It is always darkest before the dawn

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And it is in our dark days that we see the light more brilliantly. We saw good but have been so tainted with our own stuff we did not recognize it. And the truth is, we have a hope in Jesus, but we have so much other stuff we don’t really need him. So in this drought, Lord, take all the things that hinder us from seeing you.

One of the things that the Lord has taught me during the last eight years is that He is just.  He always rights a situation in His own time, and baby when He RIGHTS it, there is no doubt He did it.

Over the last couple of months, I have been praying for my enemies and watching what God is doing in their lives. He has done some mighty work and I have seen it. People who set out to destroy me are trying to put the pieces of their lives back together. God protects His people.

God warned me months ago that Donald Trump would be president. I thought He was just playing. I mean “Really God, him?” But sometimes in order to heal a wound that isn’t healing correctly, you have to cut it open. He has cut open our festering hypocrisy for the world to see.  You see we talk about freedom and equal rights to the rest of the world, but we don’t practice it. Sometimes humiliation has to come before humility.

Over the last 10 years I have come up against some of the most hateful, mean people who felt they were entitled to treat people anyway they wanted. I often pray Lord, don’t let me work with mean people. But it is kinda like trying to find a righteous man in Soddom and Gomorrah. There just ain’t none. We are a country full of self centered hateful people and before the Lord can use us, He has to change us from the inside out. Donald Trump will be our catalyst.

For weeks He has been giving me this prayer, and I keep pushing it back. Lord I don’t want to say that. (I know how Elijah felt sometimes.) Forgive me, Lord. I have been disobedient in not saying what You wanted me to say, when You wanted me to say it.

Lord, dry up your grace, wealth, resources and protection from a government that terrorizes your people and encourages others to do the same. Like you did with Ahab and Jezebel, let those leaders feel the void of not having  access to You and all you give as they set out to harm Your sheep. Reveal them for what they really are. Like You dried out the land of Israel in Elijah’s time, dry out the United States in these times.

Protect Your people, separate the goats and sheep, devour the wolves at the gate.

Change us, Lord from the inside out because it is only once you deal with hate that we can get on with the mission of loving each other, which is your second greatest commandment.

Like He told Elijah in 1 Kings 17, God has told me there is going to be a drought in the land. He is going to dry up all of assets that have become the idols of the hateful. I know many people who say their foundation is Jesus. They are about to find out if that is true because He is about to be all they have.

Dry up all the jobs of the hateful and entitled so they can experience what no healthcare and income feel like. Make them totally dependent on the charity of others because it will change their hearts when they see it is only grace that keeps them and not their skills and talent and hard work. When they see small children in Africa and Asia saving pennies to feed the starving Americans maybe it will change their hearts.

For all of the people who have set their hearts in destroying health care for those in need of it, let them find themselves in need of it. Let their health care not work. Allow worms to eat their insides while they are still alive causing them much pain and difficulty. Let this affluent group find no medicine or cure for this ailment only a long life with pain and suffering. With each moment allow them to see the folks they allowed to die because they didn’t want to help.

For those destroying families and pulling them apart, let their own families be pulled apart and have no peace. Let there be constant churn  and strife in their dwellings and on display for the world to see. For those aborting and abusing children, stop their reproductive systems and put children in charge of them.

For those who take what the poor has to fill their own, let their wealth melt like wax. Let nothing they try cause them any gain until they are desolate on the streets. For all those who champion these type of people, let them lose everything of value they own and join them on the streets.

We have too much stuff and won’t even share with each other, and God knows only if He takes it away will He save some lives. When you are truly dependent on one another, you find out what you really believe.

And Lord, don’t allow people You chose to lead us to abuse and kill your people without any recompense.  Let them be like Egypt’s Pharaoh and lead his followers to a watery destruction. Or more like Jezebel, let dogs eat the rotting flesh of those who take evil action against God’s people.

I pray this drought lasts as long as You allow, Lord. I know you will get the glory when hearts are changed. Amen.

For What You Have Sacrificed

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We thank you Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. You were not able to attend your kids soccer games or school programs. You were not able to see their wedding day or birth of their first children. You were not able to see the election of African American senators, congressmen and even the first African American President. But you marched on and we thank you.

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You showed us how to love when we were treated poorly. When they put the dogs on us, beat us brutally and even took us to jail. You taught us it was an opportunity to love.  Like the Apostle Paul, you even wrote us a letter from jail encouraging us during the fight.

