Category Archives: Scriptures

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Greenleaf Recap Season 3 Episode 4: The Underdog…

Hello World,

Since the title of tonight’s Greenleaf episode was named “The Underdog,” this Greenleaf Recap Season 3 Episode 4 will explore that theme through the titles of some famous movies that featured underdogs!

Facing the Giants…

As indicated by last week’s episode, Lady Mae travels to Atlanta to see her old friend Maxine Patterson, who is now a preacher with a giant following. Her expansive office with gigantic portraits of Maxine along with the soundtrack of her sermons playing on the PA system speaks to the success of her ministry. And as she walks into Maxine’s office, Patti LaBelle’s song “When You’ve Been Blessed” begins to play. That was a perfect use of her song! When Lady Mae’s name is announced as she comes in, Patti I mean Maxine says, “Ms. Greenleaf who? Mae McCready.” That’s the thing about old friends. They knew you before you had your new name and titles! She promptly tells her friend to “sit down before you fall down” and to put away that “first lady facade.” And old friends can see past the masks that we wear too. Knowing that she can trust her friend, Mae tells her why she traveled all that way. “You were right.” She should have gotten her master of divinity instead of her Mrs. degree and that she is divorcing her husband. Now, Mae wants to go back to school, get that degree and start her own church. Maxine says, “Why? You already got a good one.” She says that Mae should not leave her church to start a new one. “Take OVER Mae. It’s yours.”

Since Bishop is Goliath in this scenario and Lady Mae is David, Lady Mae, affirmed by her friend’s counsel, comes back to Memphis and her home where is determined to gain control of Calvary somehow and someway. But first things first. Bishop and Lady Mae are hosting a Bishop’s Round Table party where they are honoring the movers and the shakers of the church. Of course, Clara, their $2 million-dollar benefactor whom they are counting on to bail them out of the IRS situation, is an honored guest.

Lady Mae isn’t the only one with an alternative agenda. Bishop, however, is bringing out his big guns at the Bishop’s Round Table party. He invites the man who introduced Lady Mae and Bishop to one another: Percy Lee Thompson, a local funeral home owner.

Rocky…

Lady Mae suspects that Bishop is up to something, but she tells him that whatever he has in the works will not stop the unraveling of their rocky marriage. In fact, even though Bishop is pleading for Lady Mae to recommit to their marriage (although he is the one who filed for divorce…smh…), Lady Mae just aine tryin’ to hear that yang-yang no mo. “We’re done James so whatever is going on tonight, we’re done.”

Speaking of being done, Kevin is done trying to reach Charity by just calling her, Kevin with Aaron in tow busts into the Greenleaf house and is about to disrupt the festivities. Luckily, Grace heads him off before too much commotion commences. “I’m looking for Charity,” he says. “She is ignoring my phone calls.” Before I get into what happens after that, I must say this: Kevin has some glorified nerve trying to track down Charity like he is a bounty hunter when he disappeared shortly after his son was born. Charity may be a mess but her ex-husband is a hypocrite. Anyhow, Grace offers to call Charity and is able to reach her. Charity is sitting poolside God knows where and has just ordered a Georgia Peach cocktail. (Oh, she’s in Atlanta! LOL) I’ve lived in Georgia nearly all of my life and I didn’t know that was such a thing, but I guess I should have guessed that was a drink. When Grace tells her little sister that Kevin is looking for her, she tells Grace to let him know that she is “taking care of business” although it’s clear she’s not on anyone’s tour. She goes on to say, “Kevin did what he what he wanted and I can do the same.” Charity is cray for running off with Nate like that, but she does have a point. Grace pleads with Aaron to persuade Kevin not to call the cops on Charity.

Bishop and Grace are not the only ones pleading with someone at the party. Kerissa pleads with Jacob to send Zora to Oregon for a behavior modification program for troubled teens, but Jacob doesn’t like the idea. Lady Mae tells Jacob she has another idea. “You all should bring her to me for a while.”

