Nanny Goat neva cratch him back till him si wall

This proverb means that we should always wait for the perfect timing to do something. Most times that is easier said than done especially when in the meanwhile we go through twitching, itching and major discomforts. Today we ware reminded that there is a Perfect Time for any and everything. That Perfect Time is God’s Time. Too many times we do things and not wait for that Perfect Timing causing massive delays, nervous moments and unnecessary anxieties in all our lives.

If we take notice of the trees, fruits and even animals, they too have their individual times. Take for instance the ackee that we as Jamaicans love so very much. If that is eaten before it naturally and fully opens up, it can be poisonous. Trees too have a time when they bring forth fruit, flowers and or just simply mature. All done in Perfect Timing.

We know that there are many things to be done and we want them to be accomplished soon, especially when it will make life better for us gays and lesbians in Jamaica. But if we don’t wait for the Perfect Time to move towards such things, then years of planning and years of accomplishment would be gone and then lost forever.

We’ve always heard that for everything there is a time and a season, for everything there is a place under the sun. We need to be patient and not do anything to stop our progress. It may seem long but we will get there. Yes, it is hard to be gay or lesbian in Jamaica but we can’t get ahead of our selves and ignore Perfect Time, God’s Time in which to move forward with our ultimate plans of making Jamaica a safer place for the entire gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.

Nanny Goat neva cratch him back till him si wall. Wait, I say on Perfect Time.

Prayer

God, help us to see when it’s your time, Perfect Time. Open our eyes, ears and mind so we may be able to use them to our advantage and in harmony with this Perfect Time. Help us to never to miss out on our opportunities. In Christ name I pray amen!

Let your light so shine before men......

"Ye are the light of the world." (Matthew 5:14)
"Let your light so shine before men, . . ." (Matthew 5:16)

Twenty-two planes from a naval air station were aloft at dusk participating in manoeuvres when the fog swept in unexpectedly. Eight of them raced immediately to landing fields, but the others were caught in a swiftly forming impenetrable blanket. Four planes crashed, one of them bursting into flames, as twelve pilots dived blindly through the fog.
Two hours later only two planes were aloft. Suddenly there went out over the radio this message, "all automobile owners go to the field outside the city. Two fliers are lost in the fog and you are going to help them to land." Soon the roads approaching the field were crowded with cars creeping through the inky blackness, hardly able to see with their feeble lights. As the cars arrived the authorities lined them up with the cars facing inward around the field. More than 2500 completely surrounded the landing strip. The word was passed around, "All lights on!"
The lights on no single car made much impression upon that night and fog, but the lights of 2500 of them lighted the field so brightly that a transport pilot could go aloft and guide the two aviators down to safety.

Oh, let it not in any port be said
By watchful pilots that some light of thine
Failed on a certain stormy night to shine
Beside the harbor head.

Life's seamen, by whatever coast they fare,
Call out to one another passing by;
"Trim, firm the lamps, raise every beacon light.
There are no lights to spare." (Frank Walcott Hutt)

(Streams in the Desert - Vol. 2)

Knowing that tribulation worketh patience

"Knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." (Romans 5:3-5)

What could have been more dismal than the plight of Paul and Silas at Philippi? Thrust into the inner prison, and their feet made fast in the stocks; and what were they doing? They "prayed, and sang praises unto God" (Acts 16:25). They were exercising their holy and their royal priesthood in that prison. When they sang praises they were holy priests; when they said to the terrified jailer, "Do thyself no harm: for we are all here," they were royal priests. It is a charming picture! They are as full of joy as they can be, and they get that jailer converted. There was the wonderful result of their bleeding, wounded backs; this sol was saved. Tribulation will come in various ways, but you must make up your minds to it while here - knowing Romans 5:3-5. (Christian Truth - Vol. 13)

forget not all His benefits

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed." (Psalms 103:2-5)
Whether an atheist denying the existence of God, or a believer overlooking the blessings of God, the contradiction is obvious, even as it is unabashedly ignored. To overlook the good in our lives is to state that there is no one to thank. To grumble is to emphatically declare that there is someone to hold responsible. But which will it be?
The countless hints or kindness that surround us in moments of beauty, glimpses of order, and felt provision are rumors that tell us we are not alone. We are not orphans or nomads roaming the earth. A grateful soul is widened to wonder as it follows the sunbeam up to the sun. It is possible, with practice, to see only the beam of light and not the source that offers it.
Matthew Henry who at an old age was mugged on the street corner wrote in his diary, "Let me be thankful first because I was never robbed before; second, although they took my purse, they did not take my life; third, because although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed."