You were not able to work for major corporations making high dollar salaries. You were not able to attend major universities seated next to children of senators and congressmen. You did not get to experience the wealth for which you fought. But you marched on and we thank you.

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You showed us that during times of adversity is when we need to take the high road. You taught us faith was depending on God and not on man. You taught us that we need to keep up the fight even though we might not see the results. You lived that example for us.

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You have left a powerful legacy. Thank you for the sacrifice. We don’t deserve it. Thank you for the example. We don’t deserve it. BUT we are going to do the same for the next generation and build on the example you have left. I pray that Lord will allow the stars in the heaven to shine brighter because of the work He has done through you.

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What’s Your End Game?

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I saw this tree all day, but it wasn’t until the end of the day that I actually looked at it. Then I saw the one leaf hanging on for dear life. It is funny how you can see something all day and not really see it. How you can work at a job for many years and wonder what the heck you are doing there? How many of you are hanging on to something that is not for you?  Like this leaf, you think you are going to make this work.

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Many of you are in places you were not supposed to be. Maybe God had you there for a little while and you got comfortable and stayed.  You figure the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t. But it is slowly killing you, physically, mentally and spiritually.  You have lost hope because you have your hope in the wrong things, like a job, a child, a marriage, location, a president.

The Creator of the universe created you for something special. When He called you into being, He specially designed you with a purpose and a plan.  He knew He could bring something beautiful out of darkness.

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And like the sun that sets everyday, He has a purpose and plan for you. It is time for you to start operating in your purpose.  I remember seeing this sunset and thinking wow. I need a picture of it, but sun was setting faster than I could get my camera ready.  If you don’t start operating in the purpose He has for you, you are going to miss those amazing moments God has planned for your life.  It is possible to miss the blessing.

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But it is never to late to catch a glimpse of His glory as long as you are on this side (in the land of the living). It is not as spectacular as the original blessing, but still worth it.  In 2017, ask God what is your end game? What are you working towards? What were you created to do?

 

 

 

Happy New Year

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Welcome to 2017. It is going to be a great year. We are starting the new year with a new look.  We will incorporate some new stuff into some of our old which will make for a fun year. You can keep up with us here or on Facebook.

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Who Is This Crazy Lady

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and why should you listen to anything she says?

I am first, a child of the Most High God. I have many roles in this life, but very few of them define me like being a Jesus follower.  I love Jesus. He gifted me with salvation. He has given me many other talents and a life full of adventure. He has created in me the ability to tell stories through several mediums: film, books and photography.

I have stood at the feet of the Great Emancipator in the District of Columbia, stood at the edge of the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama and touched the Gates of Time in Oklahoma City, OK. Those are just a few of the places, I have stopped at. Not only has He given me adventure, but a heart for the people I encounter along the way.

I am also a mom, sister, travel companion, coworker, friend, annoying person who always reminds you of what God’s Word says on a subject. I cherish all of the roles (especially the latter.)

In 2016, many of you have gotten to know me by some of those roles and I would like to thank you. It has been a year full of photography, books and film. I appreciate your support.

I want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Karen

UPP Creative Media

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Christmas Moments

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Life is full of great moments and I had one today. Some friends and I were talking about buying Christmas presents for our children and how overwhelming it could be.  Then T said “Remember when all you really wanted for Christmas was a bike?”

“Yes!”

Remember when everyone in the neighborhood had to have a bike.  And if you didn’t have one, you were riding on the back or sitting on the handlebar.  I remember getting my bike for Christmas. (and the hell of having my father try to teach me to ride it.)

But I learned and rode with my friends who had bikes. We would ride fast with the wind in our hair. We would pretend to be bus drivers or race car drivers.  There was a hill where I lived so it was always a challenge to get down the hill and still be upright on your bike.

And then T said “Then everyone wanted roller-skates.”

And so did we. This was before helmets, knees pads and etc. I remember my sister and I in our bright new white skates with the cousins skated to the store. When we was almost at the store, this big dog jumped out barking.  Baby we was like those Fred Flintstones feet. (Running as fast as we can but going nowhere.) (Although my sister did fall on broken glass and hurt herself) But we made it through.

T reminded us of the Walkman and that Boombox with a record button. You could put your cassette tape in and record yourself singing. Beautiful memories.4

My pastor said we should give our kids memories, not more stuff.  He was right.  I have great memories, as jacked up as some of them are. I wouldn’t trade them.  Go make memories.