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I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Psalm 32:8 KJV

All this month here on New Day I’ve been sharing writing from a Christian magazine I published several years ago. It’s been fun to revisit the pages in PRAISE! where faith words first flowed. Continuing that venture now through this blog has been equally as fun and rewarding, and I thank you for following along.

Early on, the dream to write and share from a faith perspective was one I really never knew I had. Sure, I’ve loved words ever since I learned to write, but life has a way of expressing itself and showing you the particular path you are meant to take. When God planted that seed in me, I gave it space to grow and haven’t looked back. It’s a fire that, so far, hasn’t been put out.

I remember that fire being stirred in me through the words of author Terri McMillan in her acceptance speech at the 2002 Essence Awards. I recorded her words and shared them in the Fall 2002 edition of PRAISE!, hoping to stir up the gift in others, to encourage the following of dreams. I pray her words inspire you today…

“I write because it’s cheaper than therapy. I write because it gives me patience… Writing for me is like praying on paper. What I pray for is compassion and empathy, for insight, and writing helps me pay attention. It helps me worry about folks who I think deserve some. It allows me to at least try to understand our shortcomings and virtues as human beings… but also how they sometimes get misappropriated. I want to know why we do what we do, and why we’re always so surprised by the outcome.

“I also write because I want to be a better person – I want us all to be better. But I accept this award on behalf of all African-American writers whose goal is to help put a smile on a reader’s face, a fire in their minds, and hope in their hearts, because that’s all we have…”

God has placed a gift, a purpose within you. Seek His face to find the path for which you are destined.

PRAISE!Magazine was published from 1996-2003, ISSN 1520-4057.

The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. Job‬ ‭33:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This post, originally titled “Asthma,” appeared in the December 2000 edition of PRAISE!Magazine, which I published for seven years. Taking a trip down memory lane this month, sharing my favorite posts from my self-publishing days…

“When I was little, I had asthma. Most of the days I missed from school were due to asthma, and I missed a lot of other things because of it, too. It was rough, but we made it through.

“If you’ve never suffered through an asthma attack, be grateful. It hurts. You think about every.single.breath. You concentrate on breathing and trying to get enough air into your lungs. You dread times when you have to talk or move around, even eat, because it takes extra effort. Now I lay me down to sleep? I don’t think so. When all the lights were out in the house, I would sit up in bed to sleep, or try to anyway, because laying me down was most uncomfortable. And when I just couldn’t bear it, I managed enough of a breath to call out to my mom to tell her I couldn’t hold on anymore, and I needed and wanted help. Off to the emergency room.

“Asthma still bothers me occasionally (I still carry an inhaler), but I don’t have the severe attacks I used to. In fact, I don’t remember my last attack. My allergy doctor released me when I was in high school, so no more twice-a-year check-ups. He gave me some advice once, which I recall whenever there’s the slightest wheeze. He pretended to hold a lit match in front of me.

“Blow it out, he said. I blew it out. He then pretended to throw a lit match onto a couch, soon consumed by fire.

“Now blow the couch out, he said. I can’t, I replied. He didn’t have to say anything else. I understood.

“Happy Birthday, Jesus, and thanks for days when the struggle is just for a single breath, for at the end is You – the true breath of life.”

Ironically, JESUS takes my breath away now. How about you?