Dynah Zale's Blog, page 2
July 3, 2015
The Confederate Flag
Today I was supposed to post part 2 of Bold Prayers, but I got side tracked by the controversy surrounding this stupid confederate flag; it’s so absurd. So today, among the million other blog posts about this flag; I am going to voice my opinion.
To be perfectly honest I have never been a fan of this flag. I was born & raised in the Northeast part of the country so any exposure I had to this flag was minimal. However, since I now live in the south I see this flag boldly represented by many (mostly white) Americans everyday.
If someone asked me what I thought the symbolism behind the confederate flag was I would respond with racism. I believe that flag represents a time when the south was benefiting from the enslavement (and maltreatment) of Africans. Anyone who bared that flag is using it as a representation of their views or their beliefs and I would probably say they were racist.
But I think it’s more to it then that. Some (not all) Americans do feel like the confederacy is a part of their history. Their ancestors probably fought in the war and they are proud of that.
As happy as I would be if that flag was pulled from the state capital of Columbia, South Carolina. I can’t blame the flag for what Dylann Roof did in that church. Hate is a learned behavior.
With that being said, I don’t think removing that flag can make as much of a difference in the #blacklivesmatter movement as black people coming together to protest the black on black crime that runs rampant through our urban neighborhoods.
We kill one another. There are way too many mother’s burying their sons and daughters. My cousin was murdered by the hands of someone she knew. He tried to rob her. There was nothing in her purse – another sense less crime.
I want that confederate flag destroyed but can we at least take a look at our own communities and stop the shootings that happen in our neighborhoods every single day.
To be perfectly honest I have never been a fan of this flag. I was born & raised in the Northeast part of the country so any exposure I had to this flag was minimal. However, since I now live in the south I see this flag boldly represented by many (mostly white) Americans everyday.
If someone asked me what I thought the symbolism behind the confederate flag was I would respond with racism. I believe that flag represents a time when the south was benefiting from the enslavement (and maltreatment) of Africans. Anyone who bared that flag is using it as a representation of their views or their beliefs and I would probably say they were racist.
But I think it’s more to it then that. Some (not all) Americans do feel like the confederacy is a part of their history. Their ancestors probably fought in the war and they are proud of that.
As happy as I would be if that flag was pulled from the state capital of Columbia, South Carolina. I can’t blame the flag for what Dylann Roof did in that church. Hate is a learned behavior.
With that being said, I don’t think removing that flag can make as much of a difference in the #blacklivesmatter movement as black people coming together to protest the black on black crime that runs rampant through our urban neighborhoods.
We kill one another. There are way too many mother’s burying their sons and daughters. My cousin was murdered by the hands of someone she knew. He tried to rob her. There was nothing in her purse – another sense less crime.
I want that confederate flag destroyed but can we at least take a look at our own communities and stop the shootings that happen in our neighborhoods every single day.
June 28, 2015
Bold Prayers (part 1)
This blog is about praying bold prayers. Praying for the impossible.
First I would like to reference a book by a pastor by the name of Mark Batterson. He wrote a book called “The Circle Maker”. The foundation of the book focuses on the faith of a Jewish scholar named Honi. Even though this story is not recorded in the bible, legend has it that Honi had extraordinary faith in God.
There was a devastating drought in the land where Honi resided. The entire village was facing extinction if it didn’t rain soon. The village prayed. They prayed to God for rain but God was silent.
As a last resort Honi prayed.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
James 5:16
One afternoon, Honi took a six-foot staff and drew a circle in the sand. He stepped inside that circle and prayed. He prayed and vowed to not leave that spot until God sent rain. His prayer was strong and so was his faith. There was no fear or hesitation in his words because he knew what God could and would do. So with unwavering faith he asked God for rain. And God answered.
Bold prayers honor God and God honors bold prayer. –Mark Basista.
This book and Honi’s story inspired me to pray bold prayers.
My next post I will share with the result of some bold prayers God has answered for me.
First I would like to reference a book by a pastor by the name of Mark Batterson. He wrote a book called “The Circle Maker”. The foundation of the book focuses on the faith of a Jewish scholar named Honi. Even though this story is not recorded in the bible, legend has it that Honi had extraordinary faith in God.
There was a devastating drought in the land where Honi resided. The entire village was facing extinction if it didn’t rain soon. The village prayed. They prayed to God for rain but God was silent.
