free run. However, I usually don’t heed that advice and keep going until it heals, which takes longer, or it hurts more, or I just get to the point I ignore it.
When I run with sin what should I do? Stop doing it. Pray to God to help me. I know it’s wrong but some things will take more than me knowing it for me to stop. I need to break the addiction. I need someone to hold me accountable. Maybe it’s a best friend or my pastor or someone I will trust to be honest with me. Confess my sins and know that I am forgiven. Fight another day. Let the guilt, shame, pride, fear go. Give it all up.
I don’t want to run with sin. I want to run with God and there is only one way I know how to do that. Give it all to Him. Work on it every single day. Before I know it, I will wake up one day and truly be free. I will be able to live my life without all the junk and pain I added to it.
How about you? Are you tired of running with sin? Want to be able to live free?
Three new musician followers this week. Think I have been stuck on three a week for awhile now. Come on people, I’m allowed to have more than three a week. 🙂 Take a listen, might find someone new that you really like their music. Please feel free to share/purchase the song I wrote the lyrics to, Lily Messer is the voice and Ceylon Wise is the producer. I have many more songs I would like to get out there but can not financially afford to record them. If interested in teaming up together, feel free to contact me.
Thanks for all the follows, musicians and non-musicians.
Gotta Have You by Risa Bender –
Feel Good Feeling by Ryan Daniel –
Ordinary by The Further (Barrington Mole) –
Some other music from non-followers I have listened to recently. Pick out a few you haven’t heard and take a listen. In trying not to put way too songs on here I am going to start putting 1 or 2 per band max and just tell you the entire cd, or 90%, is good and I would recommend purchasing it or checking out more songs on your own. I may add more artists and their new cd’s as I listen to more songs from them. Not all the way through all of them yet.
Cd’s I recommend:
Listen by Tim Bowman Jr
Black by Dierks Bentley
If I’m Honest by Blake Shelton
Honest by Maren Morris
Life Screams by Lacey Sturm
All This For A Piece of Fruit by Dogs of Peace –
Better by Meghan Trainor –
Break Free by Cilver –
Bottom To The Top by V. Rose –
Bottle You Up by Zendaya –
Burden by Foy Vance –
Already Ready by Dan & Shay –
Battleship Chains by Volbeat –
Beautiful World by Mudcrutch –
Catching Fire by Tremonti –
Different For Girls by Dierks Bentley –
Figure Me Out by The Summer Set –
Chasing The Sky by Jussie Smollett –
Circles by Pierce The Veil –
Color Purple by Da Truth –
Drunk Girls Don’t Cry by Maren Morris –
Drunk In Heels by Jennifer Nettles –
Every Time I Hear That Song by Blake Shelton –
Everybody Needs Love by Tim Bowman Jr. –
Faith by Lacey Sturm –
Fling Wide! Fling Wide! by Urban Rescue –
Free Now by Sleeping With Sirens –
Freedom by Beyonce –
Get Myself To Saturday by Michael Franti –
and our song:
I Question You by Lily Messer –
On Itunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-question-you-single/id1018588943
My God, My Music, My Life 