Award Winning SHE SHALL STAND
By Hortense Duarma Grimes
(A synopsis interspersed with humorous Liberian vernacular)
Be acquainted with memories of growing up in a beautiful place called Liberia. I know you can remember walking Down Waterside holding your Ma or your Grandma handbag. If your childhood was in Cape Palmas like mine, take your mind back to drilling in Flag Day parades. Remember shoe heels going click-clack-click-clack on Maryland Avenue on the way to City Hall for the Christmas season dramas and talent shows. Who could forget all the funerals every day within a particular fishing tribe. Do you remember the two-for-dime-bus coming with the big, fluffy sugary donuts? Recall the beautiful scenery and stately architecture adorning the streets. Think back, to watching sailboats on Lake Shepherd! And the Island up Cape. Cape Palmas was a hidden paradise.
I am sure the Monrovia children, too, can remember Sophie's Ice Cream. What about juicy fried chicken from the Rooster and the occasional Diana Restaurant club sandwiches when you were with your Ma or Pa! Who all can remember playing “Blind Man Can’t See Can’t See; Fire on the Mountain, Run Run Run; Children Children I Call Your Mama Mama I Don’t Care!" You can remember recess period and buying milk candy, coconut candy, ground pea candy and kayenne from the women at the school gate? All of us could agree we were blessed oh! We had a chance to be children. Quiet, rowdy, shy, frisky, easy, loud, noisy, subdued, hard-head, but just innocent happy-go-lucky children. Not a serious care on our minds!
I know you remember Christmas time and Sanni Klau. Singing and dancing to sounds of Sanni Klau we hah oh we hah we hah. Did you sleep on watch meeting night? I know you remember how your Ma rubbed you down from head to toe in that ashes mixture when you had measles and chicken pox. You can’t tell me you forgot the big pink worm medicine tablet and that horrible-tasting purple syrup. You know when you had cough you drank Liquifruta. What about when they rubbed Mentholatum on your temper and then rubbed you down with alcohol and Vicks and put some Vicks in your nose.
If you grew up in the Settlement, I know you remember sitting around the lantern to tell tales. You got to remember sitting on the reed bench under the moonlight and seeing the man in the moon with his dog by him. I know you were frisky and running around until you fell down and scraped your knee only to have your grandma clean it with alcohol while you screamed. Was I the only one who didn’t get religion the first time on the mourners bench because of playing while the other children were praying Lord Sav me, Lord sav me (Lord Save Me). I know you memorized hundreds of Bible verses, too.
What about the thrills of high school! If you went to Ricks Institute or visited the mission, take your mind back to high school entertainment back in the day! Ricks Mini Olympics (Sports Day). Aaa Yah! Who could forget those hot basketball games! All those boys playing serious basketball high style—Liberia NBA!! The teams in their elements, on Dragon territory. All the girls at their best, looking their best. The in-town children who came on campus and had a blast! I remember the campus was jammed packed.
I know you wrote your own of “Dear Darling quotation, How I love you, quotation” letter. Remember when you used to play records in the tape recorder because, because. Then he played you off and you couldn’t stop singing, “I know I know that I am in Love, … .” You remember using Bible verses to throw hints? When you were dying behind that person, you couldn’t stop singing, “…Oh my darling knock three times on the ceiling… .” Eh you boy, I know you got to remember singing, “… be careful how you treat her... She’s my Cream Puff.”
There were the somber moments – where were you on that day? The day the trees bent and the sky turned gray? Thank God for Jesus we can choose to reflect on the glorious parts of that time – God’s magnificent grace. The day time started to stand still and the once Beacon of West Africa began to lose its appeal. Would the Lone Star stand forever? We’ve prayed and hope for chance after chance! God and time will heal the wounds. We onward Christian soldiers must press on.
Can anyone remember looking for job until your “shoe heel ate up.” How many times some people went to get their visa? You couldn’t leave the people Embassy gate! You got your visa now, welcome to the United States! When you started working here which Island were you from? Are you still speaking that same Cerese you learned when you first came? You remember all those jobs you had. JJC just hit the town! How’d you manage to work three part-time jobs? It was that serious. I hope you nah give up one or two of those many jobs! You are getting old now.
So you became a full grown adult. Welcome to Life University Graduate School. You are registered in Grown Up 502 Sections 1, 2 and 3. Classes meet at the same time! Hold on for the blows. One blow after another. Life can poke fun at you to test your endurance. But guess what, as tough as life can be God is forever faithful. As beautiful as living can be ugly things happen in between, here and there. Stay with Jesus. When one asks the Lord to take control He chaperones during the most defenseless periods. Jesus takes over and He does not let you snap. Jesus Christ will strengthen you to carry on. One of my favorite sayings when encouraging people to press on is that, “God will give you the back for the burden.”
