ChaNGe iS gOOd......EveNtuALLy!

How many times have you heard those three words? They're probably voiced by someone who isn't currently enduring a fresh hell like you are. Even millennials say "I don't like change." I wonder what those that have successfully endured the trials of life think about this cliche. Will they attest to the idea that change is good? Hmm, I wonder.

As I type these words on my keyboard, I am going through a change that has completely rocked my entire world. It's hard for me to look at you and tell you that it's good. It doesn't feel good. It doesn't help me produce good thoughts. And it doesn't sound, smell, or taste good. And still, in some weird dichotomous mix, it could actually be good for me. And thus, the struggle comes in. The struggle is indeed real. I am enduring a trial.

Almost everything inside of me screams "Quit", "Give up", and "Run, Forrest, Run!" The isolation is unbearable. The loneliness is unthinkable. The people that are closest to you, in some attempt to give you space, or just to avoid catching what you have, tend to leave you to your own thoughts and devices. They leave you alone. One thing I learned from the last 21 years is that being in isolation makes you an easy target for your enemies. 

If you ever watched an episode of "Wild Kingdom", the lion, who is dubbed the King of the jungle, is arguably the jungle's apex predator. He's fast, cunning, determined, and rarely backs down from a fight. What he wants, he normally gets. The lion will maul his way through difficult challenges to achieve his primary goal: his next meal. Even this terrorizing and imposing wildlife figure understands timing and opportunity. He will lie in wait in a nearby bush and will watch an entire herd of buffalo moving through the plain. And true to form, there will always be a smaller or weaker buffalo languishing behind the rest of the herd or perhaps hobbled in some way that makes them appear vulnerable. The King of the Jungle leans forward, sets himself, and pounces on his unsuspecting prey. The same pattern. The same result. Every single time.

Your adversaries don't work any different. Your being in isolation just makes the kill that much easier.

I asked the question in one of my previous pieces "Going Through Something" how do you go through something standing still and never changing or evolving or growing? Repeating the same useless patterns and expecting all the other factors to change but we don't is ridiculous and unrealistic. But we do that, don't we? It's near miraculous to get in a torrential downpour and not get a little wet. In everything we go through in life, we are affected. The questions are how much and if we grow while in the process.  

What do you do when everything in your world is going topsy-turvy? What do you reach for? How do you implement an adjustment? From my own limited experience, God is the only source that does not change based on circumstance.

Hebrews 13:8 says "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." 

Short passage but so profound. In the midst of life's storms, it's wise to hold onto a stable source that does not change or is not influenced by people's opinions and can't be bought off for power and status.

Are you GOING THROUGH or have you stopped to take lay down and never got back up?

I feel like I've been through a series of consecutive gut-punches but I can't stay where I am. The changes you go through are designed to make you strong, not to destroy you.

"Because he knows the road on which I travel, when he had tested me, I'll come out like gold." (Job 23:10 ISV)

Fire burns but it also refines.

• Even if they lie about you....
• Even if they discuss you in unfavorable light and mock you among their friends....
• Even if they make it their life's work to destroy you....
• Even if they leave landmines where they know you have to daily walk....
• Even if it seems like you're all alone and no one cares about your pain....
• Even if you just don't feel like you can take anymore and you want to give up....

"...all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28 NKJV in part)

ConVICteD

Good morning, family and friends.

Got a question for you before you start downing your cup of coffee and before your work day becomes the chaotic mess we all have come to love and expect.

What would it take to make you give up on your convictions?

Conviction, according to Dictionary.com, is defined as "A fixed or firm belief, the state of being convinced."

The English major can't help but notice that the word "convict" is neatly placed in the word conviction. Whether it be in the legal sense and in a court of law or public opinion or in personal application, it's all about being convinced. What would make you change your mind? What would make you move from your position?

I had a friend of mines that I knew for several years. We weren't best friends but we worked closely together and spent probably every break together. My friend had a couple pet peeves but was a HUGE advocate against smoking. Not many days went by when I didn't hear a rant about the subject. My friend thought it one of the most disgusting and loathsome habits a person could have. They would readily and routinely avoid anyone who dared have such a habit. My friend met someone and fell in love with them almost instantly. The person my friend met, dated, and fell in love with, was and is an avid smoker. They'll soon be married. Hmm. You see that, right?

