How Would You Introduce Jesus?

Reading Sista Laurel's post "<a href="http://www.sistasinzion.com/2011/07/first-fish-fry.html">The First Fish Fry</a>" made me think of this video. Comedian Steve Harvey, was invited to provide some comic relief a few years ago at MegaFest (A Christian conference.) At the end of his comedy routine he bears his testimony and thanks God and his Savior for all of his success. He says that throughout his career he has been blessed to have had the opportunity to introduce some of the biggest names in show business, and then tells how, if given the chance, he would introduce Jesus.<br /><br /><iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ix3MHV_RfeM?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />This has changed the way I look at testimony meeting. What about ya'll Brothas and Sistas? If given the chance to introduce Jesus, how would you introduce him? <a href="http://newsroom.lds.org/article/fast-sunday">Fast and Testimony</a> meeting is fast approaching will you be introducing him this month or next?<br /><br />God Is Love,<br />Sista Beehive

How Would You Introduce Jesus?

Reading Sista Laurel's post " The First Fish Fry " made me think of this video. Comedian Steve Harvey, was invited to provide ...

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The First Fish Fry

<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAzKju-tl-5ULwMyV6KdBvtAs8m359pwnP4tZkHmu8wwHwQ111RWljLkH7RQhwAbq09bnbmEEpeUpX9UeqxB56pLzZv_lUCX3sfYjkRXCdijEA4YAUBbkcz9ytzuazEe9kHyGFoZ-V8A/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAzKju-tl-5ULwMyV6KdBvtAs8m359pwnP4tZkHmu8wwHwQ111RWljLkH7RQhwAbq09bnbmEEpeUpX9UeqxB56pLzZv_lUCX3sfYjkRXCdijEA4YAUBbkcz9ytzuazEe9kHyGFoZ-V8A/s320/2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: black;">When I was younger we often attended our Sunday services at the <a href="http://www.lds.org/">LDS</a> church and then went to church with my Granny, who was a member of a Baptist church. Although it made for a very long Sunday, I enjoyed attending church with my Granny. Even though she was not <a href="http://www.mormon.org/">Mormon</a>, Granny was always at our church because she attended whenever we asked her to. If there was a <a href="http://lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,4695-1,00.html">Primary</a> program she was there, if there was a baptism she was there, ward activity there, pretty much if we sneezed and we wanted her at church with us, she was there.</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: black;">Of course Granny loved us, but I think much of her willingness to attend church with us was because my parents allowed her grandchildren to attend church with her also. My Granny is no longer with us and I cannot express how grateful I am for those extra long Sundays, they are precious memories that I cherish, memories centered on Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: black;">There were special Sundays at Granny's church where they had a dinner after the service. A fish fry! (A cookout or other meal at which fried fish is the main course.)</span> On those Sundays we could clap our hands, stomp our feet, praise the Lord, and then get something to eat! On that Sunday you had better get there early if you wanted a seat, the Lord had a packed house that day. I would look around the chapel at all the people stuffed in the pews and think, "I hope the church ladies cooked enough, because I sure am hungry."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: black;">The choir was always good at Granny's church, but on fish fry Sunday, they were exceptional. The Preacher was of course a little long winded. He probably figured he needed to hit the Lord's message home for those in the congregation that wouldn't be coming back until next year's fish fry. As soon as the preacher said Amen, everyone would make a mad dash for outside. I would stand there in line with my plate thinking "Oh, I hope I make it up there before all of Granny's greens are gone."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: black;">When I finally reached the table, spread with a variety of wonderful foods, a church lady named something like Miss Mildred would take my plate and begin to serve me. Then I would have to tell her, "Miss Mildred, could I have the greens from that pot over there?" And she'd say, "They're all the same, greens are greens." And of course she knew that was lie, because we all knew about the pot of greens from the really nice church lady who couldn't cook, but always wanted to provide something. They kept it in the kitchen and everyone prayed that we didn't run out of greens and have to bring her pot out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: black;">"Please," I'd say, "My Granny made the ones in that pot." She'd act like she was miffed about it, but then she'd give me a scoop of them. "Just a little more please, Miss Mildred," I'd say, after I saw how tiny the scoop was. "Look here, we've got a lot of people to serve," she'd tell me. Then somebody would pass by, maybe the Preacher, and he'd say, "Come on now Sister Mildred, if <a href="http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=e9ea0f9856c20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=e36d5f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD">Jesus could feed 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish</a>, then I'm sure we'll be all right...give the baby a little more greens." Then Miss Mildred would smile at the Preacher, and give me a good size helping. After the Preacher had left she would look at me and say, "Alright now, you got plenty of greens, I better not see you up here asking for seconds."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: black;">I'd take my plateful of food to the table my family was sitting at, and look around. Everyone was happy and smiling and everyone was fed, all those people and everyone got a plate. Then I would wonder if that was what it was like when Jesus feed the 5000. Maybe Jesus looked around and everyone was happy and smiling and well fed. As I would take a bite of that delicious, golden, crispy fish, and it melted in my mouth, I'd imagine that as good as this fish tasted, Jesus' must of been even more divine. Boy, I would have loved to have been at Jesus' fish fry!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: black;">Now that My Granny's gone, I don't see many fish fry Sundays, but I'm still well fed. You see, when you feast on the Savior's word, you are always full. Everyone can partake; there is plenty to go around at the Lord's table. It was an absolute miracle when Jesus fed 5000 with just 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, and if we let him, he can feed us all too, the entire world. That's billions of people, oh what a fish fry that would be!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: black;">Peace and blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: black;">Sista Laurel</span></div>

The First Fish Fry

When I was younger we often attended our Sunday services at the LDS church and then went to church with my Granny, who was a member of a Ba...

