Editor-in-Chief
Silence BY SHARON E. LOCKLEAR, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Proverbs 10:19 NIV Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues. Quiet Silence Still
Hushed Mute Peaceful
Reticent Inaudible Taciturn
Noiseless Soundless Speechless
When a lot of talking is done, without thinking, problems often arise. Conversations do not usually start out to be malicious; however, we sometimes say things that should not be said, divulge information that should not be shared. Gossip when we should be silent or refer the person or persons to the discussed person or simply stated: We will not discuss anyone who isn’t present.
no desire to hear about GOD, Jesus or Christianity.
If you have never been the topic of a group of church folk, you are truly Blessed. For those of us who have been the discussion topic and learned – we have a unique sense of pain. We do not expect gossip mongers among our Christian brethren. Unfortunately, it exists and is prevalent in some settings. And it is Wrong.
Loose church lips sink ships and cause emotional pain and suffering. If we cannot help, we should not cause anyone pain and suffering as a result of our words. Sticks and stones may break bones, words are everlasting and sometimes break spirits, infect minds and cause mental and emotional agony.
The church is or should be a safe place, filled with Christian love and acceptance. Sometimes that is the exact opposite, church is not safe, is not filled with love or acceptance and many people have been damaged and have permanently left church. Christians and church people have hurt, traumatized and victimized people, individually and collectively.
I would like for each of us to think about how we want to be treated, how we desire to be regarded by our Christian Family and think about others. Do you want more for yourself than you are giving others? Are you guilty of talking about someone with another or others? If it’s not uplifting, positive or beneficial - BE QUIET. Silence is still acceptable.
Was that the intent, I sincerely hope not. A lot of those people will never come back to church, have
Sharon Locklear
2 | September 2022
As Christians, we have a different standard, a higher standard – we are charged to live in the world and not be of the world. Many are failing to embody and live up to the standard. We are treating our Christian brethren like they are treated by worldly people.
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contents September 2022
02 ON THE COVER 08 12 JUST TO ENCOURAGE YOU IN THE SPOTLIGHT 16 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Silence
LoTarsha Dillard
Dr. Iyanuoluwa Odebode, Ph.D. CEO@Zeitios
24 FOR YOUR HEALTH 28
GOSPEL MUSIC/ARTISTS James Earl Wilson
Finding God’s Comfort in the Midst of Your Journey Through Grief
All rights reserved.Reproduction in whole or in part without the founder/editor’s consent is strictly prohibited. The opinions expressed herein are exclusively those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the positions or views of the editor. The publication of any advertisement in the issue does not constitute an endorsement of the advertiser’s products or services by the publication. © 2022 Ordinary People Magazine VeMaShe’ Enterprise LLC
6 | September 2022
36 CONSIDER THIS 42 SMALL BUSINESS CORNER 48 INSPIRATIONAL WORDS 51 FROM WITHIN... 53
MIRACLES AND BLESSINGS Thank You, Mother Part 3
Last and Final Words
PENDLOVE INC.