Before that conversation comes to completion, Bishop asks for everyone in the party to gather around for a speech he wants to make. He thanks everyone for coming to the annual Bishop’s Round Table Party, but he also speaks uses the platform to speak publicly about his devotion to Lady Mae. He begins by quoting from Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. Saying phrases like “Two are better than one” and “How can one keep warm alone?” he praises Lady Mae by sticking by him for their 40-year marriage. He tells the audience that when he was young, he thought he was destined to be a “lonely creature” because he had had “never met a woman who took her faith as seriously as I took mine.” But that all changed when he met Lady Mae. Since the Lord sent her to Bishop, he says he has never felt “cold, forsaken or unsure.” He goes on to say, “This church, this family, let no man pull asunder.” He wants at least another 40 years with her by his side. He kisses her to seal his words. Despite herself, Lady Mae smiles and seems to soften her stance just a bit. But just like in the Garden of Eden, the snake knows when to show up. Rochelle Cross, shiny in black sequins, steals the air in the room when she appears. For a moment, the sea encompassing Lady Mae’s heart had stilled but the sight of Rochelle set her heart adrift again in rocky waters.  “What is she doing here?” Lady Mae sputters.

The Karate Kid…

Like Daniel, the underdog in “The Karate Kid,” Bishop has to spring into action and protect his turf from the certain destruction that Rochelle Cross will cause if allowed to stay at this party. “Ms. Cross, may I have a word with you?” Bishop says with all of the gentility that he can muster given the urgency of the situation. After he pulls her aside, he says, “I’m trying to repair my relationship with my wife. You shouldn’t be here.” Rochelle declares that “she is still a member of Calvary. I’m not going to slink off into the night like I’m a shameful secret.” At this point, she sounds as dumb as she looks. What does she think she has to offer that Bishop doesn’t already have? I know she is a younger woman, but aside from her relative youth (because she aine all that young) she is not the type of woman who can hold down a shepherd of a flock. How do I know? I was raised by a woman who has stood by a shepherd of a flock. It’s not easy and erebody aine able. Maybe Bishop has that in mind when he says, “If I’ve given you some reason to hope, I’m sorry.” I think his words should have been stronger, but she gets the message…finally. But not soon enough for Lady Mae. When Bishop goes back over to his wife, she says, “Why are you talking to me? Your business is clearly with her and not with me. ” She leaves him alone as he ponders their conversation under a portrait of them in happier times.

Rochelle makes her way to Grace and Darius although she is supposed to be on her way out. She ogles Grace’s man right in front of her. She is like the evil spirit who lives among tombs in the book of Matthew. Restless. And to make matters much worse, she chats up Ms. Clara on her way out as well. “Do you mind if I have a word with you?” When Ms. Clara obliges, she asks, “What does the church have you tied up in?” Ms. Clara, thankfully, doesn’t tell her anything, but Rochelle continues anyway. As a money manager, Rochelle advises that if it has anything to do with money, she should have her money manager vet any decision she makes.

Deaconness Connie is mixing and mingling as well and asks Grace about Kevin, who I guess she saw at the party earlier. She asks why Kevin has stopped coming to church. Grace, ever putting folks on the spot, says that their church should join the open and inclusive coalition which is a coalition of churches that welcome gay, lesbian and transgender church members apparently. Grace tells her Kevin would have to hide who he is at Calvary. In the line of the episode, Connie says she still the “same old Grace… When you are going to outgrow that old habit of agitating for every underdog except Jesus?” Grace retorts with, “Every underdog is Jesus.”

But the drama is ratcheted up when Zora’s issues are center stage. Sophia goes outside to spend some time with her boyfriend Roberto, but when his kisses become more intense, she suggests that they go back inside. Roberto, however, is hot under the collar and doesn’t want to go back inside with Sophia. When Sophia returns, she tells her cousin what happened. “I think he wants to have sex with me.” Zora responds with sarcasm and questions Sophia’s stance on waiting until marriage for sex. When Sophia notices that her cousin was using her computer to communicate with Isaiah, Christian Breezy, their interaction quickly escalates. Zora is tired of Sophia’s Miss Christian way of conducting herself. “It’s Christian this or Bible that.” “Every time I talk to you, you suck the life out of me.” She calls her “God’s little b****!” How disrespectful. Sophia comes back with calling her boyfriend a “pile of trash.” When Zora threatens to hit her, Sophia says she can can “see what he taught you.” And the girls get to scrappin’. Luckily, Kerissa is able to separate them! (As one of my readers suggested, a public awareness announcement about domestic violence between teenagers should be included at the end of the episode. I don’t remember one being showed before, but I could be wrong.)

