Every Morning ...

When the alarm clock goes off and you open your eyes, do not immediately jump out of bed. Stay for one minute, and say "Thank You Lord for waking me up this morning." By this action you have turned on your security system. Heaven takes note of the signal. You may then proceed to place your feet on the floor. Jesus will ground you throughout the day.

Blessings and peace,
Servant Hortense

Yes I Waved

Yesterday, I was in Washington DC attending to personal issues. The Sjodgren Syndrome is trying its best to take me down. But as we say in Liberian English, 'that one part it will not work; we will be on it for long; we will frustrate each other thirty-thirty; we will see who's the real man!' My friend, do not let these strange-named agents of Lucifer steal your peace and joy. Hold tight. God's got your back. And your front. And from your head to your toe. Jesus has got you fully covered. God's got you, and God the Father Son Holy Spirit has the last say. Amen.

Anyway, you know you are African when you are the only one waving to the president's moving convey! While driving out of the city, suddenly, sirens sounded as police on motorcycles signaled cars to pull over and stop. I stopped my car knowing what was coming next. Cold and wet as it was, Immediately, I wound down the driver seat window. As soon as that first black van passed slowly, I knew The Beast was coming by. I love that car, The Beast. It just makes my heart swell with pride to know just who is its passenger!!! How God can elevate so well. God Almighty the lifter of one's head. Your should have seen me waving my hands off when The Beast, bearing in it the President of the United States, drove inches near past my car. I saw him with my own two eyes! (But wait now Hortense whose eyes would you've used to see him with if not your own two?). Anyway, it was so close I got a good glimpse of my President Barack Obama. I was thrilled beyond explanation. When the brief moment passed I shouted in the car, "Yeah, yeah I saw President Obama!" My excitement felt like back at Fatima Elementary school drilling in flag day parades.

Now I do not ever get excited about celebrities anything. I am Liberian. In Africa we do not be jumping up and down, screaming and crying for nothing, following people; harassing them with camera every where they go, and all that craziness. In Africa, no matter how poor and destitute you are, you feel like you, too, are just as important. That's just the way it was on that side of the world when I grew up there. Poor but proud sums up the African mentality.

I do know how to be thrilled when I see the manifestation of a loving, kind, generous, miracle-working Almighty God. I believe it sums up the story of the passenger in The Beast. Son of, an African student from Kenya who married an American woman and the couple had a boy child. That boy child, for the most part, lived an exemplary life. Did his homework, well done. Early in his professional career, the young man he'd become had a compassion for others; passionate about helping those who were not as fortunate as his life had been. He desired to serve others. That boy with the African father, today, commands the highest office in the most powerful country in the world. In a nation of giants that boy, now a fully grown man, leads political, economic, intellectual giants; giants, period. And that son-of-an-African, boy turned young adult turned adult man, is my president. I am proud of the job he does daily. Being out there yesterday on E Street, N.W., as his motorcade drove by reminded me that WHAT GOD GOT FOR YOU WILL SEE YOUR FACE. No matter who says what or how many people don't think you deserve or should have it. God is just. God's favor is His to give! If The Lord has written your name down with it, it is for you.

Yes, I waved at the convoy with all my childlike enthusiasm. It felt gleeful. I waved for me. A woman who, too, had an African father (and have an African mother). I waved for senior Mr. Barack Obama, the African parent. I waved for you, young, hopeful African child, African student. I waved for you, African immigrant. I waved for all of those who would like to be counted. It was good for me to see the passenger being carried in The Beast. The armor is protective. Aah, but really, The Beast is kept fully armored by The Giver of all good things. The Giver of every good and perfect gift. I waved because my God is awesome. Absolutely fantastic awesome is my Lord.

