1 My calling
2 Peter 1:10 |Therefore, my brothers and
sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do
these things, you will never stumble, …
My calling was to teach and preach…and this
is how I got it. Not through email or a memo or a conference call or a tweet
and back in that year, no FaceBook. Oh, no. Here is where I revert to my love
of stories—specifically stories about old friends. One such friend is the great
Richard B. Haynes, Senior Pastor of Salem Missionary Baptist Church, in Lilburn,
Georgia. Richard and I have a Godfather in common—Rev. W.L. Whelchel. We met up
at Rev. Whelchel’s church one Sunday about a dozen or so years ago. Richard was
the featured speaker. When came time for the altar call, Richard said something
about people staying on their knees only long enough to talk to god, never
thinking to say long enough to see what God was saying.
That night, I remembered Richard’s words
after I finished my prayer. I got right back on my knees. Instantly came the
thought: “preach and teach my word”. Lord-ee! Me? Preach? Really? Wow. Okay,
then what do I do next, I asked? Study, came the response. Where, asked I? Go
to ITC. So after a year or so of planning, I went, directly to The ITC.
Although there, and having a great learning
experience as a full-time student, I steadily resisted the calling I had accepted.
My constant refrain was, “I ain’t no preacher.” I was deeply disappointed in
and distressed by the state of ‘the
church’. I, of course, constantly blamed the preachers for it all. I saw how
many people were ill, spiritually, physically, emotionally and financially. All
this, while the preachers kept on whooping and a-hollering from the pulpit. My
distress continued and grew…every time I mentioned my work in health and wellness,
the preacher in the crowd told me one of two thing: first, the obvious, God
gone take care of us all and then, of all things, ‘ain’t no sick people in my
congregation.’ Well, all I could do was hush.
Early on at The ITC, I had the good fortune
of meeting a man named Keith Wilks. We became fast friends and talked a lot.
Eventually, one of those times when I was making my ‘I ain’t no preacher’
speeches, Brother Wilks said as softly and clearly as he could, “Yes you are a
preacher, too, Sandra; you preach every time you open your mouth.” Again, I
hushed.
These pages will tell you something of what I
did, learned, thought while I was there. Enjoy!
I know that there is a new world coming and it will be here
before we know it. I believe this new world will require new ways of being. I
believe that what many consider the second coming will be just a new age: an
age of love, one person to the other; an age of hope, where all may prosper; an
age of oneness, away from division and separation. I know it is my job to help
usher in this new age.
I
sometimes feel like I have read and studied every book written on alternative
health maintenance since the turn of the century. According to Les Brown, if a
person reads one book a month on the same topic, at the end of the year, that
person is considered an expert. That makes me an expert on alternative health!
I
won’t refer you to a meal plan because my meals are mainly just some food on a
plate when it’s time to eat. I figure the best time to eat is when you get hungry
and the time to stop is when you get full. I don't and have never counted
calories or fat grams or measured portions or coordinated food colors, and … I
never will. So much work takes too much of the fun out of the meal.
Furthermore, I have no [useful] information on vitamins, minerals, supplements,
protein powders or things of that nature.
Arise, and Walk! now available at
12:38 PM