Sometimes when serious stuff happens to you one almost wants to forget yourself. And it could be easy to let yourself go. Do not treat yourself poorly. Do not give up. Never, ever! Don’t get weary. Ditch the self-pity. You are a strong, beautiful human being. You are happening. There are a million and one things you could be doing instead of feeling sorry for yourself. There is nothing pathetic about you. You are going to be just fine. Believe that you will be just fine. You will survive and thrive.” The secret is to find Jesus and get to know Him before trouble day come. No boat can sink as long as Jesus Christ is in it. You hold on!
Announcement All Women Out There: Fortify your homes with prayer. Devil the Thief may invade, but he will not take you down. Make prayer the job you were born to do. Leave this eating business sometimes and fast regularly so you can overcome and your life can stay straight. Fasting got power!
Young and old, take the high road. Exemplify good deportment. Do not exhibit behavior that demeans. Keep a straight, level head. Be a Godly woman. Rise up as a man of God. Be a good friend. Make sure you have really good people in your corner, Look out for one another. Genuinely love one another. A good friend is a priceless commodity.
Girls, please do not write off all the guys and talk mean about men in general. One bad apple does not spoil the whole batch, except if one throws the batch away before looking through more carefully. After throwing out the bad apple, sort the batch. You might discover good ones. We all know some women got major issues too now. There is good and bad in both genders. All have to just try and be the best.
To the woman still searching: Wait on the Lord. He will strengthen you to face the pause where you are now. Unless you are being perfectly honest, do not repeat defeated phrases. After a misfortune don’t make proclamations like, “Who? Not meee? I don’t have time, I am an independent woman. What do I need a husband for? I’m never getting married. I don’t need a man. Been there done that got a necklace to prove it.” My dear Sister, the devil is a disaster aid, and he is listening to you. Satan will work overtime to make your life miserable and your wishes seem true. If you know deep down within your desire is for a good husband to enter your life, stop preaching disaster over yourself. When you ask God for a husband He will find one for you. God made you and likewise He has custom made a partner for you. God's own Word says, “It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a help mate suitable for him.” Speak what you want over your life and watch God match your wish with His desire for you.”
Words inadequately express the repercussions when Satan has been allowed to infiltrate the soul. The devil will cohabit if we leave ourselves open and separated from God. Stay connected to the Father.
To the man who desires to walk with Jesus, you are on the right track. It is okay to be faithful to the Lord. It is okay to be truthful to yourself, and others. It is okay to spend time understanding who God is. It is absolutely okay to pray and read the Bible. It is good to have time for Jesus and follow His way. God has made you after His own image and likeness. Live up to a Godly standard. Yes, real men love Jesus. Real women appreciate God-fearing men. Proudly serve your Maker, it is cool. It will cool your heart.
To the “those people” (men) who like to give the “different people” (women) hard time; your take it easy oh! You know you all are porcupine gut: too bitter to eat too greasy to throw away. All said and done most women still want to be married to your and live happily ever after. Your take time with the Sisters’ feelings. Let God enter your heart and guide your ways. Man your slow down the reckless behavior! Ah, Ah! Let it be so now. Grow up. Old age coming oh. Nobody will pick up your blood pressure medicines and all your other prescriptions from CVS pharmacy when you can no longer drive to go for it yourself.
To that person who is facing hurts, heavy burdens, and has gotten weary and tired, please know this: God is faithful. You are His child and bear His name. The Lord will never let His name be associated with failure. By His grace you will win over the challenges thrown at you. When circumstances threaten to steal your joy and undermine your person, seek the Lord. He will replenish you. Whatever unpleasant situations you find yourself in, dare to rise above it. And overcome. By the grace of God you shall. Rely on Jesus. Jesus walked in human flesh. He knows the trials of life. He has made a way.
I've got to talk about the word we learned in the Western world—that word called “Stress.” That little complaint that was going to stay locked up in your body until you returned to God, stress has magnified it 1000 times. Every day you turn around something new is wrong with somebody. Strange illnesses we have never heard of is common news to us. Some of the names of the diagnosis we who grew up in Africa still cannot pronounce correctly. Let me caution, many times we bring things on ourselves. We must learn to slow down and go easy. Simplify your life. Leave some of the fights for God to finish.
Sometimes you've got to waive your right so you can be left here. If you must worry over necessities of life, remember God knows how to provide for poor and forgotten people. If God could feed all those people walking around in that huge open area for forty years, what about you! God sent bread and meat and water every day. The people shoes didn’t get worn out. Nobody went to the mall to buy new clothes (no mall was in the wilderness). That means the people wore the same clothes and it didn’t turn to rags. God can meet your needs. Leave the worry business alone little bit. We're all tired going to funeral every Saturday morning, especially for young and middle-aged people. God has promised man an earthly lifetime of three score and ten (that is 70 years), at least. Let us pray and try to reach our promised age. Sickness will come, don’t rush it. It is a natural part of living and aging. Cherish the one life you got here on earth until God says it is over.