Luke 11:1

"Mary . . . sat at Jesus' feet, and heard His word." (Luke 10:39)
"Lord, teach us to pray." (Luke 11:1)
God and Father, we Thy children
Would in meekness hear Thy word;
Undistracted, hearts responsive,
As Thy Spirit strikes the chord.
All Thy mind we would be learning,
As the desert path we trace;
Thine we are, and would be leaning,
Ever on Thy boundless grace.

Philippians 3:13

"I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before." (Philippians 3:13)
It has been said that if we look at ourselves, we shall become discouraged; if we look at others, we shall be perplexed; But if we look at Christ, we shall walk in the light of victory.

Forgetting, and remembering! "Forgetting the things which are behind!" Reaching forward to the prize before us! Remembering that in mercy He has buried our sins in the sea of His forgetfulness! "Forget not all His benefits."

(Matthew 24:12)

"And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold."
(Matthew 24:12)

"The love of many shall wax cold," and no wonder when self-love waxeth so hot. It was foretold also by the apostle (2 Timothy 3:1,2), "In the last days . . . men shall be lovers of their own selves"; and what a regiment follows this captain, sin! If once a man makes self the whole of his aim, farewell loving or praying for others: charity cannot dwell in so narrow a house as the self-lovers heart; yea, it is opposed to it: "Love seeketh not her own." (1 Corinthians 13:5)

LGBT Christians must toughen up says Bishop Robinson

The only openly gay bishop in the Anglican Communion has said that people who want to change the church to become more accepting should "expect suffering."
Gene Robinson, the Bishop of New Hampshire, was addressing a congregation at the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Sacramento, California.
"We want to change the world without paying the price for it," he said, according to kcra.com
"Most of what I've learned about our movement I've learned from the African-American civil rights movement in this country.
"And those people went out and paid their dues for civil rights, knowing there's going to be dogs and fire hoses and tear gas and maybe death.
"And so you and I, especially if you are in the LGBT community, you and I need to toughen up. And we need to expect suffering."

On Sunday a group of senior Anglican clergy announced the formation of a breakaway group that rejects the acceptance of gay relationships and the ordination of gay clergy, called the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FOCA).
Since Bishop Robinson's installation, there has been civil war over gay issues among the Anglican Communion.
The breakaway group, backed by 300 of the 800 or so bishops in the Church, intend to snub the Archbishop of Canterbury by not attending the Lambeth Conference later this month.
It claims God’s blessing for same-sex unions is against the biblical teaching on holy matrimony.

"In 2003 this false gospel led to the consecration of a bishop living in a homosexual relationship," the group said in a statement.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the Anglican Church, criticised the formation of the new "global network," and said it was not enough to just dismiss the existing structures of the worldwide Communion.
"If they are not working effectively, the challenge is to renew them rather than to improvise solutions that may seem to be effective for some in the short term but will continue to create more problems than they solve," said Dr Williams.
A spokesman for the Archbishop was more forthright, telling the Daily Telegraph:
"It is ludicrous to say you do not recognise the Archbishop of Canterbury or the see of Canterbury; they are the defining characteristics of Anglicanism. By doing away with the role and the place, these people are becoming a Protestant sect."