Cool Runnings…

Although the Greenleaf grandkids were cooled down at least for the moment, there are still more fires to put out at the party. On her way out of the party with her granddaughter Karine, Clara tells Lady Mae that she wants to Bishop and Lady Mae to sit down with her money manager before the $2 million transaction is complete. Lady Mae keeps her cool and says, “Bishop and I would be happy to sit down with your money people.”

After the festivities are over, Deaconness Connie goes to Grace’s office. Concerned that the church may be losing their leaders with Bishop and Lady Mae’s marriage in tatters and news of the IRS scandal spreading on the Internet, she realizes that a Greenleaf still needs to be at the helm of the church. “You may be need to step up and take over as head pastor.” Of course, Lady Mae would lose her cool if that were to happen. Lady Mae needs to watch her back but she has watch Zora’s back for right now at least as Jacob and Kerissa drop off Zora with her. Kerissa isn’t thrilled about the proposition given that what happened with Faith Greenleaf wasn’t exactly a testament to Lady Mae’s parenting skills. But now that Mac is dead, things will be different. Some people think that Zora’s out-of-control behavior is evidence that Mac may have abused Zora too. I don’t know but I thought he preferred young, light-skinned girls. But that is a theory worth exploring. And if that is the case, maybe Lady Mae can reach her since she was abused by her father. Remember?

The episode closes with Charity singing her best rendition of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” accompanied by a pianist in a hotel lounge it seems. (I guess if gospel music aine working for her, secular music may be her next option…I disagree with that option for her though…)I thought it was Atlanta, but maybe it’s Miami since you can see the ocean or a body of water along the skyline of the city. It was a cool vibe until the police showed up!

Well, that’s all I got…

Thank you sooo much for reading my Greenleaf Recap Season 3 Episode 4: The Underdog and my other recaps so far. If you would like to keep up with OWN’s “Greenleaf,” and my recaps, please click on this link to subscribe to my blog 🙂!

Any thoughts?

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Author/Wealth-Building Proponent & Adoptee Dr. Robert J. Watkins Advocates Living in Purpose in New Book ‘CHOSEN’

Hello World,

As an author, I love other authors and part of my mission with this blog is to introduce you, my readers, to authors who have chosen to share the wealth of their experiences in written form. Today, I present to you Dr. Robert Watkins, author of “CHOSEN: Become the Person You Were Meant to Be.” Below is a brief description of his book followed by my interview with him. Read and enjoy :)!

“CHOSEN” chronicles a  journey that includes personal stories of seeking professional speaking opportunities while wearing shoes with holes, turning to a toupee to hide both a fading hairline and insecurities, and searching for his voice while serving his nation in the U.S. Army. These stories count among the testaments of author/entrepreneur Dr. Robert J. Watkins in Watkins’ new book “CHOSEN: Become the Person You Were Meant to Be.”

1. What was the catalyst for writing your new book, “CHOSEN: Become the Person You Were Meant to Be?”

I wrote the book for people desiring to live life in fulfillment, satisfaction and happiness. This only happens when you have a clear path to understanding that at birth you were chosen by God to be uniquely great at something. With my book CHOSEN, I hope to help the reader gain such an understanding.

2. How did you come up with the title “CHOSEN?”

In John 15:16 in the Bible, Jesus says “You did not choose me, I chose you.” He also instructs that we would bear fruit, fruit that will last.

3. Your new book “CHOSEN” is a compilation of inspirational stories and anecdotes that you share to encourage others to find their purpose and fulfill their destiny. What is your favorite inspirational story and/or anecdote in the book and why?  

My favorite story is my story of adoption. A 29-year-old married but barren woman by the name of Mary convinced her husband Bob they should adopt a child. Being a married barren woman in the 1960s was considered shameful.

One day, Mary saw a TV commercial for a downtown Detroit orphanage. The commercial highlighted a picture of a black baby boy needing a home. During this era, it was rare for a black family to adopt children, especially outside of their family. Mary, a nurse, and Bob, who worked on the assembly line at the local plant, drove down to the orphanage to find that little black baby boy. After one month, they adopted that little boy, gave him a name and raised him in church.  That little boy was me.

Even though I was “given up” by my birth mother, I still have a purpose.

4. In CHOSEN, you point out that you were rescued and adopted as a newborn in the 1960s from a Detroit orphanage. How has your journey as an adopted child inspired your purpose and your book?

