Boyz2MenMinistry

Moving on in 2011

2011-01-08T11:47:00.000-06:00

Well 2010 is over and it's a new year and new season. In the fall, we only had 2 dedicated young men and there interested in this program. At times I feel like I didn't do enough, but I know that God is going to work this out. On a personal note, I have been promoted doing more things at work such as IT things and getting certified with Microsoft. So that leads me to wonder who much time I will actually have. Again, God is the of my strength and timekeeper of all. I am praying that he gives me the encourage to keep this ministry going and the men to help me with it. It feels like I'm doing this on my own but I know with God, all things are possible. With 2011, I looking forward to new things and pushing to the limit. There is no more hearing, i'm going to do this from people. Either you are on the boat or you are off the boat. I believe that when God wants things done, he wants us to do it now. Don't procrastinate, do it now. So that is my theme for 2011, do it now. Again the push is on and I will be writing my 60 keys to a Godly man very quickly in the next few weeks before I start my IT training. But I will still be involved as always. In the next few months I will be unveiling 3 websites that I have worked on to publicize ministries from people. Be sure to check them out and stay tuned. I will also begin my new site as well which is scheduled to be released on March. it will be a google sites web site until preacher gets enough money for a domain. Until then, please stay tuned to the blog. I continue to post as much as I can. If there are any followers out there, so for not posting in the last few months. I expect to be posting much more in the coming days and weeks. I will, do it now. Be blessed.

What a Fall 2010

2010-11-19T18:14:00.005-06:00

I can't believe that the end of 2010 is so near! We only have a few session left and it was one heck of a ride. Our numbers were low but we were mighty in spirit. We set our expectations high, however, the results was moderate. Yes we did reach our goals to reach young men, however, it wasn't the effort that I expected. One youth told me last night that we have talked about doing things with the young men and we have never done them. All talk, no action. I felt, totally bad about this. I (we) want to do things with out youth, however, it is difficult for me and particular with my own children. The men that attend our sessions are also family men and have other responsibilities. I can't make them do anything that they do not want to do because I fall in the same category myself. God will have to make a way. I find myself wondering what happened and what we did different from the spring to the fall. After our last session on December 2nd, we pray that we renew our dedication and minds to this program. That God will give us the time and the strength that we need to reach the youth of our community. Lord knows that something needs to be done in the city of Columbia.

I see it every day and particular on facebook a lot. I was reading an article posted by the Tribune about what you are going to do for Thanksgiving Break. Most of the responses were go out of town, spend time with family, etc. Well some child posted, that he was going to shoot everyone and rob people on Black Friday. And this was a young man. Please keep the young men in our community in prayer. Hey may have posted these type of things as a joke, however, in the end, this was hurtful to many who are scared to post what is on their minds.

I will also begin to write more what is on my heart as God allows. I have been spending a lot of time thinking, praying and meditating on what the future holds for me. At this point, I do not know, but I must "be ready". The Rev. is no different than anyone else out there. I have problems, just like the next person, I just have my own way of dealing with them. But with God's help, like all of you and the boy who screamed obscenities on Facebook, we will get through.

Be Blessed until next time.

College Prep and career Planning

2010-10-13T09:41:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to type a quick spiel on what is going on with us right now. We are still in our study, with out 60 keys. However, it seems like our discussions are geared toward career planning and academic. If there any volunteers that would like to join our discussions about how to take the ACT-SAT prep etc. Drop me a line.

Learn, Listen and Focus: Part 1

2010-09-27T19:34:00.002-05:00

I will try to make the blog entries as simple as possible. I know and understand that when someone sees lots of paragraphs, words and lines it’s not appealing to the eye and makes you lose interest. So I will try to be brief yet straight to the point, definitely easy enough for a child to understand. In particular, young men.

The first section in our studies comes from the subject matter of Study, Obey and Teach God’s word. I see that in today’s society, we try to teach the word yet; we do not study or obey it. Step one is to open up the word, and read it. This is hard for a young man because of the “thou, shall”, “thy”, “doest” and etc. There are many different versions available to everyone such as the message Bible by Eugene Peterson who also has the Message remix, etc. Not only that there are bibles to suit particular needs, African-American Men’s Bible, Women’s Bibles, Hispanic Bibles, etc. In this day in time, especially with the internet, there are no excuses. I found it awesome that when we stand to read the word that I see many people using their Iphone as I use my Blackberry sometimes! All are available; it just takes the discipline to pick up the word. Remember, don’t just pick it up read and study it.

