Carmille Akande

Enemies, haters, or whatever you want to call them: we all have them!  However, the question I raise today is: how do we deal with them?  Our natural instinct is to fight back.  We want to lash out and make our enemies suffer for any hurt or pain they've caused us.  We want revenge!  We want to tell our side of the story.  Or , we want to hurt them as much as they've hurt us.  I hear it in conversations and I see it in Facebook posts.  However, the best evidence is the conversations that takes place in my head.  My mind is flooded with things I want to say or do in retaliation.  Fortunately, I soon remember that I represent Jesus.  I remember...I can't say that.  I can't do that.  Bummer! My mind is then flooded (probably by the Holy Spirit) with scriptures on loving your enenmies.  Jesus tells us, "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you..." Matt. 5:44.  Huh, Jesus?  Lo...

Let’s face it!   We are our own worst enemies.   We constantly beat ourselves up every day for things we’ve done, things we’ve said and the decisions we’ve made.   Oh, how I wish there was a repeat button where we could go back in time and change things.   But, we can’t.   We must learn to live with the choices we’ve made, good and bad.   Everything we have experienced in life is a learning experience.   We must choose to learn from the experience and move on with our lives.   I know it’s hard, but it is essential to good health.                                                             I realize that some things are easier to overcome than others, ...

A few years ago,  I listened to a friend as she voiced the frustration of trying to find a private school for her son.  The only school that she could find was a Catholic school.  She was unsure of exposing him to Catholicism, but she thought he would receive a great education.  However, when her son went to visit, he didn't approve of the school.  What bothered him?  He hated seeing all the crosses.  More importantly, he hated seeing Jesus still on the cross.  He told his mother, "He is NOT still on the cross!  They need to take Jesus OFF the cross."  I thought, "Wow, what passion coming from a teenager!"  I said, "Yes, he's not on the cross.  He was buried and God raised from the dead!  He is seated at the right hand of God!" Well, this past weekend, I found another way of looking at it.  I spent the weekend at a Catholic spiritual retreat center.  The crosses with Jesus, were everywhere!!  However, thi...

I was having dinner with a new friend a couple days ago and she shared with me about a conference she attended.  She told me one of the speakers talked about Mary (sister of Martha and Lazarus) being wounded by Jesus.  This was a hard concept for many to swallow because this was the sister who sat at the feet of Jesus.  She is the one that wasn't "busy", but focused on her relationship with Jesus.  So, how could she be wounded by Jesus?  This concept pierced my heart because truth be told, I've felt wounded by Jesus. Mary had a close relationship with Jesus.  She was considered a good friend and many argue that she was a close disciple of Jesus.  In John 11, Mary's brother Lazarus gets sick, so the sisters send for Jesus.  They need him to heal their brother.  Does Jesus come right away?  No, he tarries for several days.  When he arrives, Lazarus is dead.  It is Martha who runs to meet Jesus and even though sh...

I learned I could lead with my strength or be led by the Spirit. My article on Gifted For Leadership today. http://bit.ly/1hijNiW