All of us trip over getting older. We delay the process as much as we can. Some people become old lady young girl. Others become soul brother in old age. We cannot get used to the fact that however long it takes our bodies must fail us one day. When you start aging go easy on yourself. Take it with a grain of salt. Laugh at the changes. Go out there and find all the fake stuff you can lay your hands on (fake eyebrow, fake nail, Just-for-men, fake eyelashes, anti-aging cream, colorful wigs, HbyO (hair-by-others). These things become yours for cash—you pay for it you own it. Use it freely. Employ all the necessary tools and techniques and keep moving. Do not get too worked up about what has changed about your looks. Sooner or later you will look at your body and wonder whose it is! Concentrate on your soul. Time is passing. Christ is coming soon! Your glorified body will never age. Make sure you are heaven bound.
SHE SHALL STAND Is a book about the tremendous power of Jesus Christ in the life of an ordinary believer. It is a Christian Witness written to inspire people in their daily lives and awaken other Christians. This is a book about the power of prayer. It is about the laughter that comes from a lifetime of clinging to faith and trusting Jesus. Looking back in hindsight to see that God has a plan and a purpose for your life whatever that life may be and however many the turns it may take. SHE SHALL STAND is a testimony of the unending capacity of God’s grace and His love. God can take you from what you cannot see as a beginning place and propel you to a place of rest in Him that no earthly effort can achieve. While you struggle in your life with whatever it is, let God be Lord of everything you do. From where you stand to look you are limited. You cannot see the pattern of the Hand of God right now. God’s grace is matchless. Be assured God is not finished with you yet. God sees beyond where you are today.
You may sometimes think that you have it going on so well. The truth is none of us does. But for the grace the Lord so freely gives we are all basket cases. Sinners desperately in need of help. However your life may appear to you, it is the life God has blessed you with. You owe it to the Lord to make the best of every day of it. You owe it to yourself to not fail you. Royalty is in your DNA because you are the child of The King of Kings, God Almighty! You are all that you have and God has placed His spirit inside you.
I close with words my grandma, Bigma, told me the day I faked that I had got religion on the Mourner’s Bench. She said, “When you finished eating, go right on in that back room and pray for God to forgive you; because I do not believe you got religion today. You played all week, waiting to get religion on the last day so revival wouldn’t close on you. You think I didn’t hear you planning it. You are going right back on the Mourner Bench next year. You will not be baptized because you did not get true religion. You need true religion to carry you through this world.”
My Friend, at the end of the day the resounding message is Jesus Christ and Him Crucified. Develop a deep personal, intimate relationship with the Lord. You have got one chance to sojourn on earth. Make it a memorable journey. Make the Journey for Christ. Let your living be a good work for Jesus.
“I testify that I find absolutely no fault in GOD.”
2011 Bronze Award
Readers Favorite Book Reviews and Award Contest
SHE SHALL STAND
By Hortense Duarma Grimes
ISBN: 9781449595463
Retail: $19.95
Available through www.Amazon.com
Request autograph copies at: http://www.doitforchrist.org/.
My friend, I have shared with you a little synopsis (interspersed with Liberian simple English) from my book, SHE SHALL STAND by Hortense Duarma Grimes. The purpose is to gently nudge you to release all of that pent-up faith and thrust you into living abundantly. As Jesus tarries, and while you wait, I pray you would give God permission to manage your life.
Secondary, I kindly ask you to purchase a copy of SHE SHALL STAND, and tell others about it. God the Son, Jesus Christ, called me to form Do It For Christ Ministry. Jesus gave me a huge responsibility, a Vision of a monumental nature. If I did not know the mighty power of Almighty God I would be intimidated by that assignment. When you purchase a copy of this book, two-third of the proceeds support the VISION of that ministry. That Vision is: To construct Spiritual Rehabilitation Campuses in the four corners of Africa, the first one being in Liberia West Africa.
I go about in faith, knowing that the God I worship is the creator of the entire universe and HE has ways and means beyond my imagination. When you purchase the book you help to make the vision for Jesus a reality. Jesus does not need our help, but like me, you get a chance to do a teeny tiny deed for the kingdom. You get to say “I contributed to the Vision.” Imagine your reward since you and I know we could never out do God.
Thank you and Blessings to Your household.
I go about in faith, knowing that the God I worship is the creator of the entire universe and HE has ways and means beyond my imagination. When you purchase the book you help to make the vision for Jesus a reality. Jesus does not need our help, but like me, you get a chance to do a teeny tiny deed for the kingdom. You get to say “I contributed to the Vision.” Imagine your reward since you and I know we could never out do God.
Thank you and Blessings to Your household.
Peace,
Hortense
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