Ezra was a great example of a Man of intense study. He was a scribe in the Law of Moses in the Old Testament and was extremely well versed with words, ready for any conversation. Ezra was very important reviving how the law was read and interpreted. In order for Ezra to do this he has to Study the word. As with anything, from your classes in school to those who with jobs, we need to study. Take words that we think we know and look them up in dictionaries and Thesaurus. For example as I am writing this, I looked up the word study in the dictionary and I saw that it means:
o Learn about or investigate something
o Look at and consider something
How can I write/teach about how to study the word or what it means to study if I don’t know what study means! Ezra took this thought a step further. Not only did he study but he also taught and promoted the word. The book of Malachi enhances this:
o Now that prophecy was about to cease it was time to promote scripture knowledge, pursuant to the counsel of God by the last of the prophets
(Mal 4:4)
Ezra collected and collated all the copies of the law he could find out, published and accurate edition of it, with all the prophetical books, historical, and practical, that were given by divine inspiration

As Ezra, God has asked us to be diligent in our studies with him and understand his word. We must gain knowledge from the scriptures in order for us to be happy in life. Studying the word is a continuing process from Genesis to Revelation.
1 Th. 4:11
And that ye study to be quiet, and to your business, and to work with your own as hands, as we commanded you
2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be as ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Young men (and mature too) we need to understand that when we have a problem we need to go to the word of God. When crisis comes and we are well read in the word a scripture comes to mind, at least in my experience. There are times when I face issues and problems, immediately a scripture comes to mind because God has placed it there. I know it’s hard but we need to make it a habit to read the word daily. It’s just like lifting weights, if you continue to do it, it will become a habit. With each day, you will get better and better. It will be difficult from the start because you will feel like you can’t understand the concepts. That’s when you get a bible study group together, join online chat or call a friend who may be “seasoned” than you are. Even though, I am minster, there are things that I don’t understand and seek other resources. First you should always seek God for wisdom and knowledge. Second, ask someone else and talk about it. This blog is also dedicated to understanding the word and having discussions about the word can apply to your life. That is the vision that God has given to me. I have seen different young men who try to apply by the word but then they don’t study the word. When I was a teen, I would study the word diligently, but I didn’t apply. Today we have to do both. It’s a hard task but we can do all things through Christ.

new things, new stuff

2010-09-26T21:29:00.003-05:00

Well I hope this finds those who read this well. I don't have any followers but maybe someone will someday!!! It's all good. I just wanted to let folks know that I will be posting our Boyz to Men studies on line. We (I) will be the study called 60 keys to the Godly Man. If you want a copy let me know and I will take care of you now problem! I do have last weeks insert done so that will be added by Monday. Then I will keep adding things as we go. If you want to chat or video chat, let me know also. We can work that out s schedule allows. I just want everyone to absorb this word as God has given to me. As I continue to study, I will post up dates for events that I am involved in. Until then, I pray every has a good week. I know for last week, it was rough. As a matter fact I almost quit my job. That's another story. But until then....I'll catch everyone on the web later.

Appreciation

2010-07-20T12:29:00.001-05:00

(This is a little old, Ramah has now gone on to be the Lord. I wanted to post this and get this out to the world on how I felt)

Everyday I am getting a new appreciation for life. I’ve seen people come and seen people go, mainly because of health reasons. For the last 3 months I have watched my grandmother go through her battle with stage 2 breast cancer. This isn’t the 1st time this has hit my family; mom had it twice with stage 2 and stage 3 and she is still here today. Mom is a fighter and true woman of faith. But something that has really bothered me about cancer is that a very close friend of mine has stage 4 cancer. She was diagnosed at the same time as grandma was so I have been going on a parallel path with their family and my own. Grandma has been winning her battle, a tough one, but she is winning. My friend Ramah has not. Ramah has had a lump the size of a baseball for the last 7 years and refused to go to the doctor. I have been in contact with her husband as much as I can and visiting them and their kids who are taking it very hard. Ramah does not have medical care because she has been in fear of her immigration status. She has slowly become weaker and the cancer has seemingly moved into her bones. She has been home for the last 3 weeks under hospice care and they have given up hope. She is too weak to talk and it seems that the end is near.

The point of writing this is not to scare anyone but to really encourage. Cancer is something that can be beat with early detection. Studies have also been proven that cancer is a genetic disease which puts me at my kids at high risk. Cancer is now officially confirmed in every generation of my family on both sides. This is really pushing me to live a healthier life and to actually go to the doctor, no matter how much the cost. After seeing Ramah, all I could do is call the people that I care about and tell them I love them. Don’t wait until you get on your death bed 7 years after the fact. We have to live for the moment now that God has given us. If you have aches, pains or lumps that you just can’t get rid of, go to the doctor and seek help. If you are medication, keep taking them consistently.

Dear God...