It started with changing my mindset from having an orphanage mindset to that of a man of purpose. An orphanage mindset carries feelings of hopelessness and of being trapped with no way out. It’s a “woe-is-me” mindset that can become very angry at a moment’s notice.  As opposed to thinking like a man of purpose, who always has a plan to improve his condition and the condition of those around him. His mindset is optimistic, positive and prayerful.  Eventually, his life will improve because of his having a plan, positive thoughts and a relationship with his God.

5. As a part of your company Conquer Worldwide, you host free monthly workshops for those seeking professional support or a bit of direction as it relates to entrepreneurship.What inspired you to host these workshops and what kind of feedback have you received from them?

After hosting hundreds of workshops for over 10,000 people over a nine-year period, the number-one question I would receive from adults is how to find support. Most people would describe their issues in financial terms, but there would also be something deeper. Perhaps their spouse didn’t support them or a parent didn’t believe in them or perhaps society misunderstood them; those things were holding them back. The lack of money was merely a symptom. That’s why in our monthly workshops we deal with how to find the emotional, financial and professional support they need.  They leave with a more rounded view of their lives and ultimately come to fruitful decisions.

6. You are also vocal about police brutality and profiling and the killing of unarmed black men.In fact, you are hosting an Atlanta event addressing these topics on August 7 with Former NFL player Terrell Fletcher, who will serve as one of the presenters. How do you plan to address these issues?

We are gathering hundreds of men of color to address this issue to train them to use their influence in their local communities. The training of men will come from holding honest question-and-answer panel discussions.  We’ll pose questions to our audience such as:

“How do you feel about our local police?”

“What can you do to create a better relationship with the police?”

“How can you protect your family from dishonest policemen or criminals?”

Our panelists are prepared to respond with real actionable items.

7. Through your first book “Never Chase a Paycheck Again,” you still present and speak around the country on issues to include multiple streams of income, becoming your own boss, finding your purpose, finding the money you need and more.What is your top secret for never chasing a paycheck again?

My secret sauce is called The Conquer System, which consists of teaching people how to generate seven income streams.

The Conquer System allows our experienced team of consultants to perform an assessment of the individual’s goals. Then we create a personal financial plan and a business plan, and create a team around that individual to hold them accountable.  From there, we seek to help to finance their goals in accordance with their new plan.  During this 90-day process, we educate them on how to self-fund their dream by understanding the seven-streams-of-income plan.  It can include their writing an e-book, starting a side business, understanding the foreign exchange market and other creative ideas that require no financial investment, only time and focus.

Dr. Robert J. Watkins is a well-rounded professional and retired veteran with more than 20 years of experience as a business and financial consultant, real estate investor, media commentator and notable speaker.

Watkins is the founder and CEO of Conquer Worldwide, a consulting agency focused on inspiring and empowering people to become successful entrepreneurs and, ultimately, propel their pursuit toward financial freedom.

He received a bachelor of arts degree in Mass Communications and Journalism from the University of West Georgia. In 2005, he received an honorary doctoral degree in business and theology from the Ministry International Institute for his entrepreneurial teachings while at Emory University.

To buy a copy of “CHOSEN: Become the Person You Were Meant to Be,” go to conquerworldwide.com.

Any thoughts?

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Elder Mark A. Moore, Jr. & Other Black Church Leaders Should Be Careful About Elevating Scripture Above Therapy Following Suicides of Kate Spade & Anthony Bourdain…

Hello World,

I really hadn’t planned to post this morning because I’ve been out of town for a week and need to focus on returning to the more rudimentary rhythms of life. In other words, I’m readying myself to return to work tomorrow after a week off! But when I saw a Facebook friend’s post about a black church leader Elder Mark Moore Jr.’s Facebook commentary regarding Bible study and therapy, I knew I needed to weigh in about this very timely topic. Below is what he said…

I understand what Elder Moore is trying to say I guess, but in my experience and from everything I’ve read, the Black Church, historically, has turned to Bible study and prayer OVER therapy during a mental health crisis to its detriment. Here a few excerpts of articles I’ve found to support that premise…

From my very own blog:

‘Pain in the Pews’ Conference Highlights Mental Health & Ministry This Saturday!

Excerpt:  Do you feel like the church, specifically the Black Church, has appropriately addressed mental health and ministry? Please explain your answer.

