Steve Simms's Blog, page 263

What they’re saying about Off the RACE Track

Off the Race Track–From Color-Blind to Color-Kind is a kind, nonpolitical, and inspiring resource for racial reconciliation and healing America’s racial wounds. Here is what people are saying about it:

Commissioner Israel L. Gaither, first black National Commander, The Salvation Army, USA said: “The racial divide in America is real and it is deep. Steve Simms begins his exploration of the problem with three questions. He then takes the reader on his personal journey into lives and circumstances that too few would even dare imagine going. He is intentional about finding answers–no matter the risks. But he cannot question without engaging experiences that would otherwise be unknown and thus unappreciated. This is a rare account of a man who literally takes action on his belief in the worth of others. Interested in discovering what you can do to address the problem? Then you must read Steve’s story!”

Eric Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of Fireproof and Facing the Giants wrote: “Despite the many changes, our nation still struggles with racism and its legacy. Steve Simms walks us bravely through our dark history of slavery, while managing to do so with warmth and grace. He introduces us to unsung heroes, points out the faults of those we have long idolized, and ultimately paints a picture full of color and wonder and love. This is a book that should be read by everyone. It is a vital clanging of the bell, a wake-up call, and points us to-ward the power of love which can change generations to come. Simms writes with unsurpassed passion and grace”

Doug Krieger, publisher, retired public school administrator, said: “What you are about to read is both a history and the personal experience of Steve Simms from Tennessee. Steve grew up in the segregated South–but had no idea the ‘racial divide’ was as great as it was, nor why it existed in the first place. He speaks from the heart, while not skirting the main issues of racism in America–its history and present despair – but he provides incredible hope for America’s struggle with this most volatile issue. Seriously – you will not want to put this book down–it’s just too dynamic. It’s time to address these issue in a way of reconciliation and restoration of our fragmented society — this book has come during a most divisive time in American history.”

Ernie Froedge Simms (Steve’s wife) said: “So excited to introduce Steve’s new book, Off the RACE Track which , in my opinion, is his BEST book EVER! It’s an incredibly moving story of our own experiences in crossing racial barriers and reveals deeper truth at the same time. Please take a look!!”

To read a sample chapter go to this link:  https://amzn.to/2NOnQvw

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Discriminate in your reading–plant seeds of hope

All reading is not created equal. Discriminate. Find reading material that is hope-giving, uplifting, challenging, and healing. Read books that fill up your heart with love, compassion, and understanding, not books that trash your heart.

Everything you read puts a seed in your mind. Plant seeds of love and hope, not seeds of anger and despair.

Train yourself to read something inspiring and healing, everyday. An uplifting book will blow the dust off your heart and help you see life more clearly and joyfully.

If you’re ever discouraged about your life, reading Off the Race Track will give you a new perspective and make you feel fortunate. Try it and see.

Have you ever wondered (even a little bit) how race became such a big deal in America? To criticize black history when you’ve never even read a book about it is like criticizing a food you’ve never tasted.

Read about my haircut from Oprah’s dad, in chapter 1 of Off the Race Track–From Color-Blind To Color-Kind. Find it at this link. Here’s a picture of the back cover.

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Track or Treat?

If you look closely at history you will noticed that America was founded on a color-coded trick called race. That trick laid the track of dubious racial distinction and distracted us from the treat of compassionate color-caring and equality.

Perhaps we should learn from Halloween. It was originally started as an early celebration (the night before) for All Saints’ Day. Notice that it wasn’t celebrating “White Saints’ Day” or “Black Saints’ Day” or any other color of saints — but ALL Saints’ Day!

Let’s get off the race track. It’s time for ALL America’s Day! Need encouragement, support, and help getting off the race track? Then go to this link.

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Some short quotes from Off the RACE Track

Here are some short quotes from my new book: Off the RACE Track–From Color-Blind to Color-Kind. To get a copy or download a Kindle version, search for — Off the RACE Track Steve Simms — on Amazon.

“There is much greatness in every shade of human being.”

“Under the skin, people have the same anatomy–human anatomy–not black, white, yellow, or brown anatomy.”

“Color beautifies the world around us. Color also beautifies people.

“Everyone deserves to be comfortable in his/her own skin.”

“I view people of every skin color as people who want to befriend me and I want to get to know them better.”

“One goal of this book is to cultivate and release color kindness in people of every skin complexion.”

“Much of our uneasiness about skin color comes from fake news–from centuries of misinformation.”

“We like to label in-groups and out-groups, but everywhere I look I see colorful shades of the human group.”

“In America today the chasm between whites & blacks is painfully obvious. We need to build bridges.”

“To truly value the various shades of humanity, we need to go beyond color-apathy to color- appreciation.”

“Maybe we could all let go of our negative views of people who are not the same color we are.”

“Let’s break out of the mold of clichés and discuss race in an open, honest, compassionate and heart-felt way.”

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A fresh, non-political look at race

Talking about race doesn’t have to be political, stressful, or confrontational. It can be encouraging and healing. Check out my new book — Off The Race Track–From Color-Blind To Color-Kind at this link.

Pro-wise-choice

Don’t follow your heart when it tries to lead you into bad choices. Choose to make your life a wonder, not a blunder. When you let your feelings make your choices, you’re in for a reckless ride.

Choose thoughts, words, and actions that will make your life better, not botch it up. Disconcerting choices morph into disconcerting habits; disconcerting habits morph into a disconcerted life.

Everyday offers you many choices. You make a few from wisdom, some from responsibility, many from feelings, but most from habit. As long as you’re conscious, you always have a choice. At the very least, you can choose your thoughts.