2010-06-27T22:02:00.001-05:00

I wrote this on my facebook page tonight and I wanted to share this with everyone who may not have it...It's how I feel and maybe this will help someone else out there.

Dear God, I know that we keep talking everyday and you have brought me a mighty long way. For 33 years, you have kept me and have kept me from danger. You have taught me the benefits of doing right and the downfalls of doing wrong. But the key to this is that you have never left me or forsake me. THANK YOU! You are always there when no one else is. When I sit alone at my house, I sometimes cry because I have no one talk to and no one calls. I don't feel very loved at all, especially by people on earth at times. Yeah, I'm not perfect but geez, right? i've always had dirty looks given to me. People talked about my weight, crybaby, yeah, the whole thing. Well, it's always good to know that you are there, always. When I go in my prayer closet, you are listening to me. That's all I care about. And truly, that's all that people on earth should care about.

You have been there with my family through the good and bad, with my sisters and brothers, with mom and yeah even dad when I felt like he was nothing to me. I thank you for being God and I thank you for being my true friend. The one that I can talk to you with unlimited minutes on the line. I wish that people on earth would learn to be more like you and talk to each other. Could you imagine how this world would be be. There would be peace, no more wars and love abounding. I just had to open up my facebook and tell the world how much I love you. I try hard to do thngs that are pleasing to you to make you happy. To give me a head nod or pat on the back. But things are hard for us on earth now. Lots of temptation and the devil is attacking us at every agle. I know that you are my rock and salvation. a healer and provider. I pray for those right now who need you and those you don't have a relationship with you as I do. FB, God is the almighty and Jesus is his son who died for you and me. Get to know him before it's too late. And when you get to know him talk to him and you will know like I do that he is and will always be your closest friend. I love you God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Without you, there would be no me. And I will keep pressing on...and on...and on.

The comforting Promise...

2010-06-25T12:08:00.001-05:00

God, thank You for Your comforting promise that You will never leave nor forsake me. In times like today, I need that assurance. You are my Rock and my Salvation. I trust You, even when I feel like I cannot trust anyone else. I look up to You, because I know You will always be there for me, even if the whole world forsakes me. Thank You, so much, for Your love and dependability. You are awesome! With love and appreciation in my heart, amen.

Love me....

2010-03-15T11:46:00.000-05:00

God, please build your nature in me, so that I will love other people the way you want me to. Prepare me so that I respond in righteousness when attacks come from those who would mistreat me or act under an unholy power. Help me to be a vessel of honor to you and a light in the darkness. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for protecting me. Thank you for being you.

Provided by Ephesians 4 Ministries

How Busy are you...

2010-03-15T11:42:00.004-05:00

Dear God, People are always asking me "How are you?" Most of the time, it is just a greeting. They really don't want to know how I am. I admit that in a rush, I'll pass by someone and greet him or her with a "Hi. How are you doing?" Even though I care, I don't really expect to spend a long time in conversation to get all the details of how that person really is doing. That's sad. Please help me to be willing to sacrifice a little of my time and to take a few moments to offer a sincere and caring response. Maybe I should just say, "Fine...and how can I help you today?" or "Been a little under the weather, but doing great today. May I help you... or May I pray for you..." or whatever you lay upon my heart to say and do. I want to give a more personal touch...to be a blessing to others and show your love in my response. In Jesus' name I thank you.

Provided by Ephesians 4 Ministries

A Prayer I saw on the web today

2010-03-04T11:23:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to share this with everyone today. Rooted and established in Love. It's tough, but we still have to love one another no matter what.

Dear God, I pray that out of your glorious riches, you may strengthen me with power through your Spirit in my inner being, so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith. And I pray that I, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wise and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that I may be filled to the measure of all your fullness. In the name of Jesus I come and trust you, amen. (Based on Eph 3:16-19)

sorry the wait

2010-02-10T22:35:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since I posted. Apologies to all. I hope that you continue to see what we are doing with Boyz 2 Godly men. We have lots plans for the young men of the community and we hope adn pray that you are able to participate and join!