Transgender man gives birth to baby girl

Thomas Beatie, who was born a woman but after a combination of surgery and hormones lives as a man, has given birth to a girl at a hospital in Oregon. Mr Beatie's story was first featured on Oprah Winfrey's talk show in April.
Although Mr Beatie, 34, has been legally defined as a man since the age of 24, he kept his female reproductive organs. Through artificial insemination using donor sperm and his own eggs, he gave birth on Sunday.
Speaking to People Magazine, Mr Beatie said: "The only thing different about me is that I can't breast-feed my baby. But a lot of mothers don't." 'This is because he has had his breasts surgically removed.

His wife of five years, Nancy, is unable to conceive and this prompted Mr Beatie to suspend his hormone treatment and resume menstruating two years ago.
"I actually opted not to do anything to my reproductive organs because I wanted to have a child one day. I see pregnancy as a process and it doesn’t define who I am,” Mr Beatie told TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey in April.

In a letter to The Advocate that ran in late March, Beattie wrote, "I am transgender, legally male, and legally married to Nancy. Unlike those in same-sex marriages, domestic partnerships, or civil unions, Nancy and I are afforded the more than 1,100 federal rights of marriage. Sterilization is not a requirement for sex reassignment, so I decided to have chest reconstruction and testosterone therapy but kept my reproductive rights. Wanting to have a biological child is neither a male nor female desire, but a human desire."
He also told The Advocate's readers: "Our situation sparks legal, political, and social unknowns. We have only begun experiencing opposition from people who are upset by our situation. Doctors have discriminated against us, turning us away due to their religious beliefs. Health care professionals have refused to call me by a male pronoun or recognize Nancy as my wife. Receptionists have laughed at us. Friends and family have been unsupportive; most of Nancy’s family doesn’t even know I’m transgender."

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“One one coco full baaskit” (Every little bit adds up. Easy does it; a little at a time)

As we develop spiritually, we often wonder why our wishes and desires are not granted with fuller speed than sometimes is the case. We tend to question the universe and sometimes even think that it is failing us. As members of the lesbian gay bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community we see this in our struggles for the rights that make human existence worthwhile as well as in our journey of self discovery.

Today the proverb above offers us encouragement on this journey leading us to consider the small miracles that have been wrought in our lives – the loved ones who share with us, the friends, the small but hard won gains in rights and freedoms; being alive; being with the man/woman we love; being loved by someone who knows that we belong to the LGBT community; having organizations that lobby on our behalf; having public discussions about LGBT rights; having allies who are fearless in their support; having a safe worship space of our own etc

Today we celebrate the “small” yet significant miracles which when taken together reflects an abundance of God’s abiding love grace and truth. Indeed one one coco does full baaskit”

Prayer of faith:

Father/Mother, thanks for the mercies that you have bestowed upon us your people. We patiently wait on you to work in your good time to fulfill all your promises to us. We celebrate your truth and grace and commit to walk with you one step at a time

Heal me, O LORD

Jeremiah 17:14
Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise. 15Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD? let it come now.Bless all those who read and speak this word of God The Word of God is All Ready Blessed!

Last night in the midst of earthly angels my mother who sat in her living room in Ohio said a prayer on my cell phone that was set on speaker phone and reached all the way to North Carolina Glory be to God. In the prayer of this women of Great Faith spoke words of Healing and of Protection in Jesus Name.

So to you all don't worry about how far you are from your family and friends. Step Out On Faith and pray with me today! O Heavenly Farther we come to you in the name of Jesus. We ask today for healing and Protection!

Contributed

My Spiritual Journey - A Testimony

It was a warm Saturday afternoon when I made that step towards the “Lord” that evening I was so over zealous of my new walk with the lord after growing up in the church for more than 11years this was a move I also made as a means of escaping my sexuality. Oh I was in for a surprise, about 3 weeks of been sexually in-active and been able to not think of any man wow I have over come. Then I hit me my then boyfriend (no pressure) was there and all that feeling that I wanted so badly to go just showed it ugly face, and there I was committing the worst sin ever. Each Saturday morning my boyfriend and I would have sex and I would go to church feeling all dirty, but as not to be look on as a backslider I would quickly prayed for forgiveness and then would go into deep concentration so as to feel the spirit moving all over me. That was for that moment that day and then as the Sabbath end I would be back at my boyfriend’s house and that sin is been committed again.