                             *Writing includes local Liberian vernacular (everyday Liberian English)

Blessings and peace,
Servant Hortense Grimes
Be encouraged, motivated, and encouraged. Visit www.doitforchrist.org

Forward March

Good morning, good morning, to you. Good morning, good morning, and how do you do! I pray you are as fully awake as you are fully alive this morning. Today has been given to you. A GIFT from The Lord. Clear the sleep from your eyes and embrace today. Something is about to shift in your life. Something is already shifting in your children's lives. Great things are in the horizon...reach and grab. Portions are dropping from above...reach and grab. Many of you reading this post are over age 50. More years are behind you than before you. You are on 'turning curve' now. I'm saying you do not have time to be wasting. Get up, wake up, dust off, lint-brush off, shake off. Put on, hold tight. Throw off unwanted excess baggages. Move! Move. Mooovee! Forward in the right direction.
It's quite early, and I am as awake and perky like its mid afternoon. I feel like passing on my high to you. Jesus has just spoken to me that the reason He desires total surrender from you is because that's the only way He can demonstrate His total Power in your life. So, my dear friend, make more room for Jesus. Empty out new spaces for Jesus Christ.
You know, if I had a penny for every time people remarked (behind my back, of course) that 'I am frustrated because...; All day God, God...; I'd be extremely wealthy from the pennies adding up. But I laugh out loud at that. You think I'd volunteer for this journey if I had any say in it! My life has been hijacked by Jesus. You have no idea how many tears I've cried, begged off from some of the heavy stuff. The Lord just reminds me ... "It was for this Calling that I created you. You will do my will. ..." I recall once, years ago, in process of deciding on something. The Lord spoke sternly saying: If you try it...if you dare dishonor my name with such a choosing I will show you me. It was then I realized that God knows every thought, and The Lord is serious about our lives. God cares for your thoughts. I'm saying, step out boldly and wear your label 'Christian'. Sacrifice empty pleasures for the pleasure of sitting at the feet of Jesus Christ. For the joy of seeing God Almighty face to face.
The right direction is the narrow way of Jesus Christ. This earth journey is the interstate that leads to heaven. You do not travel in opposite lanes on the highway. When you are headed north you would not be in the south bound lanes. So it is with life. Travel forward in the right direction.
I like to motivate you. I'd love to inspire you. I want to see you happy. My thrill is telling you things that make you feel special. And you are special, you are phenomenal. But my work, and best gift to you, is to tell you about Jesus Christ. My job is to let you know that eternity and everlasting life await all who live this life now. You cannot continue to live, forever, if you do not make Jesus Christ your way to God. Move forward with that decision. Choose Jesus. Life gets swell from that point on.

Servant Hortense Grimes
Founder, 
Do It For Christ International 

Yes I See You

Early on in my life, I discovered the joys of passing on. I discovered the thrill that comes from sharing, giving, uplifting, picking up others, laying down softly, get upset get pleased quickly, get angry but quick to forgive, faster to forget ...Imperfect woman I am. But striving to do this life right. As  correctly as I allow my human self to be fixed by God Almighty. I want to ask you to share your life with others. As we wrap up this year, let's review self. Take a fresh look at yourself. Do you see?

We recently celebrated a day officially set aside to gave thanks. To thank God first. Thank everybody else for the little or big that they are to you. To just be thankful. To just show gratitude. To just thrash ingratitude. To just be appreciative. To just say "thank you so much for doing this."

One way to express gratitude is to give back of oneself. Start with those right in front of you. See one another. See each other. See people.

SEE means Stop Engage Express. Stop for a minute means, separate your focus from on you and put it on the other person. Engage the person means, take notice of that person enough to pull their focus away from them. Express yourselves to one another, means talk about yourselves. Not about other people and things. Find out what is troubling or happening with each other, from a genuine prospective. A caring, helpful, concerned perspective.

Lend your ears and offer your heart to the other person. And vow that your tongue will snap tight when you walk away with that person's heart still sounding in your ear. That means what you SEE is between you, the person and God.

I am talking about beginning covenant friendships. It is time to trade up from our empty friendships. Begin establishing friendships that bring meaning and depth to the lives of one another. It's time to SEE each other and Share our lives with one another.

My friend, please answer the question someone is asking you: "DO YOU SEE ME?"

Blessings and peace,

Servant Hortense

Happy Thanks Giving

This evening, as family members begin gathering in your homes, take a minute to gaze at one another's face. Drink in the love and affection, of mothers, fathers, (parents), husbands, wives, grandparents, children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins, friendsiblings, and loved ones. Bow your head in one-minute silent praise to God for having that person in your life. It is a blessing to have someone come to your house for Thanksgiving. From my house to yours, BLESSED HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

Bow Your Head ... Thanksgiving is Upon Us

The pilgrims and early founders of this great country, America, did not have all the comforts and conveniences that we enjoy today. They were not as sophisticated, educated, and worldly, like we claim to be these day. BUT they knew to bow their heads in prayer, giving thanks for the blessings, big and small, that God had bestowed on them. Let's follow, America. 