No, I don’t think so. I think that historically, we have been taught just to “pray about it” – which, I agree wholeheartedly that we should pray about everything. However, it cannot stop there. If Sister Mary comes and says that she is suffering from depression and having suicidal thoughts, prayer along with ensuring that Sister Mary gets professional help is what is going to help to heal her. If someone says I have a tightness in my chest and my left arm is going numb, we are certainly going to pray, but someone is going to/should say “you need to go see a doctor.” The same advice given to someone with a physical ailment should be given when someone has a mental or emotional issue. That is not always the case in the Black Church.

Former Child Caretaker Dr. Sheila D. Williams Uses Background to Help Others With Mental Illness…

Excerpt:  How prevalent is mental illness in the black community, and what can the Black Church do to support mental health awareness and treatment? 

Within the black community, the subject of mental illness is still very taboo, unfortunately. There are many people within the black community who have undiagnosed mental illness or have been diagnosed with a mental illness, but chose not to take medication or get therapy. These individuals, unfortunately, are suffering in silence. By failing to see a mental health professional, to follow up with treatment or refusing to take prescribed psychotropic medications, their mental illness not only affects them, but it affects their families, loved ones and the entire community.

As a Christian woman, I have a strong faith, and believe in God and the power of prayer. However, at times in the Black Church we fail to acknowledge and expound upon the importance of physical and mental health. Although prayer and motivation are important, and I personally know the benefits of each, it is also important for the Black Church to encourage and promote mental health awareness. We often seek the help and advice of medical physicians, but we fail to seek that same help and assistance from mental health professionals when our emotional and psychological well-being is in jeopardy. I feel it a responsibility of all of us to promote and encourage 360 degrees of wellness, and this includes our mental health.

From The Huffington Post:

Gospel Singer Tasha Cobbs Says Black Church Can Help With Depression

Excerpt:  Cobbs was diagnosed with depression after attending her first therapy consultation, where she discussed her various symptoms. Now, the singer says she still attends therapy sessions once every month to make sure she stays “connected” with her therapist.

While there is a stigma attached to mental health issues in the black community and it is often viewed as a taboo topic to even discuss, Cobbs believes the issue should be considered a health priority — similar to other serious medical conditions.

“I think when you say ‘mental health,’ automatically people think ‘I’m not crazy,’ because we haven’t put a definition to exactly what we’re saying,” she said. “I believe when you say ‘it’s a mental health issue,’ it’s like having diabetes or something’s wrong with my toes or whatever the case is — it’s a medical condition and it can be dealt with. Just like you can manage a broken finger, you can manage mental health issues. I am a living witness that you can be freed and you can be cured and healed from it, but you have to first acknowledge that it exists.”

The suicides of Kate Spade earlier this month followed by Anthony Bourdain days later demonstrated in a dramatic way that no one, no matter the person’s social standing, celebrity status and wealth, is immune from mental health crises. I’m not discounting all of the people who don’t have a platform and suffer in the same way but because of the platforms of Spade and Bourdain, more people, I imagine, are paying attention to mental health issues.

As Elder Moore said, I do believe that Jesus still heals today but we cannot predict how He will heal and we have to use every resource available to facilitate that healing. I believe God has equipped some therapists and uses them to heal their patients. And some Christian therapists use Scripture in addressing mental health diagnoses. As my father was trained as a therapist and as a minister, I’ve never took part in the stigma about seeking counseling when needed. Bible study and prayer are indispensable tools that all should employ in health and wellness but they are not the only tools that God approves of and uses. I hope that more Black Church leaders come to this realization.

Alright, I think I’ve said all that I care to say except to point out I think that mental health issues are so hard for some people to grasp because the issues take place in the brain which none of us can physically see. But as Tasha Cobbs said, having a mental issue issue is just as debilitating as a physical issue. If someone has broken their leg in a car accident for example, you’re not going to advise that person to crack open a Bible and recite Scripture. I mean you can do it and it could be helpful, but you also need to get to a hospital. A mental health issue should be treated similarly. If someone you know is exhibiting suicidal tendencies, seek the help of a mental health professional and all the while you can be recalling Scripture and praying as you do it.

And below is a Scripture that applies to this post:

“Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.”  Proverbs 11:14

Do you feel that the Black Church elevates Bible study and prayer over therapy and medication when it comes to mental health crises?

Any thoughts?