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A Different Kind of Saint

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtABfnTysTYgEtct74boFzAqNVgdZRXq-y8zXh-wSBo5OddaxtPT4OfEnFugL71VFf0rVNZEiOdXqVhZEmQV24fqo2jOfjTrh_14J6nXYL256jFzTXFsw5dztL_myhbr2O6I8lRnSCTcI/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtABfnTysTYgEtct74boFzAqNVgdZRXq-y8zXh-wSBo5OddaxtPT4OfEnFugL71VFf0rVNZEiOdXqVhZEmQV24fqo2jOfjTrh_14J6nXYL256jFzTXFsw5dztL_myhbr2O6I8lRnSCTcI/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a>Being a convert to the <a href="http://www.lds.org/">LDS</a> faith, I am very blessed to have had the opportunity to develop a love for His word. While I have a firm testimony in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I really enjoy going back to my family church, the Pentecostal church, to listen to the preachers and to allow the music to fill my soul and testify to my spirit. I love gospel music and one of my favorite artists is Ms. <a href="http://cecewinans.com/"><span style="color: purple;">CeCe Winans</span></a>. One of her songs <em>"Alabaster Box"</em> is a story that I think many of us can relate to:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><em>"The room grew still</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>As she made her way to Jesus</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>She stumbles through the tears that made her blind</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>She felt such pain</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Some spoke in anger</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Heard folks whisper</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>There's no place here for her kind</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Still on she came</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Through the shame that flushed her face</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Until at last, she knelt before his feet</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>And though she spoke no words</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Everything she said was heard</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>As she poured her love for the Master</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>From her box of alabaster"</em></div><br />As a teenager I was given a beautiful cross necklace by one of my relatives. I had no idea that wearing it to the LDS church would create such a frenzy. The reaction that I received from other members especially the adults was very hurtful, and if I didn't have a steadfast testimony in the Gospel, I might have left the church. I couldn't understand why they continued to tell me "We don't wear crosses." Who was "we?" And why don't "we" wear crosses? Umm, when I got baptized that wasn't one of the things that the missionaries said we couldn't do.<br /><br />For those members who have a long family history in the Church, who come from what some members like to call “Pioneer stock” it must be difficult to deal with converts that march to the beat of their own drum. Yet, still manage to stay in rhythm with the rest of the saints. Does it really matter if some people take the Sacrament with their left hand?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><em>"And I've come to pour </em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em></em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>My praise on Him</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Like oil from Mary's alabaster box</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Don't be angry if I wash his feet with my tears</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>And I dry them with my hair</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>You weren't there the night He found me</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>You did not feel what I felt</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>When he wrapped his love all around me and</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>You don't know the cost of the oil</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>In my alabaster box"</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />We all at some point find ourselves searching for His image in our countenance. A few years ago, I was wandering through a store in an area with a predominantly white demographic, and noticed a picture of Jesus Christ. It was an image of Jesus portrayed as a black man. I grabbed the picture and found myself in the longest line ever. Being short on time I put the picture back with the intention of returning for it when I had more time. </div><br />When I returned I found that all of the copies of that particular image were gone. I inquired as to how I could order a copy of the image only to have the sales clerk disappear to the back room and return with a copy. I inquired about why the picture was in the back and was told that the image of Christ was offensive to some of the customers so they were told to pull it.<br /><br />It doesn’t shock me that white people tend to gravitate toward images of Christ that favor them, just as people of color may gravitate to the images of Him that look the most like them. We all want to feel that we were indeed created in His image.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><em>"I can't forget the way life used to be </em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>I was a prisoner to the sin that had me bound</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>And I spent my days </em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Poured my life without measure</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Into a little treasure box</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>I'd thought I'd found</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Until the day when Jesus came to me</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>And healed my soul</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>With the wonder of His touch</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>So now I'm giving back to Him</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>All the praise He's worthy of</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>I've been forgiven </em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>And that's why</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>I love Him so much"</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The message is: My relationship with the Savior is personal. The way I choose to worship and show gratitude for what the Savior has done for me may be different than what you were taught, but that doesn't place less value on me in the eyes of my Savior, does it? I'm really grateful that as a youth I was taught in a church that encouraged and pushed me to figure out for myself the type of relationship that I wanted to have with God, Jesus Christ and my earthly brothas and sistas. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm happy for the example of the <a href="http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Following_the_Brethren">Brethren</a> and the way they LOVE people. All people. They seem to embrace the people and the cultures they come in contact with. I've even witnessed them singing and clapping along while they listen to a gospel song, Negro spiritual, or giving an Amen, and I often wonder...what is it that they know that the rest of us don't. </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><em>"You don't know the cost of the oil in my Alabaster Box"</em></div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kfVwIARBZW8?rel=0" title="YouTube video player" width="425"></iframe><br /><br />Your Sista in the Gospel,<br />Sista Beehive

A Different Kind of Saint

Being a convert to the LDS faith, I am very blessed to have had the opportunity to develop a love for His word. While I have a firm testimo...

Read more »