For more than 19 years I lived in a state of confession condemnation and worthlessness I hated myself very much and prayed fro more than three years about the situation but this thing wouldn’t go away. I prayed for everything else and saw them come through but just this one thing. In 2007 I was told of the gay church and I was taken aback about this whole gay church thing. Each time I was invited there I would say yes but wouldn’t turn up church was all I knew as a child in to my adult life and all these years I was told that been gay was nasty and they made it sounded as if there wasn’t any forgiveness for this sin, it was worse than blasphemy I was doomed. I started questing the God I have come to trust for all these years weather he would make me into some thing that was condemn and why he even bother to allow me to live . Anger took control of me hate was the order of the day.

Low self esteem carried me. Tears were what put me to bed, yet here I was serving a God who knew all things and he knew before I was born what would have happen why did he allow this evil to take over my life. I hated life and became rebellious no one could talk to me in any particular way without me retaliating and one of the ways of me doing this was to just leave home for some un know place as a student in high school dad and I got into an argument and I took the lunch money and headed for Negril some where I didn’t know but there I was in this place for more than 3 days parents not knowing what had happen to me. I was at a work shop put on by the ministry of health and JASL and the Sunday of that workshop would be on f these services. I was no confronted with a decision as to weather to go or to go home. I chose to go the night before the service I prayed and asked the lord to do something. If this is a place of worship let me feel your presence here in this place. That Sunday morning one of the coordinator who was on the verge of migrating called me to say to me that there is a need for a new coordinator for the Ocho Rios chapter and he saw that I would be a perfect candidate for the job. Without second guessing I said yes.

That Sunday I walked into SUNSHINE CATHEDRAL JAMAICA and there for the very first time I was in a church that had all gay people there. That worship service I proved that almighty God was present there and from that day I started searching for the truth and thanks be to the Almighty One, I can boldly say there is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus ……. For God so love the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. This is a promise of God and the word of God states that before God goes back on his word Heaven and earth pass away. That is the new found promise that I have come to and accept as my source of strength. To date I am the Administrative Assistant of the JAMAICA SUNSHINE CATHEDRAL national body.

Contributed by Anthony

No one chooses to be homosexual

Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Dear Editor,

I write in response to a letter written by Lorna Walker in the Observer of June 24. She states that no other animals in the animal kingdom practise homosexuality. That is untrue. There have been documented cases of various mammals, birds and even fish exhibiting this behaviour.
I had chosen to keep out of this debate because I cannot comprehend why Jamaica and conservative America find being homosexual so perverse, but I now want to add my two cents.
It is my belief that no one chooses to be homosexual: because who would really choose to live a life where you can get killed because of the partner you have? Added to that is the fact that homosexuality is not a recent development. It predates Christianity.
Of course, since most people use Leviticus 18, which also predates Christianity, as their justification for the persecution of homosexuals, let me ask this: Shouldn't adulterers be treated in the same way since they are also mentioned in this chapter?
Then, in Leviticus 19, it speaks about liars, thieves, slanderers and cheats, yet they do not receive anything close to the same censure.
Psychologists have often theorised that those who persecute homosexuals do so because they are insecure in their own sexuality, so it makes me wonder if the reason there is so much violence against homosexuals and endless discussion of their rights or lack thereof, is that it is coming from a place of insecurity.
Some proponents have taken to comparing the current situation to that of the civil rights movement. However, I prefer to compare it to Nazi Germany. As with homosexuals, Jews were not easily identified and some could actually "pass" for non-Jews which many did to try to save their lives and those of their families, although some chose to and were allowed to convert to other religions. Not that homosexuals weren't persecuted by the Nazis as well. In fact, Nazi Germany shared many of the same views about homosexuality as conservative America today, but the number persecuted or killed, or both, wasn't as great as with the Jews.
It seems that we're making up for that lack now.But remember Galatians 5:14 (NIV): "For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbour as yourself'."

Debi Scribe

thescribeslair@gmail.com