Defining a New Complete Man

2009-10-28T13:54:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we have to endure a struggle in order to move forward. Last week, was my struggle. I did not have a “good” attitude with anything ranging from work, home, and church. Things did not fall into place for me at all, but I continued to move on. I wouldn’t say that I continued to move forward, just move. Moving in a direction that made me relish on what I was doing with my life and understanding my past. My revelation on my past came this Saturday when I went back home to Huntsville. When I need peace and I have to get away, I go home. The saying, “there is no place like home” is a reality to me. I had to get back to basics and find out what was wrong. Of course I had my kids with me and we ate a home cooked meal. Just like home, this is one thing that I truly miss every day. While the kids played with their Grandma, I sat in the rocking chair and fell asleep. So that was one problem that I had, I was officially exhausted. I haven’t been sleeping soundly at home due to having a lot of things on my mind, trying to please others. After I woke up from my 2 hours impromptu nap, I hung around for a while and then headed out to the cemetery. I try to make it a point to have my talk with Grandpa who is not longer with me. It seems like to me that he is the only one that has understood and feels what I am going through. He was and is the only true make role model that I look up to in my life. But he was no longer here, and it’s just me. After we talked I felt relief, however, my daughters we crying too because they missed him as well. I hugged on them and told them that it would be ok and it’s fine to have emotions like that. I reminded them that I would take care of them just as Grandpa took care of me. Then, it hit me. I have to grow up and be a complete man.

What does this mean to be a complete man? I teach boys everyday that being man takes responsibility, desire, and continual prayer. I have been stuck as a boy for the last 32 years of my life and I needed to step up and be a complete man. Being a man means taking care of your children, handling your business and many other things. But being a complete man means that it’s time to fill the shoes of those men that I have gone away to be with God. I can’t blame the world for Grandpa not being around and not having any male role models to talk to, I have to move on. My kids need me and God needs me to make moves that are pleasing to him. I am reminded in the word that when I was child, I spoke as a child and I have done childish things. (1 Chronicles 13:11) Now I am a man, need to be a more complete man, a Godly man. Last week, I was a child that was acting as a man, but now I am striving to become a complete man today.

The time is now to identify what kind of man are you? Are you just a man or are you a complete man? Are you a boy that wants to be just a man or a complete man?

Coming Out of the Cave

2009-10-14T13:49:00.000-05:00

Have you ever felt that you just couldn’t make it anymore? Think about it for a moment. Was there a time in your life when you were sitting at home in your special place? Some call it a prayer closet, others the gym, some in their office. It’s just a quiet place where you just have to just get away from the hustle and bustle of the world. We are out of your comfort zone it seems that everything goes wrong. Trouble comes through the enemy from outside forces. This can be through death from a family member or friend. It can also be through an argument with friends or family. Whatever your situation is that may have caused you to go into hiding I want to inspire someone today through this blog that you don’t have to hide forever. God will make a way out.

I have been reading the Word about David. How he ran away from everyone and those he loved to a cave. David felt that he couldn’t take it anymore. He didn’t want to be king, he felt he betrayed his friends and even more importantly, he feared his life. He was a marked man. But in his worse moments, alone in the cave, David continued to have his conversation with God. God sent him men troubled men: those in distress, debt, and troubled. These men had more problems that David. God showed David that he was the almighty that can turn everything around for his good, not David’s. This group of men grew to 400 in support of David but most importantly, God.

God was in the midst when David was at his worst point in his life. He was there for the 400 troubled men that were even worse off than David. But God will always show up in your best and worst times of your life. Whenever you feel like you can’t take it anymore, read 1 Samuel 22 and discover how God showed up with David in cave. God took David out of the cave and made him a leader of great. You can be a leader if you just believe. Believe in his word and believe that he is God alone. He is the one that can supply all of your needs. You have to continue to have mustard seed faith and you can be a mighty leader!

Being Yourself

2009-09-05T14:15:00.001-05:00

I talk with lots of people, guys in particular about what type of person that they want to be. Some of them talk about they they want to follow in their father's or grandfather's footsteps. Other's want to be a famous football or basketball player. Unfortunately there are those that want to be a drug dealer as they see on TV. Something that struck me on my way out of town this weekend is that we all need to be ourselves. We are designed to be what God wants us to be, not what others thinks what we should be or what we think we should be. We need to realize that we have the final decision in what God we serve and we treat our fellow man. It's is up to us to treat other's as we would want to be treated. So just a brieft thought for today. Don't be something that you're not.

Welcome to the Blog

2009-09-01T22:34:00.001-05:00

Welcome everyone to the new Blog of the Boyz to Men Ministry. With this blog I pray that we utilize the technology that God is given us. To talk to one another not only through face to face conversation but through webcasts, im's, and email. Including in the blog I will post random thoughts and issues that my encourage someone or touch. I invite anyone to reply or post anything that may be on their mind. As men we do not talk enought to each other. Pray that this blog opens the lines of communication.

The Ministry's purpose is to reach young men below the age of 18 and deal with issues that they may be facing such as Drugs, sex, living life with only one parent in the home. The method on how we deal with this issues are through the word of God. We also want to have other men, come to our rap sessions and discuss "male" issues with the Boys. Volunteers are very scarce currently and I pray that more men answer the call. We will begin meeting in September so stay tuned for more information to come.