I thought this particularly profound for those who hold any moral standard, religious or political belief, or that consider themselves "good" people in a "bad" world. In today's climate, it behooved me to step back and look at the drama and ALL the proponents of it. Even what part we play in it all. It takes a combination of actors, electricians, stage hands, producers, sound techs, directors, writers, and set designers to make a stage production.

In the political world, we are witnessing epic battles where people refuse to budge or let up from their convictions initially but decide based on the right impetus. Religious leaders are lashing out at each other and refusing to be inclusive of others based on a denominational standard. Businesses and corporations have a code of conduct but it's often circumvented depending on certain factors like managerial discretion and fear of turnover or bad morale. Different strokes for different folks the way I see it.

At any time, we could all be victim to our own desires and our circumstances but what will make you move out of position? Change is coming whether we like it or not. The question is will we change with it or will we remain "convicted" on the important issues.

Imagine (if it doesn't totally freak you out) being in the middle of a hurricane that you didn't expect. You are in the middle of a street and this torrent comes down upon you. What is your first instinct? Do you run for cover? Do you just lay down on the ground and wait it out? Or do you reach for something stable that will not move?

I want something stable to hold onto. I don't want to "go with the flow" in this case, because you will be blown away with the "flow". I want to be grounded. I don't want to be like this....

"But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. A person who has doubts shouldn’t expect to receive anything from the Lord. A person who has doubts is thinking about two different things at the same time and can’t make up his mind about anything." (James 1:6-8 GWT)

Or this....

"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." (Ephesians 4:14 KJV)

Think really long and hard about what will make you shift your position. Re-evaluate the position and your place within it. Ensure that is it something you want to do and not something others obligate you to do. Popular opinion may beckon you to join their club or group but at the end of the day, you must live with your decision. Determine beforehand if the stance you choose is worth the price you may be asked to pay because there is indeed a cost.

"For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:36 NIV)

Thanks for reading Mirror Time. Have a great day!

TakE uP YouR CroSS aNd FoLLoW hIM

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?

Matthew 16:24-26 speaks to this better than I can ever hope to in all my eloquence and prose. My whole life was speckled with people who openly professed how much they loved Jesus Christ and how faithfully they served the Lord. They were not just in the churches I attended. They were administrators in my private school. They were teachers and cafeteria workers in my public school. They were the neighbor down the street that frowned upon my horseplay and our friends being loud in front of their brownstone. They were the cashier at my local supermarket. They were everywhere it seems. They said all the right things in front of company. Actually they still do. Their public persona is nearly spotless and not a wrinkle is detected by the untrained eye. But when the only one that is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient looks at his creation in that person, what does He see? Does he sees spots? Does he detect wrinkles? Does he sees something that the outside person cannot?

We're in the midst of a process in our ministry where discipleship is being emphasized in a big way. That should be the normal in today's church but it is sadly at a premium and not at all common nowadays. People don't really want to know what Jesus would do. They just want all the benefits that go with being associated with him but not make the necessary sacrifices. Romans 12:1-2 does an excellent job of speaking to this as Paul asks his brothers and friends, "I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

1. Be a living sacrifice. That terminology might be lost on some of us especially since the word "sacrifice" has been cast in a negative light in cinematic and literary circles. It is defined as "an act of slaughtering an animal or person or surrendering a possession as an offering to God or to a divine or supernatural figure."

That doesn't sound good and I understand that but in the terms and context the scriptural passage is detailing, it is meant "an official offering prescribed by God that is acceptable because it is offered on His terms."

That implies there are many kinds of sacrifices that are offered to God but not all of them are acceptable? Why? Because they are not given on His terms or they don't meet His specific standards. The sacrifice must be living and it must be holy, or without spot or blemish -- it must be our best and it must be for lack of a better word, sacrificial. Essentially, it needs to cost us something. If a man has a thousand dollars and he gives a homeless man a penny, it didn't truly cost him. If a man has a million dollars and he donates five, it didn't truly cost him. If a man gives away his only automobile to someone who has none, he has given something that costs him. If a woman pawns her most precious and valuable piece of jewelry in order to help a friend with a heavy medical cost, she has given something that costs her greatly.