Every choice involves consequences. We’re all free to make bad choices, but we’re not free from the consequences of those choices. If you’re unhappy with your consequences, make better choices. If you want better results in your life, choose better habits, make better decisions, and think better thoughts. Decisions made without regard for consequences produce many unpleasant surprises.

Past choices that have produced pain cannot be unmade, but they can be apologized for, renounced, and turned away from. Your attitude is the result of how you have chosen to respond to your circumstances.

No matter how good it feels, a sin is never a win. Don’t just go with your whims; follow the world’s best handbook for making wise choices — the Bible. Open up the Bible with an open mind and it will open up your heart.

Don’t settle for Christiapathy

It’s easy to miss out on miracles if you’re not willing to look for one. A dead church is out of sync with the risen Jesus. It saddens me that church services are often run as if Jesus is dead and gone, instead of present and active in the room.

Christ died and rose so that our dead ends can become U-turns. I believed that I was a good person, until I began to read the Bible and God showed me my own heart. Now I’m thankful for mercy and the opportunity for U-turns.

Christianity was never meant to be Christiapathy. It should produce fire in the soul! If you want to live with passion, let the risen Jesus inspire you into action!

Much taboo about nothing isn’t a good thing, but much taboo about evil is. Good and evil are not divided between good people and bad people, but are within us all.

We live in a culture where it’s hard to tell who is telling the truth and quite easy to get faked out. Neither accusation nor denial determines truth. A “good person” would always think, say, and do the right thing, whether anyone is watching or not. Unfortunately, any human is capable of doing bad things.

God wants to haul away your trash

God’s always working in each of our lives, however, we often have no idea what He is doing. He wants to haul away the trash from our life, but too often we are unwilling to take to it the curb.

You are invited to have a direct, personal relationship with Jesus. Don’t settle for an intermediary. Don’t let loyalty to a religion, a church, or a leader cause you to miss what God is saying directly to you. Hearing what the risen Jesus personally says to you is far more important than hearing what a preacher says about Him.

God’s voice is often like a faint inner whisper. It’s easy to miss (and/or ignore) if you don’t slow down and focus on Him. From the moment you were conceived until now, there’s never been a time that God wasn’t working in your life!

God’s not hiding from humanity. We’re hiding from Him. If you’re not as close to God as you want to be, guess who moved? Jesus rose from the dead, not to create a religious doctrine, but so that He can spend time with you! Will you let Him?

Church goers can sit through sermons for decades and never get up and grow. That’s because all listening and no interactive sharing makes a church service a spectatorial event. When church became a staged lecture by a single sage on a stage, it lost much of its power. A church service can be scripted and staged without Jesus, but a Spirit-led meeting is totally dependent on His active presence.

The first Christians focused on and centering around actively following the risen Jesus, not passively listening to one-man sermons. Too often church is like a piano player who only plays one key (over and over) while the rest of the keys are stuck with siting idly by. When church becomes a recurring routine recycled weekly it’s easy to miss out on the reality of the risen Jesus.

God is doing amazing miracles in and thru ordinary people. Perhaps church should listen to them instead of just to a preacher. Encounters with God happen far more often than we realize but the church service gag rule prevents people from telling about them. By refusing to encourage and allow people to share their personal experiences with Jesus, church silences resurrection testimonies. If church ever begins to practically train people to encounter, follow, and obey the risen Jesus, it will change the world.

 

Church of low expectations

First century Christianity filled people with hopeful expectations, supernatural surprises, and life transformation. Why not today? A Christian meeting should freely demonstrate both the humility of the fruit of the Spirit and the power of the gifts of the Spirit. Christianity without godly character and spiritual power is a contradiction.

Church has become a place of low expectations — just sit, listen, then go. However, it’s hard to find passive, spectator-style Christianity in the Bible. Go ahead and look for yourself. The Bible is full of prophecy, letters, laws, history, poetry, wisdom, exhortation, and revelation, but not passive, systematic theology.

Christians are called to be on the cusp of godly creativity, not caught in a culture of complacent conformity. God wants to haul away the trash from our life, but too often we are unwilling to take to it the curb.

Serenity is not denial or sedation. It’s the supernatural presence of God actively ruling and reigning in your heart and life.

Christianity isn’t produced by a religious show, but by the inner flow of the Holy Spirit. Church is one speaker and lots of hearers, however, the Bible says that Christians should “be doers of the word, not hearers only.” Perhaps Christians shouldn’t ritualize, program, format, or otherwise try to cage Christ to fit our comfort zone and expectations.

Turn on delight!

Let delight shine in your heart. Delight hearted people are a pleasure to be around. Their delight is contagious.

What’s flowing out of the fountain in your heart? You can set it to stream with delight or with discouragement. Unkindness delights no one (not the sender or the receiver), but kindness offers delight to all.

You don’t have to memorize what you delight in; you remember it with your heart. Delighten up! (Live with delight.)

Delighten your load! Find one good thing to appreciate and delight in. When delight says dance, don’t hold back. Go ahead a leap for joy.

If you ever wonder whether or not people are designed for delight, watch small children spontaneously playing. To delight is to TEA — to treasure, enjoy, and appreciate a moment.

I’m good at desiring more, but not nearly so good at delighting in what I already have. It’s not hard to be easily offended, but I prefer to be easily delighted.

Your 5 senses reveal that you are surrounded by infinite sources of delight. Enjoy one today.

To shut down spontaneity is to do away with delight. Church could train people to “delight in the Lord.” People need spiritual liberation, not religious deliberation — Spirit-led spontaneity, not manipulated monotony. Let’s turn on delight!