Thank God for all that we enjoy. Whether you are satisfied with your current situation or not. Say a Thank You Prayer. Better still, do the 14-day Head Bow Diet of Praise. From today, November 13, 2014, until Thanksgiving day, Thursday, November 27, 2014 

Take a few minutes off your busy schedule, daily, and BOW YOUR HEAD in praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God.  

Blessings and peace,

Servant Hortense Grimes

Be encouraged, motivated, and inspired: Visit www.doitforchrist.org

Soldier Be Proud ... Officer You Rock

Congratulations, Soldier; Officer of the United States Military. Thank you for serving our America. Because you served well, I, an African immigrant, have a country that received me and offered a second home when I needed one. I am proud to be an American citizen. I do not take it lightly. I will never take it for granted. Veteran Soldier, thank you for your service. May Jehovah Almighty God keep the USA strong in military might and valor.

Veteran Officer, because you served the borders are kept safe. Because you served the air space is guarded. Because you served the seacoasts and waterways are clear and free. Because you served the environment is created and maintained for law and order to prevail. Your services do not go unnoticed. You matter as much today as you did when you were actively engaged, In Service. Officer, you might not have taken notice, but, because you choose to serve your country, America, you offered your service to my birth country, Liberia. You offered your service to Africa, and all countries and continents under the heavens. How? Here’s how so.

The United States military lives up to the honor of being the greatest in the world. Offering its shoulders all the time, that unknown people and unheard of places might lean on and benefit. Soldier, you often leave the comforts your country provides to live, quite uncomfortably, in the worst of situations in different countries and strange places. Hostility, heat and misery, resentment, darkness, dampness, evil, are just few of the realities you face in faraway lands. Lands you owe no allegiance to. When you took the oath to serve your country, the USA, you might not have fully realized that yours is the greatest military in the world—Super Power. That is huge news. To me, it means you fully, graciously accepted a silent oath to protect the weakest in the world. It is super powerful. Soldier. Bearing arms, you serve strangers with the same strength and bravery with which you serve your own. You bear arms which carry the weight of the innocent. Because you bear arms respect is shown even to the most-guilty. Justice is administered because your arms uphold the arms of civility. Because you carry arms your arms carry such restraint, many find hard to comprehend. Your arms uphold all our arms. We keep on riding in your arms. Therein is the greatness in you. Every day, the thought that you are there keeps hope alive in young hearts that world otherwise shrink. You are the carrier of super power. I believe superpower is as much power as God has invested to man’s discretion. Wow! Officer of the United States Military, you deserve every Salute!

Officer, each day we honor you who have served and who continue to serve in the greatest super powerful mechanism on planet earth. On another note, we respect those garbs. Keep wearing proudly your uniforms. You look so good in your regalia! The shirts, the jackets, the crisp pants and skirts. Oh, don’t get me talking about the berets and caps. The bright buttons and badges just complete your distinct aura! And those colors … khakis, white, black, blues, greens, browns, red accents …Oh! You sure know how to dress right. Soldier, you have got it going on as well in the apparel department. And you wear you so well, Officer. You look great. Thank you.

Soldier, hold on to your smile. Let the laughter in your soul suppress whatever forlorn looks may attempt to cover your face. You do great all the time. You are great. You do great. And karma rules … Great will be done back to you. You will never be forgotten. God will make sure all your needs are met. Jesus Christ is interceding for you all the time. Reach out for His hand. Officer, whatever your personal beliefs, please know this: You are fulfilling Almighty God’s greatest command: “… Love your neighbor as yourself.” When you signed up, Soldier, you did just that. God rewards those who keep His commands.

Thank you. We appreciate you. On this your special holiday, I bring my voice to say thanks. Thank you, Soldier. Officer of the United States Military. May The Lord bless you, and yours. 

Blessings and peace,

Servant Hortense D. Grimes

Founder, Do It For Christ Ministries