We have to daily and willingly lay ourselves on the altar and allow the Lord to do His work, no matter how painful, uncomfortable, and inconvenient. The dead sacrifices don't get a choice. The live ones give glory to God because they have decided to choose God. That's how you worship God.


2. Take up your cross. This is not a pleasant visual for anyone that understood the Roman tradition of crucifixion in earlier Biblical times. The understanding was that if someone was taking their cross, they were taking it to their eventual death. It was, in effect, a one way trip. They would not return. What does it sound like Jesus is asking us to do? It could appear He is asking us to pick up our proverbial crosses and die with Him. Maybe some of you are hearing that we should follow His example in every facet of our lives. Perhaps a few of you are understanding this to mean that we should be executing that aspect of our selves that is carnal, fleshly, and in stark opposition to God. Maybe you have gathered that all three are appropriate determinations to come to.

I am going through one of the fiercest trials I have ever been through. That is a clear indicator for me that there is something even greater at the end of it but I still have to go through. I can't go around. I can't circumvent or slide under. I have to go through and I fully intend to. For me, in the light of all that God has done in my life and the mercy he has shown this crazy Brooklyn kid, standing and following His example is the least I can do. I hope today you will do the same.

Thanks for reading Mirror Time and for subscribing with us. We appreciate you.

LaboR iN vAIn

Sure, the New Year is the preferred time to evaluate your life. This blog isn't called "Mirror Time" because I enjoy gazing at myself in the mirror. It's because, in my humble view, those kind of evaluations are few and far between.

Like I said previously, last year and perhaps even this year, "we misjudged people. We put our own wants above those that we say we loved. We were selfish. We were vindictive. We pointed fingers. We joined figurative lynch mobs and condemned people on social media. We made decisions without regard for its impact on others. We showed contempt and disrespect for authority. We lied to others and we lied to ourselves. We have compromised our beliefs and our faith." 

The level of profanity and hypocrisy that comes out of our mouths or is typed into the comment section of an inflammatory or polarizing news piece is epic and I can only wonder what how much we are trolling people or do we really buy into the vitriol that we spew out.

But everyone is not focusing on being the next big troll. Many people are hard working, morally conscious, humane, and wise enough to know that finger pointing only delays the inevitable need for accountability and personal responsibility. I am sure you imagined what the world would look like if these two nuggets were trending. Hmm. 

So I speak today to those of you that want more out of this life than you are currently seeing. I don't mean a better car or a better house or anything like that. I am referring to wanting to fully exercise the fullness of the purpose inside of you. I am talking about living this life out loud and squeezing out every ounce of potential, purpose, and vision that is in you. When the time comes, you leave this world behind with no regrets, knowing that you gave all of you and did your best. Hmmph. Maybe nobody else thinks like that but you. Perhaps you are in a vast minority that think generationally and not just in the present moment. Could be that words like legacy and inheritance are not important to your circle of friends.

If that is you, I wanted to give you one thought to ponder. 

Ingenuity. Guts. Heart. Grind. Determination. Work. Genius. Innovation. Consistency. All words that symbolize the standard for the hard working person. They, however, are not guarantees for the kind of success that matters. 

In this life, there is a lesson that has prevailed. I'm not saying it is widely known or adhered to. I am just saying the lesson is still being taught daily. If you don't build a house with a strong foundation, adding it to only helps to hasten a momentous fall. It's not theory. It's going to happen. 

I bought a new home for my wife that was built hastily to say the least. There were many shortcuts taken but the house survived three storms during our time living there and structurally it proved itself to be sound. That limited some of the stress that we were dealing with but it was a great reminder. The winds and waves and storms came crashing down on the house but it stood. Because it had a strong foundation. I used practical examples to make an analogy here so even if you don't know about building a foundation naturally, hopefully, you'll get the point theoretically. 

What kind of foundation are you building? (home, career, work, church)

Did you pick a location that had good "soil conditions"? (If there are any foreign elements in your soil that conflict with what you are trying to develop)

Did you survey the land to make sure there was enough room for what you intended to build there? (Taking care to evaluate your whole life, your time, and counting the cost before you start any building process)

Did you have deep enough trenches before pouring the concrete? (If you have enough of a relationship with your Heavenly Father that will stand the test of time as you build your faith)

Did you allow the concrete adequate time to dry before you begin to add to or build upon it? (Were you open to waiting and trusting God or did you hurry forward in haste to achieve your own goal and not the best plan of action?)

