Pastor Marvin Winans Victim of Carjacking

I was devastated to hear that Pastor Marvin Winans was the latest victim of carjacking and robbery during broad daylight in Detroit on yesterday.  Where have we as a society gone wrong?  When I was a child growing up, I vividly remember how the adults took personal responsibility for rearing and disciplining all the children in the neighborhood.  If you as a child got out of hand, the closest adult who witnessed your maleficent behavior, whether they were related or not, would discipline you and then tell your parents, who after getting over their humiliation and embarrassment, would discipline you even more.  Parents of ole certainly lived out the African Proverb that states "it takes a village to raise a child." 

What I found most disturbing about Pastor Winans horrific ordeal is that based on his own admissions, no one came to his aide while he was being attacked.  Clearly there is a problem within the "village."  The village is now producing villains who have little to no regard for human life.

As I sit here and reflect on the deteriorating condition of our society, I am questioning what, if anything more, can the church do to empower people, especially our youth, to live peaceable and as law abiding citizens.  What can we do to rid our "village" of these vicious acts and restore peace and vitality?

Video of Pastor Winans Discussing Carjacking

Attitude of Gratitude!

There are so many reasons we have to be thankful! So often, we become fixated on what we have not accomplished or paralized by what we have not obtained that we simply omit being grateful.  No matter how bad you currently perceive your life, you can always find a reason to be thankful. As we approach this upcoming holiday season, I encourage you to adopt an attitude of gratitude by finding good in every situation and letting God know how thankful you are for His provisions, promises and plans He has already made for you.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

 Happy Thanksgiving!

How Much Are You Worth?

If someone approached you and asked how much you were worth, would you be able to respond with more than just a generic “a whole lot” as a quick witted response?  According to dictionary.com, self-worth is defined as the sense of one's own value or worth as a person.

People without a high sense of self-worth are more often susceptible of being treated as insignificant or inferior by others and more likely to have lower self-esteem and greater risk of being depressed.  

Self-worth is not evaluated or defined based on how much money you have, your educational attainment, social status, or even your profession, and the list goes on.  These are all external factors with no ability to determine your individual self-worth.

The only factor that determines your self-worth is “YOU.” 

So the question remains, why do some people place such low value on a priceless masterpiece?