As a last resort Honi prayed.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
James 5:16
One afternoon, Honi took a six-foot staff and drew a circle in the sand. He stepped inside that circle and prayed. He prayed and vowed to not leave that spot until God sent rain. His prayer was strong and so was his faith. There was no fear or hesitation in his words because he knew what God could and would do. So with unwavering faith he asked God for rain. And God answered.
Bold prayers honor God and God honors bold prayer. –Mark Basista.
This book and Honi’s story inspired me to pray bold prayers.
My next post I will share with the result of some bold prayers God has answered for me.
June 22, 2015
The hate is real
On June 17th, 2015, inside Emanuel AME in Charleston, S.C. a frustrated angry white 21-year-old man sat and listened to members of a weekly prayer meeting gather and worship God.
I was raised in an AME church and if their church was anything like our church I’m sure somebody reached out to this young man, asked him his name and welcomed him with open arms.
The purpose of a prayer meeting is to gather in love. Prayer is powerful and I know that prayer changes things.
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:20.
I can’t pretend to know how Dylann was feeling that evening, but I assume he was brewing with anger and hatred. Dylann Roof sat in that bible study for close to an hour and the love of God could not penetrate his heart. Hatred had steered him on a mission that evening and nothing would deter him from it.
The media leads us to believe that his heart is layered with years and years and years of racial hate. I’m sure there is a cross hanging somewhere in that church’s sanctuary. Dylann is a member of a Lutheran church. He is full aware of what the cross symbolizes. Why did he not say to himself? Not here. Not now.
God was there. God was in that church that night. He saw what was happening. So why didn’t he stop it?
I can’t answer that question.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8.
I feel like the devil is running rampant and God sits back on his throne and just watches. He does nothing but monitors the world. God can hear our cries, but still he responds with silence.
The LORD's anger burned against Israel and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone. Numbers 32:13
When the Israelites were forced to wander in the wilderness. He never left them. Although they may have thought God had abandoned them. He was there he just didn’t direct them and without God’s direction they kept walking in circles.
Are we (residents of the United States) walking around in the wilderness? I feel like we, as a country, keep making the same mistakes over and over again. This country has a pattern. A shooting happens. People die. We wonder why and pledge to pass stricter gun laws. Then nothing changes. We mourn the lives that were lost but in a few months; after the media coverage has died down and the spotlight is no longer on Charleston, SC we forget. Then the clock resets itself and we are on another countdown of when and where the next tragedy will occur.
God is trying to tell us something, but we are lost, walking in circles in the wilderness.
I was raised in an AME church and if their church was anything like our church I’m sure somebody reached out to this young man, asked him his name and welcomed him with open arms.
The purpose of a prayer meeting is to gather in love. Prayer is powerful and I know that prayer changes things.
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:20.
I can’t pretend to know how Dylann was feeling that evening, but I assume he was brewing with anger and hatred. Dylann Roof sat in that bible study for close to an hour and the love of God could not penetrate his heart. Hatred had steered him on a mission that evening and nothing would deter him from it.
The media leads us to believe that his heart is layered with years and years and years of racial hate. I’m sure there is a cross hanging somewhere in that church’s sanctuary. Dylann is a member of a Lutheran church. He is full aware of what the cross symbolizes. Why did he not say to himself? Not here. Not now.
God was there. God was in that church that night. He saw what was happening. So why didn’t he stop it?
I can’t answer that question.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8.
I feel like the devil is running rampant and God sits back on his throne and just watches. He does nothing but monitors the world. God can hear our cries, but still he responds with silence.
The LORD's anger burned against Israel and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone. Numbers 32:13
When the Israelites were forced to wander in the wilderness. He never left them. Although they may have thought God had abandoned them. He was there he just didn’t direct them and without God’s direction they kept walking in circles.
Are we (residents of the United States) walking around in the wilderness? I feel like we, as a country, keep making the same mistakes over and over again. This country has a pattern. A shooting happens. People die. We wonder why and pledge to pass stricter gun laws. Then nothing changes. We mourn the lives that were lost but in a few months; after the media coverage has died down and the spotlight is no longer on Charleston, SC we forget. Then the clock resets itself and we are on another countdown of when and where the next tragedy will occur.
God is trying to tell us something, but we are lost, walking in circles in the wilderness.