Did you properly seal the walls so no moisture can get in? (Did you provide adequate protection so that dangerous elements can't penetrate your building and erode it?)

Were the "builders" that you allowed into your life qualified and professional and were careful with all the details? (The people that you trust to join you and help you achieve your goals)

You don't have to know how to build a house to understand that you probably don't want to work hard for years and have nothing to show for it. Who walks around with a bag full of money knowing that there are holes in the bag? No one ever. If there is no other takeaway in this, please remember that you can work hard for years and do all you think is best, but without the guidance of the "master builder", our work won't be of true value. I was in the same place until I decided to trust the Lord with the whole process. This blog site is full of articles that highlight just how that looked if you're interested in reading them. 

Work smart, not hard. Who better to trust with the framework of your life than the one who fashioned you and molded you in the first place? Just a little something to think about.

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. (Psalms 127:1 ESV)

HappY NeW yOU

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Thank you very much for your support of Mirror Time with Mista Yu and we really appreciate your subscribing with us. That means you don't mind opening up your emails and seeing a new blog piece from us. That speaks volumes and I wanted to say thank you. Please keep sharing us with your friends and family. THANK YOU for being a big reason why Mirror Time is growing and reaching into the lives and hearts of more people than ever before.

Only a few days into the brand new year, we had ourselves an unprecedented winter storm event. Unprecedented because it rarely ever happens in the Holy City but it certainly did and in a big way. More than 7 inches of snow, ice, hail, sleet, and more than 1,000 accidents on the roads and highways locally. In a place like Charleston, because this kind of event is...well, an event and not the normal for January, it rocks the city to its foundations and causes a ripple effect of change that shakes up everything. Where I'm from, you just put some rock salt down and you keep going, you keep working but here it's different. 

Most people revel in the fact that they don't have to go to work and still get paid for it. Many are just glad they don't have to go to school that day. Some would just like to catch up on sleep. This massive amount of snow brought the entire city to a grinding halt. We were not prepared for it and we didn't have the know-how to handle it. We are just in the midst of an epic event. For me, this event brought my life to a grinding halt too. Just in a different way.

These kind of "events" don't announce themselves. They don't come with much warning. They just happen. As much havoc and chaos as this storm has caused this city and the lives that were affected by this tragedy, this storm made me totally stop and reflect. I couldn't drive anywhere. I didn't make many phone calls. I didn't scour social media much. No distractions from work or business. Just me and my thoughts. For some throughout the U.S., this is normal and happens every winter like clockwork but for some, this was life-changing.

Going into the new year is often met with resolutions and big, bold proclamations. How many people really took the time to evaluate where they are in this life and where they really want to be? These "events" happen in life periodically but most times they are misread. We don't look at what we should be looking at. We just look at the external factors that seem to speak louder. But, in that, we tend to miss the little things. We need to look in the mirror!

How do you want to start this year? The way you start it is likely to be a factor in how it ends. Last year, we probably made huge mistakes. We misjudged people. We put our own wants above those that we say we loved. We were selfish. We were vindictive. We pointed fingers. We joined figurative lynch mobs and condemned people on social media. We made decisions without regard for its impact on others. We showed contempt and disrespect for authority. We lied to others and we lied to ourselves. We have compromised our beliefs and our faith. But here we are. Going into a brand new year. Hoping for a restart in 2018. Or just hoping to forget 2017.


Allow me to encourage you. Going into the new year ignoring what is the "elephant in the room" of your life is only going to make this year an extension of the one you want to leave behind so desperately. Face that mammoth beast. Look into the eyes of that elephant. Resist the temptation to make the same mistakes and react the same way. Take that step towards better. These life "events" have a peculiar ability of exposing what's wrong or deficient in our lives. These events have a way of revealing us. Now the question is do we want to see what is revealed.

You never know when you'll face another "event" in life. Take advantage of the opportunity to reflect.   Who knows? It could change everything. Eventually, the snow or ice will melt and the seasons will change but the consequences of our decisions are much harder to get rid of. Choose well. Live better. Have a prosperous and blessed New Year.