Psalms
Verna V. Nickelberry
16 08 28
36 42
48
51
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Consider This
L AST AND FINAL WORDS BY VANDERBILT BRABSON III, AUTHOR
On one particularly hot day in July 2019 a woman, who worked on another staff, came to our office to use our copy machine. Apparently, their machine needed servicing. When she arrived in our office, I was already using our copier and told her I would be done in just a couple more minutes. She smiled and told me she was in no hurry, but while waiting, she decided to share a prayer concern with me and ended it with a heartfelt request that I add her communicated concern to my prayer list, of which I told her I would. According to her, the husband of one of her coworkers had that very week collapsed in their
42 | September 2022
yard while cutting their grass with a push mower. Peering through the window and discovering him lying in the yard next to the mower, his wife immediately rushed out to him. Not only did she find him unconscious, but she was unable to bring him around no matter how hard she tried. In a panic his wife immediately called 911, explained their situation, and EMTs were immediately dispatched to their residence. When the EMTs arrived, they found her husband still lying unconscious in the yard, and just like his wife before, they too were unable to bring him to a state of consciousness. Therefore, they quicky
transported him to the emergency room of the nearest hospital. Following a battery of tests on the still unconscious man, one of the doctors sadly informed his wife that not only did her husband have double pneumonia, but his system was slowly shutting down and was ultimately not expected to survive. The unconscious man’s wife immediately called and informed her supervisor of what was going on, and told him she wouldn’t be back at work until further notice. She requested that he share that information with the rest of their staff, and pleaded
that her manager and coworkers join her in praying that her husband at least awake from his coma because up to this point he was unsaved… and had resisted inviting Jesus Christ into his heart. She also asked her church family, as well as all those close to her and her husband, to be in prayer that her husband awake from his coma… in order that she be given the opportunity to at least appeal to him to become a Christian by inviting Jesus Christ into his heart. She in no way wanted him to face an eternity without first knowing and accepting Jesus as his Savior. ordinarypeoplemagazine | 43
After this lady shared this information with me regarding her coworker, I informed her that I would certainly be in prayer for the couple, and that I would pray specifically that God bring her coworker’s husband out of his coma in order that he be given another opportunity to accept Jesus into his heart. She thanked me, and I turned over the copy machine to her for her use. I subsequently prayed as requested for this couple. It wasn’t very long afterwards that I saw this lady again and inquired of her about an update on the matter. She told me that her coworker had stayed at the hospital at her husband’s bedside around the clock, fearing her husband would awaken from his coma and she not be present to plead with him to accept Jesus Christ as Savior. According to her, to the amazement of the hospital staff—the woman’s husband did actually come out of his coma…and when the medical personnel rushed into his room, they found the man’s wife at his bedside, informing him of how grave his prognosis was and pleading with him to accept Jesus Christ into his heart. His wife begged and explained to him that she did not want him to face an eternity without first knowing Jesus as Savior. According to the coworker, after listening to his wife’s plea, there at his bedside, to accept Jesus Christ into his heart, the man looked up into the teary-eyed face of his wife and sadly said he didn’t want to accept Jesus Christ. And within minutes, he closed his eyes and died. How very tragic! Which is also a reminder that barring the rapture of the Church in our lifetime, each of us who are Christians—meaning having truly accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and therefore having our names recorded in the Book of Life (Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:15)—will one day face physical death, and that will be followed by our appearing before the judgment seat of Christ. However, that will not be the case for those
44 | September 2022
individuals who have died, refusing to accept Jesus Christ as Savior. Scripture declares (Revelation 20:11-15) such individuals will face the second death and therefore stand before the Great White Throne of God’s judgment and ultimately be cast into hell for eternity. Why? Because their names are not found written in the Book of Life. However, for those of us who are Christian and therefore heaven bound, we are truly blessed because we have heard and ultimately embraced the gospel message that Jesus Christ saves all who by faith personally trust in His blood sacrifice at Calvary for the remission of our sins [John 3:1416]. Therefore, the question before each of us as Christians is how can we expect nonbelievers to repent and believe on Christ if we are not actively a part of God’s Great Commission—stepping outside our comfort zone as instruments in the hands of God and sharing this glorious, and truly
liberating gospel message …and not just by our words, but modeled by our very lives… (Romans 10:9-13)? Consider this: China has a population which exceeds 1.4 billion people of which on the average over 30,000 individuals die daily. India has a population which exceeds 1.4 billion people of which on the average over 28,000 individuals die daily. The United States has a population of almost 335 million people of which on the average over 8,000 individuals die daily. For those of us who are Christians, we need to understand that God not only saved you and me, but He also called and empowered you and me to be His witnesses to a lost and dying world—to be actively involved and committed as a part of His Great Commission … Matthew 28:19-20. May God help us to love our families, neighbors, coworkers, friends, and foes… enough to share
the gospel message… planting the gospel seed and watering those gospel seeds already planted, while trusting God, not ourselves, for the increase. As Christians, if we have a greater priority than this…. our priorities are grossly misplaced. God help us to love our families, friends, neighbors, even our foes…enough to want to see them saved… as we daily pray to God… here am I, Lord, send me!!!! “Though the Bible was written over sixteen centuries by at least forty authors, it has one central theme—salvation through faith in Christ.” Max Lucado Max Lucado (born January 11, 1955) is a bestselling Christian author[1] and pastor at Oak Hills Church (formerly the Oak Hills Church of Christ) in San Antonio, Texas. © August 2022 Vanderbilt Brabson III, Author ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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